Lorraine Breuer, Administrator, Parker at Your Door
As the Senior Vice President of the Nerken Center for Research and Grants at Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, Lorraine Breuer is responsible for the supervision of all Institute research and grant development, clinical trials, health services research, and survey design and implementation. Lorraine has managed the successful completion of special research projects, including a longitudinal study of patients with dementia, and managed several multi-centered clinical studies investigating medications in the treatment of depression, anemia, influenza, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Under her leadership, Parker has also undertaken studies related to the introduction of health information technology into long-term health care, significant workforce training initiatives that improve the quality of care and enhance career growth and a nursing home collaborative quality improvement project to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations of nursing home residents. Lorraine led the development and implementation of Parker’s Telehealth Program, Transitional Care Management, and Parker at Your Door, a House Calls program — which brings primary care to homebound patients who are 65 years of age or greater supporting aging in place and optimizing resource utilization– as well as Parker’s Willing Heart’s, Helpful Hands Alzheimer’s Caregiver Initiative serving some 5,000 persons with dementia and their family/informal caregivers.
A graduate of St. Joseph’s College and Binghamton University, with a Master of Arts in Public Administration and Policy Analysis, Lorraine is also a highly active author of articles and reports that have been important to progress and innovation in adult health care, including: “Midnight Snack Program: Nighttime Difficult Behaviors in Dementia Patients;” “Participation of CNAs in the Care Planning Process;” “Impact of Telemedicine on Medication Compliance;” and “Dementia Training Program Improves Certified Nurse Assistant Knowledge.”
Lorraine is the recipient of the 2015 LeadingAge National Award for Excellence in Research and Education. She is recognized as a consummate catalyst for growth and innovation and has been essential in securing the Nerken Center’s position as a nationally recognized geriatric research center. During her 30-year career she has made outstanding contributions in developing evidence-based research and education programs, translating research into practice and disseminating new resources and knowledge throughout the field. Most notably, Ms. Breuer is responsible for translating the success of studies related to dementia education, prevention of elder abuse, and Parker’s Willing Hearts Helpful Hands – a caregiver respite program, into a blueprint for implementation in other settings.