Dutch Kastenbaum Outstanding Gerontologist Award

2025 Nominations will be open in late Fall 2024

Dutch Kastenbaum Outstanding Gerontologist Award
The Minnesota Gerontological Society established the Outstanding Gerontologist Award in 1984 to recognize individuals who have contributed to lives of older persons throughout Minnesota. Contributions can be made to the field of aging through practice, research, or academics. In 1998 the award was renamed the Dutch Kastenbaum Award to honor Abraham “Dutch” Kastenbaum.  Kastenbaum was trained as a social worker, and was a champion in beginning service programs for older people. He later became a celebrity with his weekly television show, Senior Citizen’s Forum, which ran for almost 25 years. To honor his memory, the Minnesota Gerontological Society receives nominations each year to recognize outstanding gerontologists.

2024 Gerontologist of the Year:

Dr. Tetyana Shippee is a Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. As a social gerontologist, her work focuses on what matters to people as they age, such as improving the quality of life for older adults receiving long-term services and supports (e.g., social engagement, meal enjoyment) and addressing health disparities over the life course.

A growing portion of her work has focused on improving long-term care for persons with diagnoses of Alzheimer’s or other dementia (AD/ADRD), with the focus on quality of life and addressing disparities in care for those with AD/ADRD and their caregivers. Dr. Shippee is an expert in quality and equity in long-term services and supports (assisted living, nursing homes, home and community-based services), with interdisciplinary training and expertise in gerontology and sociology. Her work aims to inform policy and practice in transforming how long-term care is delivered. She applies quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches to survey and administrative data and intervention design. She also has extensive experience with multilevel modeling and complex data structures. Key concepts in her work include cumulative inequality theory, which she co-developed, and person-centered measures, including QOL. 

Based on her expertise Dr. Shippee frequently speaks on topics related to:

• Racial/ethnic equity in long-term care

• Racial disparities in nursing homes and system-level strategies to address them

• Racial disparities in home and community-based services and system-level strategies to address them

• Quality of Medicaid home and community-based services

• Why quality of life is important in long-term care and how to promote it

Last, but not least, Dr. Shippee was awarded the Gerontologist of the Year award at MGS’ 48th conference.

Past Award Winners

• 2023 Pat Samples
• 2022 Tom Hyder and Sue Humphers-Ginther
• 2021 Lori Vrolson
• 2020 John Brose
• 2019 George Schoephoerster
• 2018 Patti Cullen
• 2017 Helen Kivnick
• 2016 Olivia Mastry
• 2015: Jean K. Wood and Jim Tift
• 2014: Elaine Carlson
• 2013: Dawn Simonson
• 2012: Edward Ratner
• 2011: Phyllis Greenberg
• 2010: Hal Freshley
• 2009: Gayle Kvenvold
• 2008: Janet Hively
• 2007: Maddy Forsberg
• 2006: Jeanette Metz
• 2005: Marion Goepner
• 2004: Maria R. Gomez
• 2003: Robert and Rosalie Kane
• 2002: John Selstad
• 2001: Warren Wolfe
• 2000: Larhae Knatterud
• 1999: Pamela Parker
• 1998: Ken Hepburn
• 1997: Janet Woodhull and Iris Freeman
• 1996: Gerald Bloedow
• 1995: Abraham Kastenbaum
• 1994: Muriel Ryden
• 1993: Donna Walberg and Steven Miles
• 1992: Donald McTavish and David Knopmaan
• 1991: Doug Hanneman
• 1990: Nancy N. Eustis
• 1989: Elva Walker
• 1988: Raye Kreevoy and Cynthia Polich
• 1985: Grace Warfield and Norm Bourestom
• 1984: Etta Saloshin