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Community Projects

The Institute for Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging seeks to advance the optimal aging paradigm through a variety of transdisciplinary practice models. Below are the various community projects that serve to further our mission of empowering older adults to flourish. We invite you to explore how you can become involved! Contact us if you would like to learn more about a community project. 


SAGE of the Bluegrass Partnership

The Institute has partnered with SAGE of the Bluegrass to support the new SAGENet affiliate's efforts to serve the aging adult LGBTQ+ population in Louisville through intergenerational community programming. Programming is intended to address ageism within the community, as well as homophobia and transphobia experienced by aging LGBTQ+ adults in various settings. Currently, two practicum students work closely with SAGE of the Bluegrass to coordinate monthly dinners sponsored by the program.

 

For more information, contact Tamara Russell or Lizz Perkins. 

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The Kentuckiana Veteran-Community Integration Coalition (KVCIC)

The Kentuckiana Veteran-Community Integration Coalition (KVIC) is a partnership of a variety of community organizations that work to ensure that veterans lead healthy and rewarding lives. Partner organizations include the Institute, KIPDA, LifeSpan, the VA, Diversified Nurse Consultants and the KY Cabinet for Health & Family Services - the Office of Health Policy and the Office Administrative and Technology Services.

The group meets monthly at the UofL Institute for Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging. To learn more how you can get involved, contact the KVIC here.

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Psychological Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) Project

This project seeks to develop a protocol for non-epileptic seizure patients to accept the diagnosis, provide therapies, and monitor the outcome. Commonly caused by traumatic events, PNES refers to individuals who experience epileptic seizure-like episodes but who do not have the physiological electric brain patterns of Epilepsy. As such, individuals with PNES do not experience symptom relief with epileptic medications. It is estimated that 25% of epilepsy cases are misdiagnosed PNES. Institute Couples & Family Therapy practicum students are placed at the UofL Neurology department specifically to work with clients with PNES to help them cope with their diagnosis and possible traumatic experiences to provide a pathway forward for health and health.

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South Africa Child Headed Household Project

As part of Optimal Aging Month in 2015, the Institute took practicum students to Zastron, South Africa, a community with a high level of child-headed households due to loss of parents from AIDS. Institute faculty and students supported an intergenerational, participatory action research project that seeks to empower youth who had lost their parents to develop new social networks that leverage the mentorship, wisdom and support of older adults in the community.


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