Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine
David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA

Project Title: Improving Post-surgical Cognitive Outcomes in Limited English Proficient Older Adults: A Pilot Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial 

Mentors:
Catherine Sarkisian, MD, MSHS - UCLA
Robert Whittington, MD, - UCLA
Marcia Russell, MD - UCLA
Maxime Cannesson, MD, PhD – UCLA

Multidisciplinary Expertise:
Perioperative outcomes in older adults, perioperative neurocognitive disorders, language equity

Project Description:
Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders (PND) are the most common postoperative complication in older adults. At the same time, racial and ethnic minority groups and those with limited English proficiency (LEP) are the largest growing demographic in the US. Yet nearly every study on POD and subsequent cognitive decline excludes those that do not speak English. Dr. Canales has developed the Perioperative Care Partner Program (PCPP), that combines established strategies for risk reduction and early diagnosis with cultural and linguistic competence to diminish the risk of POD within this vulnerable population.