Current News
USF In the News
Dr. Elizabeth A. Perkins
Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth A. Perkins
Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth A. Perkins on the successful defense of her dissertation “Caregivers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: The Relationship of Compound Caregiving and Reciprocity to Quality of Life.” Dr. Perkins, a doctoral candidate in the School of Aging Studies, successfully defended her research November 04, 2009.
The USF Student Association of Aging Studies
(SAAS) members, Jessica Krok, Jessica Allen, Beth Hahn, Tim Chen, Han Rhew, Angelica Cuevas along with friends and team mascot Lucy, participated in Tampa’s Memory Walk sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association. The Walk was held on October 10th, 2009 at Al Lopez Park. This year, the students raised over $300 for Alzheimer’s research.
Dr. Karon Phillips
Congratulations to Dr. Karon Leslie Phillips
Congratulations to Dr. Karon Leslie Phillips on the successful defense of her dissertation “Cultural Competence in Health Care: A Client-Based Perspective.” Dr. Phillips, a doctoral candidate in the School of Aging Studies, successfully defended her research October 16, 2009.
Chivon Mingo
Congratulations to Chivon Mingo
Congratulations to Chivon Mingo, Ph.D. in Aging Studies Doctoral Student, on being awarded one of the Research Excellence awards for her presentation at the Graduate Student Research Symposium on October 8, 2009.
Dr. Jerri Edwards
USF Executive News Summary
September 22, 2009
Brain training can lead to better driving
Two recent studies led by Dr. Jerri D. Edwards, assistant USF professor and cognitive aging and driving expert, indicate that seniors can drive longer and drive better after cognitive exercises. The results of the studies were published in The Gerontologist, a journal on aging issues, and in the Journals of Gerontology, Medical Sciences. Dr. Edwards stated, “Science has brought us new ways to improve and extend driving, it does not need to be a choice between uneasiness about continued driving and negative outcomes that come from taking away the keys because we can now train older drivers to improve their driving skills." The story was covered by Reuters,Wall St. Journal MarketWatch, Yahoo!
Finance Canada, DMN Newswire, SYS-CON Media, SunHerald.com, PR Newswire, Earthtimes,
Kten.com, KTTC, Mysuncoast.com, StreetInsider.com, About.com:Markets, Hoovers, SYS-CON India, Tickertech.com,TMCnet.com, Cloud Computing Journal, Interest Alert, Autochannel, RedOrbit and Oceania Digital Media News & Technology.
When waistlines grow, brains shrink
USF received more media coverage on a story featuring an interview with Paul Sanberg, distinguished professor of neurosurgery, director of the USF Center for Aging and Brain Repair and Associate Vice President for Research. This story about the correlation between weight gain and tissue loss in the brain, appeared in over 100 media outlets including Kota Territory News,WOI ABC-5,WRIC ABC-8, KMEG 14,
KTVZ, Mysuncoast.com and KATC.com.
To read articles ….http://usfweb2.usf.edu/university-communications-and-marketing/pdfs/ExecNewsSummary-09-22-09.pdf
Dr. Sandra Reynolds
Dr. Tamara Baker
Congratulations to Dr. Tamara Baker
Congratulations to Dr. Tamara Baker, Assistant Professor in the USF School of Aging Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences has received word her proposal to the National Cancer Institute has been funded. Dr. Baker will receive a 5-year K award to study disparities in pain and pain management among older cancer patients. Dr. Baker has extensive experience researching chronic pain from arthritis among older whites and Blacks, and this K award will allow her to extend her skills into the area of pain associated with cancer and cancer treatment. We are all excited about this new area of research and the wonderful opportunities it will bring to the School of Aging Studies.
Welcome Back Kickoff
The USF School of Aging Studies celebrated its annual “ Welcome Back Kickoff – New Student Reception on August 27th 2009 in the SAS lobby. Dr. Cathy McEvoy, Director, of the School of Aging Studies welcomed everyone back for another year and gave the “State-of-the-Schools Annual Report. The new Ph.D. students for 2009/2010 are Tim Chen, Antoneta Granic, Tiffany Young; New Master’s students are Joy Brown, Shannon Burton, Angelica Cuevas, Joy Miller and Dena Wright. Also, being welcomed was Megan C. Janke, Ph.D, Visiting Assistant Professor.
