Suyoung Nah

Track

Research Frontiers

Faculty Mentor

Jyoti “Tina” Savla, Professor of Human Development and Family Science

Briefly describe the research project you are planning to contribute to and lead as a postdoctoral associate at Virginia Tech. What is the problem you are addressing? What is the expected impact of your work?

My research project aims to promote a more comprehensive and holistic approach to identifying the environmental factors that may impact the health and well-being of families caring for older Americans living with dementia. While existing research has focused on immediate environmental factors, such as one’s coping strategies as determinants of caregiver outcomes, my research will shed light on often overlooked environmental factors. Specifically, I will examine whether county-level factors (e.g., the availability of paid services within each county, driving distance to services) predict home- and community-based services utilization by family caregivers living in rural Appalachian regions of Virginia. Furthermore, I will explore whether these county-level factors buffer the potentially detrimental impacts of daily caregiving stressors on the well-being of family caregivers. I anticipate that my research will contribute to informing policies, practices, and interventions that are aimed at enhancing the well-being of persons living with dementia and their family caregivers.

Why did you choose to pursue postdoctoral training at Virginia Tech?

I chose to pursue postdoctoral training at Virginia Tech due to the exceptional level of mentorship and collaboration opportunities available through this fellowship. Specifically, I am looking forward to contributing meaningfully to the field of gerontology through the collaborations with fellow researchers and scholars at the Center for Gerontology and the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment, as well as build new partnerships with researchers in Public Health and Geography.

What are you most looking forward to as you begin in this fellowship at Virginia Tech?

I am most looking forward to the opportunity to learn more about dementia family caregivers living in Rural Appalachian regions of Virginia, who have received little attention in the existing literature. I am thrilled to explore the various factors that may influence their care provision and overall well-being. Furthermore, I am excited about the prospect of collaborating with esteemed researchers at the Center for Gerontology, as it presents exciting opportunities to make significant contributions to enhancing the health and well-being of persons living with dementia and their family caregivers in rural areas.