faculty portrait if available
Anita Sharma
Professor
School of Behavioral & Social Sci
STRS 151
318-342-1409
ULM logo

Anita Sharma, PhD
Professor, Gerontology
Gero Institute Director

Education

Ph D

1996, Social Work (Direct Practice)
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

MSW

1990, Clinical Social Work
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

MA

1986, Medical and Psychiatric Social Work
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bombay, India

BA

1983, English Literature (Honors)
Delhi University, New Delhi, India

Biographical Sketch

Anita Sharma Ph.D., LCSW, is a Professor and Joseph A. Biedenharn Chair in Gerontology. She is the founding Director of the GERO Institute at ULM. Dr. Sharma is a Gerontologist and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She holds an M.A. in Medical and Psychiatric Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, a prestigious social sciences university in India, a Master of Social Work (clinical practice) and a Doctorate in Social Work (with emphasis on Aging Studies) from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida. 

Dr. Sharma is an avid grant-writer and obtained four state grants during the 2024-25 fiscal year. The grants focus on creating support services for the caregivers of people living with dementia, developing apprenticeship training programs in dementia care and direct support services for older adults, and meeting the mental health needs of grandparents raising abused/neglected grandchildren. She also obtained funding from the Louisiana Board of Regents to create two scholarship programs to recruit students in the field of Gerontology. In the last five years, Dr. Sharma has been awarded nine funded grants.

Dr. Sharma currently serves on the Board of Directors for several organizations including the West Ouachita Senior Center, Louisiana Geriatric Society, Louisiana Alzheimer’s Coalition, and the RAIB Board of the Louisiana Department of Health. She is currently co-chairing the Northeast Louisiana Alzheimer’s Walk Committee. She is also the founding coordinator of the Louisiana Disability Advocacy Network. She is a member of several professional societies and associations including NASW, CSWE, AGHE, and LANA.

Dr. Sharma has created, produced, and hosted two radio programs on the regional affiliate of the National Public Radio (NPR). She currently produces and hosts “Life Transitions,” a program that focuses on issues relating to healthy aging. She has served on the editorial board of several professional journals and two regional newspapers. Dr. Sharma has numerous publications in the fields of Gerontology, family violence, and disabilities. She has made more than 300 professional presentations at various conferences on topics relating to Gerontology and Social Work in the last 30 years. Dr. Sharma is passionately committed to Gerontology education, research, and community outreach initiatives.

In the past, Dr. Sharma has served as the President of the Board of Directors for Families Helping Families and as the Chairperson of the Twin Cities Mayors' Committee for the Disabled.  She has served on the Board of Directors for several organizations including the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity where she chaired the Family Selections Committee and set up guidelines to select families as Habitat partners.  Dr. Sharma was elected the Vice President of American Business Women's Association, Ouachita Chapter and served as the Treasurer for the Joint Council of ABWA of Northeast Louisiana.  She served as the Chairperson of the Minorities Committee for the Mid-South Sociological Association and was a member of the Executive Committee for the Southwestern Sociological Association.  Dr. Sharma has served as the editor of professional newsletters and journals including Forum (MSSA) and Spectrum (a sociology journal).  Dr. Sharma served as a community member on the editorial board of the newspaper, "The News-star" and authored a weekly column for the newspaper on topics relating to public interest.  She produced and hosted a weekly radio show titled "Spectrum" on KEDM public radio, affiliated with NPR and American Public Media.  Dr. Sharma has served as an elected official in the National Disability Organization representing Ouachita Parish.  She is an active member of several community organizations serving the needs of elderly individuals and victims of family violence.

Licensure & Certification

Certified Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care Trainer, NCCDP. (April 2017 - Present)
Master Reviewer Certification, National Quality Matters Program. (March 2012 - Present)
National Peer Reviewer Certification, National Quality Matters Program. (March 2011 - Present)
ADA Training Certificate, ADA National Network. (2007 - Present)
Certificate in Multicultural Counseling, Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development. (2000 - Present)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners. (December 1997 - Present)
Certificat Intermédiaire Avancé, Alliance Française. (1984 - Present)

Research Interests

Dr. Sharma's research interests include: Dementia-care, Geriatrics and Gerontology, Family Violence, Developmental and Physical Disabilities, Mental Health, Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Diversity Issues, and Interpersonal Communication. Dr. Sharma has created an applied research agenda in dementia-care through state and regional funding.

Dr. Sharma is an avid grant-writer and obtained four state grants during the 2024-25 fiscal year. The grants focus on creating support services for the caregivers of people living with dementia, developing apprenticeship training programs in dementia care and direct support services for older adults, and meeting the mental health needs of grandparents raising abused/neglected grandchildren. She also obtained funding from the Louisiana Board of Regents to create two scholarship programs to recruit students in the field of Gerontology. In the last five years, Dr. Sharma has been awarded nine funded grants.

