Center for Aging Research and Education, UW-Madison School of Nursing

06/02/2026

Thanks to our friends with the Healthcare Workforce Training Institute for working with us to make the CARE U workshop more available for direct care staff in rural areas across Wisconsin!

We recently held a CARE U training session for several Dove Healthcare employees that provide direct care for older adults. Originally started by the Center for Aging Research and Education at the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing, the training covered topics of person-centered care, emergency preparedness and dementia. A big THANK YOU to the Health Resources and Services Administration, Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (award U1Q53041) for providing funding to make this possible!

06/01/2026

"Wisconsin is a national leader in efforts to strengthen direct care workforce training and career advancement. The state’s ongoing initiatives, including the [Certified Direct Care Professional] program and related resources and incentives, demonstrate exceptional commitment to creating comprehensive solutions," states a report from PHI.

The report notes, "Participants can earn a CARE U micro-credential through a workshop offered by the University of Wisconsin Center for Aging Research and Education (CARE). The day-long workshop, held in person across multiple sites, supplements and reinforces CDCP entry-level training with instruction and interactive activities on topics like aging and vision, and caring for people living with dementia."

More than 107,000 direct care workers in Wisconsin provide essential assistance to older adults and people with disabilities in home- and communitybased services (HCBS), residential care communities, nursing homes, and other settings. In response to persistent job quality challenges, the state has l...

05/28/2026

Financial abuse impacts the older adults’ health, well-being, and families. How can healthcare professionals address the problem?

Read the May 2026 issue of CARE Connections, the monthly newsletter of the Center for Aging Research and Education. Here’s an excerpt:

Assisted living or nursing homes might notice “an unpaid bill or a resident thinking they had money to get their hair done, but their account is empty,” says Hansen.

This month’s CARE Connections also includes a profile of CARE Affiliate Abigail Bradfield; the Healthy Aging in Rural Towns (HeART) Toolkit; and news and events related to older adult health and well-being.

https://app.explore.wisc.edu/e/es?s=1427524768&e=2448251&elqTrackId=6bf940c8fcbe4d2896cdc087ece57e37&elq=e5dde84cb7044a7e8cd1b1e0a3205247&elqaid=83586&elqat=1&elqak=8AF59C829C68CC1D4673A99CB217B61B1A002420DD7E69B7A9AC9AE094AC08FF58C4

05/27/2026

Are you looking for resources to improve the care that you or your students or your staff provide to older adults? CARE has you covered!

CARE has made our toolkits and manuals widely and freely available through our website. Simply visit the "CARE Products" page, read the descriptions, and use the online form to request something -- from our Geriatric Simulations Toolkit to our Healthy Aging in Rural Towns (HeART) Toolkit -- and more.



https://care.nursing.wisc.edu/products/

05/14/2026

The Rural and Madison Boards of Older Adult Advisors (BOAAs) are now scheduling their summer and fall meetings!

Since 2022, the BOAAs have provided guidance to researchers across 13 UW-Madison departments, from Nursing to Food Science to Kinesiology to Engineering to Design Studies to Geriatrics and Gerontology.

Researcher comments about the BOAAs include:
- “The BOAAs pushed us to make necessary changes. … And they brought up things we hadn’t thought of.”
- “They helped me think about what does this really mean,what outcomes are valuable to older persons.”

BOAA member comments about research meetings include:
- “It is wonderful when we are included. It lets us know that someone cares about us and that our voice matters.”
- “You see the color of my skin. You see my gender. You see my age. And you think you know something. But that is disrespectful. You need to ask and listen."

To learn more about bringing your research questions to the BOAAs, contact Diane at [email protected] or 608-265-9542.

https://care.nursing.wisc.edu/board-of-older-adult-advisors/

05/07/2026

"The profile of nursing home ownership has changed dramatically in recent decades. In 2000, many Wisconsin facilities were still family owned or were operated by nonprofit organizations. Today, a significant portion are controlled by multistate corporations and investment firms, with over 70% of skilled nursing facilities being for profit. In recent years, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) warned that CMS ownership data remains too opaque."

Whether representing injured nursing home residents, defending nursing homes, or advising such institutions on governance and compliance, lawyers must analyze how ownership and control affect day-to-day operations, staffing decisions, and regulatory

05/05/2026

"We may think that play is only for kids, but according to the National Institute for Play, it is a biological need across the entire lifespan. Additionally, play is not an activity, but rather a 'state of being.' Some key characteristics of being in a play state are engaging in an activity to the point of losing track of time, freely choosing the activity, and enjoying it for its own sake. Research shows that play is beneficial for people of all ages—it reshapes how the prefrontal cortex processes information, lowers stress hormone levels, and builds cognitive flexibility that protects against age-related decline."

https://lifestylemedicine.stanford.edu/play_increases_longevity/

05/04/2026

Happy !

Established in 1963, Older Americans Month recognizes older adults' contributions, highlights aging trends, and reaffirms commitments to including older people in our communities. This year’s theme, “Champion Your Health,” focuses on prevention, wellness, and taking action for healthy aging.

Older Americans Month coincides with Wisconsin’s Aging, Disability, and Independent Living Network Professionals Appreciation Month, which celebrates our statewide network of Aging and Disability Resource Centers, County and Tribal Aging Units, and Independent Living Centers.

Learn more: https://acl.gov/oam/older-americans-month

04/30/2026

It's the Wisconsin Idea! CARE has developed toolkits and manuals to help family, communities, instructors, and healthcare staff support older adult health and well-being. We've made these resources widely and freely available through our website.

Simply visit the "CARE Products" page, read the descriptions, and use the online form to request something -- from our Dementia Friendly Hospital Toolkit to our Implementing Change in Long-Term Care Toolkit -- and more.

CARE also offers an Implementing Change in Long-Term Care Manual, which covers how to prepare your organization for changes that improve quality of care, to assist your staff in developing a sense of ownership, and to sustain changes over time. You can download the manual for free here, and the atta...

04/28/2026

What is the difference between the medical model of care and person-centered care?

Read how University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing research is helping address resident and family needs and preferences for care in the April 2026 issue of CARE Connections, the monthly newsletter of the Center for Aging Research and Education. Here’s an excerpt:

"Relationships are considered the fundamental building block to person-centered care, but that’s not well defined,” says Roberts. “What is a close relationship? How do you foster them?”

This month’s CARE Connections also includes a profile of CARE Affiliate Barbara Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN; an English / Spanish bilingual CARE U workshop for direct care staff; and news and events related to older adult health and well-being.

https://app.explore.wisc.edu/e/es?s=1427524768&e=2418333&elqTrackId=6bf940c8fcbe4d2896cdc087ece57e37&elq=9b5f83e5731f47bc820555275c42a3bd&elqaid=82329&elqat=1&elqak=8AF513DBAC8F7FF41CA9F4D40DEC075776F7B3993CBC76E0911B239ED107C47895C3