February 2026 Issue | Volume 20, Number 02

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

The Center on Aging sponsors an annual pilot grant program to promote the development of aging research at the University of Utah. The goal of this program is to encourage new investigator career development, attract established investigators to aging research, and stimulate interdisciplinary research collaborations – ultimately leading to new externally funded research. 
 
This year's program will offer two award types - the standard Center on Aging Pilot and the Innovations in Aging Research. Step one, the letter of intent, is due on March 02, 2026, and Step two (if selected from Step one, full 3-page proposal) is due on April 20, 2026, for the pilot awards and May 04, 2026, for the innovations award. Proposal details are found in the descriptions below in the links to each Request for Proposals. Please note that the full proposal for each is limited to three pages. 

The Center on Aging will devote up to $150,000 to funding its pilot grant program this fiscal year. 

Submit Letter of Intent Survey: the deadline is March 02, 2026.

If you have any questions, direct them to Heather Podolan, Academic Program Manager, or Dr. Alayne Markland, Executive Director. 

Center on Aging Pilot RFA

Innovations in Aging Research RFA

Center on Aging member Dr. Erika Pliner received a R21 Trailblazer Award from the NIH/NIA.

Title: Cognitive-Motor Processes of Volitional Stepping

Specific Aims: Falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults, leading to costly injury, high stress on the healthcare system, reduced quality of life and fatality. With a rapidly aging population, fall rates are growing exponentially. Thus, there is a critical need for high-efficacy fall prevention interventions. Among various strategies, volitional stepping-based exercise interventions are promising due to their low-cost, accessibility, and fall rate reduction. Despite the demonstrated benefits of volitional step training in reducing fall risk and improving cognitive and motor functions, not all older adults benefit uniformly. This variability is linked to heterogeneity in the age-ability and task complexity of these training paradigms. Regardless of an individual’s age or the complexity of the stepping task, effective stepping relies on cognitive-motor processes. Currently, there is a critical gap in the knowledge of these processes in the context of effective stepping. This is limiting our ability to optimize fall prevention interventions to greater efficacy rates. Today, this gap can be overcome with innovations in mobile electroencephalography (EEG). Thus, this study will quantify the cognitive-motor processes of effective stepping across age groups (younger and older adults) and task complexity (simple and complex cues). This knowledge will provide essential data to guide the optimization of volitional step training design parameters, making them population-specific and more effective in reducing fall rates. 

As part of the Firuza Foundation’s commitment to 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 & 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥, we are proud to collaborate with University of Utah Health to support pioneering aging research led by Center on Aging Member Dr. Tony Donato and Dr. Adam Hughes. Discover how this initiative is advancing scientific understanding of aging and supporting research that improves lives and drives innovation in medical science. Learn more here. 

Whitney K. Hendrickson, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Urogynecology and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecologist at the University of Utah School of Medicine. She splits her time between clinical, research and quality improvement activities. Her research focuses on understanding the pathophysiology of overactive bladder in order to develop new therapeutics and preventative measures. Specifically, she investigates how overactive bladder is related to other geriatric syndrome and diseases, such as dementia and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Hendrickson graduated from Middlebury College with a BA in molecular biology and biochemistry. She obtained her MD from University of Massachusetts and completed her OBGYN residency at UC San Diego and Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery fellowship at Duke University. Following fellowship, Dr. Hendrickson came to the University of Utah in early 2022. She enjoys spending time with her husband, and 4-year old daughter, who are excited to welcome a new family member this spring. She also enjoys backpacking, mountain biking, skiing (nordic and alpine), hiking and yoga.

Dr. Hendrickson's 2025 Center on Aging Pilot Grant Award is titled "Determining the Relationships of Overactive Bladder with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Subtypes and Their Associated Treatments: A Population-Based Study." Both dementia and overactive bladder (OAB) significantly impact the quality of life of older adults and are frequently cited as the reason families admit their elders to nursing homes for care. There is concerning preliminary evidence that anticholinergics, including the medications that commonly treat OAB, may increase the risk of dementia. Determining how dementia, OAB and anticholinergics that treat OAB are related will not only impact treatment guidelines for OAB, but also prevention of dementia. In this proposal she plans to utilize TriNetX, a national longitudinal database that contains over 26.7 million older adults with OAB, dementia or anticholinergic exposure. This dataset will allow Dr. Hendrickson and her team to understand the temporal relationship between OAB, dementia and anticholinergic exposure and if anticholinergics mediate the impact of developing dementia in those with OAB. Further, it will leverage the association between OAB and dementia to understand patient-specific causative factors for OAB that can lead to new treatment paradigms and preventative strategies. 