Jerry Edwards
Congratulations to Dr. Jerri Edwards
in receiving notification that her NIH R21 grant proposal is being funded. The project will look at cognitive training for adults with Parkinson's disease. As you may know, cognitive problems frequently precede motor problems for many people with Parkinson's, and make up a significant portion of the functional impairment for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Edwards earlier received a University New Investigator Research Grant that allowed her to collect pilot data from a group of Parkinson’s disease patients. The funding by NIH will now allow her to carry out the full project.
Dr.William Haley
Congratulations to Dr. William Haley
Congratulations to Bill Haley, who was selected as the recipient of the 2009 Retirement Research Foundation Master Mentor Award in Adult Development and Aging, presented by the American Psychological Association. This award is presented to the individual who has had a significant impact on the development of the careers of students and junior colleagues in the psychology of adult development and aging. The Master Mentor Award recognizes mentoring that has not only had a direct impact, but also an indirect impact, such that the Master Mentor's students are beginning to mentor their own students and junior colleagues. This is a richly deserved award, as Dr. Haley's students routinely achieve prominence in their careers and many are mentoring the next generation of scholars in adult development and aging. The award will be presented at the annual APA convention in August.
Jerry Edwards
Dr. Jerri Edwards, Professor at the USF School of Aging Studies, was interviewed by Cristina Turrau of the Diariovasco.com news in Donostia, Spain. Dr. Edwards is in San Sebastian, Spain participating in workshops at a conference on ‘Brain in Motion’. The conference is a meeting of International experts in an initiative of the Fundacion Repsol in collaboration with Donostia’s Strategic Plan. The full article can be seen at…
diariovasco.com
MCI Symposium: How Do People React to A Diagnosis of MCI?
Dr. William Haley presented at the Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)Symposium in Miami, FL and is featured on “The Tangled Neuron” a website maintained by Mona Johnson. To read more…http://www.tangledneuron.info/the_tangled_neuron/mci-symposium-how-do-people-react-to-a-diagnosis-of-mci.html
USF NEWSCLIPS
TV/Print/Online News
Monday, June 22, 2009
WLOX ABC-13
Rapid weight loss in seniors signals higher dementia risk
…Hughes, who conducted her research while a doctoral student at University of South Florida, published the findings in the May 19 issue of...
http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=10390857&nav=menu40_8
USF Executive News Summary
June 2, 2009
Dementia risk in seniors
Losing weight rapidly late in life seems to signal a greater risk of experiencing some form of dementia, new research says. The research was conducted by Tiffany F. Hughes, while she was a doctoral student at USF and who has published her findings in the May 19 issue of Neurology. The story was covered by Discovery Health, BusinessWeek, BBC News UK, KOAM-TV, 8Kpax.com, News Channel 25, AZTv7, Kota Territory News, FOX44 News,WTVM ABC-9, KRISTV.com,WBOC CBS-16, KTVZ; KIVI-TV,WBAY, KXLY.com, Your Total Health,WTHR NBC-13, Empowher, Health Finder, ABC 22,Wkrn.com,Wxix Channel, KMPH Fox 26, Reflector.com,WTVR CBS-6,Rockymounttelegram.com, 2 News,MedBroadcast, Dayton Daily News, The Canadian Press, Docto's Guide, Innovations Report, Interest Alert, DailyAdvance.com, KWQC-TV6,Medical News Today, Science Daily, Health 101 Blogs, Red Orbit,MediLexicon, Daily India, Argentina Star,World News, PhysOrg.com, News Guide, Net India123, News Track India, Thaindian, AndhraNews.net,Med Compare, Emax Health, AJC.com, Austin American Statesman andMSN Health and Fitness. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518161110.htm
Jessica Krok
Congratulations to Jessica Krok
Congratulations to Jessica Krok, Ph.D. student in the USF School of Aging Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, on being selected as the incoming Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) Student Representative. She will be a member of the Executive Committee for AGHE, the education wing of GSA, with many duties attached to the position. She was selected from among many Ph.D. students throughout the US
USF Executive News
May 9 –May 15, 2009
Caregiver health
In a recent study, researchers found that while caring for stroke survivors can be highly stressful for some families, many families feel little or no strain from caregiving,and even report that being a caregiver can be personally rewarding.
