Q: What interests you about the field of geriatrics?

A: I'm very interested in the determinants of healthy aging, and to what extent healthy aging is controlled by genetic versus environmental factors. In the research presented at this meeting, we found that women whose parents survived to age 90 or older had a survival advantage compared to women whose parents didn't survive as long. Our preliminary research also indicates that women with long-lived parents also tend to be healthier. The reasons for this familial aggregation of successful aging are not clear - it could be genetic or environmental or some of both.

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

A: I'm a Ph.D. student in epidemiology, so unfortunately, I don't have the chance to interact with geriatric patients on a daily basis. However, I work part-time with the Study of Osteoporotic Fracutres (SOF) and the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study, two large cohorts of older men and women designed to examine risk factors for fractures, osteoporosis, and other conditions of aging. The staff from our clinical centers share anecdotes about the dedicated participants for these important studies. The approximately 4000 active participants in the SOF study are now at least 83 years old, and the dedication these women have shown to this research for nearly 20 years is remarkable. Some women who have moved away from their clinical center will commute hundreds of miles to attend a study visit!

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

A: The most important issue facing caregivers is the changing demographics of the aging society. Projections indicate that the number of individuals over age 65 in the United States will double by the year 2030. A shift in the way caregivers view older persons and their needs must take place in order for our society to manage this change successfully.

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

I hope that my research will benefit the field of geriatrics by elucidating the pathways of healthy aging, whether they are environmental or genetic. The more pathways towards healthy aging that are identified, the better the chance that we'll be able to identify more ways for more people to achieve this goal.