This seminar series event has been moved from Oct. 6 to Oct. 13.

The focus of the seminar series is to call for experts related to academia and research in the areas related to biomechanics, variability, motor disorders, physical therapy, and related studies.

Connected Health in Connected Lives

Presentation Abstract

As social animals, we all need to connect to others to adapt and thrive. But how do we form close social connections with our loved ones? How do social connections change in normal aging and in neurodegenerative diseases? How do changes in social connections affect our health and well-being? Finally, how can we quantify social connections in the laboratory and in the real world? In my talk, I will review recent findings from my laboratory to address these questions. I will also describe our current work which combines laboratory and real-world, technology-based assessments (e.g., wearables, embedded sensors, GPS) to longitudinally monitor social connection and health changes in rural aging couples.

About Dr. Chen

Kuan-Hua Chen is an assistant professor in neurological sciences, College of Medicine, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. His research focuses on advancing the characterization, assessment, and interventions for socio-emotional changes in individuals living with dementia and the impact of these changes on family care partners. As the principal investigator of a NIA-funded study, Dr. Chen develops innovative brain, physiological, behavioral, and technology-based (e.g., wearables, smart-home devices) measures to monitor and predict social disconnectedness between individuals living with dementia and their spousal care partners and their downstream health outcomes.