The purpose of the USI Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) is to improve health outcomes for older adults in underserved communities of southwest Indiana by developing a workforce to maximize patient and family engagement and integrate geriatrics into primary care.
Explore the GWEP
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Advance Care Planning
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Age-Friendly Clinics
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Dementia Initiatives
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Evidence-Based Programs
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Gerontology at USI
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Minka Lab
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Telehealth Resources
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bOLDer Bulletin
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GWEP Podcast
Meet the USI GWEP
The University of Southern Indiana GWEP is helping provide innovative models of care and education that support growth and development across the lifespan.
Telehealth Initiative
The GWEP is launch an exciting new telehealth project with Deaconess and the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library on May 15 to improve access to healthcare for older adults.
Announcements
Social Services Designee Certificate
GWEP-CC Case Study: The Journey to Age-Friendly Primary Care
A case study written by the USI GWEP has been published to Geriatrics Care Online (GCO) as a new resource to other practices interested in the Age-Friendly movement. The authors are Dr. Kevin Valadares, Professor and Chair of Graduate Health Administration at the University of Southern Indiana, and Robin Arnold, GWEP Clinical Quality Improvement Analyst with Deaconess Clinic, Evansville.
Becoming an Age-Friendly Health System entails providing a set of four evidence-based elements of high-quality care, known as the “4Ms,” to all older adults in your system: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. In the USI GWEP's case study, Valadares and Arnold focus on the What Matters component of the 4M structure through a multimodal advance care planning (ACP) initiative within a primary care clinic.
Graduate Certificate - Administrator-in-Training (AIT) Residency Program
The first two students to enroll in USI’s Graduate Certificate – Administrator-in-Training (AIT) Residency Program have passed the National Long Term Care Administrators Board (NAB) exam on their first attempt and have accepted jobs as health facility administrators in southern Indiana.
New Activity Professionals Certificate
The Activity Professionals Certificate Program aligns with the University of Southern Indiana (USI) mission/strategic plan and USI’s federally funded Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) initiative by increasing the educational programs to prepare students for a career working with older adults.
This program enables USI students to acquire a certification by successfully completing four classes. The certification increases their knowledge and marketability while supporting the workforce needs in the state of Indiana.
The USI GWEP reached out to its network of academic nursing program partners and nursing home partners to develop a strategic proposal of the use of FY 2022-23 Nursing Staff Training in Nursing Home Care Supplemental Funding.
The Nursing Staff Training in Nursing Home Care supplemental funding will support several initiatives focusing on nursing homes:
- Dementia Curriculum: A Dementia-Focused Nursing Home Orientation designed for certified nursing assistants, nurses and other nursing home staff members. Learn more
- Age-Friendly Curriculum: Coming soon
- Nursing Home Staff Education, Recruitment and Retention: Our nursing home partners will utilize the dementia curriculum and the Age-Friendly curriculum, and one staff member from each nursing home will receive the Dementia Live® coach certification. To address resilience, partnering nursing homes will select one staff member to be trained as a Mental Health First Aid Instructor. After receiving the instructor status, these individuals will host a course for nursing home staff members focusing on mental health concerns.
Meet the Team
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $3,691,706 million with zero percentage financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
Upcoming Events
Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions
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Class in Evansville (Vanderburgh County)
Thursdays, June 1-July 6
9:30-11:30 a.m. CT
SWIRCA & MORE, 16 West Virginia Street, Evansville
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Class In Vincennes (Knox County)
Fridays, June 2-July 7
10 a.m.-noon ET
Generations, Room 320, 1019 N 4th Street, Vincennes
Downland Flyer
Virtual Class
Tuesdays, September 5-October 10
11 a.m.-1 p.m. CT
Offered via Zoom
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Dementia Programs
10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's
May 23 at 6 p.m.
St. Nicholas Catholic Church, Santa Claus, Indiana
Petersburg Action Team Meeting
TBD, 2023 | Learn more
USI Community Action Team Meeting
TBD | Learn more
Warrick County Action Team Meeting
TBD, Noon CT | Learn more
Rockport Action Team Meeting
May 25, 9:30 a.m. CT | Learn more
Evansville Northside Action Team Meeting
May 20, Noon CT | Learn More
Tell City Action Team Meeting
TBD Learn More
Minka Advisory Board Meetings
June 21, August 16, October 18, November 15
10 a.m. on Zoom
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Interprofessional Geriatric
Assessment Clinic
By invitation only
For more information, email Dr. Ryan Butler or call 812-461-5396
Class in Rockport (Spencer County)
Thursdays, May 4-June 22
9:30 -11:230 a.m. CT
Trinity United Methodist Church
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Class in Washington (Daviess County)
Tuesdays and Fridays, June 6-30
1-3 p.m. ET
The Villages at Oak Ridge
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Class in Vincennes (Knox County)
Tuesdays, July 11-August 29
10 a.m.-noon
Generations
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Class in Fort Branch (Gibson County)
Tuesdays, August 1-September 19
1-3 p.m. CDT
Gibson County Center
for Advanced Manufacturing & Logistics
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Free Coaches Training for Matter of Balance
May 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST
at Generations, Room 320,
To register, contact Alma Kramer at 812-888-4527
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