AMERICUS, GA (July 26, 2022) – The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers (RCI) has announced Dr. Toni P. Miles will join the organization as Visiting Scholar – a position made possible by the John and Betty Pope Endowed Fund. Currently serving as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Miles brings a wealth of expertise in the fields of caregiving, geriatrics, chronic diseases, health disparities, and bereavement. In her role, Dr. Miles will advise on a broad portfolio of RCI programs and initiatives, while building the partnership between RCI and Morehouse College.
As Visiting Scholar, Dr. Miles will work with RCI to:
- Provide leadership in the design and implementation of RCI’s Caregiver Data Platform – the first of its kind in the U.S.
- Lead research on the impact of bereavement on caregivers, starting in Georgia
- Support the development of RCI’s first grassroots advocacy network, the 4Kinds Network
- Support advocacy efforts at the intersection of caregiving, aging, mental health, and public health
- Present and publish project research outcomes in partnership with RCI
- Engage in thought leadership initiatives with RCI to advance caregiver health
Dr. Miles is a physician and epidemiologist by training, and her expertise has been recognized with Fellow status in both the Gerontological Society of America and the American Association of Public Health. Since 2010, she has focused on the health effects of bereavement. In 2020, she completed the first ever state-wide survey of new bereavement in Georgia, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Retirement Research Foundation. Based on these data, Georgia is now poised to lead the nation in policies to reduce the negative impacts of grief and loss.
In addition to her recent work in bereavement, Dr. Miles has authored more than 200 publications, including this paper about the connection between bereavement and healthcare utilization:
Miles TP, et al (2016). In a Longevity Society, Loss and Grief Are Emerging Risk Factors for Health Care Use: Findings From the Health and Retirement Survey Cohort Aged 50 to 70 Years. American J Hospice & Palliative Medicine 33(1), 41-46. doi:10.1177/1049909114552125
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About the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers
The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers was established in 1987 by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter to promote the health, strength, and resilience of caregivers throughout the United States. RCI fulfills its promise to champion the family caregiver by building cross-sector partnerships, developing and providing evidence-based programs and advocating for public policy.