EricksonSchool

Judah Ronch, Erickson School, Publishes New Books on Elder Care

Leading Principles and Practices in Elder Care (Health Professions Press) is a new book series edited by Erickson School Dean Judah Ronch and colleague Audrey Weiner, President and CEO of the Jewish Home Lifecare in New York. Ronch and Weiner have also co-authored the first two volumes in the series: Culture Change in Elder Care (available now) and Models and Pathways for Person-Centered Elder Care (to be released in October). Culture Change in Elder Care prepares health professionals with the essential arguments, values and business case for adopting new care models that better serve the needs of older adults “to bring… Continue Reading Judah Ronch, Erickson School, Publishes New Books on Elder Care

Peter V. Rabins Joins Erickson School as Senior Fellow

Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH, has been appointed senior fellow with the Institute for Leadership at UMBC’s Erickson School for the management of aging services, joining current senior fellow Chris Hollister. Rabins is professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He has been on the Hopkins faculty since 1978. Over the past 35 years he has had appointments in the department of health policy and management and department of mental health, and served as vice-chair for academic affairs in the department of psychiatry as well as director of the division of geriatric psychiatry and neuropsychiatry. As the… Continue Reading Peter V. Rabins Joins Erickson School as Senior Fellow

Gerontology Honor Society Expands, Plans Year Ahead

Sigma Phi Omega (SPO) is the national academic honor society in gerontology, for professionals who work with or on behalf of older persons. The UMBC chapter of SPO, Delta Lambda, has continued to grow, thanks to the strength of UMBC’s sociology, gerontology and Management of Aging Services programs. At a recent induction ceremony welcoming new members, the group also honored graduating member Susan Hannum, who pioneered Delta Lambda’s annual senior center “Food Drop.” Continuing volunteer activities with local senior centers and organizations remains a primary goal for the year ahead. The society also plans to connect with Washington D.C.-area colleagues… Continue Reading Gerontology Honor Society Expands, Plans Year Ahead

Kevin Heffner, Erickson School, in the Baltimore Sun

The Baltimore Sun today recognized the 30th anniversary of the Charlestown Retirement Community with a front-page article on founder John C. Erickson and transitions in the retirement housing industry. UMBC’s Erickson School was founded, in large part, through a generous donation from Erickson. Today, the Erickson School offers a range of programs, from a B.A. and M.A. in the Management of Aging Services (MAgS) to professional and executive education. In the Sun article, Kevin Heffner, director of external relations for the Erickson School, describes the challenges the senior housing industry faced following the broader housing market crash and credit crisis… Continue Reading Kevin Heffner, Erickson School, in the Baltimore Sun

Judah Ronch, Erickson School, in McKnight’s

In a new guest column for McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, Erickson School Dean Judah Ronch explores how technology can enhance relationships between older adults with dementia and their caregivers, and also clarifies misconceptions about technology as panacea for compassionate caregiving. He writes, Technology is not valuable as an (expensive) electronic attendant to deterioration. It is a vehicle that can help the person restore, replace, and compensate for the assault on identity of self that is dementia through pleasurable experiences with others (remote and on site), and by experiencing the pleasure found in successfully meeting challenges through problem solving – like… Continue Reading Judah Ronch, Erickson School, in McKnight’s

Judah Ronch, Erickson School, in the New York Times

The New York Times today examined the experiences of older students — in their 60s and beyond — at colleges and universities. The article cites many reasons for retirees taking college courses, including tuition waivers, social connections and an interest in lifelong learning. “Novelty is something the brain thrives on,” said Erickson School Dean Judah L. Ronch, commenting on the physiological and psychological health benefits that older students experience. “It helps connections between nerve cells form, and that’s the basis of new knowledge and ability. Research now supports the idea that at any age these connections can continue to be made.”… Continue Reading Judah Ronch, Erickson School, in the New York Times

“Dilemmas of Longevity”: Leslie Morgan to Present Lipitz Lecture (3/28)

On March 28th Leslie Morgan—professor of sociology, co-director of the UMBC/UMB Ph.D. program in gerontology, and one of the nation’s foremost scholars of aging—will present the annual Lipitz Lecture, a Social Sciences Forum event (4:00 p.m. UC Ballroom Lounge). Morgan is UMBC’s 2011-12 Lipitz Professor, an honor that seeks “to recognize and support innovative and distinguished teaching and research in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.” Leslie Morgan’s latest publications include Quality Assisted Living (see preview video) and the Baltimore Sun op-ed “Questions to ask before choosing assisted living.” Her lecture will explore the complex influences of longer lives on… Continue Reading “Dilemmas of Longevity”: Leslie Morgan to Present Lipitz Lecture (3/28)

Judah Ronch, Erickson School, in the New York Times

Judah Ronch, Dean of UMBC’s Erickson School, offers a pointed letter in today’s New York Times, responding to a report that some retirement communities are segregating their dining facilities based on residents’ required levels of care, sometimes splitting up married couple during meals. In “It’s About More Than Food,” Ronch writes that although “different regulatory considerations might play into the dining decisions at differing levels of care in a continuing care retirement community…[w]hat’s important is the fact that dining is deeply tied to pleasure, identity and sense of community, and therefore the service being provided is not simply to deliver… Continue Reading Judah Ronch, Erickson School, in the New York Times

Judah Ronch, Erickson School, in Maryland Family Magazine

The December issue of Maryland Family magazine features a unique article on seniors who volunteer in local K-12 schools — a practice that Judah Ronch argues has significant benefits for both children and adults. Dean Ronch of UMBC’s Erickson School comments, “Doing things you enjoy makes [your activities] meaningful, and that means you are more likely to remember them.” For seniors who enjoy interacting with kids and sharing their skills and knowledge, volunteering in a local community can have positive effects on their physical and mental health and well-being.

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