Directory

Ying-Ling Jao
PhD, RN, FGSA

Associate Professor

University Park

Phone: 814-865-5634

Email: yuj15@psu.edu

Jao’s areas of research are long-term care environment and dementia. Specially, my research focuses on assessment and non-pharmacological interventions to optimize dementia care environments and improve quality of care for nursing home residents with dementia. She developed the Person-Environment Apathy Rating (PEAR) scale to assess environmental factors and apathy in people with dementia. This PEAR scale has been used in over 14 research institutes across eight countries worldwide. She has led multiple funded research projects, including two studies funded by National Institute of Health (NIH)/National Institute of Aging (NIA). Jao’s research address dementia care environments, both social environments and built environments. In an recently completed NIH funded study, her research examine the impact of caregiver communication approach on apathy in nursing home residents with dementia. Her research aims to develop technology-based solution to improve assessment of neurobehaviooral symptoms and dementia care environments in nursing homes. In another recent NIH-funded study, she and her group developed and implemented a smart lighting intervention to support circadian health, mood and behaviors for nursing home residents with dementia.

Jao teaches gerontological nursing, environment-based practice, and research. She has mentored clinicians, undergraduate and graduate students across disciplines. Jao accepts PhD students.

Education

• PhD, Nursing (Focus: Aging), University of Iowa
• MSN, Adult and Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program, University of Iowa
• BSN, Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan

Awards and Honors

• 2022-2023: Faculty Scholar, NIA IMPACT Collaboratory.
• 2022: Fellow, Gerontological Society of America (FGSA).
• 2021: Fellow of Alzheimer’s Association Interdisciplinary Summer Research Institute.
• 2019: Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing Award, National Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE).
• 2018-2020: Selected Faculty of the Distinguished Honors Faculty Program, Pennsylvania State University.
• 2015: Developing Behavioral Interventions Scholarship, Johns Hopkins Summer Research Institute.
• 2013: Myrtle Aydelotte Doctoral Education Fund in Nursing Award, University of Iowa
• 2013: Graduate College Summer Fellowship, University of Iowa
• 2013: Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence Travel Award, University of Iowa
• 2013: Etta Rasmussen Professional Development Award, University of Iowa
• 2012: International Programs Graduate Student Travel Award, University of Iowa
• 2010-2011: Interdisciplinary Fellowship of Aging, Center on Aging, University of Iowa
• 2008: Inducted Member of the Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), Gamma Chapter, University of Iowa.

Clinical Expertise and Areas of Specialization

• Gerontologcal nursing and research

Mentorship

• Jao has mentored BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD students in nursing and students/scholars/clincians in other disciplines.

Research

Research & Publications

Research Interests and Areas of Expertise

• Assessment of apathy in people with dementia.
• Non-pharmacological interventions for neurobehavioral symptoms of dementia.
• Caregiver communication for older adults with dementia.
• Long-term care environments and lighting interventions for people with dementia.
• Use of technology in dementia care.

