Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP)

The University of California Irvine is one of 44 organizations to receive federal funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to build a more responsive and agile healthcare workforce educated in geriatric care, who can address the needs of our burgeoning elder population. By developing a culture of caring for older adults within existing and incoming healthcare workers, we will maximize patient and family engagement and drive innovations in care coordination within our communities and collaborators.

Creating a Culture of Caring for Older Adults

We believe that older adults have specific and inalienable rights with regard to their healthcare: 1) care from professionals trained in geriatric medicine; 2) protection from elder mistreatment; 3) freedom from ageism and individual discrimination; 4) self-care management and shared decision making; 5) care based on safety and quality; and 6) access to and coordination of community resources.

In collaboration with UCI’s School of Medicine, along with the support of UCI’s Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing, and community partners, our GWEP develops a healthcare system in which older patients, caregivers, and families have access to competent and compassionate care in their communities. Our GWEP engages three core groups including, underserved older adults, caregivers and families, interprofessional primary care students and residents, interdisciplinary practicing health care providers caring for underserved communities.

Funding Source

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under 1 U1QHP28724-01-00, Cultivating a Culture of Caring for Older Adults, for $2.5 million. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. government.