This show discusses the challenges of providing services to an aging population, many of whom are living in residential settings rather than institutions. The first segment features Shauna Severo, BSN, M.A.I.S., the Assistant Director of Patient Care Services for the Fairfax County Heath Department and Sharon K. Lynn, the Director of the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging. They discuss the services provided through county agencies and how families can access those services.
The second segment features Melissa Batchelor-Murphy, PhD, RN-BC, FNP-BC. She is an Asst. Professor at the Duke University School of Nursing and an RWJF Nurse Faculty Scholar. Dr. Batchelor-Murphy specializes in geriatric nursing with a focus on the nutritional challenges of those suffering from dementia. She has done extensive research in this area and has developed effective techniques for helping dementia patients with eating related issues. More work needs to be done in supporting families and care givers in meeting the nutritional needs of aging adults with cognitive disorders.