Pictured here: Lauren Hunt and Harriette Grooh

At the Ninth Annual UCSF School of Nursing lecture for the Harriette Grooh and Associates Luncheon series Lauren Hunt, RN, FNP, presented her work on Pain in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Dementia. The Harriette Grooh and Associates Luncheon series talks provide an opportunity for guests to explore research relevant to their work with questions, answers and discussion. Lauren’s presentation was extremely well received with much discussion; participants look forward to an update in the future.

Lauren also recently received the National Institute of Health's Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, as well as the UCSF/John A. Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence/Jeanie Schmit Kayser-Jones Scholarship. Her article “Pain In Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Dementia: Results From the National Health and Aging Trends Study” was accepted for publication in the next available issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS).

Lauren’s interest in older adults with dementia is based on her clinical experience both as a hospice nurse and a bedside nurse in the acute care setting, where she had the opportunity to provide care for many individuals with dementia. She is currently pursuing a PhD with the aim of developing a program of research focused on understanding the palliative care needs of older adults with dementia and their caregivers. Her ultimate goal is to become a scholar and leader in the field of palliative care and gerontological nursing, using the knowledge she generates through research to influence education, practice, and policies aimed at improving care for the dementia population.