Dr. Kathleen O’Rourke
Vice President, SILC
Dr. O’Rourke has 20-years of professional expertise in the discipline of gerontology/aging studies, as well as direct outreach experience with older adults and caregivers of aging family members. Dr. O’Rourke holds a Ph.D. (1999) in Family Studies with a specialization in Gerontology from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. She has conducted research focused on: behavioral observational analysis of older adults with dementia and related cognitive impairments; assessment of employee caregivers’ work/life balance and evaluation of caregivers’ employee productivity levels; analysis of portrayals and stereotypes of older adults in popular media; and assessment of the impact of environmental organization on behaviors of older adults with dementia and related cognitive impairments. At Eastern Illinois University, Dr. O’Rourke has taught gerontology/aging studies-focused graduate and senior-level courses for 14 years and her most recent courses include: Consumer Management Problems of Older Persons; Societal Aspects of Aging; Aging and the Family; Family Stress and Resilience; and Research Methods.