As a faculty at ULM, Dr. Sharma has received twelve research grants from the Louisiana Children's Trust Fund to conduct service-based research in 12 parishes of Northeast Louisiana. She received a grant from the Office of Community Services to develop a training course on Family Violence to be used for state employee training. She also received a grant to develop an online course titled "Social Work Practice With the Elderly" to train professionals and para-professionals. Dr. Sharma received two multi-media grants from the ULM Foundation to enhance classroom teaching. Additionally, she mentors several Emerging Scholars every semester. Dr. Sharma has utilized genetic counseling training to conduct exploratory research in parental relationships with their newborn children with cognitive disabilities.

When Dr. Sharma joined ULM (then NLU) in 1992 as an Assistant Professor, she developed and implemented a unique multi-level "gate-keeping" assessment process in the Social Work program and developed guidelines for the pre-social work major after conducting extensive nation-wide research.  Dr. Sharma presented this research at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting.  Dr. Sharma has written several Instructor's Manuals for well known publishers such as Pearson, Longman, and Springer Publishing Company.  She has completed innumerable book reviews and manuscript reviews. Dr. Sharma prepared a practice workbook for professionals working with victims of violence.  Two of her case studies have been published by Pearson Publications. One of her articles relating to online course designing was used for training purposes by the National Quality Matters Organization.  Dr. Sharma has presented countless number of papers at professional conferences and meetings.  Several of these papers have been published in conference proceedings.

Creative Works

Creation of a New Student Scholarship, Aspiring Gerontologist Education (AGE) Scholarship, Monroe, Louisiana, USA. (October 2020).
Creation and production of a Radio Program, Life Transitions, Monroe, Louisiana, USA. (July 2020).

Recent Publications

(2020). Life Transitions. Monroe, LA: National Public Radio.
Sharma, A. (2020). Elder Abuse and Neglect: An Anthology. San Diego, CA: Cognella.
Sharma, A. (2021). Group Work with Grandparents Raising Grandchildren”. San Diego, CA: Cognella.
Sharma, A. (2020). COVID-19 and Older Adults: Health Issues”. Baton Rouge, LA: Office of Community Partnerships and Health Equity, Louisiana Department of Health.
Sharma, A. (2020). Renaissance. Monroe, LA: ULM Gerontology.
Sharma, A. (2021). Review of the book, Clinical Practice with Older Adults. New York City, NY: Pearson.
Sharma, A. (2021). Review of the book, “Culture, health, and mortality; Illness and endings in a diverse world”. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
Sharma, A. (2020). Review of the book, “Living a Good Life and Death: Contexts of Death, Dying, and Bereavement.”. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.
Sharma, A. (2010). Review of the book "Family Therapy: Concepts & Methods" (Nichols). Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.
Sharma, A. (2006). An Insight into Domestic Violence: A Practice Workbook. Chicago, IL: Independent Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2007). Understanding Interpersonal Violence. Chicago, IL: Independent Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2008). Why Women Stay. Thousand Oaks, CA: Violence Against Women, Sage.
Sharma, A. (2009). Introduction to Social Work (pp. N/A). Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.
Sharma, A. (2008). Teen Dating Violence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Sage.
Sharma, A. (2009). Supplement to the book "Exploring Child Welfare". Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.
Sharma, A. (2009). Supplement to Johnson/Yanca’s “Social Work Practice, Generalist Approach‎. Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.
Sharma, A. (2020). Review of the bookl "Group Work Practice". New York, NY: Pearson Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2010). Don't Let Our Mother Die. New York, NY: Pearson Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2011). Instructor's Manual for Techniques and Guidelines for "Social Work Practice", Eighth Edition. New York, NY: Pearson Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2011). Instructor's Manual for the 12th Edition of "Introduction to Social Work". Boston, MA: Pearson Publications.
Sharma, A. (2012). A review of the book "Social Work Practice: A Generalist Approach". New York, NY: Wadsworth Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2013). A review of the book "An Introduction to Group Work Practice". Boston, MA: Pearson Online Publications.
Sharma, A. (2014). Review of the Book "Outcome-Informed Evidence-Based Practice". Boston, MA: Pearson Online Publications.
Sharma, A. (2016). Review of the Book "Transformative Family Therapy: Just Families in a Just Society". New York, NY: Wadsworth Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2015). A review of the book, "Grief and Loss: Theories and Skills for the Helping Professions". New York, NY: Wadsworth Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2015). Clinical Social Work Practice: An Integrated Approach. New York, NY: Pearson Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2017). How To Be Culturally Competent and Still Be Yourself. New York, NY: Pearson Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2016). Clinical Social Work Practice with Children, Adolescents, and their Families. New York, NY: Pearson Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2021). Working in the Trenches: Life from a Social Work Perspective. New York, NY: Pearson Publishers.
Sharma, A. (2020). Justice Denied: A Critical, Feminist Analysis of Domestic Violence Adjudication in India. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Sharma, A. (2020). Review of the book "Clinical Practice with Older Adults". New York, NY: Pearson Publishers.

