Olimpia Paun

Olimpia Paun is a Professor at the Rush University College of Nursing, specializing in the Department of Community, Systems and Mental Health Nursing. Her research focuses on the psychological and social challenges faced by caregivers of individuals with dementia, mental health in older adults, and interventions to address social isolation and grief.

• Institution: Rush University, College of Nursing
• Department: Community, Systems and Mental Health Nursing
• Email: olimpia_paun@rush.edu

Research Interests

Paun's work addresses critical areas in geriatric mental health, caregiving, and palliative care. She explores:

• Resilience and grief in dementia caregivers
• Interventions for social isolation in older populations
• End-of-life mental health support
• Racial disparities in caregiving experiences
• Impact of adverse childhood experiences on aging cognition
• Policy changes to improve nursing home and assisted living environments

Scientific Awards

• 2019: Rush Alumni Nurses Association Chair of Health and Aging

Publications

Paun has contributed extensively to nursing literature, with a focus on dementia caregiving, mental health interventions, and policy development. Her recent work includes studies on:

• Resilience in Black/African American caregivers (2025)
• Healthy sleep for ICU family members (2024)
• Neurodegenerative disorder caregiving challenges (2023)
• Social isolation reduction through intergenerational projects (2023)
• Simulation-based dementia caregiver education (2023)
• Substance use disorders in aging populations (2023)
• Biopsychosocial trauma models in women's homelessness (2023)
• End-of-life mental health strategies (2023)
• Advance care planning in nursing homes (2022)
• Grief management in dementia caregiving (2022)
• Mental health nursing research funding priorities (2022)
• Grant acquisition strategies (2022)
• Racial equity policy in healthcare (2022)
• LGBTQ+ geriatric mental health (2022)