Sarah Dys, PhD, MPA, is a research associate at the Institute on Aging at Portland State University with expertise in assisted living, residential care, and memory care communities and resident population health and outcomes. She is an early career member of the Gerontology Society of America, where she has served in leadership roles within the Social Research, Policy, and Practice member section.
Dr. Dys earned her doctorate in Community Health from the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health with a specialization in gerontology. Her professional vision is to center aging in public health discourse, particularly at the intersection of housing, health, and social services provision. She specializes in weaving together quantitative and qualitative methods to tell stories that highlight the voices of those who live and work in long-term services and supports (LTSS).
Current research interests include medication management and administration in congregate care environments, comparative experiences of residents and staff across the LTSS continuum, organizational development, and understanding and intervening on structural determinants of health and well-being.