UF College of Nursing faculty named fellow of national organization

Ann Horgas, Ph.D., R.N., a University of Florida College of Nursing associate professor, has been named a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America.

Horgas, also a core faculty member with the UF Institute on Aging, is the principal investigator or co-investigator of more than $2.5 million in grants from the National Institute for Nursing Research and the National Institute on Aging. She is studying methods to assess pain in nursing home residents with dementia, as well interventions to improve mental functioning in the elderly.

Fellowship within the Gerontological Society of America recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of gerontology. Fellows are honored for many different activities including research, teaching, administration, public service and participation within the organization.

Horgas served as an assistant professor in the Institute of Gerontology and the College of Nursing at Wayne State University prior to coming to UF in 2000. She has co-authored a book on dealing with behavioral problems in nursing homes and has written many publications on topics such as pain, everyday competence in old age and mental health in aging. Horgas also has been awarded the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing Research.

The Gerontological Society of America is a nonprofit professional organization with more than 5,000 members in the field of aging.