Pennsylvania Enhancing Aging and Community Engagement (PEACE)

If you would like to know more about bringing a PEACE program to your county or funding a PEACE program locally, please complete this form.

PEACE Logo

In addition to caring for patients and families in the Tri-state area, the Weill Cornell Medicine Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine is committed to researching, testing, and implementing interventions that help improve public health throughout the country. Pennsylvania Enhancing Aging and Community Engagement (PEACE) is a new initiative under which the Division will work with local partners in Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) to implement four of its evidence-based programs. This project was made possible by the generous support of a local funder, who granted Weill Cornell Medicine $1.6 million to bring its programs to NEPA’s older adults—particularly those who are isolated and/or low-income—over a three-year period starting April 2024.

I feel very, very fortunate being part of the program. I’m lonely and alone, and I appreciate the computer so much... As a pastime, I play the games, and I thank everybody involved with the program for this opportunity... I can’t get out, so I love the email. And when I want some information, I go on Google or Yahoo. And when I am able to sit longer, I like to play the games to keep my mind going. I think it’s very helpful to me… when I was without it for a few days, I really, really missed it. Really did.

Participant
Tablet-Based Software Program

The overarching goal of PEACE is to disseminate highly structured, tested, and sustainable interventions that improve health and quality of life for older adults. These programs, which combine medical and social service interventions, will be first implemented in NEPA with the ultimate goal of disseminating the model Pennsylvania-wide and then nationally. The Division hopes to bring these proven programs to as many communities as possible to help bolster public health infrastructure for our rapidly aging population.

PEACE Lunch in Scranton: (Left to Right) Sara Czaja, Leah Dillard, Teena Kubasti, Cybele Pacheco, Mark Lachs, Les Kirchner, Wally Boot
We enjoyed visiting Geisinger 65 Forward and LIFE Geisinger facilities hosted by Cybele Pacheco (Medical Director, Senior Focused Care), Teena Kubasti (Associate Vice President, Senior Focused Care), and Les Kirchner (Chair, Dept. of Pop. Health Sciences)
Geisinger 65 Forward
3 W Olive St
Scranton, PA 18508
Learn More About Our Programs

Tablet-based software programs connect isolated older adults and caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment to social support and local resources

Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs) enable experts from multiple disciplines and systems to come together to review cases, coordinate responses, provide efficient and holistic interventions and improve outcomes for survivors

Innovative elements of PEACE include a new “on the ground” dissemination model, and a sustainability plan involving a variety of creative funding mechanisms after the period of support concludes so the program is not foundation-dependent. Thanks to multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health, we know these programs work in multiple settings, but they have not been disseminated at large in rural environments. The Weill Cornell Medicine team is excited for the PEACE project to move forward in 2025 and beyond.

If you would like to know more about bringing a PEACE program to your county or funding a PEACE program locally, please complete this form.

Get to Know the Team

Project Management

Mark Steven Lachs, M.D., M.P.H.
PEACE Project Lead and Oversight
Bess White, M.S.
PEACE Project Manager, Fundraising Lead, IDA Program Lead
Yuichi Seki, M.B.A.
Financial Oversight
Leah Dillard, M.P.H.
Project Coordinator

Technology & Aging

Sara Czaja, Ph.D.
Pennsylvania Aging Connect (PAAC) Program Lead
Walter Richard Boot, Ph.D.
PAAC Design Support
Adrienne Jaret
Technology & Aging Programs Administrator

Multidisciplinary Teams

Lisa Rachmuth, L.M.S.W.
Multidisciplinary Team Program Lead
Yuichi Seki, M.B.A.
Multidisciplinary Team Support

Vulnerable Elder Protection Team (VEPT)

Tony Rosen, M.D., M.P.H.
VEPT Program Lead, IDA for EMS Program Lead
Contact Us

For more information about any of the PEACE programs, or about PEACE implementation overall, please contact Bess White, PEACE Project Manager, at bew2011@med.cornell.edu. We look forward to hearing from you!

If you would like to know more about bringing a PEACE program to your county or funding a PEACE program locally, please complete this form.

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