Adriana Perez, an assistant professor in the department of family and community health in the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, was recently presented with the Research Recognition Award from the National Hispanic Council on Aging. The award recognizes Dr. Perez for her dedication and research to improve the lives of Hispanic older adults, their families, and caregivers.
Dr. Perez’s work focuses on programs to increase physical activity among older Latinos. As one of the most sedentary older racial/ethnic groups, older Latinos experience multi-level barriers to physical activity, including cost, environmental factors, safety concerns, and lack of social networks. Few physical activity interventions are designed for older Latinos and there is strong evidence that increasing physical activity reduces the risk of cognitive decline among previously sedentary individuals.
“I am deeply honored to have my research recognized by NHCOA, a leading organization that advocates for the community that is the central focus of my work,” said Dr. Perez. “This is even more special because I was nominated by the Alzheimer’s Association, an important national partner in research and policy. This award has been made possible by the amazing research team I am proud to be part of here at Penn and the participants in our study.”
Dr. Perez joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania in 2015. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a master’s degree in nursing, and a Ph.D. In nursing and healthcare innovation, all from Arizona State University.