UofL News: What was the primary focus of your lecture?

Christian Furman: I gave five of the eight lectures, and my topics were geared to practitioners new to the field of geriatrics. I discussed both practical skills for working with older adults, as well as general information about the aging process. Topics included geriatric assessments, cognitive assessments for dementia, how to break bad news, advance care planning and end-of-life discussions.

UofL News: Is this part of an ongoing effort?

Christian Furman:听This was my first trip to Belize; however, my leadership and mentorship role in developing the study of geriatrics in the country is part of a larger, ongoing effort. Belize does not have geriatricians, and there are only a couple facilities and programs that support older adults. Starting in 2014, through a three-year LIFE (Living Independently in Full Existence) grant with Catholic Health Initiatives Mission and Ministries Foundation and KentuckyOne Health, I began working with Dr. Omar Aviles, a primary care physician in Belize who works at Mercy Clinic, a clinic for older adults in Southside Belize City. I provided monthly telehealth consultations to Dr. Aviles through videoconferencing to discuss patient cases. In this way, I provide continuing mentorship and expertise on specific patients, and offer advice on how to develop an interdisciplinary geriatrics clinic and program. My goal in providing telecommunication consultations is to provide Dr. Aviles with instruction on geriatric medicine best practices that he can use in his practice and disseminate to his colleagues.

UofL News: What are the main challenges for older adults in Belize?

Christian Furman:听In Belize, more than 41 percent of the population lives below the poverty level and, as in many countries, the effects of this are often most severely felt by a nation鈥檚 older adult population. Many older adults in Belize struggle to meet their basic needs across the major areas of health: social, housing, food access, transportation and medical care. These challenges are exacerbated by a lack of geriatricians in the country. These obstacles make accessing quality health care a challenge for many older adults. Having access to a geriatrician when we are older is essential to aging optimally. Just as we need pediatricians when we are young who understand the nuances of our health needs, so, too, is it essential to have someone who understands the complexities of aging. Many of the health care professionals in Belize have not been taught geriatric syndromes such as dementia, delirium, polypharmacy and how to complete a comprehensive geriatric assessment.

UofL News: What is the future of geriatric care in Belize?

Christian Furman:听I am optimistic about the future of geriatric care in Belize. Even with just this one grant, we have been able to dramatically improve the skill set and awareness of geriatric issues among the Belizean health care workforce. Already many of the practice protocols at the Mercy Clinic have been updated to reflect the needs of their older adult population. Working with this practice has started a larger movement in the country to disseminate best practices more broadly 鈥� as seen by the first geriatrics symposium held in October. Dr. Aviles also has passed along many of our conversations to the National Health Insurance (NHI) of Belize, a branch of the Social Security Board of Belize. Due to this effort, NHI is even considering changes in the geriatric health care delivery throughout the country.

I have been honored to be part of this movement in Belize to improve the health and well-being of older adults. It has been deeply rewarding to help professionals integrate geriatric best-practice medicine into their practices. I am committed to doing all I can to increase the number of geriatricians 鈥� as illustrated by my work on this grant and in my efforts at UofL to add to our number of geriatric medicine fellows. I also am working to educate professionals through the institute鈥檚 Interprofessional Curriculum for the Care of Older Adults (iCCOA). The shortage of geriatricians is not only a challenge in Belize but also in the United States. According to the American Geriatrics Society, we need 30,000 more geriatricians by 2030 to meet the health care needs of the growing older adult population.

The at the University of Louisville has launched a health education effort in Kentucky called the Microclinic Program, created by .

The microclinics are designed to empower individuals to lead healthier lives and manage chronic disease. Participants learn how to decipher nutrition labels, cook healthy meals, take part in group fitness activities and reach health goals.听听听听

The institute recently held a facilitator training for community and health care industry workers. They will lead small group microclinics with patients, friends and family at community centers, workplaces, churches, senior seniors, hospitals, health clinics, extension offices and schools.听

The facilitators are members of the Kentucky Coalition for Healthy Communities, a community coalition supported by the institute鈥檚 Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program听grant and other community organizations. The first cohort of trainees includes representatives of UofL, Aetna, Area Agencies on Aging, Care Source and Anthem, along with Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Trimble, and Franklin counties in Kentucky.

The institute plans to offer additional trainings for individuals in counties surrounding Jefferson County and those near the Barren River area.

