PSU - Institue On Aging

Current News and Research from the Institute on Aging!

The World Health Organization's Age-Friendly Cities Project in Portland, Oregon: Summary of Findings

The Institute on Aging and the School of Community Health at Portland State University collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) on its “Age-Friendly Cities Project.” This unfunded project was designed to identify specific indicators of an age-friendly city, with 33 cities in 22 countries participating from around the world. Portland was the only U.S. city involved in collecting data on the project.

The protocol, including research design, focus group scripts, and the analysis plan, was prescribed by the WHO and focused on the following areas: outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, community support and health services.

Researchers at the IOA have been disseminating the findings through a series of meetings with participants, community members, city and county officials, and Portland’s City Club. Future research is planed.

To view Portland's Summary of Findings (printed with support from AARP), click here

To learn more about the larger World Health Organization study, including brochures, checklists, and their report: Global Age-Friendly Cities: A Guide, go to: http://www.who.int/ageing/age_friendly_cities/en/index.html

To listen to Dr. Margaret Neal and Bill Novelli's speeches at the Portland City Club on October 5th regarding age-friendly cities, click here

To review media coverage from the OPB News, click here

To review media coverage from the Oregonian, click here

To view Portland's full report to the World Health Organization, click here

To view the College of Urban and Public Affairs Multidisciplinary report for Metro regarding age-related shifts in housing and transportation demand, click here

Oregon Geriatric Education Center Consortium Receives funding!

The Oregon Geriatric Education Center (OGEC), a consortium of three Oregon educational institutions - Oregon Health and Science University (through its Schools of Nursing, Medicine and Dentistry), Portland State University (through its Institute on Aging), and Oregon State University (through its Program in Gerontology and Cooperative Extension Service) – has once again received funding from the Public Health Service’s Health Resources and Services Administration. The OGEC was first established in 1989. The OGEC's mission is better health for older Oregonians through education of health professionals and care providers, with a particular emphasis on underserved rural communities.

There is an unprecedented demand for health care providers for our aging population, and there is a health professional workforce shortage, especially in care settings that serve older adults and in rural communities. Inadequate geriatric preparation of existing health professionals is a well-documented challenge, as well.

The OGEC will fulfill its mission through initiatives and activities designed to achieve five major objectives: (a) improve the training of health professionals in geriatrics; (b) develop and disseminate curricula relating to the treatment of the health problems of the elderly; (c) support the training and retraining of faculty to provide instruction in geriatrics; (d) ) support continuing education of health professionals who provide geriatric care; and (e) provide students with clinical training in geriatrics in nursing homes, hospitals, ambulatory care centers, and senior centers.

The OGEC will improve health for older adults in Oregon by increasing geriatric education of health professionals throughout the state. On an annual basis, we will reach almost 300 health professional students and over 1000 practitioners and faculty through an array of curricular enhancements and continuing education innovations.

The director of the OGEC is Heather M. Young, Ph.D., G.N.P., F.A.A.N., School of Nursing, Oregon Health and Science University. IOA director, Margaret B. Neal, Ph.D., is Co-Director of the OGEC, along with Sally Bowman, Ph.D., Family Development Specialist for the Oregon State University Extension Service. Funding for the project runs through August 2010.

IOA Students Win Awards and Scholarships

Alan De La Torre is the 2007 recipient of the $1,000 Oregon Retired Educator Association Merit Award.

Kathleen Bonn is the 2006 recipient of the $1,000 Joseph and Alice Savel Scholarship. The Joseph and Alice Savel Scholarship was established by the children of Joseph and Alice Savel to promote careers in long term care.

Kathleen Sullivan is the 2006 recipient of the $2,500 Pride of the Rose Scholarship Fund of the Equity Foundation. The Equity Foundation builds communities that embrace the dignity and worth of all people. Founded in 1989, Equity Foundation works to promote philantropy and positive interaction through grants and outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other organizations.

Kathleen Sullivan is the 2006 recipient of the $1,000 Portland Area Business Association (PABA) Scholarship Fund of the Equity Foundation. The Equity Foundation builds communities that embrace the dignity and worth of all people. Founded in 1989, Equity Foundation works to promote philantropy and positive interaction through grants and outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other organizations.

