Making Sense of S.I.L.V.E.R.* Research is a webinar series, designed for everyone! It presents a recent, relevant research study in clear, understandable language, with time for you to ask questions.

*Supporting Individuals to Live as Vibrant Elders in Recovery

Presentation: Rationale for and Design of an Exercise Program to Improve Physical Function in Older Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions

This presentation will discuss physical function in older adults with serious mental health conditions as well as the rationale for and preliminary design of an exercise program for this population.

Dr. Julia Browne is the Research Director of the Wellness and Recovery After Psychosis (WRAP) Program at Boston Medical Center and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. Her research program, which is primarily focused on developing and evaluating health-promoting interventions (e.g., exercise) for young, middle-aged and older adults with serious mental health conditions, has been supported by institutional and federal grants and disseminated in more than 70 peer-reviewed publications. In addition to her research, she is a licensed psychologist who provides individual and family treatment to individuals with serious mental health conditions and supervises psychology trainees.

Making Sense of S.I.L.V.E.R.* Research is a webinar series, designed for everyone! It presents a recent, relevant research study in clear, understandable language, with time for you to ask questions. *Supporting Individuals to Live as Vibrant Elders in Recovery

Presentation: "People Living with Serious Mental Health Conditions in Nursing Homes: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Federal Preadmission Screening Program (PASRR)"

The federal Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) program was enacted in the 1980s amid concerns surrounding the quality of nursing home (NH) care. This program is meant to serve as a tool to assist with level of care determinations for nursing home applicants with serious mental health conditions (SMHC) and was intended to limit the growth in the number of nursing home residents with SMHC. Despite this policy effort, the prevalence of SMHC in nursing homes has continued to increase, and little is known about the mechanisms behind the limitations of the PASRR program. This presentation shares results of 20 semi-structured interviews conducted with state and national stakeholders to identify factors affecting PASRR program administration and nursing home care for residents with SMHC.

Dr. Taylor Bucy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Her research critically examines the role of long-term and post-acute care services within the broader healthcare delivery system and seeks to identify areas for meaningful organizational improvement in the structures and processes that facilitate the delivery of high-quality, high-value care to medically and socially complex older adults. Dr. Bucy earned her PhD in health services research, policy & administration from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

“Enhancing Behavioral Health Competencies for Senior Center Staff Through Workforce Development and Training” with Bronwyn Keefe MSW, MPH, PhDMaking Sense of S.I.L.V.E.R.* Research is a webinar series, designed for everyone! It presents a recent, relevant research study in clear, understandable language, with time for you to ask questions. “Enhancing Behavioral Health Competencies for Senior Center Staff Through Workforce Development and Training” with Bronwyn Keefe PhD, MSW, MPH This webinar describes an online certificate program in Behavioral Health and Aging offered by the Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research at Boston University School of Social Work in collaboration with the National Council on Aging to increase senior center staff knowledge and skills. A total of 228 staff at Senior Centers in Illinois, Florida, and Wisconsin completed the online certificate program. This presentation will cover: 1. The extent to which training participants mastered the competencies needed for effective practice 2. Knowledge and skills gained from the training program 3. Senior Centers’ capacity to identify and refer older adults to mental health services 4. Organizational changes related to behavioral health programming with older adults. Bronwyn Keefe, PhD, MSW, MPH is Boston University School of Social Work’s (BUSSW) Assistant Dean of Workforce and Professional Development, Research Associate Professor, and Director of BUSSW’s Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research (CADER). Keefe has been funded on many behavioral health projects, focusing on building the capacity of providers and communities in understanding the importance of mental health, substance use, and developing age-friendly initiatives to improve the lives of older adults.*Supporting Individuals to Live as Vibrant Elders in Recovery