On April 17, the Emory Center for Health in Aging, Birmingham/Atlanta VA Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), and the Emory Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation presented the 8th Annual Bettye Rose Connell (BRC) Memorial Lecture. Ted Johnson, MD, MPH, Emory University Paul W. Seavey professor of medicine, and clinical director of the Birmingham/Atlanta VA GRECC, welcomed the audience and Camille Vaughan, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine, section chief of the Division of General Medicine and Geriatrics, associate vice chair of research and faculty development, and Atlanta site director of the Birmingham/Atlanta VA GRECC, introduced the 2018 Distinguished Speaker: Ronald I. Shorr, MD, MS, FACP, director of the Malcolm Randall VA GRECC, and director of the Training and Research Academy in Clinical Translational Science at the University of Florida.
Dr. Shorr presented his work on “Preventing Hospital Falls: Balancing Vigilance, Autonomy, Cost, and Gravity.” Falls affect 2 percent or 1 million inpatients annually. They can lead to serious complications and even death. However, risk assessment for falls, especially geriatric falls, is still a developing science and the “cure” (restraints, bed/chair alarms, etc.) can sometimes exacerbate the problem. Dr. Shorr noted the need to differentiate between frail fallers and “I don’t want to bother the nurse” fallers, as well as the ultimate goal – a sustainable, transferable intervention that does not overburden the staff while doing what’s right for the patient. In true BRC tradition, he discussed the importance of the patient care environment and his intensive research exploring patient-level care, and unit and hospital culture. Dr. Shorr acknowledged that while there are promising indicators, fall prevention research is still at the beginning of a complex journey.
“The important thing,” he concluded, “is to get it right – for the patient, the staff, and the hospital.”
Click here to view the event photo album.
About the Bettye Rose Connell Lecture series
Bettye Rose Connell, PhD, served as a Health Research Scientist in the Atlanta Rehabilitation Research and Development Center at the Atlanta VA Medical Center; Director of Research for the Atlanta Site of the Birmingham/Atlanta VA Geriatrics Research, Education and Clinical Center; and Assistant Professor of Medicine in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at Emory University. She served for long periods on both the Emory IRB and the Atlanta VA Research and Development Committee. The BRC Lecture Series commemorates Dr. Connell’s dedication to improving the lives of vulnerable elders.
The Bettye Rose Connell Memorial Lecture is intended to foster collaboration in scientific and clinical rehabilitation in environment, aging, and dementia and is made possible by the Bettye Rose Connell Memorial Lecture Series Fund. If you are interested in supporting the Bettye Rose Connell Lecture Series, please contact Jennifer Morton at (404) 727-4075 or Jennifer.Morton@emory.edu. If you have suggestions for future lecture series events, topics, or speakers, please contact the Lecture Series Committee Chair, Dr. Patricia C. Griffiths at pcgriff@emory.edu.
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