Presentations and Conference Involvement

• Jao, Y.-L., Liao, Y.-J. K., Berish, D., Wang, J., Calkins, M., Chiu, C-J., Kuan, Y.-H., & Boltz, M. (November 2024). “Light Exposure in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: Impact on Affect and Neurobehavioral Symptoms.” 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Jao, Y.-L., Liao, Y.-J. K., Berish, D., Wang, J., Calkins, M., & Boltz, M. (November 2024). “Measuring Lighting Using an Individual Wearable Light Sensor in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia.” 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Berish, D., Jao, Y.-L., Liao, Y.-J. K., Wang, J., Calkins, M., & Boltz, M. (November 2024). “Implementing Smart Ambient Bright Light for Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: Assessing Fidelity.” 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Liao, Y.-J. K., Jao, Y.-L., Berish, D., Wang, J., Calkins, M., & Boltz, M. (November 2024). “Feasibility of Smart Ambient Bright Light (SABL) for Nursing Homes Residents with Dementia.” 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Liao, Y.-J. K., Jao, Y.-L. (November 2024). “Pain Competency Evaluation in Dementia (PACED) Scale: Development and Evaluation of Content Validity.” 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Lin, C.-J., Liao, Y.-J. K., Berish, D., & Jao, Y.-L. (November 2024). “Effects of Smart Ambient Bright Light (SABL) on Sleep Quality in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia.” 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Jao, Y.-L., Wang, J., Liao, Y.-J. K., Berish, D., Boltz, M., & Calkins (July 2024). “Effect of Smart Ambient Bright Light (SABL) in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: A Pilot Study.” 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.
• Paudel, A., Liu, W., Jao, Y-L., Dasanayake, T., Liao, Y-J., & Akter, N. (November 2023). “Caregiving Interactions of Formal Caregivers and Persons with Dementia: A Systematic Review of Measures.” 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Jao, Y.-L., Liao, Y.-J. K., Berish, D., Mogle, J., & Kales, H., & Boltz, M. (November 2023). ” Person-Centered Communication and Apathy in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia.” 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Jao, Y.-L., Liao, Y.-J. K., Berish, D., Mogle, J., & Kales, H., & Boltz, M. (November 2023). ” Person-Centered Communication and Apathy in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia.” 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Jao, Y.-L., Wang, J., Liao, Y.-J. K., Berish, D., Boltz, M., & Calkins, M. (November 2023). “Implementing Smart Ambient Bright Light (SABL) in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: Challenges and Strategies.” 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Jao, Y.-L., Liao, Y.-J. K., Berish, D., Mogle, J., & Kales, H., & Boltz, M. (November 2023). “Apathy in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: Analysis of Within- and Between-Person Differences.” 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Liao, Y-J. K., Jao, Y-L., Berish, D., & Boltz, M. (November 2023). “Nurses’ Pain Assessment and Treatment Outcomes in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia and Apathy.” 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Jao, Y.-L., Liao, Y.-J. K., Berish, D., Boltz, M., Liu, Wen. Mogle, J., & Kales, H. (November 2022). “Verbal Communication between Nursing Home Staff and Residents with Dementia and Apathy: Language Analysis.” 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• Liu, W., Jao, Y-L., & Yoon, S. O. (November 2022). “Factors Associated with Mealtime Language Characteristics in Nursing Home Staff and Residents with Dementia.” 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).

Research Funding and Grants

• 07/01/2024-06/30/2025
  “Developing Circadian Health-Supportive Architectural Glazing Films from Natural and Bio-derived Materials”
  Role Co-PI (PI: Julian Wang)
  Funding Source Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University
  $50,000
• 08/15/2022-04/30/2025
  “The Effect of Smart Ambient Bright Light for Nursing Home Residents with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias”
  Role PI (MPIs: Ying-Ling Jao [Contact PI] & Julian Wang)
  Funding Source National Institute on Aging (NIA) R21AG078544
  $411,982
• 08/15/2023-07/31/2024
  “Wearable Sensor Development for Individualized Indoor Comfort and Circadian Health Monitoring”
  Role Co-PI (PI: Julian Wang)
  Funding Source Center for Biodevices, Pennsylvania State University
  $80,000
• 08/15/2019-05/31/2023
  “Apathy in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: Impact of Caregiver Communication”
  Role PI
  Funding Source National Institute on Aging (NIA) R21AG062931
  $443,206
• 09/01/2022-08/31/2023
  “Design of Wearable Sensing and Monitoring System on Personalized Indoor Thermal Comfort”
  Role Co-I (PI: Julian Wang)
  Funding Source Center for Human Evolution and Diversity, Pennsylvania State University
  $33,072
• 07/2017-06/2018
  “Apathy in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: Impact of Care Environment”
  Role PI
  Funding Source Fran and Holly Soistman Faculty Development Endowment, Pennsylvania State University
  $3,500
• 05/2013-05/2014
  “Developing an Apathy Scale for Persons with Dementia Incorporating Environmental Factors”
  Role PI
  Funding Source Sigma Theta Tau International
  $4,972
• 05/2013-05/2014
  “Evaluating the Validity of the Apathy in Dementia Observational Scale”
  Role PI
  Funding Source Sigma Theta Tau International, Gamma Chapter
  $1,500
• 07/2012-06/2014
  ”The Measurement of Weight-bearing Activity and Activity-associated Pain in Persons with Prior Diabetic Foot Ulcers”
  Role PI
  Funding Source The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN)
  $10,000

