Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC)
Eastern Colorado GRECC
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Eastern Colorado Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center
The goal of Eastern Colorado Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (EC-GRECC) is to improve the health of older Veterans through the development of innovative research, clinical and educational initiatives. We focus our training efforts on translating existing and new geriatrics knowledge and skills into clinical practice at the local, regional, and national levels. These efforts build on the substantial geriatrics educational and training activities at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center and leverage important resources from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
National Veterans Creative Arts Festival
May 11 - 18, 2024
Denver, CO
Co-presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion Auxiliary, the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is the culmination of VA facility competitions in art, creative writing, dance, drama and music for Veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs national health care system. Veterans exhibit their artwork and original writings or perform musical, dance or dramatic selections in a live stage show performance. All Veterans invited to participate are selected winners of a national creative arts competition in which thousands of Veterans enter from VA medical facilities across the nation.
Learn more about the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival
An Age-Friendly Health System - Committed to Care Excellence
Age-friendly health systems is a movement of hundreds of health care facilities committed to ensuring that all older adults receive evidence-based care. This means that Eastern Colorado GRECC is working towards reliable practice of evidence-based interventions for all older adults in their care known as the 4-Ms (What Matters, Medications, Mentation, Mobility).
In that effort, the Tele-Dementia/Geriatrics and Tele-Palliative Care Clinics have been recognized as Level 2 Committed to Care Excellence of the nationwide age-friendly health systems movement. These clinics now have three months of verified data to demonstrate early impact of using the 4-Ms Framework:
- What Matters - Know and align care with each older adult's specific health outcome goals and care preferences including, but not limited to, end-of-life care, and across care settings.
- Medication - If medication is necessary, use Age-Friendly medications that does not interfere with What Matters to the older adult, Mobility, or Mentation across care settings.
- Mentation - Prevent, identify, treat, and manage dementia, depression, and delirium across care settings.
- Mobility - Ensure that older adults move safely every day in order to maintain function and do What Matters.
Leadership Team
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Joshua F. Yarrow, MS, PhD, FACSM
- Title: EC GRECC Director
- Contact: joshua.yarrow@va.gov
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Jennifer Stevens-Lapsley, PT PhD, FAPTA
- Title: Associate Director for Research
- Contact: jennifer.stevens-lapsley@cuanschutz.edu
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Kathryn Nearing, PhD, MA
- Title: Associate director education and evaluation and founder, coordinator and facilitator of the Older Veteran Engagement Team
- Contact: kathryn.nearing@cuanschutz.edu
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Daniel Matlock, MD
- Title: Associate Director Clinical Innovations
Associate Professor, Geriatric Medicine - Contact: daniel.matlock@cuanschutz.edu
Administrative Team
Eric Qualls - Administrative officer
Phone: 720-788-6733
Email: alfred.qualls@va.gov
Danielle Crowley, LPN - Administrative Support Assistant
email: danielle.crowley2@va.gov
Research Core
The Research Core includes:
Learn more about our Research Core and additional areas of research.
Education Core
The Eastern Colorado GRECC focuses its training efforts on translating existing and new geriatrics knowledge and skills into clinical practice at the local, regional and national levels. These efforts build on the substantial geriatrics educational and training activities at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center and leverage important resources from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
In the Education Core you will find:
- Geriatric Grand Rounds - Upcoming and recorded medical grand rounds with the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Geriatrics.
- GRECC Health Professions Training Program - training the workforce of the VA healthcare system.
- Recent Publications - our current publications and links to 2020.
- National Aging Education for January 2024 - For staff and trainees interested in aging education! Of note, if you have specific questions about a link or other details of a training, please reach out to the Point of Contact (POC) listed in the table.
- Select Presentations - presentations and posters from national and international conferences.
Learn more about our Education Core and opportunities.
Clinical Core
Eastern Colorado GRECC is a hub of clinical innovation committed to creating systems of support for Veterans as they age and across the continuum of care, regardless of geography. We participate in national clinical dissemination projects, including GRECC Connect and Gerofit.
In the Clinical Core you will find:
Learn more about our Clinical Core and GRECC Connect and Gerofit.
Pages of Further Interest
OVET - Older Veteran Engagement Team
