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Geriatric and Senior Mental Health Research
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Program Director: Richard N. Jones, Sc.D.
Faculty: Frances M. Yang, Ph.D.
Research Fellow: Alden Gross, PhD
Statistician: Douglas Tommet, M.S.
Mission
We are devoted to geriatric mental health research aimed at improving the recognition, prevention and management of disturbances of behavior, thought and feeling that disrupt the optimal daily functioning and quality of life of seniors..
Vision
We will be a national leader in the epidemiologic study of geriatric mental health issues and the cognitive and psychological development of seniors, and a destination for training in advanced psychometric and statistical methods in applied gerontologic research.
Core Values & Guiding Principles
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Quality:
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The most important customers for our research are older adults and their families struggling with distressing mental health symptoms. We focus on research to improve the quality of mental health care.
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Innovation:
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We believe that advancement of any scientific field flows from innovation, creativity and imagination.
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Training:
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The number of older adults who need of mental health services far outstretches the number of trained specialists prepared to serve them. Training a new generation of researchers with an emphasis on a public mental health approach will help address this challenge and prepare for the aging of the U.S. population.
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Diversity and Equity:
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The expression of cognitive, behavioral and emotional symptoms is shaped by cultural values and societal expectations. Understanding differences in symptom expression will improve assessment and outcomes for individuals and increase the probability of success for research studies.
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Collaboration:
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Mental health influences, and is influenced by, most other areas of health and functioning. Our research is more relevant and enriched by meaningful transdisciplinary collaborations.
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Strategies
- We pursue senior mental health research that improves the quality of care of care received in formal care settings by older adults with distressing mood symptoms, cognitive disruptions, or behavioral problems.
- We foster innovation by adapting and exploring the use of tools and methods from fields of scientific investigation beyond the biomedical disciplines, including psychology, educational assessment, and social sciences (e.g., political science, marketing, economics).
- We actively engage in sharing knowledge and expertise through mentoring, fellowships, workshops and formal courses.
- We engage in research that promotes the understanding of cultural influences on the expression of symptoms to improve outcomes and reduce disparities.
- We collaborate with other programs within IFAR and around the country, especially the Aging Brain Center, Palliative Care program, and the Care & Quality Research program, and with national leaders in geriatric psychiatry, neuropsychology, and measurement in medicine.
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