IU GERIATRICS electronic news for October 2003

The IU Geriatrics Program and the IU Center for Aging Research congratulate IUCAR Affiliated Scientist Mary Guerriero Austrom and Geriatrics Program Administrator Kathy Frank. Check out "AWARDS" to read how they were honored during the IUPUI "Chancellor's Employee Recognition Convocation" on October 1, 2003.

Youcef Sennour, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine, has recently been appointed Medical Director for the Wishard Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit. Dr. Sennour will lead the ACE Interdisciplinary Team to provide geriatric assessment and consultation to older patients admitted to the 24-bed ACE Unit and throughout Wishard Memorial Hospital. In addition to a rotating faculty geriatrician, the ACE Interdisciplinary Team includes a geriatrics resource nurse, social worker, physical and occupational therapists, pharmacist and dietitian. Clinical trials have demonstrated that the ACE program helps maintain function and prevent nursing home placement in hospitalized elders.

AWARDS

Mary Guerriero Austrom, PhD, associate professor of clinical psychiatry, was honored during the IUPUI "Chancellor's Employee Recognition Convocation" as the recipient of a Glenn W. Irwin, Jr., MD Experience Excellence Award for service "above and beyond the call of duty." Mary was nominated by colleague Dr. Hugh Hendrie who cited her many major roles in the development and evolution of Alzheimer disease programs both at the state and national levels. She is a very popular speaker on issues related to aging as well as AD and works closely with the IU Development Office to promote the School of Medicine and the AD programs to prospective donors. In addition to her teaching duties, she spends many hours with freshman medical students mentoring and supporting them, and Dr. Hendrie noted, "She has been known to feed them on many occasions." He added:

"Dr. Austrom is an extraordinarily talented woman. In addition to her educational gifts, which she combines with a remarkable charisma, she has the great ability to make organizations and groups function more effectively and efficiently. Because of these gifts she is one of the most sought after persons for public service in our medical school. She has given her time freely to a number of charitable organizations including the Pilot Club, Rotary Club among others, but it is to the Alzheimer's Association and to the field of Alzheimer Disease education and research where she has made her greatest contribution. This contribution by itself would make her a worthy recipient of the Irwin award."

Kathy Frank, RN, MSN, DNSc, was honored for a milestone 25 years of service to Indiana University and received a plaque of induction into the Quarter Century Club. In remarks prepared for this recognition, Steve Counsell, MD, stated:

"Kathy has served as the Administrator for the IU Geriatrics Program for nearly four years and has been a key element of our success in developing state-of-the-art clinical and teaching programs in geriatrics, and fostering new initiatives in aging research through the IU Center for Aging Research. Due to Kathy's extraordinary interpersonal and leadership skills, perseverance, and commitment to improving health care delivery to older adults, we have established interdisciplinary programs at Wishard, Clarian and the Roudebush VA. Kathy has recently been appointed as Project Manager for "GENI", the Geriatrics Education Network of Indiana, a statewide dissemination of geriatrics training to medical students, residents and practicing physicians. Indiana University has been truly blessed to have such a capable and dedicated employee as Kathy Frank over these past 25 years."

PUBLICATIONS

Palmer RM, Counsell SC, Landefeld CS. Acute Care for Elders Units: Practical Considerations for Optimizing Health i Outcomes. Dis Manage Health Outcomes 2003; 11(8):507-17.

Menon U, Champion VL, Larkin GN, Zollinger TW, Gerde PM, Vernon SW. Beliefs associated with fecal occult blood test and colonoscopy use at a worksite colon cancer screening program. J Occup Environ Med. 2003 Aug;45(8):891-8.

Kinney ED, Kennedy J, Cook CA, Freedman JA, Lane KA, Hui SL. A randomized trial of two quality improvement strategies implemented in a statewide public community-based, long-term care program. Med Care. 2003 Sep;41(9):1048-57.

