Dr. Jill Shutes & Palm Beach Atlantic University's School of Nursing - 2020-2021 Mini-Grant Awardee!

cropped image for web.png

Dr. Jill Shutes and Palm Beach Atlantic University’s School of Nursing have received a 2020-2021 Healthier Jupiter Mini-Grant to fund “Saying Hello to Advanced Care Planning.

This project will encourage people to engage mentally to practice healthy behaviors, as well as change policies to promote equitable health opportunities by….

Saying hello to advance care planning-1.png

The older adult population, regardless of race, ethnicity or culture, is one of the most vulnerable populations within the Jupiter community. The older adult has many unique challenges and barriers that include health literacy, heath care equity, health care access and quality of life. Within these challenges for the older adult lies the issue of advance care planning. Advance care planning is a preventive health measure that can alleviate unnecessary suffering, assists in the understanding of end-of-life decision making and improves quality of life. Although an extremely helpful tool, only about 40% of all older adults have completed advance care planning. Death is an inevitable part of life yet, for many older adults, especially when culture/ethnicity are factored in, conversations about death and end-of-life planning can be taboo or just avoided due to be uncomfortable. The purpose of this project is to increase the completion of advance care planning within three diverse populations through the playing of the Hello! Game, that seeks to normalize end-of-life conversations. The time frame will depend on the COVID-19 pandemic but will include groups of older adults at three different locations: The Edna Runner Tutorial Center, El Sol and selected assisted living communities.

How will this project create lasting and transformative change in the health, wellness and success of the greater Jupiter community…

Did you know that only 1/3 of the population has completed an advance care plan and even less have communicated this plan to their family; surrogate decision makers struggle making decisions for critically ill patients and that guilt and other strong emotions may lead to making treatment decisions that are not aligned with the patient’s preferences? Implementing a program that attempts to “normalize” end of life discussions can improve the number of ACP completed, making it easier to talk to family members about your wishes and relieve loved ones of the guilt of making a decision at end of life.

Dr. Shutes received her BSN from Rutgers College of Nursing. In 1997, Dr. Shutes received her M.S.N. from University of Massachusetts, Lowell and received her certification from ANCC to become a geriatric nurse practitioner. She recently earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Florida Atlantic University. She has traveled extensively across the country teaching skilled nursing facilities how to improve the quality of care, recognize changes in condition, and reduce readmissions of the frail elderly.. She is currently a member of the Geriatric Association of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing honor society. Learn more about Palm Beach Atlantic University’s School of Nursing here.

Interested in learning more about this grant, reach out to Dr. Shutes at jillshutes@att.net or jill.shutes@pba.edu.

More about Healthier Jupiter’s Mini-Grant Program

For the fifth year in a row, Healthier Jupiter will offer $2,500 Mini-Grants to impact the health of our community. The goal of the Mini-Grant program is to fund projects that address healthy eating, active living and mental health in new, innovative and community-centered ways. These projects will create lasting and transformative change in the health, wellness and success of the greater Jupiter community. Not-for-profits, government agencies, civic organizations, public schools, school-based groups, houses of worship, businesses and individuals are encouraged to submit applications. Funds available will pilot ideas to improve our collective community health in one or more focus areas:

  1. Increase availability and affordability of fresh, healthy foods;

  2. Help individuals become more physically active on a regular basis;

  3. Encourage people to engage mentally to practice healthy behaviors; and/or

  4. Change the built environment and policies that promote equitable health opportunities.

Healthier Jupiter, in partnership with Jupiter Medical Center is dedicated to bringing the greater Jupiter community together to encourage each person to live their healthiest life. Healthier Jupiter is part of the Palm Health Foundation’s Healthier Together Initiative, a long-term, community-driven approach to solving a community’s complex healthcare issues.