PSU Institute on Aging Newsletter, Fall 2026

The air is crisp, the leaves are changing, and the fall term is officially underway. The IOA team has been hard at work and we're thrilled to share what's new. So grab your coziest beverage and read on to learn about all the exciting things happening at the IOA! 🍂

Where the Wildfires Are: Correlates of Disaster Preparedness Among Oregon Assisted Living Communities, co-authored by Jacklyn Kohon, Ozzy Tunalilar, Paula Carder, Sarah Dys, and a collaboration of other researchers, this Oregon-based study addresses two primary questions: 1) What spatial patterns exist in the distribution of Assisted Living Communities (ALs) relative to wildfire risk? and 2) How prepared are ALs for wildfire risk? The special issue was recently featured by the University of South Florida.

A Profile of Assisted Living Direct Care Workforce Training Requirements Across the United States, co-authored by Paula Carder, was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. This article examines assisted living (AL) direct care worker (DCW) training requirements across the United States, and how these regulations have changed over time.

On September 15th and 16th in Wilsonville, The Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging (OCEBHA) held its 3rd annual conference with the theme: Navigating the Intersection of Justice and Dignity in Older Adult Behavioral Health.

OCEBHA and leading professionals in the fields of geriatric care, mental health, substance use, and social services led incredible skills-based sessions related to supporting the behavioral health needs of older adults across care settings.

With a total of 267 attendees across two days, we heard from 10 speakers, 6 OCEBHA staff members, and had a whopping 19 sponsors! It was an incredible two days of learning and collaborating, and we hope you'll join us next year!

Join the GSA Student Chapter! We are a cross-disciplinary group of students - undergraduate and graduate - who are passionate about working in the aging field! Join our student chapter to build relationships, learn from each other, and collaborate on projects with and for older adults. We will meet monthly on every first Tuesday. Register to join the next meeting.

Enroll in fall ECHO Trainings - free, online educational spaces! Are you a primary care clinician, behavioral health provider, nurse, or other healthcare team member looking to gain new skills and competencies for supporting older adult patients, creating valuable community connections, and receiving no-cost continuing education credits? There are plenty of older adult-specific trainings available for you!

Oct 21-22: The OPHA Conference in Salem, Oregon: There is a new Aging & Public Health Section of OPHA! When you join or renew your membership with OPHA please check the box to join our section! They are planning a few webinars in November and December so be sure to sign up to get notifications to register for these free webinars.

Oct 28: The Changing Gambling Landscape: Risk, Trends, and Financial Well-Being for Older Adults: Speakers: Andrea Dassopoulos (research faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas International Gaming Institute and Research Director for OCPG's Oregon Gambling Research Center) and Glenn Yamagata, M.A, M.Phil (Executive Director of the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling). 1.5 CEUs available. Register here!

Oregon Gerontological Association's (AGA) Annual Virtual Conference: The Institute on Aging is sponsoring up to ten students to attend Oregon Gerontological Association’s annual virtual conference. Students will also receive a complimentary membership to OGA. This conference takes place on Friday mornings throughout the month of October. The theme this year is "Justice in an Aging Society: People, Power, and Possibilities.” Find more info below and email Serena Hasworth (wserena@pdx.edu) directly if you would like to take us up on the offer. Spots are first come first served.

Oct 16: Free Screening of "Alaav (Hearth and Home)" followed by a Q&A with the film's director. Alaav is the story of Bhaveen Gossain, a 63-year-old son, taking care of Savitri, his ailing 95-year-old mother with Alzheimer's in their home nestled in a quiet suburb of New Delhi, India. The film is a dispassionate yet intimate portrayal of the human bond between a mother and son along with the other people closely involved in Bhaveen’s life.

Oct 19: PSU Faculty-Led Japan: Japan's Super-Aging Society Info Session What can Japan teach us about the future of aging? Join us for a nine-day faculty-led program exploring how Japan is responding to rapid demographic change. Travel from Tokyo to rural Akita Prefecture to see how aging, healthcare, technology, and community development shape life in both urban and rural communities. Open to students from all majors, this program is especially suited for students interested in gerontology, public health, social work, urban planning, sociology, and public policy. This program is also open to community members (non-students)! Learn more at the program brochure page. Read about last year’s trip. Two scholarship opportunities are available to all accepted students!

Oct 29: Free Screening of "Silver Screamers" followed by a Q&A with the film's director. Silver Screamers is a heartwarming and spine-tingling documentary that follows a spirited group of senior citizens who set out to make a horror film, stepping far outside their comfort zones. Led by a local filmmaker, they navigate the challenges of low-budget movie-making with humour, heart, and resilience. Along the way, they discover newfound confidence, forge meaningful friendships, and prove that creativity knows no age. Light refreshments will be provided. Claim your tickets!

Nov 14: Aging with Wonder: A Nature & Art Workshop for Elders and Their Caregivers. Join local artist and poet, Susan Slocum Dyer, at the Hoyt Arboretum as she facilitates a new art and nature-based program, Aging with Wonder, created for elders living with dementia and their chosen companion.

We'd love to hear from you! You can connect with us on LinkedIn & sign up for an account on Portland State's alumni network, PSU Works.