In this month’s all-new episode of Framework Focus, Dr. Mark Fulton, PharmD, converses with Dr. Steven Albert and Dr. Aimee Pickering from the Pittsburgh Pepper Center. The University of Pittsburgh Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center is one of fourteen Centers throughout the United States funded by the National Institute on Aging. Steven Albert, PhD, MS, is the Leader of the Clinical and Population Outcomes Core at the Pepper Center and a Professor of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Aimee Pickering, MD, is a Pepper Scholar and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

“Something special about our center is that we really take on gait and mobility and balance from a multidisciplinary perspective,” Albert noted. “We have a lot of bioengineers involved as well as cognitive neuroscientists and many of the health professionals such as physical therapy and occupational therapy… We like to say we’re ‘keeping people vertical’ and out of the hospital.”

This episode delves into the center's history, mission, and impactful research on senior care.

“The Pepper Center supports investigators of all stages. It’s been really instrumental in my transition from a fellow to an independent investigator… and in my transition into faculty,” Pickering added. “I have been able to get a lot of mentorships. It’s been a really supportive community”

This episode provides practical steps for long-term care providers to develop and implement de-prescribing programs and explore opportunities for collaboration with the Pepper Center. The episode also offers valuable insights and practical advice for enhancing patient care in long-term care settings.

“At SoftWriters, our mission is to Empower Long-Term Care Pharmacy, and Save Lives,” Fulton remarked. “It’s really wonderful to know there are partner organizations out there that are working on the same things and have the same missions.”

About the Pepper Center

The goal of the University of Pittsburgh Pepper Center is to increase scientific knowledge that will lead to better ways to maintain or restore independence to older persons. The Pepper Center promotes independence among older Americans by optimizing balance and mobility and reducing injurious falls through disciplined inquiry and translational research. We train young investigators from multiple disciplines within a vibrant intellectual and collaborative environment and serve as a resource and partner to other investigators, institutions, and the public. We strive to increase scientific knowledge that will lead to better ways to maintain or restore independence to older persons.

The Pepper Center is comprised of various Cores led by physicians and researchers. Through multidisciplinary collaboration, the Pepper Center leadership staff constitutes experts across departments within the University of Pittsburgh. The Cores work closely with leading research groups in aging and other relevant disciplines throughout the University of Pittsburgh and with research groups nationally and internationally.

The Pepper Center promotes the development of new investigators through a multilevel progressive training program including career development activities, education and training opportunities, and support for pilot research. 

Learn more at pepper.pitt.edu.

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Framework Focus is focused exclusively on Long-Term Care Pharmacy. We release a new episode on the second Wednesday of every month that addresses the hottest topics in LTC pharmacy through timely interviews with industry trailblazers, thought leaders, and LTC pharmacists. Follow and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen so you do not miss an upcoming episode.