New center leadership named

Christine Mueller, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, and Siobhan McMahon, PhD, MPH, GNP-BC, have recently been named co-directors of the Center for Aging Science and Care Innovation (CASCI). Mueller is a professor and senior executive associate dean of Academic Programs at the school and holds the Long-term Care Professorship in Nursing. Mueller’s research career has focused on improving the care of elders living in nursing homes and her research focuses on factors that can influence the quality of nursing home care. She has provided national leadership on teaching geriatric nursing, with a particular emphasis on using the nursing home setting as a clinical learning laboratory for teaching geriatric nursing. She has called attention to the role of professional nursing in nursing homes that are transforming both environmentally and through clinical and organizational practices to support person directed care.

McMahon is an associate professor in the school. Her research focuses on promoting health and wellness among community-dwelling older adults, particularly those with fall risk. Her studies examine the relative effects of behavior change strategies on older adults’ motivation and action to make physical activity part of their everyday life. The overarching purpose of these studies is to optimize community-based physical activity interventions for older adults and reduce the public health problem of falls and their devastating effects on quality of life.

CASCI was established to lead gerontological nursing research, education and practice by generating new knowledge, disseminating findings and translating research into practice, which serves local and global needs to improve the health of older individuals, their families and communities. CASCI was previously led by Kristine Talley, PhD, APRN, GNP-BC, FGSA, who guided development of the center’s strategic plan. The school is grateful for Talley’s three years of leadership as director.

CASCI is also a proud member of the University of Minnesota Consortium on Aging.

School of nursing alumni, students and other members of the community are welcome to become members of CASCI.