Publications and Scholarly Work

• Boltz, M., Van Haitsma, K., Rosa, B., Justine, S., Hodgson, N., Jao, Y.-L., & Kolanowski, A. (2024). Ready or Not: A conceptual model of organizational readiness for implementation of embedded pragmatic dementia research. Research of Gerontological Nursing.
• Lai, Y.-H., Lin, C.-J., Su, I.-C., Huang, S.-W., Hsiao, C.-C., Jao, Y.-L., Chen, P.-Y., Traynor, V., Lee, C.-Y., Chen, T.-J., Ho, M.-H., & Chiu, H.-Y. (2025). Clinical Utility and Performance of the Traditional Chinese Version of the 4-As Test for Delirium Due to Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Academy of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry. Doi: 10.1016/j.jaclp.2024.12.005
• Olayemi A., T., Boltz, M., Jao, Y.-L., Branstetter, S., & Extern Cara. (2025). Vaping in the Digital Age: How Social Media Influences Adolescent Attitudes and Beliefs About E-Cigarette Use, Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1080/1067828X.2024.2439599
• Feng, Y., Wang, J., Ghaeili, N., Jao, Y.-L., Obonyo, E. A., & Pavlak, G. S. (2025). Exploring an Occupant-Involved Closed-Loop Wearable Sensing System and Online Tuning for Individualized Thermal Preference. Energy and Built Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbenv.2025.02.001
• Jao, Y.-L. & Boltz, M. (2024). Dementia. In M. Boltz., E. A. Capezuti, & T. Fulmer. (Eds.). Evidence-Based Geriatric Nursing Protocols for Best Practice, Seventh Edition. Springer Publishing.
• Liao, Y-J, Jao, Y.-L., Boltz, M., Adekeye, T. O., Berish, D, Yuan, F. & Zhao, Xiaopeng (2023). Use of a Humanoid Robot in Supporting Dementia Care: A Qualitative Analysis. SAGE Open Nursing. Doi: 10.1177/23779608231179528.
• Yuan, F., Boltz, M., Bilal, D., Jao, Y.-L., Crane, M., Duzan, J., Bahour, A., & Zhao, X. (2023) Cognitive exercise for Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Using a Social Robot. IEEE Transactions on Robotics.
• Liu, W., Jao, Y.-L., Paudel, A., & Yoon, S. O. (2023). Mealtime Interactions between Nursing Home Staff and Residents with Dementia: A Behavioral Analysis of Language Characteristics. BMC Geriatrics. Doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2819343/v1
• Liao, Y-J, K., Jao, Y.-L., Berish, ,  Hin, A.S., Wangi, K., Kitko, L., Mogle, J., & Boltz, M. (2023). A Systematic Review of Barriers and Facilitators of Pain Management in Persons with Dementia. The Journal of Pain. Doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.12.014
• Jao, Y.-L., Wang, J., Liao, Y.-J., Parajuli, J., Berish, D. E., McNally, L., Boltz, M., Van Haitsma, K., Wang, N., & Calkins, M. (2022). Effect of Ambient Bright Light on Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in People with Dementia: A Systematic Review. Innovation in Aging.
• Feng, Y., Liu, S., Wang, J., Yang, J., & Jao, Y.-L. (2022). Data-driven personal thermal comfort prediction: A literature review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2022.112357
• Scott, T., Jao, Y.-L., Tulloch, K., Yates, E., & Pachana, N. A. (2022). Systematic Review of Horticulture Therapy Interventions and People Living with Dementia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Doi: 10.1093/geroni/igab046.2437
• Anju Paudel, Jacqueline Ann Mogle, Ashley Kuzmik, Barbara Resnick, Rhonda BeLue, Elizabeth Galik, Wen Liu, Liza L. Behrens, Y.-L. Jao, & Marie Boltz. (2022) Gender Differences in Interactions and Depressive Symptoms Among Hospitalized Older Patients Living with Dementia. Journal of Women & Aging Doi: 10.1080/08952841.2022.2146972
• Anderson, J. G. & Jao, Y.-L. (2022). The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Family-Focused Care of People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. Journal of Family Nursing (3), 179-182.
• Yuan, F., Boltz, M., Jao, Y.-L., Casenhise, A., Siddiq, A., Bray, R., Duzan, J., Crane, M., & Zhao, X. (2022). Assessment of a Humanoid Partner for Older Adults and Persons with Dementia during Home-based Activities. ICSR 2022 – 14th International Conference on Social Robotics.

