2020 – 2021 Undergraduate Research Awards
Sydney Siegel, Management of Aging Studies
“Interpretation of Models of Care in Residential Communities for Older Adults”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Louise Murray
Management of Aging Services major, Sydney Siegel, is one of 95 undergraduate students from UMBC selected to receive a 2020- 2021 Undergraduate Research Award. Sydney will work closely with Erickson School of Aging Studies’ Director of Undergraduate Programs, Dr. Louise Murray, to complete University supported research in time to present her findings at Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) on Wednesday, April 21, 2021.
*The summary of their work will be posted here in May 2021.
2018 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD)
Nida Yousfi, Zachary Pohuski, Hannah Paul, Zulkarnain Choudhury
“Supporting Caregivers and Care Recipients After the Onset of Cognitive Impairment with Home Based Technology”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Galina Madjaroff
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) causes a decline in cognitive abilities in an individual which includes memory loss. Individuals with MCI have a higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. This study focuses on understanding the narratives of people living with mild cognitive impairment and their partners through the use of home technology. The participants in this study were older couples in which one partner was recently diagnosed with cognitive impairment and the other acted as their caregiver. The focus was to examine whether the home-based intelligent speaker- Amazon Echo “Alexa” supported both caregiver and care recipient with mild cognitive impairment. Amazon Alexa units were installed in the home of all the participants. After the installation, the participants were interviewed about their expectations of using Alexa and to gauge how the couples were adjusting to the recent diagnosis of MCI. Usage data from Amazon Alexa unit was retrieved every three weeks. The data was then analyzed, and conclusions were drawn based on treads and interesting questions that were asked by the participants.
2017 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD)
Alison Larsen, Amy Huber, Ravi Bhatt, Melody Khosravi
“Age Friendly UMBC: Accessibility for All”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Galina Madjaroff
There is a lack of accessibility for older adult students as well as older faculty and staff on the UMBC campus. After speaking to many older adults and touring multiple successful Erickson Living communities, it became abundantly clear that UMBC must make improvements to the campus in order to improve accessibility both inside and outside the classroom.
2017 Featured Capstone Research Project
Myung Sun Jung, Interdisciplinary Studies, ’17
“Patient- focused Neurology Relationship between Bilingualism and Alzheimer’s Disease”
Mentors: Dr. Judah Ronch, Erickson School of Aging Studies, Dr. Tabassum Majid, Integrace Institute at Copper Ridge, & Dr. Steven Freeland, Interdisciplinary Studies
2014 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD)
Marcus Hockaday, Management of Aging Studies, ’14
“Designing Accessible Hardware for Older Users:
‘It’s Never 2 Late’ Touchscreen Interface Study”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Galina Madjaroff
With a growing older adult population, it is beneficial they are connected with new and emerging technologies that improve their quality of life. A large part of this population is residing within retirement communities and as a society we could consider finding more accessible and intuitive technologies that promote engagement and quality of life. During this study, residents of Charles County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (CCNRC) Family of Care will participate in a focus group providing their opinions on the design of hardware that supports the IN2L’s touchscreen computer. The findings will be useful for future touchscreen computer hardware designs to better enhance the lives of older adults. Read more about Marcus Here…