July 2025 Issue | Volume 19, Number 07

A publication of the Univ. of Utah Center on Aging
phone: 801.213.4156 | email: aging@utah.edu
Newsletter Archives

The Division of Geriatrics at the University of Utah Health is pleased to announce that Timothy Farrell, MD, AGSF, has been named the inaugural holder of The Presidential Endowed Chair in the Division of Geriatrics.

Dr. Timothy Farrell joined the Division of Geriatrics in 2009, marking his first full-time faculty appointment following the completion of his fellowship in Geriatrics at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital. Since that time, he has held numerous leadership roles within the division, including service as Interim Chief. He currently serves as Associate Chief for Age-Friendly Care in the Division of Geriatrics and Associate Director of Age-Friendly Care for the University of Utah Center on Aging.

Under Dr. Farrell's leadership, University of Utah Health (UUH) has emerged as a national leader in age-friendly care. UUH was among the first health systems to join the Age-Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) movement, achieving Age-Friendly Level 1 Participant designation from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in 2019 and Level 2 Committed to Care Excellence status in 2021. In 2024, UUH was selected as one of only 30 health systems to participate in the IHI Age-Friendly System-Wide Spread Collaborative, positioning UUH to be among the first to receive IHI recognition for system-wide implementation of the age-friendly 4Ms framework: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility.

The University of Utah is also recognized as an Age-Friendly University (AFU) by the AFU Global Secretariat. This international initiative fosters education, research, and community engagement to benefit older adults. Remarkably, the University of Utah is one of a select group of universities nationwide to hold all three distinctions: AFHS Level 2, AFU designation, and participation in the System-Wide Spread Collaborative.

This prestigious Presidential Endowed Chair will support Dr. Farrell's continued leadership in advancing age-friendly care and research. His vision includes:

> Sustaining a UUH Age-Friendly Leadership Council to align 
   local,  state, and national age-friendly initiatives.

> Building a nationally recognized research program in age-friendly
   care, leveraging the Chair to secure competitive grant funding.

> Ensuring competency in 4Ms care across all UUH trainees and
   care providers, in collaboration with the Schools of Medicine and
   Dentistry, Colleges of Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy,
   Interprofessional Education Program, Eccles Health Sciences
   Library, and the UUH Hospital and Clinics.

This appointment comes at a pivotal moment, as Utah develops the Master Plan for Aging (MPA) through the Governor's Commission on Aging. Dr. Farrell is among the state leaders guiding this effort to build an "Age-Friendly Ecosystem" across Utah.

Launch of the “Say This Instead” Anti-Ageism Pilot Campaign

The University of Utah Age-Friendly Collaborative team is excited to announce that in July 2025, six University of Utah outpatient primary care clinics, as well as Guest Communications, received “Say This Instead” anti-ageism campaign materials.  These materials, which include posters as well as table-toppers, provide tips for health care team members about best practices in communicating with older adults. The participating primary care clinics include Madsen Geriatrics, Madsen Internal Medicine, Madsen Family Practice, E16 Internal Medicine, Sugar House Geriatrics, Sugarhouse Internal Medicine, Sugarhouse Family Practice, Redwood, and Geriatric Psychiatry.  Each clinic also received an orientation to the campaign by Andrea Harris and Dr. Farrell, a link to an Age-Friendly Care LMS training module, and a link to the recent KUTV “Fresh Living” segment on ageism.  Many thanks to the Office for Health Sciences Workforce Excellence for making this campaign possible and to the Clinical Marketing team for printing the materials. Please check out the campaign materials and follow the QR code the next time you are in one of these clinics!

2025 CMS Quality Conference

Two faculty members from the Geriatrics Division presented at the 2025 CMS Quality Conference in Baltimore, MD.  Dr. Jonathan Nebeker participated in a panel session, “AI at Work:  Better Quality, Less Hassle.”  Dr. Timothy Farrell presented a lecture entitled “Preparing for the CMS Age Friendly Measure:  The University of Utah Health Experience” within a session entitled “Driving Change, Delivering Results:  Proven Solutions for Better Health.” 

Left to right:  Dr. Gregory Alexander (Columbia University), Rani Snyder (The John A. Hartford Foundation), Dr. Lenise Cummings-Vaughn (Medical Officer, CMS), Dr. Timothy Farrell

Paige Patterson, MD

We are thrilled to welcome our new Geriatric Fellow for 2025-26!

Originally from Kentucky, Dr. Patterson completed her undergraduate education at New York University and received her medical training at the University of Louisville. She completed a combined residency in Medicine and Pediatrics, as well as a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine here in Utah.

For the past eight years, Dr. Patterson has been practicing outpatient palliative care and hospice. She looks forward to expanding her care for aging adults and will be working in all of our Geriatric clinical settings.

