Q: What interests you about the field of geriatrics?

A: My interest in geriatrics arose amidst the despair of medical school biochemistry. I had begun to wonder whether medical training was geared towards creating healers or fat metabolism researchers. It was during that time that I attended my first Geriatrics Interest Group meeting, which reminded me why I entered the medical profession in the first place. Beginning with that meeting, and continuing throughout all my geriatric experiences, I have uncovered three themes that resonate with me and drive my interest in geriatrics: Firstly, I enjoy talking with older persons, hoping to cull some sort of insight into life from their experiences filled with honor. Secondly, I am drawn to the humanism, care, and patience that geriatrics demand. Finally, geriatric medicine, as a result of co-morbid medical conditions and unusual presentation, offers unique intellectual challenges that hopefully never get routine.

Q: Can you share a short story about something interesting that happened to you during your work with geriatric patients?

A: One of the most enjoyable aspects of my research project is I get to conduct in-depth interviews with my older participants. During one interview, as an aside, the woman mentioned that, ever since her husband passed away, she has had a difficult time meeting older men even though she felt she had so much to offer older them. How could I give her hope without sounding trite? Not knowing much about the older adult dating scene, I thought my best bet would be to introduce her to the new wave of matchmaking: on-line dating. We logged on to an Internet dating site, which asked us the age range of men we wanted to search for. We both agreed that, although she was in her 70's, she could easily handle both older and younger men; thus, we entered "60-80." I had a deep-seated fear that our search for older on-line men might come up empty, but the results page was, well, stacked. "Oooh, I like him," she oogled at one silver-haired gentleman. Not knowing how to use a mouse, I helped her click away at the pictures and profiles of bachelors number 1, 2, 5, and 10. She asked if she could come back to the doctor's office to search for men every week! I recommended she try the public library. She left with renewed confidence and hope that her next companion is out there. I left thinking that maybe this could be the next "big thing" for older persons in search of love.

Q: What do you see as the most important issue facing caregivers (either professional or family members) for older persons today?

A: Although my research did not focus on caregiving per se, I did interview older persons who were also caregivers to spouses or other family members. From these conversations, I realized that one of the most important issues for caregivers is maintaining a balance between the needs of their charge and their own needs. Participants would report that caring for their charges made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to concentrate on their own health, which, in my study, revolved around managing their chronic pain. While this selflessness is definitely understandable and admirable, I worry that this behavior will hurt, not only themselves, but also their charge in the long run. Hopefully, health providers and researchers sensitive to this issue can partner with caregivers to brainstorm strategies to establish more of a balance and strengthen the caregiver/caregivee relationship.

Q: How do you hope that your research will benefit the field of geriatrics?

A: Chronic pain is an extremely prevalent condition in older persons. Currently, the most widely used treatment is pharmacologic therapy. However, drugs are not always effective and can sometimes lead to adverse side effects, especially in older persons. Non-pharmacologic therapies for chronic pain, including exercise therapy and cognitive behavioral therapies, hold promise as effective and potentially safe treatments for chronic pain in older adults. It is essential that physicians and researchers understand the barriers that make older persons less motivated to trying these therapies. Such information would provide researchers and clinicians with invaluable information to shape studies, customize treatment plans, and ultimately ameliorate chronic pain in the elderly.