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.
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
Joshua F. Yarrow, MS, PhD, FACSM
Title: Eastern Colorado GRECC Director
Contact: joshua.yarrow@va.gov
Jennifer Stevens-Lapsley, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Title: Associate Director for Research
Contact: jennifer.stevens-lapsley@cuanschutz.edu
Title: Associate director education and evaluation and founder, coordinator and facilitator of the Older Veteran Engagement Team
Contact: kathryn.nearing@cuanschutz.edu
Title: Associate Director Clinical Innovations
Associate Professor, Geriatric Medicine
Contact: lauren.abbate@va.gov
Administrative Team
Eric Qualls - Administrative officer
Phone:
Email: alfred.qualls@va.gov
Danielle Crowley, LPN - Administrative Support Assistant
email: danielle.crowley2@va.gov
Research Core
This page shows the research that Eastern Colorado GRECC is and has done and how it promotes the priorities of the VA, specifically Geriatrics and Extended Care. The VA Geriatrics and Extended Care website highlights the areas of most concern to our Veterans and their caregivers. What we have done here is demonstrate the areas where our research supports and promotes these areas. We are not engaged in research for each area but where we are involved in an area we are deeply involved.
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:
- CU and VA 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.
- Monthly National Aging Education - 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.
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:
Fellowships
The VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System and the Eastern Colorado GRECC offer a 2-year Advanced Geriatrics Fellowship. This fully accredited program is designed to prepare leaders for careers in aging-related geriatric/gerontology research.
Eligible applicants include clinical providers (Physician Fellows, or Allied Health Fellows) who have completed clinical training and are board certified or eligible in their subspecialty. Eligible Associated Health candidates include individuals with advanced degrees in audiology, dentistry, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, psychology and speech pathology. Other clinical providers may be eligible on an individual basis.
OVET - Older Veteran Engagement Team
Our mission is to promote older Veteran and caregiver engagement in planning research, clinical services and educational efforts of the Eastern Colorado Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC).
The goal of the Older Veteran Engagement Team is to help ensure that the voice of older Veterans and caregivers informs research, clinical and other types of services to support Veterans as they age.
Investigators & Team
Michael Harris-Love, PT, MPT, DSc, FGSA
Jennifer Stevens-Lapsley, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Joshua F. Yarrow, MS, PhD, FACSM
Contact Us
Eastern Colorado Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (EC-GRECC)
Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center
1700 Wheeling Street
Aurora, CO 80045
Phone:
Fax: