2016 Press Releases

New York (May 10, 2016)—As more than 2,000 geriatrics experts prepare to converge on the West Coast to advance quality care for older adults, they will also toast the expanding professional breadth of geriatrics itself: Ellen Flaherty, PhD, APRN, AGSF, a member of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) for nearly two decades, will become the Society’s 63rd President at the start of the 2016 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting, held May 19-21 at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, Calif.

“What a remarkable privilege it is to be named AGS President. I’ve been a proud AGS member for 18 years, and it will be an honor to step into this role as an advocate for geriatrics and for older adults,” said Dr. Flaherty. “I’m particularly proud to be the second nurse member to hold this position. You could say that nursing and geriatrics are in my DNA: both my mother and sister are nurses, and I began my career in geriatrics volunteering in a nursing home as a teenager. It’s been such a rewarding career ever since.”

New York (April 11, 2016)—The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) annually honors researchers, clinicians, educators, and emerging health professionals who have made outstanding contributions to high-quality, patient-centered care for older adults. This year’s award recipients include more than 15 leaders representing the breadth of disciplines championing elder care in the U.S.

Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award for Practicing Doctors

• Laura Iglesias Lino, MD (Baystate Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine)

Choosing Wisely® Champion Awards

• Heidi-Ann Courtney, PA-C (Baystate Medical Center)
• Ariel R. Green, MD, MPH (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Clinician of the Year Award

• Lisa Tank, MD, FACP (Hackensack University Medical Center; Rutgers New Jersey Medical Center)

Clinical Student Research Award

• Margaret Puelle, BS (University of Michigan)

David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award

• Thomas T. Yoshikawa, MD, AGSF (Editor-in-Chief, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society; Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Health Care System; University of California at Los Angeles; Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science)

Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award

Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act has passed the U.S. Senate and will now be sent to President Obama for his signature, ending a long gap in affirming important programs serving older adults.

New York (April 8, 2016)–Representing nearly 6,000 healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older adults, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) commends the U.S. Senate on passing a House-amended version of the Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Act of 2015, key legislation to deliver social and protective services to older Americans through 2018.

Introduced by U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in 2015, the bill will strengthen landmark legislation originally passed in 1965—and overdue for reauthorization since 2011. Among other objectives, the legislation aims to address elder abuse; evidence-based care; effective coordination of services at the federal, state, and local levels; and several other challenges confronting older Americans and their healthcare professionals.

“The OAA reflects our national commitment to protect and provide for generations of older Americans who helped shape the society we now share,” said AGS CEO Nancy E. Lundebjerg, MPA. “It’s important that all branches of government stand behind legislation like the OAA, which reflects the attention and respect that older adults deserve.”

Overdue since 2011, reauthorization of the Older Americans Act has passed the U.S. House of Representatives; swift passage in the Senate would finally address a long gap in affirming important protections and programs to help older adults live independently.

New York (Mar. 21, 2016)–Representing nearly 6,000 healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older adults, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) commends the U.S. House of Representatives on passing the Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Act of 2015, key legislation to deliver social and protective services to older Americans through 2018.

Introduced by U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in 2015, the bill would strengthen landmark legislation originally passed in 1965—and overdue for reauthorization since 2011. Among other objectives, the legislation aims to address elder abuse; evidence-based care; effective coordination of services at the federal, state, and local levels; and several other challenges confronting older Americans and their healthcare professionals.

“The OAA reflects our national commitment to protect and provide for generations of older Americans who helped shape the society we now share,” said AGS CEO Nancy E. Lundebjerg, MPA. “It’s important that all branches of government stand behind legislation like the OAA, which reflects the attention and respect that older adults deserve.”

New York (Feb. 16, 2016)—A newly updated guide from the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is putting healthcare professionals on the road to success for assessing and counseling older drivers. With older adults accounting for 10 percent of all people injured in traffic crashes annually and 17 percent of annual traffic fatalities, the Clinician’s Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers (3rd Edition)translates research findings and public health initiatives into practical, person-centered advice for safely navigating the open road.

“For all of us, but for Baby Boomers especially, driving is more than just a national pastime and a means for transportation. It’s a reflection of independence, mobility, and freedom,” explains Alice Pomidor, MD, MPH, AGSF, chair of the editorial board that developed the AGS-NHTSA guide. “The main goal of this guide is to help healthcare professionals promote health, independence, and quality of life by preventing crashes and injuries.”

Added Nancy E. Lundebjerg, MPA, AGS CEO: “This guide reflects the fact that many individuals play a role in older adult well-being, and that expert-authored tools, tips, and recommendations can help all healthcare professionals support high-quality, person-centered care in a key focus area: driver safety.”