Vol XXXI, May `07

Karuza: Being able to work with the Research Network membership and AMDA Foundation staff was particularly rewarding. The Research Network is in its adolescence and is going through a natural transition, including a change in leadership. I was honored to be asked to step in as Interim Director to keep things moving along during this period of transition, so that the AMDA Foundation Board would not be rushed and could exercise due diligence in selecting the new Director. While this was a transition period, the Research Network was far from dormant. Aside from being involved in Paul Katz's funded National Institute on Aging research on medical practice in nursing homes, in the past seven months we submitted four grants, including a small business grant to the NIA, and a collaborative effort with the RAND Corporation in response to an AHRQ ACTION task order. Our box score: a funded conference grant from AHRQ, one grant under review, and two "nice tries, but no cigar." All in all, this is a hit rate that is not unheard of in the research community; and it doesn't include the works in progress, such as developing a grant proposal, under the careful and sure-footed leadership of David Zimmerman and David Polakoff to fund a centralized nursing home database. I am especially impressed with the depth of expertise that is in the Research Network, a level of expertise maybe we aren't aware of as much as we should be. Also impressive is the inherent and impressive collegiality of many Research Network members, Ken Boockvar, Jim Judge, Steve Handler, Paul Katz and Alice Bonner, to name a few, who stepped up to help with our grant initiatives.

E-News: What did you gain personally from serving in this position?

Karuza: I really enjoyed getting to know the many smart, dedicated people who are the leaders in long term care; and I gained a greater appreciation of the importance of interdisciplinary research activity.

E-News: What would you like to see for the future of the Network?

I would like to see more involvement of the AMDA membership with the Research Network and a greater recognition of the Research Network's value. I see the Research Network as an untapped resource for the long term care community with the resources and expertise to develop evidence based practice and to facilitate translational research for long term care. For this to happen there needs to be greater mutual awareness on the part of the AMDA membership and the Research Network. The AMDA membership and their nursing homes, in effect, define the laboratory for the Network's research, and serve as a source of inspiration to identify needed and cutting edge research questions. At the same time, the Research Network defines the research arm that complements the clinical and educational activities of AMDA. It is a synergy that serves the field well. The way I see it is that the AMDA Foundation and its Research Network are key leaders in the long term care community.