UNC Center for Aging and Health Receives $3.75 Million Grant to Integrate Geriatrics Throughout NC Primary Care Practices

The University of North Carolina's (UNC) Center for Aging and Health has been apportioned a $3.75 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to fund the Carolina Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (CGWEP), reports Newswise . The program's goal is to address healthcare gaps affecting seniors, with specific concentration on rural and underserved regions. Through the grant, the Center will collaborate with community-based organizations and healthcare systems to create an age-friendly healthcare environment. HRSA underwrites the GWEP among 48 sites across the United States, and UNC's CGWEP is spearheading the statewide initiative to bring best practices of geriatrics training to primary care practices and medically overlooked communities. The latest HRSA award will be channeled into training to improve dementia care, boost advance care planning, target chronic opioid use, and reduce falls and occurrences of uncontrolled diabetes. East Carolina University's College of Nursing leads CGWEP's effort to supply dementia screening, caregiver education, and support to seniors in partnership with the NC Area Health Education Centers.