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Release Date: July 16, 2019
BATON ROUGE – LSU School of Social Work in partnership with Ochsner Health System, Chamberlain University College of Nursing and Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area in Baton Rouge is proud to announce a 5-year, $3.73 million initiative to improve the quality of life for Louisiana residents and families living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, or ADRD. Since its inception in 2014, this federal grant program has approved 92 proposals. The LSU School of Social Work is one of only three social work programs nationally to receive this funding recognition.
By 2030, older Americans will account for nearly 30 percent of the nation’s populace. In the coming decades, demand is expected to increase exponentially for health care professionals who treat and care for older adults, including multidisciplinary, integrated teams in primary care settings. This innovative grant program will combine and train three disciplines: social workers, nurses and physicians.
Funded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, the program titled, Louisiana Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program, or LA-GWEP*: Improving the Quality of Integrated Primary Care among Persons with Dementia and Caregivers, is committed to enhancing dementia-friendly integrated practice in Louisiana primary care settings; and by doing so, it aims to improve health and wellbeing for Louisianans with ADRD diagnoses and their caregivers. LA-GWEP will offer ADRD and dementia care experts to provide curriculum and experiential training, including the state-certified Dementia Training for Health Professionals program, to medical, nursing and social work practitioners, and to academic faculty and students within these disciplines across south Louisiana.
“We know that families and caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders often see their primary care physicians, rather than neurologists, for a variety of reasons including familiarity, comfort level and shorter appointment wait times. We expect that this program will close the gap in dementia-friendly practice between their primary care physicians compared to a specialist,” said Scott Wilks, LSU School of Social Work professor who leads LA-GWEP. “Healthcare providers and students across south Louisiana will have access to training and support that increases their knowledge of ADRD, and that knowledge will translate into better overall care for Louisiana residents diagnosed with ADRD, and better support for family members and other caregivers.”
Louisiana has about 50 certified geriatricians to serve more than 400,000 older adults, including acute need for care in rural areas. This research and training grant will bridge a critical gap in expertise. Wilks and his colleagues aim to train and develop the workforce to meet this ever-growing need and improve quality of life for the citizens of Louisiana. Nationally, there is a demand for 70,000 geriatric social workers. However, only 10 percent of these social workers are currently in the workforce. Given that only 4 percent of licensed social workers and less than 1 percent of registered nurses currently identify themselves as specialized or certified in geriatrics, this research can provide important insights and create programs that other states may replicate.
LA-GWEP is under the leadership of principal investigator Wilks, who is also the gerontology specialization coordinator at the LSU School of Social Work. LA-GWEP co-investigators, who represent its organizational partners, include:
Special appreciation goes to additional people at Ochsner Health whose devoted support and assistance are vital to the success of this critically needed program for Louisiana residents and families living with ADRD:
Finally, LA-GWEP thanks two people in the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education for their unique expertise: Judith Rhodes, director of the LSU Social Research and Evaluation Center and Terri Michel, director of Post Award and Accounting, Office of Financial Services.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an Ochsner practitioner, call 225-761-5200 or visit www.Ochsner.org/info to schedule online.
* LA-GWEP is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, as part of an award totaling $3,726,322.00. The contents of the above statement 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.
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Additional Links:
Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area
Chamberlain College of Nursing at Ochsner Health New Orleans Campus
About Ochsner Baton Rouge
The Greater Baton Rouge region is home to Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge, a full-service, 150-bed facility and 13 Ochsner Health Centers across Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston and Tangipahoa Parishes – including Ochsner Cancer Center – Baton Rouge. Nearly 2,000 employees serve our patients in the Greater Baton Rouge area, including more than 180 physicians and Advanced Practice Providers whose collective dedication to patient care is recognized for quality excellence by Becker’s Hospital Review, Healthgrades, Truven Health Analytics and Leapfrog. Ochsner Baton Rouge is a part of Ochsner Health System, Louisiana’s largest non-profit healthcare delivery system. Ochsner is the only Louisiana hospital nationally recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a “Best Hospital” across three specialty categories caring for patients from all 50 states and more than 70 countries worldwide each year. For more information, please visit ochsner.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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