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From the desk of Dr. Jerry C. Johnson, AGS President:
As we begin laying the groundwork for the year ahead, I'd like to thank the AGS membership for making 2002 a year of great progress and inspiration for the Society. From the first-ever Congressional Visits Program that brought together AGS members and Washington leaders, to the launch of the fifth edition of the Geriatrics Review Syllabus, 2002 was a year of unique achievements and remarkable growth for the American Geriatrics Society. We are pleased to share the following highlights from the past year with our members as they reflect our shared commitment to improving the health and quality of life of older adults.
In May, the American Geriatrics Society released the 5th edition of the Geriatrics Review Syllabus (GRS). The Syllabus is the premier self-assessment program in geriatrics and an outstanding resource for clinicians and educators alike. In fact, the GRS forms the foundation for the Case-based Geriatrics Review: 500 Questions and Critiques from the Geriatrics Review. The Case-based Review was first introduced at a discount to AGS members who purchased the new GRS. This product contains 500 questions from the Syllabus question bank that have been updated to reflect current practice, and offers primary care clinicians a concise and evidence based self-study tool to assist them in their efforts to promote the optimal health, function, and well being of older persons.
2002 also marked the release of the 4th edition of Geriatrics at Your Fingertips, which is rapidly becoming the leading resource for clinicians who care for older adults. Through the generosity of the John A. Hartford Foundation, this book is distributed to third-year medical students, first-year residents (in Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Gynecology, General Surgery, and Emergency Medicine), and advanced practice nursing students entering their clinical year of training across the U.S. The Hartford grant is also funding development of PDA versions of Fingertips for Palm Devices and Pocket PCs for release in 2003. If you have not purchased a copy of Fingertips yet, visit www.geriatricsatyourfingertips.org (free with registration required) to see what it's all about.
The 2002 AGS Annual Meeting brought more than 2,600 geriatric health care providers to Washington, D.C. for four days of educational, scientific, and networking sessions. Thanks to the efforts of our 2002 Annual Meeting Program Committee and the AGS Research Committee, attendees were not disappointed. The high-quality programming ranged from the Plenary Session marking the launch of the AGS Guideline on The Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons, to well-attended paper and poster sessions with presentations on the latest research in aging.
The recommendations presented in The Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons update the AGS guideline released in 1998 to reflect new data on how best to manage pain in older adults. The guideline offers clinicians a guide for assessing the source of a patient's pain through direct observation and patient history, and addresses issues common among older persons, including polypharmacy and the potential for drug interactions.
 In focusing on pain issues unique to the geriatric population and areas that have been omitted or less well developed in previous work, the new guideline will assist clinicians, researchers and legislators to make informed decisions regarding the treatment of pain in older persons. Ultimately, we hope the beneficiaries of this work will be those patients who require effective pain management to maintain their dignity, functional capacity and overall quality of life. The guideline was published in a supplement to the June 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, and is available through the AGS Web site (www.americangeriatric.org).
My AGS: Enhancing Members' Ability to
Care for Older Adults
Officially launched at the end of 2001, My AGS is an Internet-based portal Web site available only to AGS members. The portal offers members a number of benefits. For example, My AGS allows members to exchange ideas with other geriatrics professionals and create personalized "practice" Web sites for use with patients and staff. They can receive up-to-date communications and information from AGS on legislative issues, Society news, and meetings, and have access to streams of health care and other information from top-rated news wires-all delivered directly to members' personalized Web pages!
As of the 4th quarter 2002, nearly half of all AGS members had created their own professional home pages and 85% of those members had also created patient-facing Web sites. As more members begin using My AGS in their day-to-day work, AGS anticipates that the portal will become an integral component of everything we do, helping the Society serve our members by making member participation in Society activities easier and more effective. Visit www.myagsonline.org to view the portal demonstration and see what the excitement is about!
Funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation, the Geriatrics for Specialties initiative seeks to increase the ability of surgical and related medical specialists to care for older adults. Among the project programs and products are:
 Dennis W. Jahnigen
Career Development Scholars Awards
Recognizing the urgent need for leaders in the surgical and related medical specialties who will bring an understanding of the unique characteristics of older patients to surgical training and practice, The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Atlantic Philanthropies funded the first Dennis W. Jahnigen Career Development Scholars Awards in 2002. Ten awards were given to researchers in Anesthesiology, General Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Ophthalmology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Orthopedic Surgery, and Urology for Proposals in falls prevention, vision rehabilitation, incontinence, and a host of other areas that are critical to senior health but poorly represented in surgical research at the national level.
