The Research Committee is a network of designated PLTC members dedicated to collaboration, dissemination, pursuing funding, and mentorship on a wide variety of research issues related to assessment and intervention in LTC facilities. Research interests of this committee involve the entire gamut of assessment and care in LTC facilities. The committee provides PLTC members with the opportunity to interact and collaborate by providing information about research interests/activities. In general, then, this committee works to foster a community of scholars and researchers from its membership to promulgate and conduct research on LTC. Affiliation and member contact information are provided on the website.
Committee Members
| Name | Affiliation | Research Interests |
| Debbie Heiser, Ph.D., Chair | Research - Isabella Geriatric Center 515 Audubon Ave. New York, NY 10040 | Depression; anxiety; palliative care |
| Lou Burgio, Ph.D. | The University of Alabama Center for Mental Health and Aging | Interventions; staff training and staff motivational systems |
| Brian Carpenter, Ph.D. | Department of Psychology, Washington University Phone: (314) 935-8212 | End-of-life care and psychotherapy |
| Daisha Cipher, Ph.D. | School of Public Health UNT Health Science Center | Pain assessment and management in the demented LTC elderly; treatment models of quality of life in LTC; geropsychological treatment outcomes |
| P. Andrew Clifford, Ph.D. | Mind Body Wellness Senior Connections 7533 Primrose Irving, TX 75063 Website | Quality of life in LTC facilities |
| Delores Gallagher Thompson, Ph.D. | Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine | Efficacy of psychotherapy to treat late-life depression; development and evaluation of a program "coping with caregiving." |
| Jessica Hafetz, M.A. | Research Coordinator Isabella Geriatric Center 515 Audubon Ave. | |
| Susan Hickman, Ph.D. | Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University | Bright light therapy on mood, behavior, and sleep (Alzheimer's); ethical issues in long-term care research; use of a medical order in nursing facilities |
| Lee Hyer, Ed.D | University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey | Cooperative projects in LTC settings |
| Catherine Johnson, Psy.D. | Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging | Dementia, depression and quality of life |
| Brad Karlin, Ph.D. | VA Palo Alto Health Care System | Geriatric mental health policy; mental health epidemiology; service delivery (including need for, access to, and utilization of mental health services for older adults). I would be interested in collaborating on projects or co-authoring chapters, etc. |
| Anne-Marie Kimbell, Ph.D. |
School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M University Health Science Center |
Long-term care, rehabilitation, elder abuse, and end-of-life issues |
| Carol Lytle Johnson, Ph.D. | Senior Life Consultants | Reduction of behavioral disturbances in elderly with dementia in LTC facilities; research involving facilities in Ohio |
| Suzanne Meeks, Ph.D. | Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville Website | Behavioral intervention for depression in nursing homes; Depression and anxiety in primary care elder groups, esp. in nursing homes, including phenomenology, identification, and treatment |
| Mary Miller Lewis, Ph.D. | Senior Life Consultants Website | Depression and dementia in LTC facilities; end-of-life issues; elder suicide; spirituality and religious issues in elders |
| Victor Molinari, Ph.D., ABPP | Department of Aging and Mental Health Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida Phone: (813) 974-1960 Website | Mental health outcomes in LTC sites; reminiscence therapy; personality disorders in older adults |
| Dean Paret, Ph.D. | Senior Connections | SNF and NF long-term care facilities - pain and other barriers to quality of life |
| Lynn Snow, Ph.D. | Houston VA Medical Center HSR&D VA Website METRIC Website | Pain assessment and management in the demented LTC elderly; treatment models of quality of life in LTC; geropsychological treatment outcomes |
Grants Available for New, Start-up Dementia Day Program
The Brookdale Foundation Group has issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the start-up of social model group respite programs for people with Alzheimer's disease and their family caregivers. In November, 2007 The Foundation will be awarding up to 15 seed grants for the development of dementia-specific group respite programs and up to 5 seed grants for the development of specialized programs for people with early memory loss. The seed grants are $7,500 for the first year with an opportunity for a second year grant of $3,00. Any 501(c)(3) or equivalent not-for-profit service agency wishing to develop a social model, day program for Alzheimer's families is invited to apply. Proposals are due at The Foundation office in New York on Friday, July 6, 2007. Award announcements will be made in September.