William E. Haley, Ph.D., lead author of the study and professor at the School of Aging Studies at USF said that, “Support for caregivers should include interventions to aid their coping with highly stressful mood, physical care and cognitive problems of stroke patients, but should also attend to perceived benefits of caregiving.” The
study was recently covered by Discovery Health.
USF NEWSCLIPS
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Rapid Weight Loss in Seniors Signals Higher Dementia Risk
Losing weight rapidly late in life seems to signal a greater risk of experiencing some form of dementia, new research...
...yet." Hughes, who conducted her research while a doctoral student at University of South Florida, published the findings in the May 19 issue of...click here
USF NEWS CLIPS
Print/Online News Clips
May 11, 2009
Discovery Health
Not All Caregivers Are Stressed and Depressed
Dr. Haley, a professor at the School of Aging Studies of the University of South Florida in Tampa. Along with having an increased appreciation for...
To see article…click here
Congratulations to April Temple, Chivon Mingo, and Brianne Stanback,
Ph.D. students at the School of Aging Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, in being recognized for their outstanding teaching at the Provost's Awards for Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Teaching Assistant on Monday, April 13, 2009. April Temple received a Provost's Commendation for Outstanding Teaching and Chivon Mingo and Brianne Stanback received Provost's Awards.
Congratulations to Dr. April Temple
Dr April Temple
Congratulations to Dr. April Temple on the successful defense of her dissertation “Factors Affecting the Utilization and Quality of Long-Term Care.” Dr. Temple, a doctoral candidate in the School of Aging Studies, successfully defended her research April 3, 2009.
Congratulations to Dr. Nancy B. Lynn
Dr Nancy B. Lynn
Congratulations to Dr. Nancy B. Lynn on the successful defense of her dissertation “Correlates of Attitudes Toward Behavioral Health Services Among Older Primary Care Patients.” Dr. Lynn, a doctoral candidate in the School of Aging Studies, defended her research focusing on older adults’ stigma towards behavioral health services. Dr. Lynn has the distinction of working in all three FMHI departments, was the first graduate of the joint Public Health/FMHI masters program in behavioral health.
Dr.Larry Polivka
Congratulations to Dr. Larry Polivka
Dr. Larry Polivka received the 2009 Clark Tibbitts Award on February 27, 2009 at the Annual Association for Gerontology in Higher Education Conference in San Antonio, TX. The award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of gerontology and geriatric education by the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education. As Director of the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging and Associate Director of the School of Aging Studies, Larry has made many important contributions to gerontology education at USF and throughout the nation. His enduring commitment to educating students, researchers, policy makers and the public about the critical issues of long-term care, affordable health care, and economic security for America's older adults are recognized by the Clark Tibbitts Award. Larry joins a distinguished list of Tibbitts recipients, including James Birren who is universally recognized as one of the distinguished founders of the field of gerontology.
Dr.Giyeon Kim
Congratulations to Dr. Giyeon Kim
Congratulations to Dr. Giyeon Kim, a Research Post Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Aging and Mental Health on being selected to receive The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2008 BSS Dissertation Student Research Award. This distinction carries with it a monetary prize, and a certificate, both of which will be presented to Dr. Kim at the GSA’s Annual Scientific Meeting. At the BSS Section Business Meeting on Sunday, November 23, 11:45 am – 1:00 pm in the Maryland Ballroom D.
Drs. Brent Small, William Haley and graduate of the Ph.D. in Aging Studies program Dr. Claire Robb
have a recently published article in ‘Aging and Mental Health’ to read the article go to …. Robb, Claire, Small, Brent and Haley, William E.(2008)'Gender differences in coping with functional disability in older married couples: The role of personality and social resources', Aging & Mental Health,12:4,423 — 433 To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/13607860802224326 URL: Click here
Senior Drivers Gain InSight From Tests
By SHERRI ACKERMAN
The Tampa Tribune
Published: September 21, 2008
Updated: 09/21/2008 12:12 am
TAMPA - Tiny diagonal lines squiggle across a computer screen, where 80-year-old Larry Martin sits at the ready. His assignment: Determine if the lines are moving in or out. If he's right, he gets a green light. If he's wrong, it turns pink. Either way, Martin, a jazz teacher in the University of South Florida's continuing education program, reaps the benefits.