In her free time, she enjoys camping in her Airstream trailer with her husband and dog. Welcome, Dr. Patterson!

Rocky Mountain Geriatric Conference

All Hands On Deck!

Navigating the Treacherous Waters of Hospitalization and Surgery in Older Adults

September 11-12, 2025

University of Utah - HELIX Building

SLC, Utah

Keynote Speakers

Gretchen Schwarze, MD, MPP, FACS, Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin

Jennifer Stevens-Lapsley, PT, PhD, Associate Director of Research, VA Eastern Colorado

Join us for a two-day conference focused on improving care for older adults facing the hazards of hospitalization and surgery. Topics include practical, team-based approaches to managing geriatric syndromes, preventing avoidable admissions, and supporting seriously ill, vulnerable geriatric patients.

More details including registering are located here: 

https://medicine.utah.edu/internal-medicine/geriatrics/conferences/rocky-mountain

DHI is holding a second Rising Stars event on Tuesday, September 23rd

Two of  featured speakers, Drs. Zhang and Kos apply digital health tools in the cognitive/aging space. 

The symposium will run from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, with 20-minute talks scheduled throughout the morning. 

More info to come in August newsletter

Please join the University of Utah, Division of Geriatrics and the Veteran Affairs Salt Lake City Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center for Geriatric Grand Rounds and Translational Grand Rounds on Tuesday mornings.

Dear Colleagues,

We’re inviting healthcare and long-term care professionals to share their views on Medical Aid in Dying (MAID)—no prior experience required. This short 10–15 minute anonymous survey explores your perspectives, especially related to MAID in dementia. You will have the chance to win 1 of 20 $100 visa debit cards. Your participation will help inform research, clinical practice, and policy.

Click below or view the attached flyer to participate or learn more:
👉 https://redcap01.brisc.utah.edu/ccts/redcap/surveys/?s=MN8RFCMWXJW4P8RE

Questions? Contact Dr. Kara Dassel: kara.dassel@nurs.utah.edu

UCOA’s next quarterly summit will be held on Thursday, August 14 from Noon to 1:30 on Zoom. Please join the conversation.

Falls Prevention Coalition is planning a falls prevention educational day at Wheeler Farm on September 23rd. Speakers, exhibits, keynote presenters, and demonstrations. More to come. AARP Utah will be providing lunch for the first 100 attendees.

Coordinating work continues in the community with the Utah Broadband Council and background check rules for guardians with the WINGS group.

Completed work and report to the Smith Charitable Trust which enabled UCOA to purchase the Clear Impact program for creating and tracking our Master Plan for Aging dashboard and to engage with KSL.com on a three-part promotional awareness campaign this fall on the MPA.

UCOA is playing a pivotal role in the DHHS/DAAS execution of the Governor’s WISE Aging with Purpose initiative to coordinate efforts between the MPA and that program, to assist in building out the committees with expertise, and provide overall advisory assistance to the committees for the work being done between August and December 2025.

Kaleidoscope aging in arts program kicks off event registration August 1 and is hosting artists and events throughout the state later in August and into September. This will be the first event of its kind promoting engagement and awareness of the impact of arts in aging.

UCOA will be up for sunset review in the next session and has Senator Kwan and Representative Ward as bill sponsors to renew the commission for at least the next five years.

AGS/Aging Learning Collaborative

Multiple Chronic Conditions (MCC) Research

Become a MCC Champion

The AGS/AGING LEARNING Collaborative MCC Champions help support the Collaborative by drawing on the curricular resources and tools to enhance their teaching about people living with MCC and better prepare the next generation of investigators to include people living with MCCs in their research. MCC Champions share information about the curriculum at their institutions, encourage mentees and colleagues to complete the curriculum, and incorporate the MCC Teaching slides into lectures or presentations. Champions who report on activities focused on inclusion of people living with MCCs in research are recognized on the Collaborative website, at the AGS Annual Meeting, and will earn a Champion badge as well as a letter from AGS for inclusion in their promotions package.

More information about the Champion Program, including the MCC Champion Facilitator Guide can be found here.

Sign up here to become a Champion today!

As a mostly virtual Center, we depend on the accuracy and timeliness of our Web presence. Center members are urged to review and update their membership directory information. Please take the next few moments to review your information on the Center’s Web site. Send any updates or requests for changes and more importantly to be linked to the appropriate topic interest group(s) complete this survey and return to Heather at heather.podolan@hsc.utah.edu or aging.utah.edu.

For past issues, please visit our NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES PAGE.

The bristlecone pine tree (Pinus longaeva) - the earth’s oldest inhabitant with a life span of almost 5,000 years - is found only in Utah and five other western states. Its extraordinary longevity and ability to adapt and survive in extremely harsh environmental conditions above 10,000 feet embodies the investigative spirit and mission of the Utah Center on Aging.