Geriatric Health Services Research Lab

The Aging and Disability Resource Center of Dane County is hosting a FREE Caregiver Appreciation event the afternoon of Wednesday, October 28th at the beautiful Olbrich Gardens. The afternoon will consist of opportunities to network with other caregivers over refreshments, get local resources, and hear from Kristy Kuecken (She/Her/Hers) MA, SAC, RYT200, SEP-IT, Certified TRE Provider during her keynote presentation titled: “The Gift of Receiving.” You will have several time options to choose from for a guided tour of the outdoor gardens (before or after speakers). After the keynote, there will be a session that focuses on the arts, conducted by Arts for All. The day will conclude with a performance by a local musical group, where all attendees (respite included) will be invited to enjoy and sing along. Onsite respite is available from 1:30-4:30 with advance registration and will include activities planned and led by students from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Madison College.

Website: https://www.daneadrc.org/Event/Detail/2896
Link to Register: https://countyofdane.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9YV398wAkVoyMn4

Dr. Beth Fields joined Isabel Melgarejo on a Time to Care: The Caregivers Podcast, to discuss Riding in the Moment - an adaptive horseback riding program for adults living with dementia. This conversation detailed how horses, movement, and community, can support joy, movement, and connection for Riding in the Moment participants and caregivers.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/W6MFe1tyGkY

Listen to the podcast (audio only): https://pod.co/a-time-to-care-the-caregivers-podcast/how-horses-bring-joy-movement-and-connection-in-dementia-care-with-dr-beth-fields

Caring Well is a caregiver education and resource event that is taking place on Tuesday, June 16th from 12:00-4:00 at Pinney Public Library in Madison, WI! This event is hosted by the Madison Dementia Friendly Coalition. Open this link to register online: https://countyofdane.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9vgSbINKenOx62q

Join us in congratulating our very own, Dr. Beth Fields, on this exciting announcement!

Follow this link to learn more: https://education.wisc.edu/news/uw-madisons-fields-earns-fulbright-award-for-caregiving-research-in-denmark/

Congratulations, Dr. Fields!

This past weekend Dr. Beth Fields and Dr. Ben Canter presented on OT & Microtransitions in Post-Acute & Long-Term Care: Best Practices for Recreational Outings & Outpatient Appointments at the American Occupational Therapy Association Conference in Anaheim, California! They were supported by first year occupational therapy students and GHSRL members, Kendall Downs and Kendall Crackel!

On Tuesday, November 10th, 2026, the UW-Madison Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education (CIPE) will be hosting an event centered around Youth Caregivers. This event is free to register for and will be a great opportunity to hear from students, caregivers, and other members of the community about youth caregiving!

AARP Wisconsin is hosting a screening of “TAKING CARE”: The Documentary on Thursday, April 9th 6:30pm-8:00pm! This is a free event, but you must register at the link below to attend!

https://www.aarp.org/events/details.movies-for-grownups-taking-care.rznwqgmz8fm.html

Join us in celebrating one of our great community partners, Katie Samuelson, the CEO at BEAMING, Inc. She was recognized as Remarkable Woman of the Year in Northeast WI.

She has been a fierce advocate of Riding in the Moment, and BEAMING was the second site nationally to launch the program.

Click here to read the full article: https://www.wearegreenbay.com/remarkable-women/to-me-this-is-not-a-job-its-who-i-am-ceo-in-winnebago-county-named-wfrvs-remarkable-woman-winner/

First-year Occupational Therapy students Luke Busse, Maddelynne Tabaska, and Anna Speckien represented the Geriatric Health Services Research Lab at the Community Care Mixer hosted by Morgridge Center for Public Service! They served as facilitators to foster meaningful discussions amongst practitioners, scholars, and community members that have interest in work related to Community Care!

Our very own, Dr. Beth Fields, will be presenting at UIC's Scholarship of Practice Day on 3/6. Her presentation, Reimagining Aging Care: From Innovative Interventions to Supportive Policy, will discuss various interventions seeking to meet the needs of older adults and caregivers.