Seniors Institute Research
Seniors Institute Research is affiliated with the Departments of Internal and Geriatric Medicine.
The Seniors Institute Research efforts began in 1999 with the establishment of the Health Services Research and Education Institute (HSREI). The Institute provides infrastructure and technical resources to promote interprofessional collaborative research within Summa Health and between local organizations that promote the health and well-being of older adults and those living with chronic diseases. The Institute is designed to be a centralized resource for investigators throughout Summa to provide technical support for study design, resources for data collection, and experienced personnel to assist with data analysis and dissemination. In addition to assisting investigators throughout SHS, each member of the research team is involved in focused research projects in an effort to position the team for publication and acquisition of extramural funding.
Areas of Interest:
- Chronic disease management
- Senior services: post-discharge care management of low-income frail elderly, homebound older adults, delirium, medication reconciliation, caregiver stress, care transitions, elder abuse, post-stroke care management
- Palliative care: access to palliative care for inpatients, nursing home and home care patients, advanced care planning, advance care planning with community-dwelling chronically ill low income older adults, clinical ethics consultation
- Health Information Technology
Phone: 330.375.7832
Email: drostj@summahealth.org
Title: Research Director
Dr. Drost is a physician with Summa Health Medical Group. She completed her fellowship training in Geriatrics as well as Hospice and Palliative Medicine at Summa Health System – Akron Campus. Though she provides care to older adults in a variety of settings, she finds providing care to frail older adults in their homes is the most exciting and rewarding. Dr. Drost serves as the Seniors Institute Research Director as well as faculty at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), where she hopes to foster and support research for faculty and trainees alike. Her particular research interests surround the care of frail older adults and their caregivers, especially those living at home. Dr. Drost is grateful to work within the Seniors Institute that values interprofessional collaboration in both research and patient care.
Phone: 330.375.3051
Email: hazelets@summahealth.org
Title: Manager, Seniors Institute Research
Sue Hazelett assists with the design, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of research studies within Senior Services. A large part of Sue’s role involves grant writing. Sue has Bachelor’s degrees in Biology, Sociology and Nursing as well as a Master’s degree in Biology from The University of Akron. Her research experiences span from the bench to the bedside.