Nicole Lipinski, a registered nurse with 25 years of experience working with elderly patients and caregivers, has been named the new Director of The Wright Center for Community Health’s geriatric services program.

Since its debut in July, the program has been recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement as an Age-Friendly Health System Partner for providing a full spectrum of comprehensive, safety-net primary health and support services for seniors. Through individualized care plans developed by a team of providers, The Wright Center serves as a trusted primary health advisor for seniors and their families to support independent living.

A key component of the geriatric program is the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Clinic, which provides comprehensive evaluation and testing and is accessible no matter who the patient’s primary care doctor is. The Wright Center is one of only eight health systems across the country selected as an adopter of the innovative Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program created at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

“Our geriatric program was created to meet the need for specialized services that address the physical, mental and behavioral health challenges specific to seniors, especially as we experience an unprecedented growth rate in Pennsylvania’s aging population,” Lipinski said. “Countless families in Northeast Pennsylvania have benefited from this expert care already, which became even more critical as we navigated the challenges the pandemic presented for at-risk older adults, including isolation.”

Lipinski joined The Wright Center in July as the geriatric care manager, bringing decades of experience caring for patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases to the role. She earned her nursing degree from Luzerne County Community College, and her bachelor’s degree in business and master’s degree in healthcare informatics from Misericordia University. She resides in Throop.

For information about The Wright Center’s geriatric services or to make an appointment, call 570-230-0019.