Ann Mcqueen is the 2006 recipient of a $500.00 scholarship from the Oregon Health Care Foundation (OHCF) for qulaity long-term care. The Oregon Health Care Foundation (OHCF) is a non-profit, charitable organization established to enhance the lives of older Oregonians through education, research and training. This is the second consecutive year Ann has received an award from OHCF.

Brenda Sulick is the 2006-2007 national recipient of the John Heinz Senate Fellowship. She will be working with Senator Blanche Lincoln from Arkansas. The John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program provides an opportunity for mid-career professionals in aging to learn public policy as a member of the U.S. Senate staff. Intended as a career development opportunity for professionals in the field of aging, the program will provide first-hand knowledge in the development and advancement of public policy and legislation that will improve the quality of life for older Americans. The John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program is funded by the United States Senate and the Teresa and H. John Heinz III Foundation, and administered by the Heinz Family Foundation.

Kathleen Bonn is the 2005-2006 recipient of the $1,000 Merit Award from the Oregon Retired Educators Association.

Brenda Sulick received an AARP Scholars Award from the AARP Office of Academic Affairs and is in the first class of AARP Scholars.

Ann McQueen is this year's recipient of the $1,000 Fred Annin "Passion for Seniors" scholarship awarded by the Oregon Health Care Foundation.

Alan DeLaTorre received one of two $500 scholarships awarded by the Oregon Retired Educators Association.

Julie Guenette Howard, Ph.D., was a recipient of one of two $500 scholarships awarded in 2004-05 by the Oregon Retired Educators Association.

» More Details

Associate Professor Dr. Keren Brown Wilson awarded Gerontological Society of America's 2005 Maxwell A. Pollack Award.

Dr. Keren Brown Wilson of the Jessie F. Richardson Foundation was chosen by The Gerontological Society of America to receive its 2005 Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Aging. Dr. Brown Wilson earned her Ph.D. from the College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University with gerontology as her field of choice.

