Associate Professor Jung-Ah Lee has devoted her career to caring for those who are caring for their loved ones.
Lee has been recognized for her groundbreaking caregiver research and geriatric education with an induction as a fellow into the Western Academy of Nurses (WAN) at its annual conference from April 6-9.
Caregiver advocacy, education
Although she is an advocate for anyone in the caregiving role, she particuarly wants to reach people in underserved communities who are caring for a loved one with dementia. That is a caregiving role that can be particularly stressful and lonely, she says.
Her research has helped hundreds of families improve relationships with their loved ones, reduce stress and access a wide range of community resources and information.
“Often, people from these communities are reluctant to ask for help,” Lee points out. “
Or they may not know how to navigate the resources available to them — if they know about them.”
‘She is so committed’
Lee was nominated by Adey Nyamathi, distinguished professor at the school of nursing, and Theresa Harvath, clinical professor and director of Family Caregiving Institute at UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.
“I nominated Jung-Ah because she is so committed to improving the lives of caregivers and their loved ones,” says Nyamathi, who was inducted into WAN in 2005.
“The importance of her research has only been underscored during the pandemic, when it became a lifeline to many.”
About the Western Academy of Nurses
Induction into WAN, established by the Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) in 1989, is an honor given to nurses who have demonstrated excellence in nursing practice and have advanced practice in direct care, education or research.
Lee has long been very active in WIN, presenting her research and education projects annually, mentoring members, reviewing abstracts, moderating conference sessions and serving in the conference program committee. Lee received the Gerontology Education Award from the WIN Gerontology Special Interest Group in 2018 and Best Research Poster Award from the WIN in 2019.
In addition to Lee and Nyamathi, other nursing faculty inducted into WAN include:
- Ellen M. Lewis, 1998
- Ellen Olshansky, 2014
- Lorraine Evangelista, 2019
Learn more about Lee’s research ›
Support the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing: For more information, to support a future nurse or nurse-led research, please connect to Juliana Goswick, Director of Development at jgoswick@hs.uci.edu.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu
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