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NW GWEC was honored to have two late-breaking abstracts centered on rural and age-friendly education accepted as poster presentations at the Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) Annual Scientific Conference in Boston, MA.

The 2025 GWEP-CC Preconference at the Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) annual scientific meeting brought together leaders in geriatrics education, innovation, and workforce development for a full day of learning, collaboration, and celebration.

A new study—co-authored by Breanne Swanson, MS, and grounded in her early work as a Primary Care Liaison—highlights how partnerships between primary care clinics and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) can connect older adults with essential social supports such as transportation, nutrition, housing, and social connection. These supports are crucial to overall health and the ability to age in place.

We’re excited to share that Leigh Ann Mike, PharmD was recognized as a Fellow of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists at the organization’s annual meeting last weekend and her poster presentation received 2nd Place for Top Poster.

The Collaborating for a Dementia-Friendly Washington: Building Momentum conference brought together leaders, advocates, and care professionals from across Washington state.

HRSA-funded program connects health sciences students across UW campuses to education on Age-Friendly Healthcare. 

Anita Souza, PhD, has spent the past year working with healthcare providers in tribal, rural and underserved communities to help them ensure they can meet the needs of older adults.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Phelan, MD, MS who was named in Seattle Magazine’s Top Doctors list, an annual list of the best doctors in the Puget Sound region. Seattle’s “Top Doctors” and Katherine Bennett, MD, who was named in Seattle Met's list of Top Doctors. 

In July 2025, our Area Agency on Aging partners shared their work at the national USAging Conference. Their presentation, Bridging the Gap: A Toolkit for Strengthening AAA Relationships with Healthcare Systems, highlighted innovative strategies for building stronger partnerships between healthcare systems and community-based aging services.

Reporting on the quality of care for older patients is essential—but it can be tough for busy primary care practices. That’s why our partner in Family Medicine, WPRN, teamed up with nine primary care clinics to create a toolkit that makes it easier to collect and report age-friendly quality-of-care data.