By using the computer program, known as InSight, twice a week for 14 weeks, he can improve such cognitive skills as memory and mental quickness, with results that can last up to three years.
Researchers at USF's School of Aging Studies says the program gives users - primarily seniors - a chance at remaining independent and, ultimately, living longer. The program is particularly useful for helping participants exercise and monitor the skills necessary to drive, said Jerri D. Edwards, an assistant professor at USF who is leading research on brain fitness from inside the school's Cognitive Aging Laboratory.read full article…..
Dr. Jerri Edwards
Improving Driving Skills and Brain Functioning: An interview with Dr. Jerri Edwards
Sharpbrain E-Newsletter
Dr. Jerri Edwards, an Associate Professor at University of South Florida's School of Aging Studies and Co-Investigator of the influential ACTIVE study. read full text……
Welcome Back Kickoff
The USF School of Aging Studies celebrated its annual “ Welcome Back Kickoff – New Student Reception on August 28th 2008 in the SAS lobby. Dr. Cathy McEvoy, Director of the School of Aging Studies welcomed everyone back for another year and gave the “State-of-the-Schools Annual Report.
TV/Print/Online
Thursday July 17, 2008
Southwest Florida Herald Tribune
Seniors’ facility up for auction
Southwest Florida Herald Tribune – 7-16-2008, 6:18am
A former assisted living facility near the city’s airport will be auctioned off next month, paving the way for a new owner to revive the facility or turn it into apartments or a motel. … Polivka, director of the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging at the University of South Florida. ‘There is probably an adequate demand for assisted….
Seniors facility up for auction
Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth Bergman
Dr. Elizabeth Bergman
Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth Bergman for successfully defending her Ph.D. in Aging Studies doctoral dissertation “SERVICE UTILIZATION AMONG BEREAVED SPOUSES AND FAMILY CAREGIVERS,” on Friday July 11, 2008, at 10:00am, In Florida Mental Health Institute, Rm # MHC 1329.
Dr. Bergman has accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Gerontology in the Gerontology Institute at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY.
Congratulations to Dr. Tiffany F. Hughes
Dr. Tiffany F. Hugues
Congratulations to Dr. Tiffany F. Hughes for successfully defending her Ph.D in Aging Studies doctoral dissertation “THE ROLE OF LIFESTYLE FACTORS IN COGNITIVE AGING AND DEMENTIA on Tuesday June 24, 2008, at 10:00am, In Rm #MHC 1329.
Dr. Brent Small
Congratulations to Dr. Brent Small
Congratulations to Dr. Brent Small in being promoted to Full Professor. Dr. Small
has an incredible record of scholarly publications and grant activity, outstanding
teaching and mentoring, and an immense amount of service to the School, College,
University, and profession. Dr. Small’s research interest are: memory and cognitive
performance in normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). He also has special interest in the early detection of individuals who are at risk of developing AD. In addition, Dr. Small’s research has focused on specialized statistical techniques for measuring change.
Dr. Larry Polivka
Congratulations to Dr. Larry Polivka
Larry Polivka has received the 2009 Clark Tibbitts Award, which the Association
for Gerontology in Higher Education presents to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of gerontology and geriatrics education. As Director of the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging and Associate Director of the School of Aging Studies, Larry has made many important contributions to gerontology education at USF and throughout the nation. His enduring commitment to educating students,
researchers, policy makers and the public about the critical issues of long-term
care, affordable health care, and economic security for America's older adults are
recognized by the Clark Tibbitts Award. Larry joins a distinguished list of Tibbitts
recipients, including James Birren who is universally recognized as one of the distinguished founders of the field of gerontology. The award will be presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the Association.
Elizabeth Perkins
USF Magazine
Global Learning
By Ann Carney
Elizabeth Perkins, RNMH, a Doctoral Candidate in the School of Aging Studies Program,
is one of the featured International students in the Fall issue of USF Magazine.
To read the full Global Learning article
Congratulations to Dr. Giyeon Kim
Dr. Giyeon Kim
Congratulations to Dr. Giyeon Kim for successfully defending her Ph.D in Aging Studies
doctoral dissertation "Measurement Equivalence of the Center for Epidemiological
Studies Depression Scale in Racially/Ethnically Diverse Older Adults" on Monday,
September 10, 2007, 10:00am, in Rm #MHC 1430.
More.....