University of Utah Age-Friendly Collaborative Featured in Podcast 

Dr. Timothy Farrell, Geriatrics Division Associate Chief for Age-Friendly Care, discussed Age-Friendly Health Systems on a recent episode of M.Ed Pod, the official U of U Health provider podcast.  Andrea Harris, Clinical Nurse Lead for Age-Friendly Care, interviewed Dr. Farrell for this episode.  The podcast is available here:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4vnIjkIMRKK9bezy5sg8MB?si=oM9R679RS02PJaV67uLIbw&nd=1&dlsi=fb99478b37c84a7e

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/age-friendly-care-with-timothy-farrell-md-agsf/id1547846795?i=1000750719476

Andrea will be interviewed by Dr. Farrell in a subsequent episode, and podcasts are planned later in the year that will address additional age-friendly topics including the University of Utah Geriatrics Fellowship Program.

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Aging in Utah Today presentation

As lead of the College of Nursing Hartford Center for Gerontological Nursing Excellence, Dr. Cathy Maxwell launched a monthly virtual series called Aging in Utah Today. Experts in aging – from health care providers and researchers to community workers – will speak about the biology of a longer life and research on the horizon, and foster gero-interprofessional exchange about University of Utah initiatives that promote age-friendly care and excellence in gerontology education. On January 21, Dr. Zachary Fennel delivered a presentation titled Improving Muscle Health and Recovery in Older Adults, and Dr. Tim Farrell, Dr. Alayne Markland, and Andrea Harris spoke about age-friendly healthcare. Attendees also watched a short video about three aging stories.

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Certified Professional in Age-Friendly Health Care (CPAFH)

Three members of the University of Utah Age-Friendly Collaborative, Andrea Harris, Dr. Wendy Mohlman, and Dr. Timothy Farrell, earned the CPAFH credential from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.  According to the IHI, “The Certified Professional in Age-Friendly Health Care (CPAFH) credential sets the benchmark for excellence in the care of older adults. Developed as a part of the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative, the CPAFH credential certifies health care professionals who are equipped to deliver high-quality, person-centered care rooted in the 4Ms Framework and tailored to the goals, preferences, and needs of older adults.”  For more information about the CPAFH course, including how to enroll, see Certified Professional in Age-Friendly Health Care | Institute for Healthcare Improvement. 

U of Utah Age- Friendly Collaborative Meetings

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 Department of Internal Medicine and the Division of Geriatrics
present

 

The Gerald Rothstein, MD Endowed Lectureship

 

Disability in Older Patients

 

Presented by

Christopher M. Callahan, MD

Professor of Medicine

Indiana University School of Medicine

 

Thursday, March 5, 2026
Noon – 1:00 pm

 

Link: Grand Rounds - U of U School of Medicine | University of Utah 

The College of Nursing will be hosting monthly updates on their Aging In Utah Today. Sponsored by the Hartford Center for Gerontological Nursing Excellence, each month will feature three short 15-minute presentations across three categories. Scan the QR Code below for all the details. 

Cancer-Alzheimer's Disease Inverse Correlation (CADIC): From Biological Mechanisms to Therapeutic Potential 

NIA/NCI Workshop

March 25-26, 2026

Registration & Agenda

Epidemiological studies consistently report an inverse correlation between cancer and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Currently, a critical gap exists between the repeatedly observed inverse association of the two diseases in epidemiological studies and a mechanistic understanding of this compelling phenomenon. To address this knowledge gap, this NIA/NCI workshop will convene experts in AD, cancer biology, statistics, epidemiology, and translational/clinical research to discuss this topic and the challenges faced by this nascent field. Ultimately, by connecting these distinct disciplines, the hope is to elucidate the complex mechanisms that underly the inverse correlation and uncover insights into novel therapeutic interventions for these devasting diseases.

American Geriatrics Society 

April  30 - May 2, 2026 

Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting

Register Here

The Annual American Aging Association Meeting will take place this summer in Provo UT (Jun 2-6) with the  theme of “Geroscience from Discovery to Application”.  The link to register is located here - note the earlybird meeting registration (Apr 30). The American Aging Association Society is made up of researchers and lay persons dedicated to the study of aging from basic science to clinical translation and represents one of main societies in the US focused on geroscience.

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:

The UCOA Winter Quarterly Summit was held on Thursday, February 12, 2026 on Zoom. The summit had an average live attendance of sixty six participants.