Inaugural Meeting of the AGS Section for
Surgical and Related Medical Specialties
During the 2002 annual meeting, a cadre of geriatrics specialists assembled for a special session called, "The Older Patient: Strategies for Improving Outcomes." Speakers addressed topics such as prevention of post-operative delirium, peri-operative hydration and nutrition, and other aspects of caring for the older surgical patient. The Section had the distinct honor of welcoming former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, MD, ScD, who delivered a lecture entitled "The Golden Years: Are They Just Gold-Plated?"
Geriatrics Syllabus for Specialists (GSS)
The new Geriatrics Syllabus for Specialists (GSS) presents a surgical approach to the older patient and incorporates material from the Geriatrics Review Syllabus and Geriatrics at Your Fingertips. The editors relied on advice and counsel from experts from the following specialties when creating the syllabus: Anesthesiology, Otolaryngology, Emergency Medicine, Orthopaedic Surgery, General Surgery, Gynecology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Thoracic Surgery, Ophthalmology, and Urology.
Congressional Visits Program
AGS' legislative efforts broke new ground during our first AGS Congressional Visits Program (CVP), which took place on Capitol Hill in May. AGS members from a variety of disciplines met with Congressional leaders to urge support for the Geriatric Care Act (S. 2057/H.R. 3027), lobby for increased funding for the geriatric health professions program, and seek changes to the Medicare physician payment update. The positive impact of the AGS Hill visits was evident in the months following the meeting as several legislators agreed to cosponsor the Geriatric Care Act and introduce Medicare legislation that included provisions from the Geriatric Care Act.
 Public Policy Awards
As a component of AGS' legislative and public policy efforts in Washington, the Society created the David H. Solomon Distinguished Public Service Award in 2002 as a way of honoring Dr. Solomon's commitment to community service and increasing our ability to care for older adults. The first recipient was Senator Harry Reid of Nevada. The second highest-ranking Democrat in the U.S. Senate, Senator Reid has long been a supporter of Geriatrics and has pursued Geriatrics-oriented legislation for more than five years, introducing the Geriatric Care Act to the Senate in 2002.
The AGS also created a program to recognize and honor the grassroots work of our state affiliates and individual members. This year, the AGS presented the newly created Public Policy Grassroots Program Award to Charles Cefalu, MD, the Louisiana Geriatrics Society President and an AGS Board Member. The award highlights Dr. Cefalu's tireless efforts in Washington on behalf of the AGS, the Louisiana Geriatrics Society, and Geriatric Medicine as a whole.
The Congressional Visits Program and increased member involvement in advocating for Geriatrics has lead to more members of Congress signing on in support of legislation that will improve care for older adults. AGS Members interested in becoming involved in grassroots efforts can do so by accessing the Legislative Tool Kit that is available through My AGS.
The AGS received extensive national and international media coverage in 2002. The May 2002 release of the clinical practice guideline The Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons received unprecedented attention, including an Associated Press wire story that resulted in more than 150 stories in print, on the radio, and on the Internet over several months following its initial release. The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, CNN, and USA Today all devoted space to the guideline as well.
In 2002, we worked to heighten media interest in research findings published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Our efforts resulted in increased coverage of important advances in our knowledge of caring for older adults with articles in the New York Times and Reuters Health online. This important attention increases our visibility as the premier professional organization of health care providers dedicated to improving the health and well being of all older adults.
The Foundation's initiatives over this past year speak to our firm commitment to enhancing the lives of older adults and their caregivers, and to supporting the research necessary to discover new and innovative means by which seniors may age more healthfully.
Consumer Resources
In a joint project with the AGS, the FHA undertook a campaign to educate older adults about urinary incontinence and to encourage patients to discuss UI with their health care providers. To reach out to the population most affected by UI, we published a two-page public informational about UI in the large print edition of Readers Digest that alerted readers to the availability of patient education materials and tools for managing UI through the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging. During 2002, the UI materials on the FHA Web site were among those that are most often accessed by visitors.
In 2002, the FHA began to enhance Eldercare at Home, a Web-based resource for caregivers. Enhancements include the addition of a fully searchable index to the Web version and development of slide sets that can be used by community-based health educators. We also began to develop an illustrated version of Eldercare at Home to be released in print form in 2003. Designed to reach low-literacy populations, we hope new audiences can benefit from the valuable information contained in this resource, and that it will become an important reference for those who care for older adults.
In conjunction with the release of the AGS guideline on the Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons, the FHA developed several consumer-oriented resources for seniors and caregivers to use with their health care provider when managing persistent pain. Through the FHA Web site and a toll-free call center offered by the Foundation, consumers were able to access several new resources, including a Patient Education Forum entitled Persistent Pain, My Pain Diary, My Medication and Supplement Diary, Know Your Pain Medications, and Assessing Pain in Loved Ones with Dementia.
FHA Physician Referral Service
The FHA Physician Referral Service received widespread publicity when it was featured in the November 2002 issue of AARP's My Generation magazine and, in the same month, the AARP Bulletin. Both pieces generated a marked increase in calls to the FHA call center from consumers seeking geriatricians in their area. For more information about this consumer resource, please visit the FHA Web site. AGS members who are board certified in Internal Medicine or Family Practice and who are interested in participating in the service should contact the AGS member services department.
FHA Launches 'Elder Grace' Photo Series
Chester Higgins' stirring photo series "Elder Grace: The Nobility of Aging" is comprised of life-affirming images and words that reflect the diversity, pride, and beauty of our elder population. The FHA first exhibited the photos during the Presidential Reception at the 2002 AGS annual meeting, and due to the overwhelming response from members and the public, has made a selection of photos from the series available for purchase. Please visit www.healthinaging.org for information on ordering posters for the home or office, or as a gift for family and friends. The pictures featured in this report are from the FHA Poster Series, "Elder Grace: The Nobility of Aging." For more information, or to order the poster series call 1-800-334-1429 x2529.
Research
Each year, the Pfizer/FHA Junior Faculty Scholars Program provides research training opportunities within an academic setting for physicians who wish to pursue original outcomes research in Geriatric Medicine, and through this research, improve the quality of life for older adults. In 2002, Pfizer and the FHA funded research on easing the transition between the hospital and nursing home and improving function in older women.
 3rd Annual Lifetime of Caring Gala
In October, the FHA came together with its supporters and leaders to recognize and
celebrate the year's accomplishments, and to honor those who have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of older adults and their caregivers. Renowned poet Dr. Maya Angelou accepted the 2002 FHA Lifetime of Caring Award, a tribute to individuals who, through extraordinary personal example or exemplary public service, philanthropy or research, have made a significant contribution to care, not only for our older loved ones, but also for ourselves as we age.
Mr. Fred Hassan, Chairman and CEO of Pharmacia Corporation and Ms. Carrie Cox, President of Global Prescriptions, Pharmacia Corporation, received the FHA's Discovery Award, in recognition of Pharmacia's commitment to research that has enhanced the health of older adults. The Gala Chair was Mr. Alex Gorksy, President, Janssen Pharmaceutica, and Ms. Karen Katen, President, Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals, served as Gala Co-Chair.
For more information about the Foundation for Health in Aging, please visit the Web site at www.healthinaging.org.
Founded in 1990 by a small group of AGS leaders dedicated to expanding the field of geriatrics, the Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs (ADGAP) is dedicated to providing support to teaching programs in Geriatric Medicine within accredited U.S. medical schools, and to directors of academic geriatric programs in order to improve patient care and research in Geriatric Medicine. In 2001, ADGAP became a supporting foundation of the American Geriatrics Society.
ADGAP published a landmark report in 2002 called Geriatric Medicine Training and Practice in the United States at the Beginning of the 21st Century. The results of a study funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and conducted by ADGAP member Gregg Warshaw, MD and researchers at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the report establishes benchmarks for the geriatrics field and identifies strategies for developing academic geriatric medicine now and in the future. A chapter from the report appeared in the November issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The full report can be found on the AGS Web site.
With funding from the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, ADGAP commenced three new projects in 2002. First, the Hartford Geriatrics Leadership Scholars Program was established to help recipients develop leadership skills through intensive, formal training and mentoring by senior geriatrics leaders. Another Hartford-funded project, Developing a New Generation of Academic Programs in Geriatrics, was created to bolster geriatrics programs at academic health centers that have demonstrated a commitment to the field, but have not yet been recognized as centers for excellence.
And finally, the Reynolds Foundation has also made a grant to ADGAP to create an online clearinghouse for geriatrics educational materials. The clearinghouse will serve as a central resource for educators to find and share educational tools geared toward increasing knowledge and awareness of topics related to care for older adults. The Foundation has also funded a series of annual meetings of its grantees that ADGAP will organize and host.
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