News/Press Releases

• The @AmerGeriatrics names @UTHealth’s Dr. Faith Atai #Geriatrics Clinician of the Year #AGS21 http://ow.ly/DgVN50EkFOG

New York (April 9, 2021)—The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) today named Faith Atai, MD, a skilled clinician and medical administrator with a dedication to teaching geriatrics trainees of all levels, its 2021 Clinician of the Year. An Associate Professor in the Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), as well as Medical Director of the UT Physicians Center for Healthy Aging and the Bayland Geriatric Health Center, Dr. Atai will be honored at the AGS 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS21) May 13-15.

“Our 2021 Clinician of the Year embodies all the best qualities of a geriatrics health professional,” said AGS President Annie Medina-Walpole, MD, AGSF. “Dr. Atai’s colleagues and trainees respect her and her patients trust her because all her work as an administrator, educator, and clinician is in service of providing the best patient care possible.”

• .@AmerGeriatrics honors Dr. Helen Fernandez (@hfernandez01) of @MSHSGeriPalCare for outstanding contributions to #geriatrics education for all healthcare professionals #AGS21 #aging http://ow.ly/D0cv50EiHAg

New York (April 7, 2021)—The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) today announced that Helen Fernandez, MD, MPH, a national geriatrics education leader focused on improving the care of older people, will be honored with the 2021 Dennis W. Jahnigen Award in recognition of her commitment to building the geriatrics health workforce we all need as we age. Director of the Geriatrics Fellowship program and Professor of Geriatrics in the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dr. Fernandez has dedicated her career to improving the care of older adults. In addition to teaching and mentoring young clinicians, Dr. Fernandez has developed and implemented innovative new geriatrics fellowship programs and pathways. Dr. Fernandez will receive her award at the AGS 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS21) taking place May 13-15 (pre-conference day on May 12). 

• .@EllenFlaherty5, Henderson State-of-the-Art Lecturer at @AmerGeriatrics’ #AGS21, sets sight on key priority for us all as we age: collaboration in care #geriatrics http://ow.ly/iVmy50EgSUU 

New York (April 5, 2021)—The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) celebrates Ellen Flaherty, PhD, APRN, AGSF, an Assistant Professor at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine and director of the Dartmouth Centers for Health & Aging who is the recipient of the 2020/2021 Edward Henderson Award for her trailblazing work on interprofessional teams.  Dr. Flaherty will deliver the Society’s Henderson State-of-the-Art Lecture at the AGS 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Conference (#AGS21) on May 13. 

“Across her career, Dr. Flaherty has established herself not only as a champion of the highest standards in geriatric nursing but of the best-coordinated care that health professionals across disciplines can provide,” said AGS President Annie Medina-Walpole, MD, AGSF.  “Passionate and thoughtful, Dr. Flaherty is sure to deliver an inspirational lecture that will illustrate the importance of interprofessional care teams when it comes to improving care for all of us as we age.”

• At #AGS21, UCSF Expert will offer “Confessions of an Unfocused Researcher” on the road to better care as we age #geriatrics #aging http://ow.ly/1X2D50EfnkG

New York (April 2, 2020)—The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and AGS Health in Aging Foundation celebrates Alexander K. Smith, MD, MS, MPH, a Professor of Medicine at UCSF and one of geriatrics’ most influential researchers and advocates, as the recipient of the 2020/2021 Thomas and Catherine Yoshikawa Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement in Clinical Investigation. Dr. Smith will deliver his remarks, “Confessions of an Unfocused Researcher,” at the AGS 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS21) (May 13-15; pre-conference day: May 12).

“Research is the power pushing geriatrics expertise forward, and we need to chart as broad a course as possible because age affects all aspects of life,” said AGS Board Chair Sunny Linnebur, PharmD, FCCP, FASCP, BCPS, BCGP. “Dr. Smith’s career is a prime example of casting a wide net to yield promising approaches to the challenges we know, the opportunities we don’t, and the work that can yield solutions for both.”