To schedule a microclinic or facilitator class, and to learn more about the program, contact Mona Huff at 503-845-6849 or via email. Learn more about the .听

Christopher Callahan, MD, will deliver a presentation titled 鈥淐aring for Patients with Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease鈥� during the Tuesday morning general session at 8 a.m. Gregory Jicha, MD, PhD, 听will present 鈥淯pdate on Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease鈥� 鈥� inspired by his popular presentations at the University of Kentucky鈥檚 former Summer Series on Aging 鈥� at the final general session of the conference at 12:30 p.m.

Callahan is the founding director of the Indiana University Center for Aging Research and a research scientist at the Regenstrief Institute where the center is housed. He has more than two decades of experience in studying clinical interventions and new models of care designed to improve outcomes for older adults.

Jicha is the associate director of the NIA-funded Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Center and a professor in the Department of Neurology and the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky. He also serves on the center鈥檚 Executive Committee and is the director of its Clinical Core.

The three-day Optimal Aging Conference, 鈥淎pproaching Aging as a Life-Long Journey,鈥� brings together academicians, providers, professionals, community members and others with interest in the field of aging. It is organized by UofL鈥檚 Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging and the Kentucky Association for Gerontology.

Full conference registration is required for individuals to attend the Perlstein lecture, and for the conference closes April 30. Medical CMEs for the conference will be available to conference attendees. Other disciplines also will be able to receive continuing education credits.

For more information, visit or call 502-852-5629.

From UofL, faculty members Anna Faul, PhD, and John La Barbera and iHub co-founder Vik Chadha will be honored, along with J. Barry Barker, director of Transit Authority of River City (TARC), and restaurateur Huong 鈥淐oCo鈥� Tran.

Named to recognize 鈥淢ulticultural Opportunities for Success and Achievement In our Community,鈥� the MOSAIC Awards benefit Jewish Family & Career Services and honors international Americans who make a significant contribution in their profession and in the local and global communities.

鈥淛FCS was founded to assist newcomers to Louisville, and this event honors its original mission,鈥� said Judy Freundlich Tiell, JFCS executive director. 鈥淭o date, the event has recognized 57 international Americans who make our community a richer and more interesting city, creating a mosaic of many colors and perspectives.鈥�

At the event, a cocktail reception will start at 5:30 p.m., featuring a showcase of new micro-businesses that have received training and financial assistance from the JFCS Navigate Enterprise Center. Dinner and the awards presentation will follow.

Tickets to the event are $150 per person, and table sponsorships begin at $2,000. For reservations, contact Beverly Bromley, JFCS director of development, at 502-452-6341, ext. 223 or via email.

About the 2017 MOSAIC Award winners

Annatjie Faul, Ph.D. 鈥� South Africa

Faul originally hails from South Africa and is Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging at the UofL Health Sciences Center and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Kent School of Social Work. A specialist in gerontology, Faul has been awarded multiple grants to develop rural health collaborations that address serious diabetes problems in the outlying rural areas of the state. She has established outreach programs to Latinos and Hispanics, created services in rural Kentucky, and most recently was awarded more than $2 million to help primary physicians in the region better serve the geriatric populations.

John La Barbera 鈥� Sicilian Descendant

The son of Sicilian immigrants, La Barbera is a first-generation American and Grammy-nominated composer/arranger whose music spans many styles and genres. He is a professor emeritus of music at the UofL School of Music and is an international music clinician and lecturer whose topics range from composing and arranging to intellectual property and copyright. His works have been recorded and performed by Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Torme, Chaka Kahn, Harry James, Bill Watrous and Phil Woods, to name a few. Though his major output has been in jazz, he has had works performed and recorded for symphony orchestra, string chamber orchestra, brass quintet and other diverse ensembles. He is a two-time recipient of The National Endowment for the Arts award for jazz composition. His published works are considered standards in the field of jazz education.

Vik Chadha 鈥� India

A native of India, Chadha is the co-founder of two successful technology companies – Backupify and GlowTouch – that collectively employ more than 1,300 people globally. He was instrumental in conceptualizing and creating the high-tech, co-working space, iHub, at UofL鈥檚 J.D. Nichols Campus for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. His roles at EnterpriseCORP, the entrepreneurial arm of Greater Louisville Inc., and Nucleus allowed him to help create hundreds of high-paying jobs within the city of Louisville, and he has played an instrumental role in developing the city鈥檚 entrepreneurial environment. Chadha is a board member of the Jefferson County Public 成人直播 Foundation and was recently appointed by the governor to the board of the Kentucky Work Ready Skills Initiative.

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In a presentation titled, 鈥淏eyond Recovery: Using Physical Therapy as a Springboard for Health and Wellness,鈥� three presenters 鈥� all physical therapists and faculty from Bellarmine University 鈥� first will explore how physical therapists traditionally have provided services in response to injury and illness with a rehabilitative focus.

