Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC)

Durham GRECC

• Exercise/Physical Activity/Nutrition
• Osteoporosis/Falls/Fractures
• Immunizations/Infections/Immunology and Drugs
• Care Innovations/Models

• Immunogenicity, safety, efficacy and functional impact of zoster, influenza and COVID-19 vaccines in older adults
• Characterizing physical resilience and developing a prediction tool for shared decision making in adults with advanced renal disease
• Predicting recovery from orthopedic surgeries
• Protein supplementation interventions to restore physical function in obese older Veterans
• Examining implementation, health, and utilization outcomes from a national exercise program.
• Reducing fractures and mortality in Parkinson’s Disease with zoledronic acid
• Exercise interventions to improve function and mental health (e.g., PTSD) in older adults
• Medication use patterns and development of a deprescribing intervention
• Developing improved animal models of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease

• VHA Dementia Education and Training Committee
• Gerofit training in exercise assessments and implementation
• “Focus on Function” Geri Scholars clinical practicum
• Pharmacy benefits management and training on use of the recombinant zoster vaccine
• Geriatric Medicine Fellowship, Advanced Geriatric Fellows, and Associated Health Trainees in Pharmacy, Nursing, Social Work, Physical Therapy, Audiology/Speech Pathology, Chaplaincy and Psychology
• Elder Care in Hospital (ECHo) Geriatric Nursing Quality Scholars Program

• Gerofit is a VHA best practice model of care undergoing national dissemination based on outcomes associated with reduced risk of institutionalization
• Integrating geriatrics principles throughout the health care system in surgery through Preoperative Optimization of Senior Health (POSH)
• The care of hospitalized Veterans through the supervised inpatient walking program (STRIDE) and the nursing-led Elder Care in Hospital (ECHo) program
• Chronic disease care including kidney disease (Renal Silver) 
• Addressing geriatric conditions including a home-based dementia caregiver program (COACH)
• Falls and osteoporosis treatment (VISN 6 Bone Health Service) and telehealth fall prevention (FAME)

• Changes in fall rates from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from the prospective AMBROSIA study J Gerontol A Bio Sci Med Sci https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35690355/
• Needs of care partners of older Veterans with serious illness J Am Geriat Soc https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35225356/
• Diet quality and exercise in older veterans with PTSD: a pilot study Transl Beha Med https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34487181/
• A template for physical resilience research in older adults: Methods of the PRIME-KNEE study J Am Geriat Soc https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34325481/
• Changes in the associations of race and rurality with SARS-CoV-2 infection, mortality, and case fatality in the United States from February 2020 to March 2021: A population-based cohort study PLoS Med https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34673772/

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