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Geri Spotlight: Michi Yukawa and Helen Kao
The Geriatrics Spotlight initiative fosters community building within the Division, especially during this age of hybrid/remote work where it can be challenging to find ways to interact with colleagues outside of your immediate teams. This is a way for Division members to learn more about all the wonderful work we’re doing!
This week, we get to know our division members, Michi Yukawa and Helen Kao.

Title: Medical Director of Short-stay Unit, San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living
Joined Division: 2010
Work site(s): SFVAHCS, SFCJL
Email: michi.yukawa@ucsf.edu
Interviewed by Helen Kao over Zoom.
About Michi’s Role/Ongoing Projects
Michi is currently engaged in a research project focused on the transition of care, specifically examining how discharge instructions are implemented at SFCJL. She is also participating in an MS3 clerkship at Parnassus to gain insights into post-acute care and long-term care, where she teaches about practices in post-acute care. These projects support the division's mission by optimizing care transitions and improving the implementation of discharge orders. Additionally, they aim to educate medical students about post-acute care earlier in their training, having previously worked with MS4 students.
Her favorite aspect of her position is teaching fellows about medical directorship and skilled nursing rehabilitation.
What is a professional goal you would like to accomplish by the end of this year?
Michi's professional goal for this year is to roll out the MS3 education beyond Parnassus and to the VA.
More about Michi
What’s one “fun fact” about you that not many people know? (e.g., hidden talent)
Michi loves to cook and loves to watch professional sports. Her son used to play baseball!
What are you happiest doing in your free time?
Michi enjoys hiking and walking!
What is the best advice you've ever heard?
"Embrace change. Change is Inevitable. Do the best we can because the work will still be there tomorrow."
Who is someone you admire, and why?
Michi admires Mother Theresa and Jimmy Carter.
What are some causes you care about?
Michi is deeply interested in long-term acute care and the transition of care from LTC back to the community. She has also been involved with the LTC Coalition in San Francisco for some time.
What would your back-up career be?
Michi would love a catering job since she loves cooking. She also loves to plan parties!

Title: Adjust Professor at UCSF. Medical director of clinical innovation for Lumina Hospice and Palliative Care.
Joined Division: 2007
Work site(s): UCSF Parnassus and from home in Corvallis, Oregon
Email: helen.kao@ucsf.edu
Interviewed by Michi Yukawa over Zoom.
About Helen’s Role/Ongoing Projects
Helen is currently piloting a house call program in Corvallis. The first patient was enrolled in October 2023, with a public launch planned for March 2024. Her goal is to enroll 50 patients by the end of this year. At present, only Dr. Kao is conducting the house calls, but they hope to hire a new provider next year. Another of her clinical projects is a palliative care case management service in Corvallis. These initiatives align with the division's mission of Clinical Care, providing primary and palliative care for older adults, which did not previously exist in Corvallis, OR.
Her favorite aspect of her position is working within an organization that has an extremely supportive Board of Directors and a close relationship with the community. She appreciates the positive work environment and finds living in Oregon to be a significant improvement for her. While she faces challenges such as a lack of resources and the need to secure funding to support her clinical needs, she still enjoys working in Corvallis.
What is a professional goal you would like to accomplish by the end of this year?
Helen's professional goals for this year include enrolling 50 patients in the Care at Home program, securing grant funding to expand the program next year, and hiring another provider trained in palliative and geriatric care.
More about Helen
What’s one “fun fact” about you that not many people know? (e.g., hidden talent)
A fun fact about Helen is that she is still running and is training to do the Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier in the fall of 2024. She also started singing again in 2022 and currently sings in a choir. Additionally, she hopes to audition for a musical theater production.
What are you happiest doing in your free time?
Helen enjoys spending time with her children, running, and singing.
What is the best advice you've ever heard?
“Don't let perfection be the enemy of good.”
“Speak up because you have good ideas.”
“Don't do things in parallel if you can do it in sequence.”
Who is someone you admire and why?
Helen admires her patients and their partners.
What are some causes you care about?
Helen was on the Board of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care in Oregon and is deeply committed to optimizing the care of older adults in the community. She would like to make Corvallis into an Age Friendly Community.
What would your back-up career be?
If she weren't in her current role, Helen would be an occupational therapist or a speech-language pathologist. She also dreams of running a dog rescue organization for older dogs.
What else would you like us to know about you?
Helen finds living and working in Corvallis, Oregon, to be awesome and encourages others to join her there.