Vital Connections in Long-Term Care Spiritual Resources for Staff and Residents By Julie Barton, M.A., Marita Grudzen, M.H.S., and Ron Zielske, M.Div.

Julie Barton, M.A.

Julie Barton, M.A., is a consultant in the field of gerontology and is an adjunct faculty member in the Religious Studies Department at Santa Clara University, California.

Julie has been active in the field of gerontology for more than 25 years. At Santa Clara University, she developed a Religious Studies course titled “The Spiritual Journey of Aging.” She has also taught “Aging and Mental Health” at San José State University and “The Psychology of Multigenerational Families” at Santa Clara University.

As a result of her work with the growing number of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren and her increasing concern about elder abuse in any setting, Julie designed classes for the California State Board of Corrections on juveniles living in grandparent-headed households and on elder abuse.

Julie has been an adult education teacher in retirement and long-term care facilities, specializing in drama and poetry therapy. As supervising case manager and program director for two aging services at Catholic Charities in San José, California, she designed and implemented a volunteer respite care program for family caregivers and went on to offer elder care planning services to a number of corporations.

Julie is also a board member of the Center for Gerontology, Spirituality and Faith, which sponsors numerous spirituality and aging, and she has frequently been a presenter at the annual meetings of the American Society on Aging.

Marita Grudzen, M.H.S.

Marita Grudzen, M.H.S., is the Associate Director of the Stanford Geriatric Education Center and Lecturer and Training Program Officer in the Division of Family and Community Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, California.

A founding member of Stanford Geriatric Education Center, Marita now plans and implements multidisciplinary trainings in ethnogeriatrics and is a frequent presenter for national and regional professional organizations and conferences.

Marita is co-author of a chapter in Aging and the Meaning of Time: A Multidisciplinary Exploration by Susan H. McFAdden and Robert C. Atchley (Springer, 2001) and is a frequent contributor to publications in the field of gerontology.

Marita has co-chaired several regional conferences at Stanford University including “Cultural Diversity and End-of-Life Issues” and “Spirituality and Aging.” She is chair of the Advisory Council for the Center for Gerontology, Spirituality and Faith and is an adjunct faculty member at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.

As Lecturer and Academic and Research Training Program Officer for the Center for Education in Family and Community Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Marita develops curricula and coordinates preclinical courses and clerkships in family practice for Stanford medical students. She and her collaborator, Bruce Feldstein M.D., were awarded the Templeton Award in 2001 for the medical school curriculum they developed titled “Spirituality and Meaning in Medicine.”

Marita’s work and writing are also influenced by her former roles as a Maryknoll Sister (1959-1967), the co-president of national leadership in the Federation of Christian Ministries (1974-1978), and a respiratory therapist and manager in acute and long-term care settings (1974-1979).

Ron Zielske, M.Div.

Ron Zielske, M.Div., is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunny View Lutheran Home and an adjunct faculty member at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, California.

Ron has been in leadership positions at Sunny View Lutheran Home for more than 25 years. Prior to being at Sunny View Lutheran Home, he served as a parish pastor for 10 years.

Ron is a licensed nursing facility administrator and a licensed administrator for residential care facilities for older adults in California. He is also a founding member of the Center for Gerontology, Spirituality and Faith and has served on several other boards relating to aging and spirituality issues.

Ron is currently a member of the advisory board for the Center for Aging, Religion, and Spirituality. He has presented workshops for various organizations including the American Society on Aging and the California Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.