She received her MSSW from the Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work at t eh University of Louisville, and her PhD in Social Welfare from the University of Washington (Seattle). Her research efforts to date have enhanced understanding of three aspects of caregiving that have emerged as unique areas of inquiry: positive aspects of caregiving, transitions in caregiving, and men as caregivers. She is currently engaged in research on innovations and enhancements to end-of-life care. Her clinical experiences have been in multiple settings including hospitals, nursing homes, family practice clinics, and community-based social service agencies. She team teaches a course on Family Caregiving, and teaches other graduate social work courses on the topics of grief and loss, and gerontological social work practice.