Lahiri DK, Farlow MR. Review: cholinesterase inhibitors have a modest effect on neuropsychiatric and functional outcomes in Alzheimer's disease. Evid Based Ment Health. 2003 Aug;6(3):94.

Otani K, Harris LE, Tierney WM. A paradigm shift in patient satisfaction assessment. Med Care Res Rev. 2003 Sep;60(3):347-65.

Wyrwich KW, Nelson HS, Tierney WM, Babu AN, Kroenke K, Wolinsky FD. Clinically important differences in health-related quality of life for patients with asthma: an expert consensus panel report. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2003 Aug;91(2):148-53.

Kirchhoff LS. Case Study of Milton, The Cowboy. Smith College Studies in Social Work. 2003 June;73(3): 463-78.

PRESENTATIONS

Usha Subramanian, MD, presented "Development of a Casemix Adjustment Model for CHF patients," as a poster at the Midwest SGIM Regional Meeting September 19-20, 2003, in Chicago, Illinois. Her co-authors are Hopp F, Austin K, Hyungjin M, Lowery J. The theme of this year's meeting was "Enhancing Patient-Physician Communication."

Teresa Damush, PhD, presented “Exercise and Staying Healthy” to adult children attending the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Indiana family education program on September 23, 2003 in Indianapolis. The session was designed to learn information on the latest medical research and possible risk factors, effective caregiving tips, and coping with the changing parent/child relationship.

Amna Buttar, MD, presented “Evaluation and Management of Older Adults with Confusion Presenting to the Emergency Department” during ED grand rounds at Methodist Hospital, in Indianapolis on September 10, 2003.

Chris Callahan, MD, presented "Health Services Research for Older Adults in the 21st Century," at a seminar sponsored by Health Care Excel on September 26, 2003. The theme for this year's seminar was "Aging America: The Impact on Health Care" and was attended by physicians, other health care providers and individuals interested in improving the quality of health care in the geriatric arena.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

As a member of the Home Advisory Task Force for the Visiting Nurse Service, Inc., Greg Gramelspacher, MD, proudly announces the August 26, 2003 groundbreaking ceremony for The Home, a project the task force planned for three years. With Central Indiana's homeless individuals in mind, The Home is being created by VNS and will serve persons who are terminally ill who need a caregiver, who have limited or no financial resources, and are in need of special home care in the final stages of life. The VNS Home will have three townhomes, each with private bedrooms for up to four residents who will share a bathroom, kitchen, dining room, living room and laundry facility. A combination of trained caregivers and volunteers will provide spiritual, emotional and physical support with the assistance of hospice providers. Linda Kirchhoff, MSW, LSW, from Wishard's Palliative Care Program is also a member of the task force.

GENI PI Glenda Westmoreland, MD, MPH and Project Manager Kathy Frank, RN, MSN, DNSc, attended the 2003 Reynolds Grant Annual Meeting sponsored by The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation on September 18-20, 2003 in New York City. Glenda participated in a dual role as PI of the Reynolds-funded “GENI, Geriatrics Education Network of Indiana,” and as a panel expert and workshop facilitator. Panel and workshop topics included developing cases & evaluation tools, teaching different types of learners, using web-based resources, evaluating competency-based learners, evaluating programs, and retaining clinician educator faculty.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The October 15 Geriatrics Medicine Conference features Tatiana Foroud, PhD, associate professor, medical and molecular genetics and psychiatry. She will present “The Genetics of Alzheimer Disease and Parkinson Disease” in Wishard T2008 A&B from 7:30-8:30am.

Join us at the next Aging Research Work in Progress October 28, 8:00-9:00am. Matt Bair, MD, will discuss the research topic for his VA Career and NIH K23 Award proposals, "Improving Persistent Pain Assessment." WIP meets at the Roudebush VA Health Services Research & Development Service in D6005.

The October 29 Geriatrics Medicine Conference features Ann Hake, MD, clinical assistant professor of neurology. Her presentation, "Alzheimer's Disease Update," will be in Wishard T2008 A&B from 7:30-8:30am.