Then, noting shifting values on prevention, wellness, fitness and optimal aging 鈥� and how physical therapists are uniquely positioned to provide consultation and evaluation for older adults seeking optimal health and function 鈥� the panelists will share their vision for integrating annual physical therapy exams into routine care and address the benefits of tracking functional outcomes vital to healthy aging.听

The event听is April 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University Club, 200 E. Brandeis Ave. Doors open at 11:30 with the presentation beginning at noon. Admission is $25 per person and includes lunch. Reservations are by Thursday, April 6.

The panelists each work and study at the intersection of aging issues and physical therapy:

• Sonja Bareiss, PT, PhD, MPT, is an associate professor of physical therapy and teaches Neuroscience, Anatomy, Pain Neuroscience, and Biophysical Agents. Her research interests are in the area of pain following central nervous system injury and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.
• Dennis Lesch, PT, GCS, is an associate professor of physical therapy and teaches Acute Care, Gerontology, Adult Neurological Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Techniques. He is the director of the Bellarmine University and Kindred Rehabilitation Geriatric Residency, which is one of just 15 accredited post-doctoral geriatric physical therapy residency programs in the United States.
• Beth Quinn, PT, MPT, GCS, is an instructor of physical therapy and teaches Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy, Acute Care, Gerontology and is the Associate Director of Clinical 成人直播 at Bellarmine. She is board certified as a Geriatric Clinical Specialist by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.

With a grant provided by the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence and in partnership with the Fund for the Arts, the institute will launch 鈥渆ngAGE Arts鈥� at the Speed Art Museum on UofL鈥檚 Belknap campus.

鈥淎s the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence continues to work to improve the overall health of our community, we recognize that the arts have a vital role to play in achieving our goals,鈥� said Jeff Polson, Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence executive director.

EngAGE Arts will enroll 128 participants in arts experiences, measuring the impact of the programming on the participants鈥� health and well-being. The study will draw from two populations: older adults, including veterans, and high school-aged youth. They will be recruited from local aging care facilities and veterans鈥� groups, as well as from Central High School.

鈥淲e are dedicated to bringing about a new vision of aging where individuals and society are able to approach aging as an opportunity, not as a disease,鈥� said Anna Faul, PhD, executive director of the institute. 鈥淭he arts are an untapped resource for promoting health that demand to be explored further.鈥�

Staff from Frazier History Museum, The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Kentucky Shakespeare and KMAC Museum (Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft) will lead the participants in arts activities. Project goals include addressing the needs of older adults and youth in the Greater Louisville community through advancing the policy, practice and quality use of the arts as tools for improved health and wellness, raising visibility, understanding and support of the use of the arts in the promotion of health and demonstrating the use of the arts as a tool for health.

Past research has shown that creative engagement has positive effects on general health, age-related cognitive functioning, balance, mental health, use of medications and overall well-being in older adults and on academic and social-emotional development in youth. Additionally, programs focused on connecting youth and older adults in meaningful relationships have been shown to help break down generational stereotypes and create rewarding experiences for both younger and older generations.

鈥淭his is new territory for our community with a transformative grant program that partners an arts nonprofit, private foundation and leading university research center to measure the impact of the arts on participants鈥� health and well-being,鈥� said Kat Abner, Fund for the Arts Impact Officer.

For information about the study, contact the institute at 502-852-5629.

This award program celebrates older adults who embody the institute鈥檚 vision for a world where older adults flourish. This award recognizes adults 85 years or older who are outstanding models of optimal aging in the following four categories: physical, social, spiritual and creative. Multiple award winners will be named at a luncheon on Sept. 8.

鈥淭he Gold Standard Award for Optimal Aging is a special event that demonstrates the importance of appreciating the contribution of persons of all ages in our community,” said Christian Furman, MD, medical director of the institute. 鈥淭he Gold Standard Award for Optimal Aging celebrates not only the lifetime achievements but also the continuing contribution of older adults. Furthermore, this award is one of the cornerstone events of Optimal Aging Month – a month dedicated to promoting the view that aging is an opportunity, not a disease.鈥�

Nominees and awardees demonstrate that while aging optimally looks different for every person, the spirit of optimal aging is something everyone can strive for, said Anna Faul, PhD, executive director of the institute.

鈥淥ptimal aging is the ability to flourish throughout one鈥檚 lifespan. It is not a specific level of achievement but rather a state in which a person is able to continue living life to its fullest,” she said.

