Summer 2022 Newsletter
By Robin McAtee, PhD, RN, FACHE, Director, Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC), a Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging (DWR IOA)
Wow, what a “hot” summer we are all experiencing. Therefore, I want to send out a special “thank you” to all of you who are out there serving and caring for our older adults! This is dangerous weather for anyone, especially for our vulnerable older adults. So, “thank you” to all healthcare professionals who continue to serve!
Our academic partners have been very persistent in their work throughout the spring and summer and are working diligently to fulfill summer obligations while preparing for a new academic year. So “thank you” also to our collaborators at ASU, UCA, Hendrix, and the Arkansas College of Health Education, we are looking forward to another exciting academic year with you and your students.
The AGEC has also been busy over the past few months. We are very excited to reintroduce the hands-on Alzheimer’s & Dementia Experience which has been on hold since the beginning of the pandemic, early in 2020. We had our first program in May with Saline Memorial Behavioral Health and we had 30 healthcare participants. Another program is schedule for August! Community programs were also busy in the spring and have continued this summer, both virtually and in-person. With a new collaboration with Arkansas Colleges of Health Education in Fort Smith, we have begun releasing a series on social media of 26 short videos in partnership their School of Occupational Therapy students and faculty, covering a variety of adaptive equipment for older adults around the home and their communities – click here to visit our Facebook page and see. We have also been very successful in the continuation of dementia support groups via phone, Zoom, and in-person where more than 130 caregivers were reached over the past quarter. AGEC Learn from Home Series continues where a different AGEC community program is presented every month via Zoom. We also continue our regular activities such as Ageless Grace, Tai Chi, and many evidence-based programs with our partners including UAMS Centers on Aging, CareLink AAA, and multiple senior centers.
Try to stay cool the rest of the summer!!