IU GERIATRICS electronic news for May 2004

The IU Geriatrics Program and the IU Center for Aging Research are hosting Visiting Professor Neil B. Alexander, MD, on June 2 and invite you to attend his presentations:

"Keeping your older patient on an upright path: falls, gait, and balance disorders in older adults," at the IU Geriatrics Conference June 2 from 7:30-8:30am in Wishard T2008 A&B
Functional mobility measures in older adults: what to use and what they mean,

Dr. Alexander is director of the Mobility Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan, professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine at U of M, and is associate director for research at the Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) at the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center.

Planning has begun for a Geriatrics Center of Excellence (CoE) through a partnership of Clarian Health Partners (CHP) and Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM). The first Geriatrics CoE Steering Committee meeting was held April 30, 2004 and was chaired by Norm Tabler, Esq., Senior VP and General Council for CHP, with co-chair Paul Cook, MD, MHA, Executive Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, IUSM. Steve Counsell, MD and Gene Lammers, MD, MPH presented current joint initiatives in clinical care, education and research. Kathleen Griffin, PhD, National Managing Director for Health Dimensions Group outlined for the group "A Senior Strategy for Clarian Health Partners".

GRANTS

The Clarian Values Fund for Research has awarded Malaz Boustani, MD, MPH, a grant to pilot test "Preventing Delirium in Hospitalized Elderly." The two-year study will be conducted at Methodist Hospital and will use a collaborative team including the PI and clinicians from geriatrics, orthopedics, and emergency medicine to test the feasibility of using donepezil to prevent post-operative delirium among elderly patients undergoing surgery for fracture of the proximal femur. Dr. Boustani's mentors for the project are Drs. Chris Callahan, Eugene Lammers, David Heck, and Martin Farlow.

AWARDS

Greg Gramelspacher, MD, received an Indiana University Trustee Teaching Award for the academic year 2003-2004. The award consists of a $2500 stipend, certificate, and the placement of his name on a plaque as a recipient of the award. To emphasize the importance of the teaching mission to the medical students, Greg's name was read as an exemplar teacher at the medical school graduation on May 9, 2004 at the Convention Center.

PUBLICATIONS

Miller DK, Malmstrom TK, Joshi S, Andresen E, Morley JE, Wolinsky FD. Clinically relevant levels of depressive symptoms in community-dwelling middle-aged african americans. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004 May;52(5):741-8.

Weiner M. State initiatives to control Medicaid drug costs. N Engl J Med. 2004 Apr 29;350(18):1912.

Murray MD, Young JM, Morrow DG, Weiner M, Tu W, Hoke SC, Clark DO, Stroupe KT, Wu J, Deer MM, Bruner-England TE, Sowinski KM, Smith FE, Oldridge NB, Gradus-Pizlo I, Murray LL, Brater DC, Weinberger M. Methodology of an ongoing, randomized, controlled trial to improve drug use for elderly patients with chronic heart failure. Am J Geriatri Pharmacother 2004;2(1):53-65.

Murray MD, Morrow DG, Weiner M, Clark DO, Tu W, Deer MM, Brater DC, Weinberger M. A conceptual framework to study medication adherence in older adults. Am J Geriatr Pharmacother 2004;2(1):36-43.

Morrow D, Weiner M, Young J, Steinley D, Deer M, Murray M. Patient-centered instructions for medications prescribed for the treatment of heart failure. Am J Geriatr Pharmacother 2004;2(1)44-52.

PRESENTATIONS

Mick Murray, PharmD, MPH, presented "Improving Drug Use in Chronic Cardiovascular Diseases" at the Ohio State University School of Pharmacy, Columbus, OH, on April 19-20, 2004.

Greg Gramelspacher, MD, presented "Medicare Reform: Did the President and Congress Write a Good Prescription?" at 10th Annual South Bend Center for Medical Education Mini-Medical School Series held on the University of Notre Dame campus April 27, 2004.

Several IU Geriatrics Program faculty members presented at the Third Annual Conference of the Indiana Medical Directors Association and Indiana Society of Consultant Pharmacists Coalition for Excellence in Long-Term Care held on April 29 in Indianapolis. Chris Callahan, MD, presented "Use of Percutaneous Gastrostomy Tubes Among Older Adults," Greg Gramelspacher, MD, presented "End of Life Care in America: Past Problems and Current Challenges," and Dave Wilcox, MD, presented the "Indiana Wound Care Project." Dave Wilcox is the president of the Indiana Medical Directors Association and comprised the conference planning committee with Jackie Sullivan, RN, GNP.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Malaz Boustani, MD, MPH, was quoted in the article, "Interdisciplinary Model Helps Prevent Delirium in Elderly" in the Spring 2004 issue of CNS Long-Term Care. The article focused on the literature review on managing delirium that he presented at the 2004 meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Dr. Teresa Damush will present, "Improving QoL through Physical Activity among Assisted Living/Residential Care Residents" at Aging Research Work in Progress June 1, 8:30-9:30am, in the Regenstrief Institute 6th floor boardroom.

Dr. Neil Alexander will present "Keeping your older patient on an upright path: falls, gait, and balance disorders in older adults," at the IU Geriatrics Conference June 2 from 7:30-8:30am in Wishard T2008 A&B.

Dr. Neil Alexander will present "Functional mobility measures in older adults: what to use and what do they mean," on June 2 in the Regenstrief Institute 6th floor boardroom from 3-4pm.