Nominations are now being .听

Barbara Gordon, director of social services of the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency, will present a discussion titled, 鈥淎ccess to Community-Based Services: Challenges and Opportunities.鈥� The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University Club, 200 E. Brandeis Ave.

Louisville is a health care hub and is proposing to be an age-friendly city, yet many older adults struggle to access the programs, services and support they need to maintain their quality of life. Funding and policy neglect can further exacerbate these challenges at both the local and state levels. If left unaddressed, Louisville and Kentucky will be incapable of meeting either the current needs or the future demands of an aging population. Gordon will address how creative collaboration can revive and strengthen this support for an uncertain future.

Gordon has been with KIPDA for 14 years after working with the Cabinet for Health Services as a branch manager for Elder Rights, Special Initiatives and Supports Branch in the Office of Aging Services. Her experience serving older adults includes working as a home care case manager serving older persons in Southwestern Kentucky, working with older adults with mental health issues at the Barren River Community Mental Health Center, and as a senior citizen center director in Franklin County. Gordon also is an instructor at the University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work and is the current president of the Southeast Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

Admission is $25 per person and includes lunch. .

鈥淭he Institute for Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging is honored to be able to support the Alzheimer鈥檚 Association and all Kentuckians who have been touched by Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. We believe that this license is a powerful symbol of our enduring love for those affected by Alzheimer鈥檚, our unwavering support for their family members, and our commitment to working with our communities and the Alzheimer鈥檚 Association to end Alzheimer鈥檚,鈥� said Anna Faul, executive director of the institute.听听

The Alzheimer鈥檚 Kentucky specialty license plate features a forget-me-not flower on a purple background with the words: 鈥淗onor. Remember. Care. End Alzheimer鈥檚.鈥澨�

鈥淭he Alzheimer鈥檚 Association is grateful to the Institute for Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging for understanding the value of helping to finalize this stage of the initiative.听Getting the End Alz plate on the roads of Kentucky has been a labor of love for the association.听 This awareness will shine an even brighter light on the impact of this disease for affected individuals and families as well as the vital need to find effective prevention, treatment and a cure,鈥� said Bari Lewis, director of community outreach for the association.

Alzheimer鈥檚 affects 70,000 Kentuckians and more than 5 million people nationwide.听There are more than 270,000 Alzheimer鈥檚 family caregivers in Kentucky.听Every 67 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer鈥檚 and the number of people with Alzheimer鈥檚 is projected to triple by 2050.

Alzheimer鈥檚 is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, the fifth for people older than 65.听Research has not yet found a way to stop or reverse this disease. As many as half of people with the related disease of dementia have never received a diagnosis, yet they could benefit from a variety of available medical and support services.

Alzheimer’s听is a disease that touches virtually everyone 鈥� including Faul. Her own father, the Rev. Japie Vermeulen of Ceres, South Africa, recently died after a 16-year battle with the disease.

鈥淢y education and training as a social worker specializing in older adults gave me knowledge about the hardship families endure when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer鈥檚,鈥� Faul said. 鈥淚t was caring for my own father, however, that showed me the emotional burden this dreaded disease takes on both caregivers and the patients themselves.鈥�

In order to receive a plate, constituents should fill out the application form and return it听to Alzheimer鈥檚 Association, 6100 Dutchman鈥檚 Lane, Suite 401, Louisville, KY 40205 or send an email. Applicants will be notified by their local county clerk when plates are ready to be picked up. Plates will be available approximately three months after the 900 commitments are secured.

For the final Optimal Aging Lecture for the fall semester, the Institute for Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging and the UofL Alumni Association will present a panel discussion titled 鈥淓xpanded Medicare: A Single Payer Alternative.鈥� This lecture will unpack the myths and realities of developing a national health insurance program. The lecture will be held on Nov. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University Club, 200 E. Brandeis Ave.

The panel presenters are Syed Quadri, MD, Kay Tillow and Edgar Lopez, MD, all from the national organization Physicians for a National Health Program. The PNHP is a nonprofit research and education organization consisting of 20,000 physicians, medical students and other health professionals who support single-payer national health insurance.

The panelists will discuss their common belief that too many working individuals are unable to afford health care. In addition to their roles with PNHP, the speakers are Kentucky-based professionals with expertise and experience in the state鈥檚 health system. Quadri is the co-medical director of the Hardin County Free Clinic in Elizabethtown. Tillow is the coordinator of the All Unions Committee for Single Payer Health Care, a Kentucky advocacy organization. Lopez is a Louisville-based plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

Admission is $30 per person and includes lunch. Reservations are required online. . For information, call 502-852-5629 or email OptimalAging@louisville.edu.