Research & Special Projects
Aging & Gerontology
Long Term Care Certificate Project
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Project Director: Elizabeth
DePoy, Ph.D.
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Funded by: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services; Health Research Services Administration
($300,000)
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Project Timeframe: October 1,
1998 to September 30, 2001
The Long Term Care Certificate Project
supported by funding from HRSA, was implemented in 1998 and currently is
being tested and disseminated. The project is an interdisciplinary
distance education program, housed in the Center for Community
Inclusion, designed to recruit and prepare preservice and current social
service and health practitioners for rural practice in long term care
with persons with disabilities. Specific attention is directed to
advancing long term care practice and policy in a changing health care
environment. The distance education program consists of twelve didactic
credits and a field practicum.
Family Caregivers
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Project Director: Sandy
Butler, Ph.D.
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Funded by: Maine Department
of Human Services, Bureau of Elder and Adult Services and the Margaret
Chase Smith Center Public Policy Research Funds ($3,000)
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Project Timeframe: June
2000-2001
In July 2000, a state-wide survey was
sent to family caregivers receiving services from the Bureau of Elder
and Adult Services who have recently placed their loved one in a nursing
home. Survey items included questions concerning caregiver experiences
with professional home care and what they thought were the key factors
leading to nursing home placement. Training needs were also
investigated. Survey results will be used to inform state long-term care
policy.
Geriatric Social Work Scholar
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Project Director: Sandy
Butler, Ph.D.
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Funded by: The John A.
Hartford Foundation and the Gerontological Society of America
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Project Timeframe: September
1, 2001 - August 31, 2003 ($100,000)
Dr. Sandra Butler is one of ten
outstanding social work faculty scholars selected by The John A.
Hartford Foundation of New York City and The Gerontological Society of
America to participate in a program to improve the well being of older
adults by strengthening geriatric social work. Over the next two years,
Dr. Butler will participate in institutes and workshops to further
enhance her research, teaching and leadership skills. As part of the
program, Dr. Butler also will be working with the Senior Companion
Program, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and the Corporation
for National Service in evaluating the impact of the Senior Companion
Program on elders and companions. Dr. Amanda Barusch of the University
of Utah will serve as Dr. Butler's National Research Mentor and Dr.
Lenard Kaye will be her school-based sponsor and will support her
professional leadership and research career development. The program is
administered by The Gerontological Society of America and directed by
Dr. Barbara Berkman, Principal Investigator, Helen Rehr/Ruth Fizdale
Professor, Columbia University School of Social Work.
It is estimated that there are over
600,000 practicing social workers in the United States. While most
social workers report that geriatric knowledge is needed in their
professional work, less than 5% of all masters level students in social
work, and approximately 7% of doctoral level students specialize in
aging. The Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars Program is a
$5.4 million dollar project to ensure that the country will have the
necessary pool of trained and skilled geriatric social workers by
creating faculty leaders specialized in geriatric research and teaching.
The Faculty Scholars Program is a major step toward increasing the
visibility and desirability of geriatric social work so as to increase
faculty commitment to training social workers to meet the growing and
specialized needs of an aging population.
Health Experiences of Late,
Middle-aged and Old, Rural Lesbians
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Project Director: Sandy
Butler, Ph.D.
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Funded by: Lesbian Health
Fund ($ 3000)
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Project Timeframe: 1997-1998
This was an exploratory study of the
health experiences of late, middle-aged and old rural lesbians. A sample
of 21 lesbians over age 55 and living in two of the most rural counties
in the state of Maine were interviewed about their health care
experiences throughout their lives. Informants were asked to describe
what they thought would be ideal health care in their elder years. This
is one of few studies examining the health experiences of old lesbians,
and perhaps one of the only looking at those of old rural lesbians.
Long Term Care Modular Education
Project
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Project co-Directors:
Elizabeth DePoy, Ph.D., Stephen Gilson
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Funded by: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services; Health Research Services Administration
($300,000)
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Project Timeframe: September
30, 2001-December 2004
The Long Term Care Modular Education
Project supported by funding from HRSA, was implemented in 2001. It
involves the development of multi-media, universally accessible CDROM
and Web modules focusing on long term care history, current systems, and
systems change. The project is housed at the Center for Community
Inclusion and Disability Studies, where it has been written, designed
and produced. National dissemination and outcome evaluation research
will occur in the remaining months of the project.
