HJBR Sep/Oct 2019

Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge I  SEP / OCT 2019 61 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com Center in Baton Rouge and Gonzales, Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hos- pital in Lafayette, and St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe. Woman’s Selects Keila Stovall as Chief Philanthropy Officer Keila Stovall has been named the chief philan- thropy officer and president of the Foundation for Woman’s. Stovall will lead the hospital’s phil- anthropic efforts to improve the health of women and infants in the community. Stovall brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leader- ship, most recently serving as the executive direc- tor of the Foundation for East Baton Rouge (EBR) School System.  “Keila has a successful history of building phil- anthropic programs that benefit children, which makes her a natural addition to a team focused on improving the lives of women and infants. With a strong leader at the helm, we expect to see the Foundation move forward with even greater strides,” said Pat Felder, Foundation for Woman’s Board of Trustees chair. Stovall served as the executive director of the Foundation for the EBR School System for three years. In that time, she increased program invest- ments through strategic partnerships and grants while also raising funds for individual schools and educators. She was heavily involved in activities to further the STEM (Science, Technology, Engi- neering, Math) curriculum, including establishing the BR STEM Network, a collaborative commu- nity partnership positioned to impact more than 41,000 students at 80 schools by increasing stu- dent, family and community interest and engage- ment in STEM subjects and careers. In its third year, the BR STEM Network grew to a regional initiative and was renamed GenReady. She also established the STEM Teaching Fellows Program in East Baton Rouge Parish Schools.  Prior to her time with the school system, Stovall spent 14 years with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana, Boys & Girls Clubs of Amer- ica, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Baton Rouge. “Keila has a great record of success in resource development, strategic planning, board devel- opment, marketing, and building strong donor and community relationships,” said Robert Bur- gess, CEO of Woman’s Hospital. “We are excited to have Keila join the Woman’s family. She has an incredibly dedicated and talented board and staff, all focused on our mission to improve the health of women and infants.” $3.73Million Grant for Alzheimer’s Care Awarded to Group Led by LSU, Ochsner, Chamberlain, Alzheimer’s Services LSU School of Social Work in partnership with Ochsner Health System, Chamberlain University College of Nursing, and Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area in Baton Rouge announced a five-year, $3.73 million initiative to improve the quality of life for Louisiana residents and families living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disor- ders, or ADRD. Since its inception in 2014, this federal grant program has approved 92 propos- als. The LSU School of Social Work is one of only three social work programs nationally to receive this funding recognition. By 2030, older Americans will account for nearly 30 percent of the nation’s populace. In the coming decades, demand is expected to increase expo- nentially for healthcare professionals who treat and care for older adults, including multidiscipli- nary, integrated teams in primary care settings. This innovative grant program will combine and train three disciplines—social workers, nurses, and physicians. Funded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, the program titled, Louisiana Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program, or LA-GWEP*: Improving the Qual- ity of Integrated Primary Care among Persons with Dementia and Caregivers, is committed to enhancing dementia-friendly integrated prac- tice in Louisiana primary care settings. By doing so, it aims to improve health and wellbeing for Louisianans with ADRD diagnoses and their car- egivers. LA-GWEP will offer ADRD and dementia care experts to provide curriculum and experien- tial training, including the state-certified Demen- tia Training for Health Professionals program, to medical, nursing, and social work practitioners, and to academic faculty and students within these disciplines across south Louisiana. “We know that families and caregivers of per- sons with Alzheimer’s disease and related disor- ders often see their primary care physicians, rather than neurologists, for a variety of reasons includ- ing familiarity, comfort level, and shorter appoint- ment wait times. We expect that this program will close the gap in dementia-friendly practice between their primary care physicians compared to a specialist,” said Scott Wilks, LSU School of Social Work professor who leads LA-GWEP. “Healthcare providers and students across south Louisiana will have access to training and support that increases their knowledge of ADRD, and that knowledge will translate into better overall care for Louisiana residents diagnosed with ADRD, and better support for family members and other caregivers.” Louisiana has about 50 certified geriatri- cians to serve more than 400,000 older adults, including acute need for care in rural areas. This research and training grant will bridge a critical gap in expertise. Wilks and his colleagues aim to train and develop the workforce to meet this ever-growing need and improve quality of life for the citizens of Louisiana. Nationally, there is a demand for 70,000 geriatric social workers. How- ever, only 10 percent of these social workers are currently in the workforce. Given that only four percent of licensed social workers and less than one percent of registered nurses currently identify themselves as specialized or certified in geriatrics, this research can provide important insights and create programs that other states may replicate. LA-GWEP is under the leadership of principal investigator Wilks, who is also the gerontology specialization coordinator at the LSU School of Social Work. LA-GWEP co-investigators, who rep- resent its organizational partners, include: Keila Stovall