How UCSF researchers partner with the SFCJL to reshape rehabilitation and senior care
By Isaiah Kahn
On the San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living (the Campus), UCSF’s Geriatric Research Team has recently been studying how to best support our elders, particularly how to create the best circumstances for their transition to long-term care.
James Harrison, a member of the research team, is piloting an educational and skill-building intervention called PREPARE-for-REHAB. He has found from his previous work that people often feel unprepared for their journey into rehabilitation, and that caretakers aren’t always as well-equipped as they could be, and might not be aware of what the person wants. He aims to fix this by providing infrastructure for older adults to learn about skilled nursing and rehabilitation and giving them the opportunity to easily articulate what their own desires are. “The goal for PREPARE-for-REHAB,” he explains, “is to activate older adults and their families to be more engaged in their care, leading to improved outcomes and experiences.”
Why the Campus is the Ideal Setting for this Work
SFCJL is a great campus to conduct this research on. “USCF has a historically close relationship with the Campus—including clinical care partnerships, but also a longstanding research partnership,” Harrison says. “I have clinical colleagues who work at the SFCJL, and I was always hearing about the campus, so I was interested to come and see first-hand what it was like. There is such a gap and need for research in these spaces, and the Campus provides an excellent and welcoming environment for this.”
One of the benefits of doing this research is getting to experience the humanity in so many different people. Harrison says that it’s his favorite part. He loves listening to residents and their families talk about their lives. “I appreciate and am grateful that they volunteer their time to participate in research,” he acknowledges. “My goal is to use what they tell me to build a better understanding of what is working well, but also where there are gaps and what can be improved. That’s how PREPARE-for-REHAB came about, hearing from people that there was a need for this type of intervention!”
“While I have my research questions,” he continues, “I always ask people to tell me about themselves before we start. By doing this, it helps me better understand who the person I am talking to is. I remember many stories, including a resident and her husband who talked about how they left the then Soviet Union to come to America to create a new life, then there is the resident who loved going to see the birds and turtles on campus when her grandchildren came to visit her, and then the man who was looking forward to rehab so he could get back to writing which he used to do every day.”
James Deardorff, another of the SFCJL research scholars, also deeply cares about the people in this facility. Deardorff combines his clinical role as an attending physician in the Friedman Pavilion with research into discharge rates and the appeals process. Previous work on this has been limited, and it can be a very stressful experience for those involved.
“I hope this research can shed light on the circumstances around these appeals, and it can be used to advocate for changes in healthcare policy,” Deardorff avows. “Research studies in nursing homes are significantly lacking, which leaves a substantial gap in knowledge about how to effectively care for this highly vulnerable population. We hope to make the Campus a site that regularly conducts novel research projects to improve resident outcomes, enhance quality of life, and change healthcare policy.”
This work, combined with the many other scientific advancements in recent years, pays off. “My favorite part about working in the short-term rehab unit,” Deardorff says, “is seeing patients make significant improvements in their physical functioning before returning home.”
Through their ongoing work at SFCJL, Harrison, Deardorff, and their colleagues are not only advancing research but also honoring the humanity of the residents who make the research possible. Their goal is clear: to create better systems, better policies, and ultimately, better outcomes for older adults in rehabilitation and long-term care. As the work accumulates, more positive effects will be felt. The standard of care given to older adults on the Campus is only going to improve from here on out.