4. Mind, Mood, and Mobility: Integrating Behavioral Health and Falls Prevention for Older Adults

Dr. Wei-Hsuan “Jenny” Lo-Ciganic is a tenured Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Informatics at the University of Pittsburgh and a Research Health Scientist at the VA Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center in Florida. She is a pharmacoepidemiologist whose work focuses on improving medication safety and prescribing quality for older adults and other populations at high risk for medication-related harms.

Her research uses large real-world healthcare data to address practical questions about how medications affect outcomes such as falls, overdose, and quality of life. She has particular expertise in evaluating antidepressants, opioids, and other commonly prescribed medications among older adults, with the goal of helping clinicians and community partners make safer, more informed treatment decisions.

Dr. Lo-Ciganic leads multiple National Institutes of Health–funded studies that apply advanced analytics, including machine learning, to reduce preventable injuries and improve medication safety. She has authored more than 135 peer-reviewed publications and is deeply committed to translating research findings into actionable guidance for clinicians, community-based organizations, and older adults.

Michael Bauer, MS, is the Director of the Bureau of Occupational Health and Injury Prevention at the New York State Department of Health. He has been working in injury and violence surveillance, epidemiology, and prevention for over 23 years and is committed to moving research to practice, ensuring that evidence-based programs are reaching the appropriate populations. As Bureau Director, he provides leadership, guidance, and direction with a focus on translating data into action. The projects he oversees include older adult fall prevention, motor vehicle safety, adverse childhood experiences, traumatic brain injuries, and self-directed and interpersonal violence. He has co-authored several peer reviewed articles and his work has been presented at numerous national and state conferences. Nationally, he is the Chair of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Injury, Substance Use and Mental Health Steering Committee and a previous president of the Safe States Alliance Executive Committee

Brooklyn born and raised, I am the youngest of four daughters. Unlike my sisters who settled on Staten Island, I stayed in Brooklyn with my husband. My dad was always my guiding light encouraging me to go to college and further my education. He had a long passion to learn and stay fit. At 59 years old he started a new hobby and found joy in tai chi. He enjoyed playing tennis and swimming was always his favorite.

Now I have a passion for learning as well. I worked in Brooklyn as a guidance counselor at a high school for girls for six years and then worked in Manhattan at a public high school for over 20 years and recently retired after 26 years. After 45 years of experience as a college advisor, the most in the inner-city public school system, I discovered that physical and mental health are equally important.

When the global pandemic struck, I discovered the importance of maintaining physical and mental health. I am proud to share my experience and passion for Tai Chi as an integral part of life, reduce falls, and enhance overall well-being. Practicing tai chi has become a cornerstone of my routine.
I am grateful to speak at the Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day.