The aging of the American population has been striking for some time and will become positively explosive after 2010 when the first "class" of the baby boom generation reaches retirement age. But despite what demographers, economists and the health policy experts have been saying for years, our nation remains far too ill equipped to respond effectively to this unprecedented "demographic imperative".

During the last quarter of a century the field of Geriatrics has enjoyed a period of sustained achievement that can be justly called a renaissance - for the explosion of excellence in its basic scientific knowledge, for the proven effectiveness of its clinical interventions, and for its creative, big picture and inclusive approach to health care delivery. And at every step of the way, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has provided this Geriatrics Renaissance with critical leadership and support. However, even with its very best efforts, the AGS came to realize that alone it could not hope to close the huge gap between what Geriatrics now knows and what the current health care system is able to offer older adults. That is why the AGS reached beyond its traditional role as a professional clinical society in 1999 to established the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA).

At the heart of our vision for the Foundation is the conviction that Geriatrics -- with its fundamental patient-centeredness, and its multidisciplinary, integrated and systems- oriented approach to care - has something very vital and important to contribute to making our nation better. And, if we are to succeed, the FHA must become a forum where diverse individuals and interests - from geriatrics researchers and clinicians, older adults and their caregivers, to leaders in industry, philanthropy, public policy and public service -- can find common ground in order to respond to a common purpose - more social support, better medical care, and higher quality of life for all older adults.

At the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging we know that in order to move forward we must build upon the pioneering work of others - such as those we now honor each year at our annual Lifetime of Caring Award - who add continually to our knowledge of how to care better not only for our elders, but for ourselves as we grow older. We take very seriously our responsibility to advance and disseminate that knowledge as widely as we can.