Linda Teri named director of School of Nursing’s deTornyay Center on Healthy Aging

The School of Nursing has named Dr. Linda Teri director of its deTornyay Center on Healthy Aging. She will also be a tenured professor in the school’s Department of Psychosocial and Community Health.

Teri has been a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the UW School of Medicine, and is past director of UW Medical Center’s Geriatric and Family Services Clinic. She is principal investigator on a number of federally funded grants and co-investigator at the UW’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Her research focuses on the role of emotional and physical health in cognitive decline and on developing treatments to alleviate the distress of cognitive impairment.

“The School of Nursing has a long history of commitment to advancing the science and practice to support healthy aging,” said the school’s new dean, Dr. Nancy Woods. “Dr. Teri brings a rich complement of scientific and clinical perspectives to the Center.”

“Linda Teri’s wealth of experience, combined with our excellent faculty in gerontology and our community networks, should be the perfect blend for significant work in understanding and promoting healthy aging, “ said former dean, Dr. Sue Hegyvary.

The deTornyay Center, established in 1996, honors Dr. Rheba deTornyay, dean emeritus, and builds on the work of its predecessor, the Center for Care of Older Adults. It serves as catalyst for promoting healthy aging through education, clinical services and research.

“The Center represents a convergence of minds,” said deTornyay, “in response to increased challenges to health and independent living, the need for new models for health care services for older adults, and emphasis on community and self-responsibility.”

“This is a wonderful opportunity to work collaboratively with a first-rate group of nursing faculty to build a leading center on healthy aging,” said Teri. “I am thrilled to be taking on this new challenge while maintaining my wonderful collaborations with faculty in the School of Medicine and elsewhere.” ¶
Laurie McHale