Sheryl Zimmerman is a University Distinguished Professor, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development, Executive Director of the Center for Excellence in Assisted Living@UNC, and Co-Director of the Program on Aging, Chronic Illness, and Long-term Care in the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
She is internationally recognized as a leader in research related to care and outcomes for older adults receiving long-term care, including persons living with dementia. In 1996, Zimmerman founded the Collaborative Studies of Long-Term Care, the largest ongoing national research consortium of thousands of long-term care settings across the country that have participated in almost 100 projects with continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and foundations. She has written five books and more than 450 peer-reviewed publications and is Editor-in-Chief Emeritus/Senior Associate Editor of the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (JAMDA). Both the Gerontological Society of America and the Society for Social Work and Research recognized her career-long contributions with their highest society-wide awards.
Zimmerman’s work entails close collaborations with those who receive and provide care, and with dozens of national organizations involved in the well-being of older adults.
Degrees
Ph.D., Social Work, University of Illinois, Chicago
MSW, University of Illinois, Chicago
Fellowships
Gerontological Society of America
American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare
Research Program(s)
Health, mental health and behavioral health
Older adults and long-term care
System- and service-level research
Research Expertise
Aging, dementia and long-term care
Housing
Prevention and intervention
Recent Research Projects
“Evaluating a National Person-Centered Training Program to Strengthen the Dementia Care Workforce”
National Institute on Aging, Principal Investigator
This cluster randomized clinical trial evaluates outcomes of two dementia care trainings programs provided in 126 assisted living communities.
“A Pragmatic Crossover Trial to Test the Effectiveness of a Novel Lighting System to Reduce Nighttime Falls in Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias"
National Institute on Aging, Principal Investigator
This cluster randomized clinical trial evaluates the effectiveness of a novel lighting system to reduce falls in 42 assisted living communities.
“Daily Mouth Care to Prevent Pneumonia in Nursing Homes: A Systems-Level Approach” Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Principal Investigator
This cluster randomized clinical trial evaluates outcomes of providing daily mouth care in 2,152 residents of 14 nursing homes.
View Google Scholar Page
Selected Presentations
“Reconstructing Person-Centeredness”
2023 Robert W. Kleemeier Award Lecture, The Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting