Aging Center

Celebrating 20 Years

In January 1999, the UCCS Aging Center (then called the CU Aging Center) opened its doors in the Golf Acres Shopping Center on North Hancock Avenue in Colorado Springs. Its purpose was to serve as a training clinic for the still-developing UCCS doctoral program in clinical geropsychology as well as a community mental health clinic for underserved older adults.

Read the rest of our history and see the timeline here.

The Aging Center is a community-based non-profit mental health services facility administered by the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), and is the primary practicum training site for the APA accredited clinical psychology Ph.D. program. It is currently one of the few geropsychology training clinics in the nation linking the academic standards of excellence and innovative clinical training with the practical needs of the community. The Aging Center provides comprehensive psychological and neuropsychological assessment and treatment services to individuals 55+ as well as their families, trains graduate students in clinical geropsychology and supports the study of psychological aging processes. 

• Aging Center Brochure (pdf)

The mission of the Aging Center is to enhance the quality of life for older adults and their families through excellence in psychological training, services, research, and integrated care partnerships.

• Julie Horwitz, Ph.D., Director, (719) 255-8012, jhorwitz@uccs.edu
• Jessica Zamzow, Ph.D., Staff Psychologist (719) 255-8010, jzamzow@uccs.edu
• Leilani Feliciano, Ph.D., Clinical Supervisor, (719) 255-4174, lfelicia@uccs.edu
• Kyrsten Hill, Ph.D. Clinical Supervisor, (719) 255-8002, khill13@uccs.edu
• Rachel Thayer, Ph.D., Clinical Supervisor, (719) 255-8002, rthayer@uccs.edu
• Rachel Weiskittle, Ph. D., Clinical Supervisor, (719) 255-8002, rweiskit@uccs.edu
• Sheri Gibson, Ph.D., Clinical Supervisor, (719) 339-2862, sgibson2@uccs.edu
• Nancy Taylor, BS, Office Manager, (719) 255-8007, ntaylor@uccs.edu
• Jennifer Trotterchaude, Assistant to the Director, (719) 255-8002, jtrotte2@uccs.edu

Several UCCS professors of psychology conduct research on mental health, cognitive functioning, and aging through the Aging and Gerontology Centers. Research conducted by these professors has been presented at national conferences and published in professional journals. The general goal of this research is to expand our knowledge of cognitive functioning and mental health among older adults, and how older adults can maintain their well-being.

In order for this research to be completed, older adults are needed to participate in research projects with UCCS. Your participation would help add to our knowledge of human aging, mental health, and ways to maintain older adults' well-being. Every research project has met the high standards of quality of an Institutional Review Board. Some projects involve payment to people who participate, and others are conducted on a volunteer basis. Please consider participating in a research study. If you would like to join our list of people willing to participate in research, please call us at 255-8002.

Below are UCCS faculty who conduct research through the Aging Center:

• Leilani Feliciano, Ph.D.
• Daniel Segal, Ph.D.
• Rachel Thayer, Ph.D
• Rachel Weiskittle, Ph.D.

The Aging Center has multiple sources of program support. UCCS and Center revenue contribute to basic operating expenses. Generous support for our programs has been received from the following organizations:

• Bright Mountain Foundation
• Caring for Colorado Foundation
• Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities
• Colorado Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute
• Colorado Health Access Fund
• Colorado Health Foundation
• Colorado Springs Health Foundation
• Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation
• Colorado Springs Utilities
• COPIC Medical Foundation
• Daniels Fund
• Denver Foundation
• Joseph H. Edmondson Foundation
• El Pomar Foundation
• Giddings Foundation
• Inasmuch Foundation
• Carl and Carrie Mae Joslyn Charitable Trust
• Kaiser Permanente
• Marson Foundation
• Luther T. McCauley Charitable Trust
• Moniker Foundation
• Myron Stratton Home Grants Program
• NextFifty Initiative
• Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments: Area Agency on Aging
• Pikes Peak Community Foundation (PPCF)
• Retirement Research Foundation
• The Ralston Family Foundation of the Pikes Peak Community Foundation
• Weiland Family Foundation of the PPCF
• Verizon Foundation
• Wal-Mart Foundation

• Peak View Behavioral Health
• Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging
• Rocky Mountain Health Care Services - PACE
• Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center

Student services are provided on a low-fee sliding scale or at no cost.