Applications for the dementia-specific group respite program should be based on How to Start and Manage a Group Activities Respite Program for People with Alzheimer's and Their Families, a manual for community based organizations. For programs focusing on early memory loss, a replicable model is outlined in the manual How to Plan and Implement an Early Memory Loss Program. To order manuals ($6.00 per book for shipping and printing costs), visit www.brookdalefoundation.org, or call (212) 308-7355 to request a Book Order Form. To obtain the 2007 RFP and guidelines. contact Evelyn Yuen, TA Resources Manager, Brookdale National Respite Program, 2320 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94704, phone (510) 540-6734, fax (510) 540-6771, e-mail ey@brookdalefoundation.org, website www.brookdalefoundation.org.
Release Date: March 14, 2007
Issued by National Institutes of Health (NIH)
As indicated in previous announcements regarding the financial operating policy for FY 2007 (see this website and this website) the NIH is taking specific steps to buttress investigators whose R01 applications receive review scores near the Institute or Center nominal payline and who have limited additional support. This approach was reinforced with the enactment of PL 110-005 Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007 on February 15, 2007.
This announcement describes the NIH Director's Bridge Award (NDBA) designed to provide continued but limited funding for new and established grantees who have submitted a competing renewal grant application that describes a highly meritorious project. The continued funding will permit the Principal Investigator additional time to strengthen a revised application. The Guidelines for this award are similar to those described for the High Priority, Short-Term Project Award (R56) (see this website).
NDBA recipients will receive R56 awards for a single year.
Investigators submitting a competing renewal research project grant (R01) application or the first revision of the competing renewal application (A1), who just miss the nominal funding payline for the IC to which it is primarily assigned may be nominated for the NDBA by the administering NIH Institute, provided the PI has less than $200,000 in other support (total costs) from all sources to fund their research. Nominations will be sent to the NIH Office of the Director for final selection for the NDBA. Total costs approved by the
Institute or Center for the first year of the project up to $500,000 will be provided using a one year R56 grant. At this time, the second revision (A2) of an R01 will not be considered for selection as an NDBA. Note that applicants may not apply for an R56 grant and applicants may not nominate themselves.
NIH received $91 million in the FY 2007 Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution to support vulnerable research programs. Applications submitted for funding in FY 2007 and applications submitted in FY 2006 that are still being considered for funding may be nominated for the NDBA.
Inquiries:
Office of Extramural Research National Institutes of Health 6705 Rockledge Drive , Room 350 Bethesda , MD 20892-7963
 | Study regarding Medicare Part D
We are recruiting psychologists who work with older adults to participate in a project aimed to determine what health care practitioners and Medicare beneficiaries know about the new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Medicare Part D). Please consider filling out a very short anonymous questionnaire about Medicare Part D. If you are interested in participating, please send your mailing address to me at this email. We will mail you the questionnaire and a prepaid envelope to send it back. Thank you, Christine Ferri The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey |
| Updating the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Test
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Southern California are undertaking an update to the Dieckmann, Zarit, Zarit, & Gatz (1988) Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Test. We have developed a pool of pilot test items and are seeking individuals who have some experience with dementia to complete the draft instrument. Specifically, we are seeking professionals across disciplines (medicine, psychology, social work, allied health professions, etc.) who would be willing to complete a brief questionnaire by mail. If you are willing to complete the questionnaire, or if you know of a group of professionals who might be willing to complete the questionnaire, please contact us. We will take care of sending out all materials. Thank you in advance, Brian Carpenter Washington University in St. Louis Margaret Gatz University of Southern California |