Geri Hall Clinical Leader in Residence Fund

Geri Hall Clinical Leader in Residence Fund

Dan Hall, a retired faculty member from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, honors his late wife Geri Hall, PhD, RN, FAAN, for her dedication to the study of dementia and to Iowa Nursing.

Geri earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Temple University in Philadelphia and Master of Science in Nursing and PhD from the University of Iowa. She worked in multiple positions at the College of Nursing, including adjunct instructor, associate director for outreach and policy with the Center on Aging, director of the nursing master’s programs, and clinical professor. 

Dan describes Geri as a modest, humble, and extremely talented individual. She received multiple recognitions, was a highly successful researcher and scholar who published numerous original articles for the lay press, wrote 24 book chapters and 55 peer-reviewed articles, was co-investigator for grants, and served on a great number of professional societies, organizations, and boards.  

Early in Geri’s career, she was credited with the ideas that led to the development of tools and resources to inform caregivers about managing dementia with dignity. Kathleen “Kitty” Buckwalter (71BSN, 76MA), professor emerita, served as program advisor, MSN and PhD chair, and a mentor to Geri. Together, they created the Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold Model (PLST) designed to educate formal and informal caregivers about the progression of dementia and associated behaviors to help inform plans of care. 

“When her work was first coming out, this was at the beginning of the study of dementia. So really, her research was at the forefront of that,” said Kitty. “Her work is still cited and used all over the world and is as relevant today as it was when she developed it.” Kitty goes on to describe the PLST model as one of the few models nationally recognized as an evidence-based model for dementia.

Geri was a master clinician and educator who could communicate with a variety of audiences at different levels of understanding. She could teach a newly diagnosed patient with dementia and their caregivers or a professional in the highest position in the medical profession. 

By establishing the Geri Hall Clinical Leader in Residence fund, which will be administered through the Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence, Dan can honor his wife’s legacy and ensure the work that she initiated lives on through future nurse leaders. The Geri Hall Clinical Leader will advance projects focused on interprofessional collaboration, innovation, and community partnerships with the priority of maintaining and updating the Geri Hall Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold Model Repository.

“The fund allows faculty to identify and mentor Doctor of Nursing Practice students intending to have a practice career and support the development of clinical leaders who will gain a deeper understanding of the impact of dementia on families and the health care system,” said Csomay Center Director Harleah Buck.