A Day in the Life of an Academic Geriatric Nurse
Sarah Szanton, PhD, CRNP
Assistant Professor
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Baltimore, Maryland
Pre-doctoral Scholar 2005-2007
Claire M. Fagin Post-doctoral Fellow 2009-2011
Research: Outreach project to help older adults remain in their homes
“My passion is remedying health disparities among older adults,” says Sarah Szanton, PhD, CRNP. “Older adults who are poor often are sicker and have less access to health care resources.” Several years ago, while making house calls as a nurse practitioner to homebound, low-income elderly patients, Dr. Szanton witnessed how physical environment, financial strain, and family responsibilities can adversely impact an older person’s health.
Dr. Szanton in her office working on Project CAPABLE, an intervention that partners a nurse, an occupational therapist, and a handyman with low-income older adults to help them remain independent.
As a doctoral student, Dr. Szanton knew she was interested in the health effects of poverty. She examined how financial strain may lead to cardiovascular disease and even death. “But I found that I wanted to do more than just document problems faced by older adults. I want to find solutions.”
Dr. Szanton visiting a participant’s home to evaluate her needs.
She is now testing an intervention featuring home visits from a nurse, an occupational therapist, and a handyman that can help low-income older adults remain in their own homes. “Lots of people have uneven floors, shaky banisters and other safety issues in their homes,” says Dr. Szanton. The difference is that people who are elderly and poor don’t have the resources and ability to fix these problems. In Dr. Szanton’s study, a nurse counsels older adults about fall prevention strategies, helps with medication adherence, identifies problems with depression or pain, and connects the person with appropriate health care services. The occupational therapist ensures the older adult can prepare meals, get safely in and out of the shower, and engage in other basic activities of living. The handyman fixes trip hazards and other physical safety issues in the home.
“I wanted to do more than just document problems faced by older adults. I want to find solutions.”Ultimately, Dr. Szanton hopes to demonstrate that this strategy can keep people out of the hospital due to falls and out of nursing homes.
As a result of Dr. Szanton’s work, many upgrades are made to help older adults remain safe at home. Here a new light switch, handrail and locks were installed.
Dr. Szanton and Allyson Evelyn-Gustave, an occupational therapist, visit a client to assess the effectiveness of the intervention.
Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP ›