We welcome Jarod Giger to KARRN

Dr. Giger is an Assistant Professor in UK’s College of Social Work, with additional appointments in Gerontology and the Center for Health Services Research. His research interests are wellbeing across the lifetime; adoption of technology; and patient activation. In the past, he has worked with Native American population s. He will attend the 2016 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America this month to present results from his research project entitled “Measuring Change in Life Satisfaction Following an iPad Intervention.” Together with his colleagues at University of Kentucky and University of South Dakota, Vermillion, he found that “iPad interventions may be able to stabilize life satisfaction in older adults, [and] mitigate decreases in satisfaction by fostering social interactions via community-based technology-based educational forums.”

His introduction of technology to new populations along with his interest in patient activation (encouraging patients to become active participants in their health care and self-management) are of great interest to KARRN as we continue our research, service and education efforts for our populations.