Medicare is accepted for services provided by a licensed psychologist.

The UCCS Memory Clinic offers thorough screening for individuals interested in obtaining a baseline of their cognitive functioning. A short, standard battery of tests is administered in 45-60 minutes and followed up with a summary report that is reviewed with a licensed psychologist and student clinician. The 15- to 30-minute review session allows for questions to be addressed and lifestyle factors that can impact cognitive health to be discussed in a supportive format.

Comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations are conducted to help determine the etiology and functional implications of cognitive disturbances. Each evaluation requires approximately 6-10 hours of interviewing, testing, scoring, interpretation, and report writing time. In addition, feedback sessions are offered to individuals and families. Clinical findings are translated into practical language to aid mental health and medical professionals and family caregivers in making decisions about treatment and care. Referrals originate from a variety of sources including physicians, nursing homes, Silver Key Senior Services, Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging, attorneys, probate court, and Adult Protective Services. The evaluations help identify difficulties in independent functioning that compromise safety and well-being, support behavioral health workers in treatment planning, and assist the courts in determining decision-making capacity.

This collaborative program with the Area Agency on Aging focuses on assessing and treating the factors contributing to distressed caregiver families and assists with referrals for other supportive services within the community. Primary services, all available at no cost to clients, include comprehensive caregiver assessments and up to eight problem-solving-oriented psychotherapy sessions to help implement caregiver treatment plans. In addition, the program offers consultation and resource information for the caregiver(s) and a psychoeducational support group. Educational seminars and community presentations to increase public awareness are also offered through this service.

Aging Center staff psychologists and student clinicians offer individual, couples/marital, family, and group psychotherapy for older adults experiencing psychological disorders including depression and anxiety, adjustment to illness and loss or other life stress, and family conflicts. Supervision is conducted weekly, usually in individual meetings with the student or in small groups. Supervisors support a wide variety of psychotherapeutic approaches including psychodynamic therapy, behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and family systems therapy. The Aging Center uses the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) to classify and diagnose psychological problems.

A comprehensive range of programs links clinicians at the Aging Center with senior-focused agencies whose shared goal is to improve the quality of care and quality of life for older adults through coordinated services.

A comprehensive range of programs links clinicians at the Aging Center agencies serving older adults whose shared goal is to improve the quality of care and quality of life for older adults through coordinated services.

Peak View Behavioral Health
In July 2020 the Aging Center initiated a partnership with Peak View Behavioral Health and its integrated behavioral health program. In this newest practicum placement site, the program affords graduate student clinicians the opportunity to be part of a multidisciplinary team providing primarily in-patient mental health services. With their specialty in Geropsychology, the experience also affords them opportunities to be educators to the medical and behavioral staff/team. Peak View Behavioral Health provides inpatient and outpatient services for behavioral healthcare, serving individuals of all ages, including older adults. It treats a variety of mental health conditions and this new partnership fits well with the Aging Center’s mission to support the community and provide excellent services.

Rocky Mountain Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
In June 2009 the Aging Center partnered with the Rocky Mountain Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to launch a multidisciplinary training rotation. The primary purpose of PACE is to enable frail individuals, often elderly, to continue to function independently for as long as they can do so safely and with the fewest restrictions needed to maintain quality of life. Clients can attend programming Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for all five days if warranted. Services from physicians, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nutritional consultants, case managers, and counseling/psychology professionals are provided to PACE participants.

Student clinicians provide individual and group psychotherapy and operate as behavioral health consultants on the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) that meets every morning. In addition to enhancing basic clinical skills (psychotherapy and assessment), student clinicians learn fundamental consulting skills, gain awareness of and participate in the multifaceted operations of the integrated team approach to wellness care, and develop proficiency in understanding interagency systems dynamics.

Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center (PPEJC)
In July 2022 the Aging Center began a partnership with the Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center (PPEJC) whose mission is a community response working toward preventing and eliminating elder abuse in the Pikes Peak region and beyond, through identifying victims of mistreatment, and creating safe shelter for them. PPEJC collaborates with a wide range of agencies in the community to assist in coordination of care and continuity of services. PPEJC’s multi-pronged work combines elder shelter, behavioral health, fiduciary education and the Elder Abuse Forensic Multidisciplinary team model to foster a community in which people in later life can live in safety, dignity and with respect. Through a collaboration with the University of Colorado Colorado Springs’ (UCCS) Psychology Department and the Aging Center, the PPEJC provides training for Master’s and PhD students who are supervised by a licensed psychologist.

To learn more about training at the Aging Center, contact the Director at (719) 255-8002.

Student services are provided on a low-fee sliding scale or at no cost.

Medicare is accepted for services provided by a licensed psychologist.

The Aging Center offers two types of cognitive assessments. During an evaluation, several cognitive abilities are assessed, including memory, attention, visual perception, and problem-solving. Through an evaluation, people can find out:

• If their memory and other cognitive abilities are normal for their age.
• If a memory problem is present, what might be causing it. For example, it could be symptoms of depression or anxiety, a medical problem, Alzheimer's disease, or other causes.
• If a recent stroke, head injury, or other medical problem is affecting one's cognitive abilities.
• One's ability to continue employment, manage finances, complete important legal activities, and/or other instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).
• How to assist individuals and families with long-term planning when memory problems are significant.
• How other professionals and agencies can offer appropriate services and assist in developing a care plan.

The two types of cognitive assessments offered:

• Neuropsychological evaluation: This includes a 45- to 60-minute interview, 1-4 hours of memory and cognitive testing, an interview with someone who knows the client well, and a review of available external records. This thorough evaluation can assess whether a cognitive problem is present and what is likely causing it. It also provides a comprehensive baseline to be used for comparisons with follow-up screens or other evaluations. The client receives a detailed report that can be given to other professionals (such as physicians and attorneys). Clients can either pay for student-provided services on a sliding scale, ranging from $70-$1,400, depending on household income/assets, or see a licensed psychologist, who can accept some insurances on a limited basis. All student services are supervised by licensed clinical psychologists.
  Neuropsychological Evaluation flyer (pdf)
  Clinical Neuropsychology - A Guide for Patients and Their Family (pdf)
   
• Memory Clinic: This is a 45- to 60-minute brief evaluation of cognitive functioning. From this evaluation, clients can find out if their cognitive abilities seem normal for their age, if clear impairment is present, or if further evaluation is needed. The memory screens can be useful for establishing a baseline to compare with follow-up screens or other evaluations. Less information is provided on what might be causing any problems that are found. A two-page written summary of the results is provided to the client and reviewed with a licensed psychologist and student clinician shortly after testing is completed. Clients pay on a sliding fee scale, with fees ranging from $20 to $450 depending on income level. Memory Clinic flyer (pdf)

Aging Families and Caregiver Program at the Aging Center offers services that assist family and friends of older adults who are experiencing difficulties. Often friends and family members become aware of changes in the circumstances or behavior of an older person and are not sure what to do. Counselors at the Aging Center are available to assist with:

Evaluation

• Caregiver stress
• Elderly person's safety & functioning
• Memory testing
• Depression and/or anxiety

Education

• Caregiver survival
• Strategies for handling elderly family members
• Effects of normal & abnormal aging

Counseling, Support & Psychotherapy

• Reducing caregiver burden & burnout
• Enhancing skill & confidence in caring
• Engaging family to work together
• Balancing your roles

Referal

• Involving other disciplines
• Linking to community resources

Types of Services Offered in the Caregiver Program

• Caregiver individual therapy
• Caregiver Groups – Programs are offered at different times of the year

Aging Families & Caregiver Program flyer (pdf)

Services offered in the Caregiver Program are partially funded by the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging, although donations are accepted. This program operates in association with the Family Caregiver Support Center at the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging.

The UCCS Aging Center partners with other senior agencies through a comprehensive range of programs. Their shared goal is to improve the quality of care and quality of life through coordinated services.

Peak View Behavioral Health

In July 2020 the Aging Center initiated a partnership with Peak View Behavioral Health and its integrated behavioral health program. In this newest practicum placement site, the program affords graduate student clinicians the opportunity to be part of a multidisciplinary team providing primarily in-patient mental health services. With their specialty in Geropsychology, the experience also affords them opportunities to be educators to the medical and behavioral staff/team. Peak View Behavioral Health provides inpatient and outpatient services for behavioral healthcare, serving individuals of all ages, including older adults. It treats a variety of mental health conditions and this new partnership fits well with the Aging Center’s mission to support the community and provide excellent services.

