Gerontology and aging
November 19, 2019
With the number of persons aged 65+ expected to double globally by 2050, the race is on to deliver exceptional evidence-based care for older adults. NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing pursues excellence in gerontology and aging care through expert-led academic programming, world-class institutes and centers, and innovative scholarship.
We are encouraged by new data on NICHE, our specialty program on geriatric care, showing it has supported 500+ member healthcare organizations in improving outcomes for older adults — including preventing falls and reducing potentially inappropriate medications. Major awards from NIH and others are also helping our experts accelerate research on Alzheimer's and dementia care, sleep in nursing homes, and primary care for homebound seniors.
How is NYU Meyers helping communities deliver best-in-class aging care? Find out more below.
Our experts
Prof. Ab Brody focuses on the intersection of geriatrics and palliative care. He leads multiple research projects on aging and dementia, including the pilot core of an NIH-funded $53.4 million “collaboratory” that is pushing for rapid advancements in Alzheimer’s and dementia patient care. As executive director of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at NYU Meyers, Prof. Tara A. Cortes has made significant contributions to advancing wellness for patients and caretakers in their communities. Dean Eileen Sullivan-Marx is a nursing leader, educator, and clinician known for innovative approaches in primary care, testing methods of payment for nurses, particularly with Medicaid and Medicare, and developing health policy in community-based settings. Prof. Bei Wu currently heads several initiatives, including the NYU Aging Incubator and an NIH-funded clinical trial to improve oral health for persons with cognitive impairment.
Our institutes, centers, + initiatives
Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing
The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing is a globally recognized research center known for its expertise in the specialized care of older adults. Since its start in 1996, the Institute’s singular mission has been to shape the quality of healthcare of older adults through excellence in nursing practice.
Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE)
NICHE is a nursing education and consultation program designed to improve geriatric care in healthcare organizations. Founded in 1992 and with a network of 566 healthcare member organizations, it provides resources for nursing and inter-disciplinary teams to achieve organizational goals for the care of older adult patients. Watch NICHE's new video here.
WHO Collaborating Center for Geriatric Education
As a World Health Organization Collaborating Center in Gerontologic Nursing Education since 2004, NYU Meyers designs and implements projects that build the capacity for education and research on healthy aging and care of older adults in Latin America and the Caribbean, partnering with local governments and health professional groups.
Established in 2016, the NYU Aging Incubator is a University-wide initiative that brings together faculty and students from all disciplines who study aging and its impacts. Housed at NYU Meyers, this initiative deepens our pre-existing expertise in aging. To help dispel myths about aging and older people, it runs an Annual Image Competition for NYU Students.
What makes our research unique is that it’s highly interdisciplinary. We reach out as nurses across the community to solve problems that affect people every day.
– Dean Eileen Sullivan-Marx
Our research
Generating new knowledge and demonstrating the highest standards of excellence in research and scholarship is a key component of our mission. Our faculty have expanded the scope and number of their local, national, and international research projects. As a result, we now rank 5th IN FUNDING FROM THE NIH.
Hospice Advanced Dementia Symptom Management and Quality of Life Trial (HAS-QOL)
PI/Director: Ab Brody
Funding source: National Institutes of Health
Emergency-Department Initiated Palliative Care in Older Adults with Advanced Illness
PI/Director: Ab Brody
Funding source: NYU School of Medicine and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Care-Partner Assisted Intervention to Improve Oral Health For Individuals With Mild Dementia
PI/Director: Bei Wu
Funding source: National Institutes of Health
Improving Sleep Using Mentored Behavioral and Environmental Restructuring in Nursing Homes
PI/Director: Ab Brody
Funding source: NYU School of Medicine and National Institutes of Health
Home-based Primary Care for Homebound Seniors: a Randomized Controlled Trial
PI/Director: Ab Brody
Funding source: Mount Sinai School of Medicine and National Institutes of Health
A Multi-Site Cluster RCT of the Dementia Symptom Management At Home Program
PI/Director: Ab Brody
Funding source: National Institutes of Health
A Clinical/Community Partnership to Expand Primary Care of Older Adults (CC-PCOA)
PI/Director: Tara Cortes
Funding source: Health Resources and Services Administration
NICHE to Improve Care in Nursing Homes
PI/Director: Eileen Sullivan-Marx
Funding source: Washington Department of Social and Health Services