October 2025 Issue | Volume 19, Number 10

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

Stephan Bodkin, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training at the University of Utah. His research focuses on understanding skeletal muscle adaptations that impede the functional recovery following traumatic joint injuries. Dr. Bodkin graduated from the University of Virginia with his PhD in Sports Medicine, followed by a Postdoctoral Fellowship in geriatric physical medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Dr. Bodkin’s 2025 Center on Aging Pilot Grant Award is titled “Exploring Genetic and Age-Related Factors in Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis Development.” Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability worldwide, for which there is no cure. Over 40% of aging individuals (>65 years) are affected by this disease, with a steep increase in prevalence with age. In addition to age, a strong predictor for OA development is prior trauma or injury to the joint, termed Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis.

The current research will utilize the Utah Population Database (UPDB), one of the world’s richest sources of genealogy and healthcare outcomes. The proposed project will utilize the UPDB to examine genetic influences, familial history, and the age-related progression of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis. This work will significantly impact the knowledge of clinical predictors for PTOA, promoting screening assessments and the early identification of individuals at risk for this disease.

New Publication Alert - Cannabis Use is Booming in Older Adults: Are We Ready?....Center on Aging member Dr. Haley Solomon had this article recently published in Psychiatric Times.

Once relegated to young adults and college campuses, cannabis is now edging its way into retirement communities and geriatric clinics. Cannabis use in older adults has increased significantly, with many seeking relief for pain, insomnia, and anxiety, despite limited geriatric-specific evidence. The regulatory environment for cannabis is inconsistent, with federal restrictions contrasting state-level legalization, complicating clinical guidance.

CMS GUIDE Program Meets Enrollment Milestone

Congratulations to Dr. Michelle Sorweid, Dr. Wendy Mohlman, and Liz Garcia-Leavitt for enrolling the 25th patient in the CMS GUIDE program!   Also, thank you to the Madsen Geriatrics Clinic providers and staff for identifying eligible patients for the GUIDE program and providing the necessary documentation for their enrollment.  GUIDE is an outstanding example of the age-friendly care provided by the Geriatrics Division.

Age-Friendly Presentation at Pharmacy Grand Rounds

UUH Age-Friendly Collaborative team members Melissa Green, PharmD, BCGP and Noah Lipshutz, PharmD, BCCCP (American Delirium Society 2025 Fellow), gave a presentation titled "Don't Lose Your Patients - Delirium and Age-Friendly Care" during Pharmacy Grand Rounds on 9/10/25. Their presentation can be viewed here: Recap: Pharmacy Grand Rounds: Don't Lose Your Patients - Delirium and Age Friendly Care Wednesday, September 10 | Meeting | Microsoft Teams

We welcome your participation in our monthly U of U Age-Friendly Collaborative virtual meeting that occurs on the 3rd Friday of each month from 9:00 – 10:00 AM.  Please contact Please contact Heather Podolan (heather.podolan@hsc.utah.edu) for more information.

The Family Caregiving Collaborative in partnership with PBS Utah, AARP Utah, and Larkin Mortuary are pleased to kick off Family Caregivers Month on November 3rd, 2025 from 6:00-8:00PM at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

Please join us to watch and discuss the powerful new PBS documentary Caregiving, produced by Bradley Cooper.

To RSVP to this event, please scan the QR code on the flyer or click this link.

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.

Dr. Brad King in the Department of Health & Kinesiology is looking for participants between 55-75 years old to participate in an experiment that examines the effects of exercise on brain function using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Would you like to contribute to our research? Do you know someone who would be interested? Do you wish to receive more information? Contact us at: ExerciseBrain@utah.edu

What does participation involve?

Participants will first complete an online screening questionnaire to assess eligibility. Participants will then be invited to complete 3 sessions spread over 3 weeks, each separated by approximately one week. Two of the sessions involve an exercise protocol. The total time commitment is around 7.5 hours.

View the attached flyer below to participate or learn more:

UCOA is actively involved in the planning and implementation of a new grant related to caregiving outreach and “no wrong door” access. Executive Director has been involved in discussions with lead Jen Morgan and will be attending the National Caregiver’s Alliance in Washington DC Nov 3-6. The visit will include appointments with the Utah delegation to renew support for R.A.I.S.E and the Older American’s Act.

UCOA was a core partner in the recently held Falls Prevention Event with SLCo Aging and other partners. Event was held at Wheeler Farm, the USU Education Center. Classes and presentations were augmented by exhibitors with information on safety, use of 911, nutrition, exercise, etc. Over 100 in attendance – great weather – great site. Lunch was provided by funding from AARP Utah.

Executive Director Ence continues to attend and offer guidance to the four WISE Initiative workgroups which will be meeting bi-weekly into December to formulate recommendations for the Governor’s office and DHHS. Final plans will not be determined until after the next legislative session.

UCOA supported the U Nursing team at the annual Alzheimer's Walk.

Retirement Research Foundation for Aging: Projects that Support Older Adults

Grant Amount: Commensurate with project scope
Deadline: Letter of Inquiry due November 1, 2025

Additional Information -
For more than 45 years, the RRF Foundation for Aging has supported programs and research that significantly improve the quality of life for older people.

