Overview

Treating older adults can be more complex due to the natural aging process, cognitive decline As the population ages, pharmacists play a critical role in addressing the unique healthcare needs of older adults. Beyond the Script: Advancing Pharmacy Practice in the Aging Population is an advanced educational program designed to equip pharmacy professionals with the knowledge and tools to optimize care for geriatric patients. This program explores the complexities of aging, cognitive decline, comorbidities, and the evolving regulatory landscape—empowering pharmacists to deliver safe, effective, and person-centered care.

Program Highlights

• Optimizing Mental Health Treatment
  Learn evidence-based strategies for managing depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental health conditions in older adults, including both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches.
• Pharmacotherapy & Pharmacy Law
  Gain practical pearls for deprescribing, managing polypharmacy, and navigating recent updates in state and federal regulations impacting geriatric care.
• Immunization & Healthcare Hesitancy
  Understand the psychosocial and cultural factors behind vaccine hesitancy in older adults and apply communication strategies to improve vaccination rates.
• Transitions of Care & Medication Safety
  Explore best practices for medication reconciliation, reducing readmissions, and improving outcomes during care transitions.
• Special Topics
  • New frontiers in treating UTIs in older women
  • Micro-wellness strategies to support pharmacy team well-being

Why Attend?

• Stay current with clinical best practices and regulatory updates
• Earn continuing education credits including pharmacy law and immunization*
• Gain actionable insights to improve patient safety and health outcomes
• Enhance your role as a trusted healthcare provider in the aging population

*The clinic will provide 5 live contact hours (0.5 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy  education credit for pharmacists, including immunization and pharmacy law CE. 

Target Audience

Pharmacists in all practice settings.

Evaluation

All participants will have the opportunity to review the educational sessions and speakers and to identify future educational needs.

Statement of Disclosure

In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards for Continuing Pharmacy Education, The University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy requires that program faculty disclose any relationship (e.g., shareholder, recipient of research grant, consultant or member of an advisory committee) that the faculty may have with commercial companies whose products or services may be mentioned in their presentations. No person involved in the planning of this educational activity has a financial relationship with an ineligible company to disclose.

Learning Objectives

Optimizing Mental Health Treatment for Older Adults with Dementia, Depression and More
UAN: 0060-0000-25-038-L01-P 1.0 Contact Hour (.01 CEUS) Application-based
Contact Hour(s) 1.0 hr  

• Identify common mental health conditions (such as depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, substance abuse, and ADHD) affecting older adults and recognized how these may present differently compared to younger populations  

• Describe how treating and managing mental health conditions in older adults can be more complex due to aging, cognitive decline, and co-existing physical and psychiatric comorbidities   

• Evaluate use of nonpharmacological treatment options in the treatment and management of mental health disorders in older adults 

• Identify protective factors that can promote and maintain mental health as individuals age 

Practical Pearls and Regulatory Realities in Pharmacotherapy for Older Adults (Law)
UAN: 0060-0000-25-040-L03-P
Contact Hour(s) 1.0 hr 

• Apply practical strategies for optimizing pharmacotherapy in older adults, including deprescribing and managing polypharmacy across care settings. 

• Describe recent updates in state and federal pharmacy laws and regulations that impact geriatric care, such as those related to controlled substances, psychotropic prescribing, deprescribing, and PBM oversight. 

• Identify key drug classes and clinical scenarios that present challenges in older adults, including counseling points and drug interaction risks. 

Breaking Barriers: Exploring Healthcare Hesitancy in the Geriatric Population (Immunization)
UAN: 0060-0000-25-39-L06-P
Contact Hour(s) 1.0 hr 

• Define healthcare hesitancy and identify common types of hesitancy observed in geriatric populations.  

• Describe the psychosocial, cultural, cognitive, and systemic factors that contribute to hesitancy among older adults.  

• Identify common barriers to vaccine uptake and highlight strategies to improve vaccination rates in high-risk populations.  

• Apply evidence-based communication and educational techniques to address hesitancy and promote informed decision-making in geriatric patients.  

• Describe the role of pharmacists and interdisciplinary teams in mitigating hesitancy and improving health outcomes in older adults.  

Pharmacists at the Crossroads: Transitions of Care and Medication Optimization in the Aging Population 
UAN: 0060-0000-25-041-L07-P Contact Hour 1.0 (0.1CEUS) Application-based
Contact Hour(s) 1.0 hr 

• Describe common challenges and risks associated with transitions of care in older adults, including medication discrepancies and adverse drug events. 

• Apply evidence-based strategies to improve medication reconciliation and communication during hospital, skilled nursing, and community transitions.

• Evaluate the role of pharmacists in reducing readmissions and improving outcomes through deprescribing, caregiver engagement, and interprofessional collaboration.

• Identify practical tools and resources that support safe, effective, and person-centered medication management for older adults across care settings.

The Healthy Pharmacy Team: Micro-Wellness Strategies to Boost Well-Being on the Job
UAN: 0060-0000-25-043-L04-P
Contact Hour(s) .5 hr 

• Identify practical micro-wellness techniques such as breathing exercises, posture improvements, and micro-movements that pharmacists can easily incorporate into their workday.

