Faculty Office Hour: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Older Adults

Meeting the Health Care Needs of Older Adults

This spring, URI Magazine will examine our often-complicated health care system with perspectives and advice from alumni working in the field. In coordination, Faculty Office Hour will offer additional perspectives from faculty whose work focuses on supporting patients with complex health care needs.

Older adults typically have more complex health care needs than younger adults. Additionally, few health care providers receive any training in the aging process or the treatment of the chronic conditions associated with aging. This combination can lead to incorrect care and poorer outcomes and can overwhelm patients and their caregivers. The Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center (RIGEC) works to provide education and training for health care professionals and students, as well as resources for patients and caregivers, to better meet the needs of older adults. In this webinar, RIGEC Director Phillip Clark and collaborators Lisa DiMaria and Erica Estes will discuss some RIGEC initiatives as well as offer resources for those navigating multiple health conditions.

Register by: Wednesday, April 9, 2025

About the Faculty Presenters

Phillip G. Clark, ScD
Professor and Director, Program in Gerontology and Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center, College of Health Sciences
Dr. Phillip G. Clark is Professor and Director of both the Program in Gerontology and the Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center at the University of Rhode Island. He holds a Doctorate in Public Health from Harvard University. He has served as a Visiting Professor at the Universities of Guelph and Toronto in Canada, a Fulbright Scholar at Buskerud University College in Norway, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Huddersfield and Bournemouth University in England. His work has been published in The Gerontologist, the Canadian Journal on Aging, Ageing and Society, Educational Gerontology, Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, and the Journal of Interprofessional Care. Dr. Clark has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on $28 million in grants, including support from the National Institutes of Health, Bureau of Health Professions, and Administration on Aging. He is a Fellow of both the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE).

Co-presenters:

Lisa A. DiMaria, PhD, RN
Clinical Preceptor, College of Nursing

Erica Estus, PharmD
Clinical Professor, College of Pharmacy

Dr. Erica Estus, Pharm.D., BCGP, FASCP is a clinical professor of pharmacy and director of recruitment and engagement at the URI College of Pharmacy. With over two decades of experience in academia, she has played a pivotal role in pharmacy education, particularly in experiential learning and geriatric pharmacotherapy. Dr. Estus has been instrumental in shaping pharmacy students’ professional development through innovative teaching methodologies and interprofessional education initiatives that bridge academic instruction with real-world healthcare experiences. As an active member of various pharmacy organizations, she has led efforts to advance the profession locally and nationally. In her current role at URI, Dr. Estus is dedicated to inspiring and mentoring the next generation of pharmacy professionals by spearheading recruitment initiatives, fostering student engagement, and creating opportunities that empower future healthcare leaders.

URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement strives to provide inclusive access to events. If you need a reasonable accommodation or have a question about accessing this event, please call 401.874.2242 at least five business days in advance. For TTY assistance, please call the R.I. Relay Service at 711.