10/18/2017
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 18, 2017 – UPMC Senior Services will honor Arthur S. Levine, M.D., senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine as its 2017 Grand Champion for bringing world-class senior services to Pitt. It is the highest honor awarded by UPMC Senior Services.
“Dr. Levine is a true stakeholder in our success. Through his advocacy, the University of Pittsburgh incorporated aging into the health science curriculum and research, allowing Pitt to study topics such as genomic instability and oxidative stress to ultimately improve the lives of seniors in western Pennsylvania and nationally,” said Deborah Brodine, president of UPMC Community Provider Services. “UPMC Senior Services is exceptionally proud to recognize him for such exemplary work on behalf of the seniors in western Pennsylvania.”
The awards will be presented tomorrow at the annual UPMC Senior Services “Celebrating Senior Champions” Dinner and Auction at the Omni William Penn hotel.
As an early advocate of the Aging Institute of UPMC Senior Services, Levine played a key role in its establishment by recruiting leadership and directors for the center. “He has a passion for bridging science with service, and the Aging Institute aligns with his mission to help caregivers navigate to necessary resources,” added Brodine.
Levine’s own research focuses on aging processes at the cellular and subcellular level. By understanding these processes, researchers come closer to preventing and delaying the diseases of aging, such as dementia and cancer. His strong support of research and clinical training in geriatrics and gerontology helped make the University of Pittsburgh one of the strongest institutions in both fields.
“I thank UPMC Senior Services for awarding me this honor. Establishing and nurturing the Aging Institute of Pitt and UPMC to be a leader in aging research and clinical care has been a great source of pride for me personally and the University community as a whole. The field of aging science is advancing rapidly, and we expect that many of those advances will make a significant impact in improving our health span in the coming years,” said Levine.
UPMC Senior Services also will honor the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) as its 2017 Community Champion. Karen Wolk Feinstein, Ph.D., President and CEO of the JHF, will accept the award on behalf of the organization. The JHF strives to improve well-being of seniors by providing training programs for front-line workers who serve older adults. The foundation works to maximize older adults’ independence and safety by strengthening services related to transportation and housing, exercise and recreation, geriatric‐friendly health care, nutrition and caregiver supports.
UPMC Senior Services also will honor Eric G. Rodriguez, M.D., as its 2017 Community Champion. Rodriguez has worked in the UPMC Division of Geriatrics for over 30 years and currently serves as a medical director for the UPMC Living at Home/Staying At Home programs which support seniors in their desire to age in place. As a Care Management Medical Director for UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Shadyside, he advocates for patients, families and the entire multidisciplinary care team, ensuring that patients are managed safely and efficiently across the continuum of care.
