Dr. Sara Sanders works in the area of gerontology and end-of-life. She obtained her Bachelor of Social Work from St. Olaf College in 1994, Master of Social Work degree from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in 1995, and her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 2002. Her research interests pertain to grief and loss reactions in caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and other terminal health conditions, hospice care for individuals with end-stage dementia, and interventions for strengthening practice with older adults with Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Dr. Sanders has a growing interest in elder abuse and the examination of sudden and unexpected death in older adults that may be linked to abuse. Clinically, Dr. Sanders has worked as a hospice social worker and a chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Research Interests

Caregiving for aging individuals; Alzheimer's disease; grief and loss; death and dying; social work education

Teaching Areas

Social Work Processes; Human Behavior in the Social Environment; Grief Therapy; Introduction to Social Work; Basic Aspects of Aging; Death and Dying