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College of Nursing creates Program for Person-Centered Living Systems of Care

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State’s College of Nursing has partnered with the Polisher Research Institute (PRI) in North Wales, Pennsylvania, to establish a Program for Person-Centered Living Systems of Care. The program will expand on the college’s current focus on research in aging and person-centered care (PCC) — a model of elder care that seeks to improve quality of life by focusing on the patient’s own lifestyle preferences.

Kimberly Van Haitsma, associate professor of nursing and former director of PRI’s Harry Stern Family Center for Innovations in Alzheimer’s Care, will serve as director of the new program.

“This partnership is a natural hub for collaboration between two innovative organizations that are interested in raising the standard of care for aging adults,” said Van Haitsma. “It will not only enhance our research capabilities, but also allow us to attract high-quality students who are interested in PCC.”

The College of Nursing will serve as a teaching site and “living laboratory” for the program, said Ann Kolanowski, Elouise Ross Eberly Professor of Nursing and director of the Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence at Penn State

“It is a great opportunity to collaborate with thought leaders from our external networks to talk about PCC in its broadest conceptual sense and translate theories of living systems into practice,” Kolanowski added.

The PRI, the research arm of the Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life, focuses on research to improve the quality of life for seniors through innovative concepts of care, with a special emphasis on PCC for those living with dementia.

“We’re thrilled to partner with one of the leading institutes for excellence in geriatric research,” said Janice Penrod, director of Penn State’s Center for Nursing Research. “We’re excited about what the future holds — not only for this program, but also for the industry and our students. The sky is the limit in what we can accomplish together.” 

Last Updated September 18, 2014

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