Aimee Verrall

The UW Northwest Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Center (NW GWEC), led by Dr. Elizabeth Phelan, professor (Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine), is one of 42 programs to receive federal support to improve care for older Americans, including those experiencing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

The Northwest Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Center (NW GWEC), was part of a a collaborative article lead by the University of Washington's WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) region Practice and Research Network (WPRN) which described an engagement project around Advance Care Planning with primary care providers and it's impact on practice change. Read the open access article.

Our Primary Care Liaisons, Felicia Sanchez (ALTC, Yakima, WA) and Breanne Swanson (AAADSW, Vancouver, WA) presented at a W4A or Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging Conference (June 2024).

Dr. Bennett was part of a team that published a paper describing how the HRSA-funded Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Programs (GWEPs) have created a robust training infrastructure for geriatrics education by using the Project ECHO® model.

Our NW GWEC extends our most heart-felt congratulations to Michael V. Vitiello (our Emeritus Co-Director) for receiving the National Sleep Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award! Dr. Vitiello's contributions to advancing the field of sleep health is beyond measure.

People of all ages are equally prone to slip on snow and ice, says Dr. Elizabeth Phelan, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine and medical director of the Fall Prevention Clinic at Harborview Medical Center. In that way, she says, those conditions level the playing field.

We partner with Aging and Disability Services (ADS) of Seattle-King County to create and share Self-Management Plans for patients, family, and caregivers. There are over 25 plans available in multiple languages to help patients, family, and caregivers manage common chronic health conditions. The plans use traffic light flags to help decide when to seek care from a health professional (green = good health, yellow = warnings, red = emergencies).

Our NW GWEC Project Director, Elizabeth Phelan, MD, MS, gave on Updates in Falls Research and Clinical Care at Geriatric Medicine Grand Rounds, Harborview Medical Center

At the first MetaECHO conference since 2019, the global ECHO community joined forces to share, dream, and plan. One presentation was from our NW GWEC and our Medical Director of Project ECHO-Geriatrics, Katherine Bennett, MD.

Elizabeth Phelan, MD, MS, our NW GWEC Project Director presented Friday, April 21st, 2023 at our University of Washington Geriatric Grand Rounds.