Jeri Openshaw opened partner updates with a report on the podcast series with Executive Director Ence and other guests on topics relevant to the Master Plan on Aging. These are produced and archived in the Utah State Library system and publicly available on several podcast sites. Openshaw also led the effort with KSL and FM 100 to set up MPA outreach and marketing program that will begin after the current legislative session. Cathy Maxwell, PhD, from the CON discussed the new “Aging in Utah Today” educational series.

Beth Fauth, PhD and director of the USU Alzheimer's and Dementia Research Center talked about the dementia ambassador program and how partners can encourage engagement.

Legislative updates were offered by Alan Ormsby of AARP, Paul Leggett of SLC AAA, and Nels Holmgren of DAAS on a variety of aging relating issues and funding. Executive Director Ence discussed the UCOA sunset amendment progress. After successful passage from the House HHS committee and passing floor votes, it now resides in a rules committee batched with other commission renewals to be voted upon near the end of the session as a group – a new process.

Holmgren provided an update on the WISE initiative progress which reviews and prioritizing rests with the advisory committee. Dr. Markland and Executive Director Ence both sit on the committee. Process will continue for several months.

Two MPA core conversations followed:  In the Plan for Life: Personal Empowerment sector, Mary Gay Taylor Jones, Uniform Utah Law Commissioner, led the discussion on the recent changes to the Advance Directive form for Utah, rationale for the changes, impact, moving forward with health care directives. An ad hoc committee of  UCOA partners will work with Jones to finalize the official version format for the UCOA resident site. Conversation about the OLST changes was deferred to a future meeting.

Kasey Shakespear, Executive Director, Rural Health Association of Utah (RHAU) led the conversation on the sector, Staging Successful Aging: Rural Access. The conversation about the unique challenges of health care delivery, resources, and aging in rural Utah. Shakespear updated the group on the most recent briefing on the Rural Health Transformation Project  application and funding process from DHHS. Legislation shaping the process is still in play and likely won’t be finalized until the end of the session.

UCOA welcomed newly appointed members Deb Hall of Neighborhood House representing business and the Pride community, Eddie Keele, Mission Services representing long term care, and Sarah Bauman of the Utah Education and Technology Network representing technology access and education. 

Other Partner Engagements

New messaging and resources are rolling out on emerging preparedness with consultant Linda Milne. Utah Elder Abuse Awareness Day, co-sponsored with DHHS, will be June 16 and feature Dr. Tim Farrell. Executive Director Ence has helped frame adjustments to guardianship requirements with the WINGS program. Ence also consulted with a graduate student investigating the trend and impact of divorce motivated Medicaid eligibility. Ence has also consulted with several organizations to frame partnership for the upcoming RHTP grants.

Major upcoming funding opportunity for teams focused on rural health, workforce development, health technologies, health systems innovation, and community-based interventions.

About the Opportunity

The State of Utah has submitted its application to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) and anticipates receiving up to $1 billion over five years (FY2026–2030) to support rural health system transformation statewide. Utah expects $500M in baseline funding and is also eligible for an additional $500M in workload-based funding.

The Notice of Award was expected by December 31, 2025, and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) plans to issue multiple Requests for Proposals (RFPs) as early as January 2026, with short submission timelines. Additional informational webinars are expected. Because of this accelerated schedule, we encourage teams to begin preparing now.

The URHTP has four strategic goals with seven initiatives (described in detail here):

Goal: Make rural Utahns healthy ($155M)

Initiative 1: Preventive Action and Transformation for Health (PATH). 

Goal: Workforce Development ($187M)

Initiative 2: Rural Incentive and Skill Expansion (RISE). 

Goal: Innovation and Access ($437M)       

Initiative 3: Sustaining Health Infrastructure for Transformation (SHIFT). 

Initiative 4: Financial Approaches for Sustainable Transformation (FAST). 

Initiative 5: Leveraging Innovation for Facilitated Telehealth (LIFT)

Goal: Technology Innovation ($190M)

Initiative 6: Shared Utilities for Partnered Provider Operational Resources and Technology (SUPPORT). 

Initiative 7: Leveraging Interoperability Networks to Connect Services (LINCS). 

Please note:

Projects must align with the Utah RHTP application and legislative guidelines.

Projects should be implementation-ready and cannot create ongoing financial obligations for the state.

UDHHS’s definition of “rural” excludes Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, and Weber counties.

You can find more information and resources about the program -including webinar slides and notes- here.

Here is an important link to the new NIH Guidance on Funding: Implementing a Unified NIH Funding Strategy to Guide Consistent and Clearer Award Decisions | Grants & Funding

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.