• Top-line research presentations at #AGS21 to feature insights into the Alzheimer's brain, a new model for predicting the life expectancy of older adults and older adults’ perspectives on gun retirement http://ow.ly/uT5M50EdtUY

New York (March 31, 2021)—Insights into molecular changes in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, a new model for predicting the life expectancy of older adults with multiple chronic diseases and age-related vulnerability, and older adults’ and healthcare professionals’ perspectives on gun retirement are the subjects of top-line presentations at the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS21) (May 13-15, with pre-conference May 12). Research reviewed at the conference’s Plenary Paper Session (May 13, 11:15 a.m.-12 p.m. ET) represents geriatrics’ most promising scholarship, drawn from a pool of almost 1,000 abstract submissions. This year’s marquee research presentations are:

• At #AGS21, @AmerGeriatrics takes its annual scientific meeting virtual for the first time ever, offering more CME credits & on-demand access to sessions through Aug. 15, 2021

New York (March 29, 2021)— The worlds of work, education, and networking have changed drastically in the past year, and the American Geriatrics Society is evolving with them. For the first time ever in AGS Annual Scientific Meeting history, #AGS21 is going virtual. Taking place May 13-15 (pre-conference May 12), the AGS 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting will present an exciting educational program covering the latest advances in geriatrics research, education, and clinical care to improve the care of us all as we age.

Attendees will enjoy than more 70 pre-recorded symposia, workshops, and sessions with opportunities for real-time Q&A with speakers, a virtual poster gallery, interactive networking events, on-demand access to all educational sessions through August 15, and the ability to earn more continuing education credit than ever before. More than 2,000 nurses, physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants, social workers, researchers, healthcare administrators, journalists, teachers, and advocates are expected to assemble online for the four-day program powered by almost 1,000 abstract submissions. 

Browse some meeting highlights below and visit Meeting.AmericanGeriatrics.org for registration, the full program schedule, and everything else #AGS21.

New York (March 22, 2021) —The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) condemns the escalating violence directed at and ongoing harassment of Asian Americans. We are deeply saddened by the shootings in the Atlanta area that killed eight people, the majority of whom were women of Asian descent. We stand against discrimination, harassment, prejudice, systemic injustice, and violence targeting any individual for their identity.  The AGS is committed to achieving a just society, one where all people are full members of our communities and entitled to equal protection and treatment.  We renew our ongoing commitment to working with other stakeholders on preventing firearms from being used intentionally to cause harm. 

In the short term, we are heartened by the passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 and Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 in the U.S. House of Representatives and call on the Senate to swiftly approve and send these bills to President Biden’s desk for signature. 

About the American Geriatrics Society

In recent letters to @JoeBiden & Congress, @AmerGeriatrics emphasizes the importance of preparing for future public health emergencies, building & maintaining a healthcare workforce equipped to care for us all as we age, and more at the federal level: http://ow.ly/82wV50DCUcK

• .@AmerGeriatrics' new cognitive screening toolkit, providing info about and links to free, open-access tests, is now available on the iGeriatrics app! Check out the desktop version here: http://bit.ly/3p3wf1M #geriatrics

New York (Jan. 19, 2021) —The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) launched its new AGS Cognitive Screening Toolkit on the iGeriatrics app today, introducing an easy-to-access resource that can help clinicians select the appropriate free, open-access cognitive screening test among those identified by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) for use with primary care patients.

Users can browse each of the 10 free cognitive screening tests or narrow their choices using filters based on how the test is administered: whether it evaluates a patient's executive function and/or short-term memory; whether it is simple or challenging to score; and whether it takes less or more than 10 minutes to complete. 

• .@AmerGeriatrics commends the @US_FDA for authorizing 2 #COVID19 vaccines & expresses its support for the @CDCgov #ACIP's recommendations on groups that should be prioritized for #vaccination in the U.S. https://bit.ly/3h6CiiG

New York (Dec. 21, 2020) —The American Geriatrics Society today commends the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its speedy, but thorough and transparent emergency use authorization of two COVID-19 vaccines and expresses its support for the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendations on groups that should be prioritized for vaccination in the initial phases of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program.

“An independent expert advisory board, FDA officials, and members of the ACIP have now vetted the available data for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and the AGS trusts the science behind them. We are happy to note that adults ages 65 and older comprised at least 21 percent of participants in Phase 3 clinical trials, and both vaccines demonstrated at least 86.5 percent efficacy in that age group,” said AGS President Annette Medina-Walpole, MD, AGSF.  “Based on these results, we encourage older adults to get vaccinated when the vaccine becomes available to them.”