Janelle J. ChristensenUniversity of Pittsburgh | Pitt · Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center
Janelle J. Christensen
PhD in Applied Medical Anthropology
About
17
Publications
7,806
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145
Citations
Citations since 2017
Introduction
I research disaster preparedness for people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, whether they live in the community or in a long-term care setting.
Additional affiliations
October 2016 - present
Florida SouthWestern State College
Position
- Analyst
April 2013 - September 2016
January 2011 - January 2012
Alzheimer's Community Care, West Palm Beach,, Florida
Position
- Senior Researcher
Education
August 2006 - August 2012
August 2006 - August 2012
September 2004 - May 2006
International Institute for Sociology of Law
Field of study
- Sociology of Law
Publications
Publications (17)
Abstract This study examined disaster preparedness and decision-making by caregivers of community-dwelling persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's or a related dementia (ADRD). Interviews were conducted with 20 caregivers in South Florida. Twelve of these interviews include caregiving experiences during the highly active 2004-2005 hurricane seasons. Res...
This article explores how dyads of 186 community-dwelling individuals with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder (ADRD) and their caregivers (dyads) plan to respond to hurricane evacuation warnings in South Florida. Predictors of dyad evacuation for a category 1-3 storm include (1) a younger age of the person with an ADRD diagnos...
This article documents the experience of 291 Florida nursing homes during the 2004 hurricane season. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the authors described and compared the challenges nurses encountered when evacuating residents with their experiences assisting residents of facilities that sheltered in place. The primary concerns for eva...
Older Latinas/os face significant difficulties in accessing quality depression treatment due to cultural and language barriers. In our study, Programa Esperanza (a randomized behavioral trial), we conducted after-treatment, in-depth interviews with two groups: 21 low-income Latinas/os (55+) receiving psychosocial depression care (Problem Solving Tr...
Humans are at a unique crossroads: never before have we had such a clear understanding of how our actions affect a changing climate, or how our settlement patterns along coastal environments put us at risk of rising sea levels. However, the science behind climate change (and solutions for it) are engulfed in political controversy. Dr. Christensen u...
The southern states of the US are at risk for direct hurricane impact. Fifteen years of student data were from a South Florida college were examined to determine if experiencing a hurricane during Fall semesters affected student persistence. Theories and methods from public health and epidemiology are applied to determine if exposure to hurricanes...
Abstract The study examined Florida assisted living facility staff perspectives of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery after the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes. A descriptive study using qualitative and quantitative approaches. One hundred seventy Florida assisted living facility staff who worked
in areas under hurricane threat and provided car...
Deciding whether a facility should shelter in place or evacuate their residents to another location is a difficult decision as both options carry risks. This training covers best practices for health care professionals assisting people with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias ADRD during and after disasters, such as hurricanes. This Education...
Presented lecture entitled, “Alzheimer’s disease, Decision Making, Evacuation and Natural Disasters”. The Miami Area Geriatric Education Center (MAGEC), Intensive Geriatric Nurses Training. (April, 19, 2013, Live Broadcast from PalmHealthcare Center, West Palm Beach, Florida. This lecture compared the differences between community dwelling dementia...
This past summer, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America "Dementia Specific Disaster Kits" were distributed to 75 caregivers and patient dyads enrolled in Alzheimer's Community Care services. The design of the Dementia Specific Disaster Kit allowed for a total of 150 people (a patient and caregiver in each dyad) to benefit from this dementia specifi...
Currently, the average life span in Uganda is 53 years, which means not many people live long enough to get Alzheimer's disease. Nonetheless, the hospital recognizes the great need for more mental health services. As the battle is won against infectious diseases, such as Malaria, more people will be living longer and the need for a more comprehensi...
Nursing home administrators (n=15) and directors of nursing (n=15) who worked in nursing
homes during the 2004-2005 Florida hurricane season participated in a series of six focus groups.
The purpose of the focus groups was to explore issues faced by nursing home administrators,
nurses, and residents during hurricane evacuations. A primary finding w...
Nursing home administrators (n = 15) and directors of nursing (n = 15) who worked in nursing homes during the 2004-2005 Florida hurricane season participated in a series of 6 focus groups. The purpose of the focus groups was to explore issues faced by nursing home administrators, nurses, and residents during hurricane evacuations. A primary finding...
The aim of this dissertation is to explore how informal caregivers for people with dementia (PWD), who are community dwelling (i.e., not in nursing homes), prepare and plan for disasters. The research site is a particularly hurricane-prone region of Florida, second only to New Orleans in its vulnerability. An underlying assumption of this research...
The following work is a case study analysis of a global program called Camphill Communities, which provide village/community centered living and working environments for adults and children with developmental disabilities. This project is specifically examines the disparate socio-legal environments with which Camphill Communities must contend in Ge...
Projects
Projects (5)
Describe how anthropological and public health training has been applied to local and statewide politics in Florida, with a spcecial emphasis on the Florida State legislature and environmental policy.
See "Project Log" for updates. As populations in industrialized countries grow older, they become more vulnerable to climate extremes. People over 65 are more likely to die in climate related events, such as heatwaves, hurricanes, and blizzards. As the climate warms it fuels an increase in extreme weather events that put elders at a disproportionate risk.