• Describe simple wellness practices that support long-term health and resilience for those in pharmacy practice. 

New Frontiers in Treating UTIs in Older Women
UAN: 0060-0000-25-042-L01-P
Contact Hour(s) .5 hr 

• Review newly approved antibiotics for UTIs and their roles in treating older women.
• Discuss unique clinical considerations for treating UTIs in older women, including antimicrobial resistance and safety concerns. 

Speakers

Nicole Asal, PharmD, BCPS 
Clinical Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy, The University of Rhode Island

Dr. Asal is a graduate of MCPHS-Worcester and has a broad base of practice experience in both inpatient and outpatient care of geriatric patients. She is a peer reviewer for the Annals of Pharmacotherapy and a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist. 

Dr. Asal is an active member of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, American Pharmacists Association, and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. She serves as co-advisor for the URI chapter of the APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists.

Rebecca G. Beachy, PharmD 
Pharmacy Clinical Quality Evolution Fellow, CVS Health

Rebecca Beachy is a Clinical Quality Evolution Fellow at CVS Health. As a fellow, she supports enterprise-wide initiatives across CVS Health by delivering clinical insights and guidance to different business units/field leaders while providing support by conducting project reviews from a clinical perspective. 

Rebecca earned her PharmD from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy and is a licensed pharmacist in Rhode Island. Before stepping into her current role, Rebecca spent over four years as a pharmacy intern at CVS Pharmacy. During this time, she gained valuable hands-on experience in community pharmacy practice, where she developed and demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing accessible, patient centered care in community health settings.

Virginia Lemay, PharmD, CDOE, CVDOE 
Clinical Professor, College of Pharmacy, The University of Rhode Island 

She is a Certified Diabetes Outpatient Educator (CDOE), Cardiovascular Disease Outpatient Educator (CVDOE), and Residency Program Director for the University of Rhode Island PGY1 Community-Based Residency Program. Dr. Lemay’s scholarship, including numerous grants and publications in scientific journals, focuses on clinical services provided by the community pharmacist in the community pharmacy and ambulatory care settings. Dr. Lemay earned her 200 RYT® Certification and teaches Vinyasa and Yin Yoga. Her areas of interest include integrative health, preventative medicine, immunizations, and well-being of body and mind.

Catherine Li, PharmD, BCIDP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Women and Infants Hospital 

Catherine Li is a board-certified Infectious Diseases pharmacist at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, RI and co-directs the hospital Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. Dr. Li is also the co- chair of the Rhode Island Department of Health AMSEC Task Force, which works to implement Antimicrobial Stewardship and Environmental Cleaning initiatives state-wide. Dr. Li’s interests include antimicrobial resistance, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and women’s health.

Anna Santoro, PharmD, MA, BCPP, BCGP, NCPS
Captain, US Public Health Service
Chief Pharmacist, FMC Devens
Mid-Atlantic Region Lead, MH Pharmacy Consultant 

Captain Santoro pioneered clinical psychiatric pharmacy in the FBOP, developing the FBOP’s first Psychiatric Pharmacy clinic and assisted with the national expansion of pharmacy mental health services, including the Mental Health Consultant program which serves 122 institutions. In addition to her Chief role, Captain Santoro maintains clinical privileges in psychiatric pharmacy and substance use disorder, and geriatrics. She led the implementation and initial certification of FMC Devens Opioid Treatment Program, expanding access to treatment for substance use disorder .

Tyler Trinh, PharmD, MHA
Pharmacy Clinical Quality Evolution Fellow, CVS Health 

Tyler Trinh is a pharmacist and healthcare administrator with a diverse background in clinical operations, regulatory affairs, and public health. He currently serves as a Clinical Quality Evolution Fellow at CVS Health, where he leads initiatives focused on medication safety, workflow optimization, and system-level quality improvement across all retail store operations. 

In addition, Tyler practices as a per diem Clinical Pharmacist at Brown University Health, contributing to inpatient pharmacy operations and post-launch performance monitoring. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Houston and a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Arizona. His research interests include antimicrobial stewardship, neonatal pharmacotherapy, and formulary strategy. Tyler is committed to advancing evidence-based practice and interdisciplinary collaboration to improve patient outcomes. 

Nicole Brandt, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, FASCP

Executive Director, The Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging & Professor, Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

Dr. Brandt is a professor in the Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research (P-SHOR) and executive director of the Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. She has been recently appointed the Parke-Davis Chair in Geriatric Pharmacotherapy. Since joining the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Dr. Brandt has expanded available geriatric training opportunities, including the geriatrics/palliative care pathway, ASHP-accredited geriatrics residency, and two-year post-PharmD fellowship. She was named the 2019 recipient of the American Geriatrics Society’s (AGS) Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award for her leadership in geriatrics education.

