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• Interventions to promote functional health and cognition in older adults
• Caregiving efficacy and coping with dementia and delirium
• Complex aging-related care issues
• Translational and health services research
Education: Columbia University, Ed.D., Nursing Education; Ed.M., Nursing Education; M.S., Adult Nurse Practitioner; B.S., Nursing; The Pennsylvania State University, National Research Service Award Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Research Interests: Palliative and end-of-life care, family caregivers, heart failure, age-friendly health care, qualitative research
Awards/Honors:
Professional Interests
Age-Friendly Care/Community
Caregiver Skills Training
Dementia-Friendly Care/Community
Geriatric Workforce Enhancement
Interdisciplinary Person-Centered Care
Leadership & Nursing Management
Practice & Regulatory Standards
Strategic Planning & Implementation
Education
Masters in Educational Leadership, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
Bachelors of Science in Nursing, Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY
Honors and Awards
Sigma Theta Tau International, Kappa Tau Chapter
Vermont Outstanding Teacher, A.C.S.U.
Dr. Wardecker received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Michigan in 2016 and subsequently began training as an NIA-funded T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Healthy Aging at Penn State. As an Assistant Professor of Nursing with multidisciplinary training in Psychology, Public Health, and Biobehavioral Health, she pulls from theoretical frameworks in these fields to investigate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) older adults’ psychological and physical health outcomes.
Ph.D. – University of Michigan (Psychology)
B.S. – The Pennsylvania State University (Psychology)