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Message from the Director
Claudia J. Beverly, PhD, RN, FAAN - Director, Arkansas Aging Initiative
The Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is addressing one of the most pressing policy issues facing this country: how to care for the burgeoning number of older adults. Beginning in 2001, the Reynolds Institute created the Arkansas Aging Initiative (AAI). This Initiative is a network of seven satellite Centers on Aging located geographically across the state with approximately $1.3 - $1.6million dollars annually from the state’s portion of the master tobacco settlement. These Centers place older Arkansans and their families, many who reside in rural areas, live in poverty, and suffer from poor health, within a 60 mile radius of expert interdisciplinary geriatric care and world class education.
Expert interdisciplinary geriatric health care is made possible through the establishment of senior health clinics by the local/regional hospitals. All sites have successfully recruited at least one board-certified geriatrician and one advanced practice nurse. Other team members also have been recruited and include geriatric medical social workers, pharmacists, nutritionists, and neuropsychologists. During the past two years over 66,600 outpatient visits have been made to these centers.
Each center provides innovative educational programming in all counties of its region to health professionals, students, older adults and their families and the community. Two of the Centers, have satellite centers thereby increasing access to consumers living in the more rural areas of the state. Approximately 185,000 education encounters have occurred since 2003.
The AAI also is addressing other policy issues: glaring deficits in the geriatric workforce; engaging the community in building partnerships and programs crucial to maximizing their limited resources; and identifying opportunities to change reimbursement mechanisms for care of the growing number of older adults. We believe this type of program has the potential to create a novel paradigm for nationwide implementation.
Dr. Claudia J. Beverly, PhD, RN, FAAN
Murphy Chair for Rural Aging Leadership and Policy
Director, Arkansas Aging Initiative
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