On Friday morning, members of the Penn Medicine Geriatrics and Penn Memory Center teams, met American Geriatrics Society (AGS) leaders to learn more about the vision of age-friendly health systems (AFHS).
In these systems, said Annette Medina-Walpole, MD, older adults get the best care possible, experience no harm from their care, and are satisfied with the care they receive. The value of this system is optimized for not only patients, families, and caregivers, but also health care providers. Dr. Medina-Walpole is chief of geriatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center and an AGS board member.
The AFHS plan aligns with several goals of the Penn Memory Center, namely cutting back on older adults’ unnecessary prescriptions, considering a patient’s personal care preferences and goals, and preventing and managing dementia, depression, and delirium.
The plan was developed by the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States. To learn more, visit www.ihi.org/AgeFriendly
Dr. Medina-Walpole, who is also AGS secretary, was visiting the Penn Medicine geriatrics team along with AGS Chief Executive Officer Nancy Lundebjerg, MPA. AGS is a “not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older people.” Learn more about the organization at www.americangeriatrics.org.
Job Opportunity
We’re seeking a Clinical Research Coordinator A to support the research and administrative activities of the Penn Program for Precision Medicine for the Brain, directed by Jason Karlawish, MD, and a team of faculty collaborators and research staff. This group examines the ethical, legal, and social issues related to the aging brain with a particular focus on Alzheimer’s disease. Current research focuses on understanding the experiences of individuals with ‘pre-clinical’ Alzheimer’s disease and the social and cultural transformations of Alzheimer’s disease. For more information and to apply, click here.
Now Enrolling: ‘Time Out’ Program
Time Out, an award-winning mentorship and respite care program, is recruiting students and families. Private respite care often costs more than $20 an hour, but Time Out care providers will be available for $8.50 an hour for up to 10 hours per week. For more information about the program and services provided, click here.
Families who would like to register or learn more should contact Alison Lynn, MSW, LCSW, at alison.lynn@uphs.upenn.edu or 215-360-0257.
College students who would like to register or learn more should contact Roynell Sanders at timeout@temple.edu and register for an information session at http://tinyurl.com/timeout2019
Upcoming Events
Florence Collins-Hardy cared for her husband, a PMC patient with frontotemporal dementia, until he passed away in 2005. She has stayed connected with PMC ever since and will be giving at talk titled “The New Normal: A Journey” at a Family Caregiver Conference on Tuesday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Canaan Baptist Church, Hall of Faith, 3011 New Castle Avenue, New Castle, Delaware 19720. The program is free. Coffee and light lunch will be provided. To register, visit tinyurl.com/AlzConferencesor call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline: 800-272-3900.
Dance for Health, a free weekly dance class for older adults, has returned to the Ralston Center. It’s held every Saturday between March 16 and May 11 (excluding April 20) at 3615 Chestnut Street. The program is open to all adults 55 or older. To RSVP, contact Terrence Casey at tjcasey@upenn.eduor 215-898-9979.
Creative Expression Through Music, a collaboration between PMC and the Curtis Institute of Music, is a new, free program for PMC patients experiencing memory change or those with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia. It’s intended to provide participants with a greater understanding of music, fun new tools for interacting through sound, and creative musical experience that flex their imaginations. Beginners are welcome. Session One will engage participants in collaborative, creative musical experiences and will assess their impact on participants’ mood and well-being. Session Two will focus on creating new music and building the skills and activities of Session One. Registration for Session One is now closed, but Session Two is still enrolling.
Session Two will meet from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. on March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. All sessions are held at The Curtis Institute of Music in Lenfest Hall, Room LH314. If you’d like to register or have questions, contact Matthew Volpe at matthew.volpe@uphs.upenn.edu.
The next Memory Café will be held on Friday, April 12 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Christ Church Neighborhood House in Old City. University of Pennsylvania’s all-female a cappellagroup Quaker Notes will be performing. Memory Café is exclusively for people with memory problems, including Alzheimer’s disease, and their partners/families. The program is free. Please RSVP to Alison Lynn at 215-360-0257 or alison.lynn@uphs.upenn.edu. All 2019 dates are posted here.
Penn Neuroscience is hosting a Spring 2019 Public Lecture series. The lecture called, “We can, but should we? Ethical considerations in modern neuroscience,” will be held on Thursday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Rubensrein Auditorium, Smilow Center for Translational Research. This FREE Lecture series will feature 15-minute TED-style talks from three leading Penn researchers, including PMC physician Roy Hamilton, MD, MS. Check-in begins at 6 p.m. Please register here for the event.
Moment to Moment is a new, short film about love and resilience in the face of disease. It features Carl Duzen and Susan Jewett, who have been actively involved with PMC for more than five years. Duzen, a former physics teacher, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 by PMC Co-Director David Wolk, MD. His wife, Jewett, is an artist and former art teacher. The film will premiere at 5:00 p.m. (doors open at 4:30 p.m.) on Thursday, April 25 at the Jordan Medical Education Center, 3400 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia. Tickets are free, but RSVP is required.
Sincerely,
The PMC Communications Team
Terrence Casey, Joyce Lee, Janissa Delzo, Linnea Langkammer, and Sharnita Midgett
P.S. Thank you to everyone who supported PMC at our Lilly Pulitzer event last Sunday. It was great to see you all!