She has worked on various interdisciplinary teams across numerous practice settings and is currently leading initiatives to integrate sustainable pharmacist-directed services to help older adults with multiple co-morbidities at the MedStar Center for Successful Aging. Dr. Brandt has been active in promoting optimal care for older adults and has affected this through her educational, clinical, as well as healthcare policy work. She co-led an initiative that led to the University of Maryland, Baltimore and University of Maryland, Baltimore County to become the first universities in the state of Maryland to receive Age-Friendly University distinction. She has directed projects with multiple stakeholders focusing on Medicare Part D Medication Therapy Management programs, high risk medications, and medication stewardship. Her public policy advocacy occurs on both a state and national level. She is one of the authors of the 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beer’s Criteria and the past president and board chairman of American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.  She was a Fulbright Program Specialist from 2023 – 2024 with the University of Helsinki School of Pharmacy to work on Age-Friendly Care initiatives.

Cindy Van, PharmD
Postdoctoral Fellow in Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

Cindy Van obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from St. John’s University in Queens, NY. She completed her PGY-1 residency with the Mount Sinai Health System and a PGY-2 in Geriatrics at UMPC Presbyterian Shadyside. Her professional interests include geriatric primary care, transitions of care, polypharmacy, and deprescribing. She currently serves the Secretary of the MD-ASCP chapter. As the current fellow within The Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Cindy continues to improve the care of older adults through research & scholarly efforts, education, clinical practice, and health policy

Agenda

8:00 am
Welcome and Introductions
Mary-Jane Kanaczet, MEd, CHCP
 
8:15 am
Optimizing Mental Health Treatment for Older Adults with Dementia, Depression and More
Anna Santoro, PharmD, MA, BCPP, BCGP, NCPS
 
9:15 am
Practical Pearls and Regulatory Realities in Pharmacotherapy for Older Adults (Pharmacy Law CE)
Nicole Asal, PharmD, BCPS
 
10:15 am
Break & Exhibits

10:30 am
Beaking Barriers: Exploring Healthcare Hesitancy in the Geriatric Population (Immunization CE)
Rebecca G. Beachy, PharmD & Tyler Trinh, PharmD, MHA
 
11:30 am
Pharmacists at the Crossroads: Transitions of Care and Medication Optimization in the Aging Population
Nicole Brandt, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, FASCP & Cindy Van, PharmD
 
12:30 pm
Dean’s Welcome and Announcement of Scholarships
Virtual Lunch Break
Kerry LaPlante, PharmD, FCCP, FIDSA, FIDP
Dean, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island
 
1:00 pm
The Healthy Pharmacy Team: Micro-Wellness Strategies to Boost Well-Being on the Job
Virginia Lemay, PharmD, CDOE,CVDOE
 
1:30 pm
New Frontiers in Treating UTIs in Older Women
Catherine Li, PharmD, BCIDP
 
2:00 pm
Program Summary and Evaluation Instructions

2:15 pm
Adjourn

CE Credit

Requirements for Credit

Completion of program evaluations for the sessions you attend are required to earn credit. Partial credit is available for this program. Evaluations must be completed at www.uripharmacycpd.org within 60 days.

The University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This program will provide up to 5.0 live contact hours (0.5 CEUs) including one hour of immunization CE and one hour of pharmacy law. Both in-person and virtual attendees will receive live credit. Attendance and completion of online program evaluations after the program are required to earn credit. Attendees may claim credit for the individual sessions they attend.

Registration

Registration closes on Wednesday, November 5 at noon (12pm)

Pharmacists: Registration Fee $89

Other Healthcare Professionals: Registration Fee $59

• Login or create an account in URI’s learning management and CE reporting system using your email address and professional license number. Complete all required account set up fields to ensure accurate CE reporting.
• Select “Available Live Activities” to find the educational activity.
• Register and proceed to secure online payment (Visa, MC, AMEX, Discover or Electronic Checks accepted).

All registrants will receive Zoom access instructions by email directly from Zoom Events email address: noreply-zoomevents@zoom.us. This email will be sent to your registration email address the Monday before the conference.

Registration Fee

• Registration fee for this program is $89 for pharmacists and $59 for other healthcare professionals.  URI students can register for free with their URI ID.

Refund Policy

• Registration fee, subject to a $15 processing fee, will be refunded provided an email of the registration cancellation is received at pharmce@etal.uri.edu seven (7) business days before the seminar.

Technical Requirements for Virtual Attendance

A computer or mobile device with an internet connection – broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE).
It is recommended to download the Zoom app (no account sign-up required) before joining the conference.

Virtual Training Consent 

This program will be available in a virtual format. Zoom Video Conferencing will be used to deliver the live streaming session. By registering for this program and attending virtually, you agree to participate in the live portion of the course by using active video and audio feed through your computer or mobile device. 

Opt-out Vendors 

The University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy does not sell registration information to third parties for any of our events. Some limited attendee data is shared with exhibitors of the event, when requested. This includes name, job title, organization, city and state. This is the same information available to all attendees in the attendees section of the mobile app or Zoom Events website. If you would like to opt-out of us manually distributing your attendee data, please email pharmce@etal.uri.edu with Opt-Out Exhibitors in the subject line.