Editorial and Peer Review Roles

• 2024: Expert panel, federally funded study “Relocation and Neighborhood Analysis in Aging Population.” Taiwan.
• 2024-Present: Editorial Board, BMC Geriatrics
• 2024: Workgroup for 2024 National Gerontological Nursing Competencies, National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence.
• 2024: Grant Reviewer, Alzheimer Association. Dementia Respite Innovation Grant.
• 2024: Grant Reviewer, VA hospital
• 2024: Grant Reviewer, University of Nebraska, Internal Collaboration Grants.
• 2024: External Reviewer for Tenure Promotion. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
• 2022: Editor Search Workgroup of the Program, Publications, and Products Committee, The Gerontologist.
• 2022-Present: Grant Reviewer, National Institute of Health (NIH)
• 2022: Member Outreach Volunteer Team, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• 2022-Present: Mentor, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• 2022-Present: Grant Reviewer, DAISY Foundation.
• 2021: Co-Guest Editor. Journal of Family Nursing.
• 2021-2026: Safety Officer, NIA-funded R01 study entitled “Impact of a Novel Socially Assistive Robotic Architecture on Engaging Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Long Term Care Settings” (R01 AG062685, MPIs Drs. Nilanjan Sarkar & Lorraine Mion)
• 2021: Health Science Annual Scientific Meeting Working Group Committee, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• 2021-Present: Reviewer, Innovation in Aging.
• 2018-2020: Nomination Committee Member, National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE).
• 2018-Present: Reviewer, Clinical Nursing Research.
• 2019-Present: Editorial Board, The Journal of Gerontological Nursing (JGN).
• 2017-Present: Reviewer, The Gerontologist.
• 2017-Present: Reviewer, Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders.
• 2017-Present: Reviewer, Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorder.
• 2018: External Reviewer for Tenure Promotion. Hope College Department of Nursing.
• 2017-2020: Grant Reviewer, American Nurses Foundation.
• 2016-Present: Reviewer, Journal of Advanced Nursing (JAN).
• 2015-Present: Abstract Reviewer, Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
• 2015-2018: Graduate Fellowship Committee, Pennsylvania State University.
• 2015: Grant Reviewer, Retirement Research Foundation.
• 2015: Peer Referee Reviewer, Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement.
• 2014-Present: Reviewer, The Journal of Gerontological Nursing (JGN).
• 2014-Present: Reviewer, Aging and Mental Health.

Professional Organization Involvement and Fellowships

• American Nurse Association (ANA)
• Pennsylvania State Nurses Association (PSNA)
• Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
• Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS)
• Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI)
• American Nurses Foundation (ANF)

Download Jao’s Curriculum Vitae »
Last updated 8/5/2025