KNOEBEL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHY AGING (KIHA)
Joe Angleson
Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
Eric Chess
Director, Financial Security and Cognitive Decline Initiative
Lotta Granholm
Executive Director, Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging
Leslie Hasche
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Social Work
Haluk Ogmen
Senior Associate Dean, Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science
KIHA provides a holistic approach to healthy aging in their research, partnerships and programs, ensuring access to healthy aging for individuals and communities across a lifetime. It is a leader in interdisciplinary research programs tackling issues such as neurodegenerative disorders, financial decision-making and gerontechnology.
Financial Security and Cognitive Decline Initiative
Funded in part by DU IMPACT 2025, our multi-disciplinary research team, led by Dr. Eric Chess, is working on the Financial Security and Cognitive Decline Initiative. They are currently working on the development of practical and accessible testing methods for early identification of impaired financial decision making and cognitive impairment. The goal of early detection is to provide the ability to alert individuals and family members, allowing for proactive steps to be taken to protect finances as well as health.
The Initiative’s multi-disciplinary team is also developing practical, evidence based educational protocols regarding financial security and cognitive health. Educational outreach will be provided to vulnerable aging populations in the community as well as to financial industry personnel. Additionally, the Initiative has developed and taught an innovative graduate level class designed for law, business and social work students taught by professors from KIHA, social work and law, along with guest lecturers from the financial industry.
Finally, the team is working with multiple financial industry partners and regulators to develop industry wide guidelines and best practices with respect to impaired financial decision making and cognitive impairment. This education and research initiative stands to play an important role in not only protecting the financial security of older adults, but also preventing, delaying or lessening the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
At the time of life when Americans are controlling much of their wealth and planning for the future, many are already affected by cognitive impairment caused by age-related neurodegeneration. Approximately 10% of the 46 million people over 65 in the US have impaired financial acuity.
Initiating this conversation among colleagues at DU led to the identification of a novel research area which spans across several departments in different colleges, exemplifying a DU Knowledge Bridge.
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