UMBC’s Center for Aging Studies research team attended the Gerontological Society of America’s 66th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, November 20-24, 2013. They joined 3600 of the world’s leading gerontologists presenting symposia, papers, and posters under the theme “Optimal Aging through Research.”
CAS participants included Robert Rubinstein, Ann Christine Frankowski, Leslie Morgan, John Schumacher, Colleen Bennett, Michael Brazda , Patrick Doyle, Laura Girling, Regina Hrybyk, Mary Nemec, Amanda Peeples.
The Center presented a symposium entitled “Sex, Teasing, and Constraints: Ethical Dilemmas in Assisted Living” highlighting findings from the study “Autonomy in Assisted Living: A Cultural Analysis” funded by the National Institute on Aging. Kevin Eckert was the discussant and Ann Christine Frankowski and Robert Rubinstein co-chaired the symposium which included the following papers:
- Mental Health Conditions: Unexpected Ethical Challenges for Assisted Living (Leslie Morgan, Mary Nemec, Rosa Perez)
- Family and Resident Conflict in Decision-making: When is the resident “right”? (Mary Nemec, Ann Christine Frankowski, Rosa Perez, Michael Brazda, Regina Hrybyk, Gretchen Tucker)
- All in Good Fun? The Many Facets of Teasing in Assisted Living (Amanda Peeples, Ann Christine Frankowski, Colleen Bennett, Robert Rubinstein)
- Sex in Assisted Living: Conflict over Autonomy (Ann Christine Frankowski, Gretchen Tucker, Mary Nemec, Amanda Peeples, Colleen Bennett, Regina Hrybyk, Michael Brazda)
- Sex, Teasing and Constraints: Ethical Dilemmas in Assisted Living (Robert Rubinstein, Michael Brazda, Regina Hrybyk).
Other papers presented by the CAS research team (noting lead authors only) included:
- Narrative as Science or “Narrative Science” (Robert Rubinstein)
- Into the Light: Understudied Populations and Topics (Robert Rubinstein)
- Professionalism: The Etiquette of Your Being (Colleen Bennett)
- Playing Along: Ethical Dilemmas as a Participant Observer in Assisted Living (Colleen Bennett)
- Deductive Disclosure and Confidentiality in Accessible Digital Media (Regina Hrybyk)
- Posters presented (noting lead authors only) included:
- In the Eyes of the Beholder: Hoarding in Assisted Living (Colleen Bennett)
- You, Me, and We: Positionality and LGBT Aging Research (Colleen Bennett)
- An Iron Cage of Long-Term Care? The Rationalization of Aging (Michael Brazda)
- Vocalized Autonomy in Assisted Living: “Whoever Heard of a Hot Dog Without Onions?”(Michael Brazda)
- Organizational Challenges to Implementing a Person-centered Model of Dementia Care (Patrick Doyle)
- Explanatory Frameworks: Older Women Discuss Planning for Future Health Needs (Laura Girling)
- Negotiating Privacy and Autonomy: Frontline Staff and Body Care in Assisted Living (Regina Hrybyk)
- “They’re really kind of the ‘forget about’ people”: Staff Perceptions of a Dementia Care Unit (Amanda Peeples)
- Health Talk in Assisted Living: Analyzing How Health is Discussed Among Residents, Families, and Staff (John Schumacher)