The foundation accepts applications for its grantmaking program to support projects directly impacting adults aged 60 and older. Priority areas include: 

Caregiving: Ensuring that all care partners are informed, well-trained, and supported while providing care to older adults.

Economic Security in Later Life: Valuing the dignity of older people through efforts that ensure and protect their economic security and well-being.

Housing: Promoting efforts to make housing more affordable and provide supports to enable older people to remain living in the community safely and with dignity.

Social and Intergenerational Connectedness: Reducing isolation and loneliness in later life through efforts that strengthen meaningful social bonds, including those that span generations.

Organizational Capacity Building: Improving management, governance, and sustainability in Illinois nonprofits that serve older people

Types of grants awarded include advocacy, direct service, research, professional education and training, and organizational capacity building. RRF’s grant eligibility criteria differ by its five categories of project type—some projects are limited to Illinois (direct service, organizational capacity building), whereas other projects require national reach (advocacy, professional education, research) if not in Illinois. 

Letters of inquiry are due November 1, 2025, and selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals by February 5, 2026.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as public charities or nonprofit organizations that are not required to have a 501(c)(3) designation, such as state-funded universities and area agencies on aging.

Please contact Gwen Allouch if you are interested in applying to this opportunity. 

Link to Complete RFP

Kissick Family Foundation: Frontotemporal Dementia Grant Program

Grant Amount: Up to $500,000 over two years
Deadline: Letter of Intent due November 3, 2025

Additional Information -
The Kissick Family Foundation believes in the potential for a better future by acting boldly and investing generously in ideas that can have catalytic impact.

The Kissick Family Foundation Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) Grant Program funds research studies to understand the fundamental biology of why and how sporadic forms of FTD develop. In partnership with the Milken Institute Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC), the program seeks to broaden the foundational knowledge of FTD to spur diagnostic and therapeutic advancements. The SPARC online grant portal is now accepting applications for two-year projects to conduct basic or early-stage translational research on this topic.

The Foundation aims to accelerate basic discoveries, expedite novel treatment options, and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes for people living with FTD. A broad range of topics are responsive to this call. For example, proposals may target the disease’s basic biology, develop and validate biomarkers that can be used to diagnose and track disease progression more effectively, or preclinically assess novel therapeutic targets.

All responsive applications must examine factors that are not exclusive to the autosomal dominant genetic pathways and instead must have clear relevance to sporadic FTD. Emerging scientific evidence suggests that genetically autosomal dominant and sporadic FTD share common biological processes, such as pathological protein aggregation, impaired cellular waste management, and neuroinflammation; further study of these and other cellular mechanisms is in scope for this program and may accelerate discovery in all forms of FTD research.

The foundation also encourages applicants from outside traditional FTD research domains or disciplinary origins, including investigators working with emerging technologies, novel tools, or methodologies that could be applied to FTD even if not previously used in this context. This includes, but is not limited to, researchers in computational biology, imaging, AI/machine learning, immunology, structural biology, systems neuroscience, and biophysics. Regardless of the applicant’s discipline, representation on the investigative team should include sufficient knowledge of FTD biology.

Finally, the Kissick Family Foundation advocates for a growing FTD research ecosystem and therefore encourages newly independent investigators to apply.

Please contact Lynn Wong if you are interested in applying to this opportunity. 

Link to Complete RFP

The Department of Internal Medicine’s Health Research and Evaluation for Communities (HREC) Workgroup and Division of Epidemiology’s HREC Section have been established to promote and support research, evaluation, and quality improvement work. It is led by Drs. Jerry Cochran and Megan Vanneman. 

The HREC Section and Workgroup have set aside funding to support the Health Research and Evaluation for Communities Pilot Grant. One grant of up to $30,000 or two grants of up to $15,000 each will be funded. Total available funding under this call will not exceed $30,000. The purpose of these awards is to advance the science and practice for health, wellbeing, and access to high-quality health care, public health, and social services in Utah, the Intermountain West, and nation for all persons regardless of sociodemographic, health, or economic backgrounds.   

Deadline for submission is November 14, 2025, at midnight. For more information, go here. Please address any questions to hrec@hsc.utah.edu.

The Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center at Utah State University offers a Research Catalyst program to facilitate studies of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This competitive program is open to any faculty or post-doctoral fellow working for a Utah-based institution of higher education. Students can be supported, but the application is submitted by their faculty advisor. 

Research in ADRD is defined broadly, including prevention, intervention, basic or applied studies, or supporting family members of people with ADRD. Research supports are wide-ranging and can include funds to directly carry out the work (e.g., honoraria for participants; funds for assays), research assistantships, purchasing of equipment, or providing time to complete the work through course releases or the provision of summer salary.  

Please note that we aim to support as many high-quality applications as possible, thus applicants should keep budgets trim and/or consider other cost-sharing mechanisms.  Last year, our awards ranged from approximately $15,000 (over one year) - $40,000 (distributed over 2 years).  

The deadline to apply is December 1.   

Research Catalyst website: https://cehs.usu.edu/adrc/research/opportunities

Please note that detailed instructions are provided in the "Research Catalyst Program Overview and Instructions" link on this page.  

Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Research Center

 

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.