New Department of Geriatric Medicine Research Project is Launched

Learning by Living @ Home is the Department's newest project. Two University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine students, Shannon O'Connell, MS I and Kristina Nivus, MS I, will each be living in a home for one week of a person with advanced Parkinson's Disease or Alzheimer's Disease and the older adult caregiver. 

Shannon is in the midst of this project and finding that being 80 years old and a primary caregiver for a spouse with Parkinson's Disease is challenging. Shannon will be addressing the following questions: "As a Future physician, what do I need to be aware of when I have an older adult caregiver come to me for health care?"  AND "Why is it important for me to understand the caregiver experience?"  through qualitative ethnographic research methods. The Maine Alzheimer's Association and Maine Parkinson's Association are partners in this project, as is Edward Drasby, DO, Neurologist at Port City Neurology.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.