Research Grants

Sharma, A. (Principal), "A Comprehensive Training Program for Professionals, Staff, and Caregivers that Provide Services to Individuals with Parkinson's Disease" (Funded), Sponsored By Parkinson's Disease Foundation, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $17,500.00. (February 2021 - Present).
Sharma, A. (Principal), "e-Training and Apprenticeship Program for the Workforce Development of Direct Support Professionals (DSP)" (Funded), Sponsored By Louisiana Board of Regents (LCTCS), External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $6,160.00. (March 2025 - June 2025).
Sharma, A. (Principal), "Education and Support Services for Cognitive and Mental Health Issues When Grandparents Raise Abused/neglected Grandchildren" (Funded), Sponsored By Louisiana Children's Trust Fund, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $7,000.00. (July 2024 - June 2025).
Sharma, A. (Principal), "Meeting the mental health needs of the caregivers of dementia patients through support and education" (Funded), Sponsored By Living Well Foundation, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $13,600.00. (July 2024 - June 2025).
Sharma, A. (Principal), "Forget-Me-Not: An Apprenticeship and Mentoring Program in Dementia- Care" (Funded), Sponsored By Louisiana Board of Regents, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $30,950.00. (July 2024 - June 2025).
Sharma, A. (Principal), "Developing Supportive Services for the Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease" (Funded), Sponsored By Living Well Organization, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $14,700.00. (August 2023 - June 2024).
Sharma, A. (Principal), "Workforce Training in Gerontology via an Apprenticeship Program" (Funded), Sponsored By Louisiana Board of Regents, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $17,300. (February 2021 - 2022).
Sharma, A. (Principal), "Comprehensive Telehealth Wellness and Counseling Services; A Crisis Response to COVID-19" (Funded), Sponsored By Living Well Foundation, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $18,059 (partially funded). (August 2020 - December 2020).
Sharma, A. (Principal), "ADA Training" (Funded), Sponsored By The Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, External to The University of Louisiana at Monroe, $2,200. (September 2017).

Awards & Honors

July 2024 BBB Torch Award for Ethics.

January 2021 Best Exhibit Award.

November 2020 Best Poster Award.

October 2020 Joseph A. Biedenharn Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair in Gerontology.

August 2020 LDH Health Promotion Ambassador.

December 2017 ULM Endowed Professor in Gerontology.

April 2009 Phi Alpha Mentor Recognition Award.

November 2008 Mit Joyner Gerontology Leadership Award.

June 2007 Who's Who Among America's Teachers.

March 2007 Special Recognition Leadership Award.

January 2003 Who's Who for Outstanding College Faculty.

April 2000 Outstanding Honors Colloquium Presenter.

1998 Outstanding Volunteer Award.

1997 Outstanding Teacher Recognition Award.

Courses Taught

FRYS 1001Freshman Year Seminar, 1 course(s)

GERO 1001BASIC ACTIVITY, 2 course(s)

GERO 4011SOCW PRACTICE WITH ELDERLY, 5 course(s)

GERO 4024WOMEN AND AGING, 6 course(s)

GERO 4025SEMINAR IN DEATH AND DYING, 7 course(s)

GERO 4030ELDER ABUSE, 3 course(s)

GERO 4060INTL STUDY: LATIN AMERICA, 3 course(s)

GERO 4085DEMENTIA: PERSON CENT APPR, 4 course(s)

GERO 5010BIOLOGY OF AGING, 7 course(s)

GERO 5012SOCIAL GERONTOLOGY, 7 course(s)

GERO 5020MINORITY HEALTH AND AGING, 5 course(s)

GERO 5032LOSS, GRIEF, BEREAVEMENT, 5 course(s)

GERO 5033GRIEF ASSESS AND INTERVENTION, 5 course(s)

GERO 5040ASSESSMENT IN CASE MGT, 5 course(s)

GERO 5045ETHNIC/CULTURAL VAR SER DEL, 1 course(s)

GERO 5065COMP-BASED AND LONG TERM CARE, 5 course(s)

GERO 5080TOPICS IN GERONTOLOGY, 1 course(s)

GERO 5085THEORIES OF AGING, 5 course(s)

GERO 5087LONG-TERM CARE ADMIN I, 5 course(s)

GERO 5088LONG TERM CARE ADMIN II, 5 course(s)

GERO 5090INTERNSHIP IN GERONTOLOGY, 8 course(s)

GERO 5095SEMINAR IN GERONTOLOGY, 10 course(s)

SOCW 1001INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK, 17 course(s)

SOCW 1002SOCIAL WELFARE AS INSTITUTION, 8 course(s)

SOCW 3003SOCIAL POLICY & SOCIAL WORK, 7 course(s)

SOCW 3005HUMAN BEHAV/SOC ENVIR II, 14 course(s)

SOCW 4003FAMILY VIOLENCE/SOCW PRACTICE, 30 course(s)

SOCW 4004SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL ASPECTS DISAB, 19 course(s)

SOCW 4011SOCW PRACTICE WITH ELDERLY, 9 course(s)