With a passion for serving older adults, Beverly Patnaik is using her heart and her education to equip a younger generation to better care for the generation that came before.
Five years ago Patnaik moved to Nashville, and now she is the head of one of Lipscomb’s newest academic endeavors, the School of TransformAging.
The School of TransformAging is dedicated to educating and training people to provide holistic care in the aging services industry, promote research in the field and “transform public policy and public opinion on aging.”
“We want a very rigorous academic program, and we have that,” Patnaik said, adding that she’s very proud of the department. “We are one of the few schools in the nation who does have that.”
The School of TransformAging offers a master’s of professional studies in aging services leadership as well as a graduate certificate in aging services leadership. The two are offered at different times during the year. There is more to this school than just the academic aspect Patnaik said.
“We also commit to training professionals and family caregivers at all levels,” she said.
Patnaik, originally from North Carolina, attended graduate school at the University of North Texas where she obtained her master’s degree in gerontology from the Center for Studies in Aging. Before coming to Nashville, she worked at Duke University Medical Center.
Beverly Patnaik
Patnaik relocated to Nashville in order to be closer to her grandchildren. She has a 4-year-old granddaughter, 6-year-old grandson and another one due around Thanksgiving. Patnaik did not come to Nashville looking for a job at Lipscomb, but she found one anyway.
“Essentially I did volunteer work and consulting when I got here,” Patnaik said. “Then I met Charla Long, the dean for the College of Professional Studies at Lipscomb, and she told me they were exploring ways to offer a degree in aging services leadership. She asked me to write some programs for it.”
Patnaik was then asked to do consulting for the school and was finally selected to become the academic director for the School of TransformAging last winter.
Patnaik said the School of TransformAging is very involved in the community.
“Because we are at Lipscomb, we have a strong component of faith-based interest in aging, and we are currently working with a variety of denominations in the area to look at intentional older adult ministries,” Patnaik said. “It is important that our congregations are responsive to the needs of our older members.”
Patnaik said she appreciates the environment she works in.
“I really enjoy working with the people at Lipscomb,” she said.” It is a welcoming academic community, and I like working with a faith-based community, which is quite different than Duke. The students are so enthusiastic and wanting to learn more.”
Along with her love of the school, Patnaik truly has a heart for what she does.
“We hope to raise awareness of aging issues in the community, and we want to work in partnership with community organizations to find solutions.”
Patnaik’s interest in aging services stretches farther than just the community of Nashville.
“We are interested in and are actively pursuing public policy on aging,” she said. “There are going to be more elderly in the country than anyone else in the near future, and our country is not prepared to deal with the population aging that rapidly.”
Photos courtesy of www.lipscomb.edu