Rocky Mountain Health Care Services(RMHCS): PACE

In December 2008, Rocky Mountain Health Care Services opened the first Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in El Paso County to ensure maximum independence and quality of life for older adults in our community. PACE utilizes a prevention methodology where the participants are regularly assessed by the interdisciplinary team (IDT) who works together to promote the health of each individual. The physician, nurse practitioners, nurses, occupational therapist, physical therapist, recreational therapist, dietician, social workers and licensed counselors, in collaboration with the participant and family members, develop the treatment plan designed to meet the medical and “daily life” needs of each participant. The IDT coordinates services based on need and logic in a timely manner, ensuring that the various professions involved in the participant’s care are all working in the same direction with the same goal in mind.

UCCS and Rocky Mountain PACE have been working collaboratively to provide integrated medical and mental health services to Rocky Mountain PACE patients since summer 2009. Our clinicians joined this team to provide counseling, depression/anxiety screening, memory screening, and group and individual psychotherapy coordinated with other medical and social services available at PACE.

Rocky Mountain PACE (719) 314-2327

Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center (PPEJC)

Licensed psychologists and student clinicians offer individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy for psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, adjustment to illness, loss or other life stress, family conflicts. Psychological evaluations are provided for treatment planning and diagnostic purposes. Clients can either pay for student-provided services on a sliding scale, depending on household income/assets, or see a licensed psychologist, who can accept some insurances on a limited basis. All student services are supervised by licensed psychologists. Psychotherapy flyer (pdf)

Student services are provided on a low-fee sliding scale or at no cost.

Medicare is accepted for services provided by a licensed psychologist.

Guided Practices

• Box breathing relaxation technique: how to calm feelings of stress or anxiety - Sunnybrook Hospital
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation - Insight Timer, by Jodi Allen
• Dynamic Breathing with Koru Mindfulness Meditations
• 4-7-8 Breathing - Dr. Andrew Weil
• Self-Compassionate Breath & Touch Insight Timer, by Caitlin Brown
• Self-Compassion - guided meditations by Dr. Kristin Neff
• Senior Fitness - Simple Stretching Chair Exercises for Seniors with Meredith
• Yoga Nidra For Sleep – Insight Timer, by Jennifer Piercy

Related Resources

• The Power of Mindfulness: What You Practice Grows Stronger | Shauna Shapiro | TEDxWashingtonSquare
• Don’t try to be mindful | Daron Larson | TEDxColumbus
• Mindful Meditation and the Brain - Shauna Shapiro (Greater Good Science Center)

• 211
  • Dial 211 to call Adult Resources for Care and Help (ARCH) for assistance in locating disabled adults & senior community resources
• Age-Friendly Pikes Peak Portal
  • The Age-Friendly Pikes Peak portal provides resources for older adults, caregivers, and family members to age in place. The resources here are primarily nonprofit and civic organizations.
• Alzheimer's Association
  • Formed in 1980, the Alzheimer's Association is the World's leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research.
• Colorado Springs Senior Center
  • The Colorado Springs Senior Center offers a variety of classes, noon meals, dances and numerous other activities for seniors (individuals 55 and over).
• Diversus Health
  • Diversus Health offers behavioral health services, counseling services, career services, substance abuse treatment, employment, education, housing, jail diversion/reintegration and care management.
• Health Promotion Partners
  • Health Promotion Partners provide prevention-focused occupational therapy services that help navigate decisions about aging in place, driver fitness and levels of support to enhance health and quality of life.
• Older Americans Act (National Council on Aging's web site)
  • The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a non-profit service and advocacy organization for improving the lives of older adults. This link to its web site will take you to the text of the Older Americans Act along with the Act's funding, changes to the original Act, its purpose, etc. The Older Americans Act provides federal funding for services that support the health and independence of older adults, such as meals, caregiver support, transportation, and more.
• Peak Vista Community Health Centers
  • Peak Vista Community Health Centers are non-profits dedicated to medical, dental and behavioral health services for people of all ages. They provide primary care services to low-income, uninsured and underinsured working families (as well as others with access barriers) within the Pikes Peak Region.
• Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging
  • Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging serves as the Area Agency on Aging for El Paso, Park and Teller counties and provides programs and services for older adults and their caregivers. They publish the yearly Senior Information Directory (the "Yellow Book").
• Silver Key Senior Services
  • Silver Key serves thousands of seniors in the greater Colorado Springs area. Silver Key advocates for senior empowerment and offer a variety of services (transportation, nutrition, care management) to seniors to maintain independence, safety and quality of life.
• Yellow Book (PDF)
  • Senior Information and Assistance Directory (searchable) provided by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments for El Paso, Park & Teller counties

