Meet the Co-Creators of The Confident Caregiver

Laura N. Gitlin, PhD, FGSA, FAAN, an applied research sociologist, is the Dean Emerita and Distinguished University Professor of the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University. Gitlin is nationally and internationally recognized for her research on developing, evaluating, and implementing novel strength-based and person-centric home- and community-based interventions that improve quality of life of persons with dementia and their family caregivers, enhance daily function of older adults with disability, and address mental health disparities. She is a well-funded researcher, having received continuous research and training grants from federal agencies and private foundations for over 35 years.

Dr. Cathy Piersol is Professor and Chair in the Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Sciences at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Piersol has been an occupational therapist for 40 years. As a practitioner, educator, and researcher, she is dedicated to the implementation of person-environment approaches that promote activity engagement and quality of life for elders and caregivers. Her work centers on optimizing performance and participation in people living with dementia and building skills in those who provide care and support. In addition, Dr. Piersol’s work focuses on translating research to practice and ensuring fidelity of evidence-based interventions.