» Learn More


	Current News and Research from the Institute on Aging! The World Health Organization's Age-Friendly Cities Project in Portland, Oregon: Summary of Findings The Institute on Aging and the School of Community Health at Portland State University collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) on its “Age-Friendly Cities Project.” This unfunded project was designed to identify specific indicators of an age-friendly city, with 33 cities in 22 countries participating from around the world. Portland was the only U.S. city involved in collecting data on the project. The protocol, including research design, focus group scripts, and the analysis plan, was prescribed by the WHO and focused on the following areas: outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, community support and health services. Researchers at the IOA have been disseminating the findings through a series of meetings with participants, community members, city and county officials, and Portland’s City Club. Future research is planed. To view Portland's Summary of Findings (printed with support from AARP), click here To learn more about the larger World Health Organization study, including brochures, checklists, and their report: Global Age-Friendly Cities: A Guide, go to: http://www.who.int/ageing/age_friendly_cities/en/index.html To listen to Dr. Margaret Neal and Bill Novelli's speeches at the Portland City Club on October 5th regarding age-friendly cities, click here To review media coverage from the OPB News, click here To review media coverage from the Oregonian, click here To view Portland's full report to the World Health Organization, click here To view the College of Urban and Public Affairs Multidisciplinary report for Metro regarding age-related shifts in housing and transportation demand, click here Oregon Geriatric Education Center Consortium Receives funding! The Oregon Geriatric Education Center (OGEC), a consortium of three Oregon educational institutions - Oregon Health and Science University (through its Schools of Nursing, Medicine and Dentistry), Portland State University (through its Institute on Aging), and Oregon State University (through its Program in Gerontology and Cooperative Extension Service) – has once again received funding from the Public Health Service’s Health Resources and Services Administration. The OGEC was first established in 1989. The OGEC's mission is better health for older Oregonians through education of health professionals and care providers, with a particular emphasis on underserved rural communities. There is an unprecedented demand for health care providers for our aging population, and there is a health professional workforce shortage, especially in care settings that serve older adults and in rural communities. Inadequate geriatric preparation of existing health professionals is a well-documented challenge, as well. The OGEC will fulfill its mission through initiatives and activities designed to achieve five major objectives: (a) improve the training of health professionals in geriatrics; (b) develop and disseminate curricula relating to the treatment of the health problems of the elderly; (c) support the training and retraining of faculty to provide instruction in geriatrics; (d) ) support continuing education of health professionals who provide geriatric care; and (e) provide students with clinical training in geriatrics in nursing homes, hospitals, ambulatory care centers, and senior centers. The OGEC will improve health for older adults in Oregon by increasing geriatric education of health professionals throughout the state. On an annual basis, we will reach almost 300 health professional students and over 1000 practitioners and faculty through an array of curricular enhancements and continuing education innovations. The director of the OGEC is Heather M. Young, Ph.D., G.N.P., F.A.A.N., School of Nursing, Oregon Health and Science University. IOA director, Margaret B. Neal, Ph.D., is Co-Director of the OGEC, along with Sally Bowman, Ph.D., Family Development Specialist for the Oregon State University Extension Service. Funding for the project runs through August 2010. IOA Students Win Awards and Scholarships Alan De La Torre is the 2007 recipient of the $1,000 Oregon Retired Educator Association Merit Award. Kathleen Bonn is the 2006 recipient of the $1,000 Joseph and Alice Savel Scholarship. The Joseph and Alice Savel Scholarship was established by the children of Joseph and Alice Savel to promote careers in long term care. Kathleen Sullivan is the 2006 recipient of the $2,500 Pride of the Rose Scholarship Fund of the Equity Foundation. The Equity Foundation builds communities that embrace the dignity and worth of all people. Founded in 1989, Equity Foundation works to promote philantropy and positive interaction through grants and outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other organizations. Kathleen Sullivan is the 2006 recipient of the $1,000 Portland Area Business Association (PABA) Scholarship Fund of the Equity Foundation. The Equity Foundation builds communities that embrace the dignity and worth of all people. Founded in 1989, Equity Foundation works to promote philantropy and positive interaction through grants and outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other organizations. Ann Mcqueen is the 2006 recipient of a $500.00 scholarship from the Oregon Health Care Foundation (OHCF) for qulaity long-term care. The Oregon Health Care Foundation (OHCF) is a non-profit, charitable organization established to enhance the lives of older Oregonians through education, research and training. This is the second consecutive year Ann has received an award from OHCF. Brenda Sulick is the 2006-2007 national recipient of the John Heinz Senate Fellowship. She will be working with Senator Blanche Lincoln from Arkansas. The John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program provides an opportunity for mid-career professionals in aging to learn public policy as a member of the U.S. Senate staff. Intended as a career development opportunity for professionals in the field of aging, the program will provide first-hand knowledge in the development and advancement of public policy and legislation that will improve the quality of life for older Americans. The John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program is funded by the United States Senate and the Teresa and H. John Heinz III Foundation, and administered by the Heinz Family Foundation. Kathleen Bonn is the 2005-2006 recipient of the $1,000 Merit Award from the Oregon Retired Educators Association. Brenda Sulick received an AARP Scholars Award from the AARP Office of Academic Affairs and is in the first class of AARP Scholars. Ann McQueen is this year's recipient of the $1,000 Fred Annin "Passion for Seniors" scholarship awarded by the Oregon Health Care Foundation. Alan DeLaTorre received one of two $500 scholarships awarded by the Oregon Retired Educators Association. Julie Guenette Howard, Ph.D., was a recipient of one of two $500 scholarships awarded in 2004-05 by the Oregon Retired Educators Association. » More Details Associate Professor Dr. Keren Brown Wilson awarded Gerontological Society of America's 2005 Maxwell A. Pollack Award. Dr. Keren Brown Wilson of the Jessie F. Richardson Foundation was chosen by The Gerontological Society of America to receive its 2005 Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Aging. Dr. Brown Wilson earned her Ph.D. from the College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University with gerontology as her field of choice. » Learn More

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