• American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
  • The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry is a membership association of nearly 2,000 geriatric psychiatrists and other health care professionals in the United States, Canada, and abroad, dedicated to the mental well-being of older adults.
• American Psychological Association, Division 20 (Adult Dev. & Aging)
  • The Division on Adult Development and Aging (Division 20) of the American Psychological Association strives to advance the study of psychological development and change throughout the adult years. For psychologists who provide services to older adults, conduct research on adult development and aging, or are interested in learning more about or teaching life span development and aging.
• American Psychological Association, Division 40 (Clinical Neuropsychology)
  • Division 40 of the American Psychological Association, the Division of Clinical Neuropsychology, is a scientific and professional organization of psychologists interested in the study of brain-behavior relationships, and the clinical application of that knowledge to human problems.
• National Resource Center on LGBT Aging
  • A technical assistance resource center aimed at improving the quality of services and support offered to lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender older adults.
• Provider – Evaluate and Treat Form (formerly Neuropsychological Evaluation Referral Form)
  • Clear and specific referral questions are essential if a neuropsychological evaluation is to be effective and answer the questions of concern. Often evaluation reports are less than useful because the questions that need to be answered were not clearly defined or communicated. This form was developed by the Colorado Springs Gero Consortium to improve communication between those seeking an evaluation and those performing the evaluation of an older adult who may be demonstrating signs of cognitive impairment. The form is the result of a collaborative effort by lawyers, a neuropsychologist, psychologist, social worker, and a judge. Use of this form will help ensure that the evaluator has all the information necessary for an effective neuropsychological evaluation of an older adult and that the final evaluation report provides useful answers to relevant questions regarding functional abilities, optimum living environment, and legal competencies.
• New Online Resource on Assistive Technology for Persons with Dementia
  • AT Dementia is a new online information resource on assistive technology for people with dementia and their caregivers. The website, developed by Trent Dementia Services Development Center (UK), includes perspectives on assistive technology's benefits and limitations, its ethical use, and current research and new technologies in development. It also includes information on how to obtain assistive technology and a searchable product database.
• Office on Aging
  • The Office on Aging is a coordination point for APA activities pertaining to aging and geropsychology (the field within psychology devoted to older adult issues).
• Service and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders (SAGE)
  • SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources for LGBT older adults and their caregivers, advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBT older people, and provides training for aging providers and LGBT organizations, largely through its National Resource Center on LGBT Aging.
     
• UCCS Gerontology Center - Professional Advancement Certificate in Gerontology

• "Caregiving: From Mystery to Meaning" — Sara Honn Qualls, Ph.D.
• "Caregiving with Self-Compassion" — Magdalene Lim, Psy D
• "Low Stress Nutrition" — Frances Treat, RD

CAREGIVER

• Caregiver Therapy-HealthCircle Background Form
• Complaint Policy

OTHER

• Therapy-HealthCircle Background Form

• Memory Clinic-HealthCircle Background Form
• Memory Clinic Mailing Packet Letter

• Neuropsychological Evaluation-HealthCircle Background Form
• Neuro Eval Mailing Packet Cover Letter (Fee Clients)
• Neuro Eval Mailing Packet Cover Letter (Insurance Clients)
• Clinical Neuropsychology Guide

• Notice of Privacy Practices
• Authorization to Release Records and Information
• Provider – Evaluate and Treat Form
• Client Consent for In-Person Services During COVID-19 Crisis
• Client Consent to Telehealth

Student services are provided on a low-fee sliding scale or at no cost.

Medicare is accepted for services provided by a licensed psychologist.