Week In Review

The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) this week released two important funding opportunities—both critical to the future of the geriatrics workforce, and both representing hard work and advocacy on behalf of the AGS and our members. Learn more below about new grants supporting the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) and the Geriatrics Academic Career Award (GACA) Program.

2019 Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP)—Funding Opportunity HRSA-19-008

The purpose of this cooperative agreement program is to establish and operate geriatrics education centers that will implement the GWEP project to develop a healthcare workforce that maximizes patient and family engagement and improves health outcomes for older adults by integrating geriatrics and primary care. Special emphasis is on providing the primary care workforce with the knowledge and skills to care for older adults and partnering with community-based organizations to address gaps in healthcare for older adults, promote age-friendly health systems and dementia-friendly communities, and address the social determinants of health.

Eligible applicants are accredited health professions schools and programs. Click here to learn more.

 2019 Geriatrics Academic Career Awards (GACA)—Funding Opportunity HRSA-19-007

The purpose of the GACA Program is to support the career development of junior faculty in geriatrics at accredited schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, nursing, social work, psychology, dentistry, pharmacy, or allied health. Faculty with expertise in geriatrics are needed to train the workforce and provide specialized care to improve health outcomes for older adults. Through this notice of funding opportunity, career development awards will be made to support individual junior faculty who will provide interprofessional clinical training and become leaders in academic geriatrics. 

Eligible applicant organizations must submit a separate application on behalf of each eligible individual applying for a GACA. Click here to learn more.

Trained as a geriatric oncologist, Dr. Hurria joined the AGS in 2006 and championed some of our most influential programs connecting colleagues outside geriatrics to our principles, and to the rewards of supporting health, safety, and independence for us all as we age. Dr. Hurria was Chair of the AGS Cancer and Aging Special Interest Group and our Medical Subspecialties Section. Most recently, she also served as Principal Investigator for an AGS grant from the National Institutes of Health supporting our U13 conference series targeting awardees in the Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Specialists’ Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) program. This grant epitomized Dr. Hurria’s interest, enthusiasm, and collaborative spirit.

“It was my privilege to serve as Arti’s mentor for many years, and I have never seen a person who combined scientific excellence, compassion, selflessness, and total likeability to the extent she did,” observed Harvey Jay Cohen, MD, AGSF, a former president of the AGS. “Arti was a force of nature who was able to marshal support from diverse communities through her strong but never-pushy will. She was able to bring people together like very few I have known.”

Like the GEMSSTAR scholars and countless colleagues and trainees she supported, Dr. Hurria believed deeply in the need to infuse geriatrics into all specialties. She not only put that belief into action but also became a model for making it a priority, working with colleagues at the AGS and in geriatrics, oncology, and beyond to identify areas of high priority and to refine approaches to aging across clinical care, research, and education. She was an ardent champion for team-based care and for integrating geriatrics principles into clinical care so that we could all receive person-centered, high-quality care as we age. 

“We mourn the loss of a true geriatrics advocate, champion, and friend,” noted Nancy E. Lundebjerg, MPA, AGS CEO. “I feel lucky to have counted Arti as a friend and mentor, and am comforted that so many of us have benefitted from Arti’s influence and example. Together, we will work to make her vision a reality.”

Dr. Hurria was Director of the Center for Cancer and Aging and George Tsai Family Chair in Geriatric Oncology at City of Hope in Duarte, Calif. With a focus on improving chemotherapy treatments and quality of life for older oncology patients, Dr. Hurria was honored with multiple awards across her career, including the International Society of Geriatric Oncology’s Paul Calabresi Award, the Paul B. Beeson Career Development Award in Aging, and the Frederick Stenn Memorial Award for Humanism in Medicine. Dr. Hurria completed her internship at Beth Israel Medical Center, her residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and her fellowships in geriatrics and oncology at the Harvard Geriatrics Fellowship Program and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, respectively. Learn more about Dr. Hurria in this retrospective from City of Hope.

#AGS18 was a record-breaking year for abstract submissions, with 1,049 submissions! Let's keep that momentum going for #AGS19. Submit an abstract today and help shape the premier educational event in geriatrics. Then, get ready for May 2-4, 2019, in Portland, OR!

Did you know? Students whose abstracts are accepted for AGS Annual Scientific Meeting are eligible for complimentary meeting registration. Submit your abstract today (remember to make sure the student is listed as first author on the submission!) for a chance to present your work and learn from the best and brightest in the field. The deadline for abstract submissions is Mon., Dec. 3.

Don't Forget: You can volunteer to review abstracts or apply for an AGS Award, too.

• Can you recommend patient resources to improve cognitive fitness?
• What's your preferred pre-visit plan for your geriatrics clinics?
• Browse our Special Interest Group communities and find your new niche.

Congratulations to this week's most active members: Daniel Mendelson, MD, MS, FACP, CMD, AGSF; Ariba Khan, MD, MPH, AGSF; Amani Altamimi, MD; and Faina Caplan, MD.

• From the Kaiser Family Foundation: Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator Updated for 2019
• From the Washington Post: How Science Fared in the Midterm Elections
• From Kaiser Health News: Trumpeted New Medicare Advantage Benefits Will be Hard for Seniors to Find
• From the PEW Charitable Trusts: Too Few Doctors and Nurses for Veterans in Some Areas

Sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the AGS, with additional support from the American Federation for Aging Research, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, and Novartis, "Osteoporosis and Soft Tissue Disorders"—the second in a three-part series of our U13 Bench-to-Bedside Conferences—will be held Mar. 11-12, 2019, in Bethesda, MD. Attendees will learn about cutting-edge research, participate in creating recommendations for future research, and network with colleagues and leaders in the field. Find the preliminary conference agenda here, and submit your application here. The application deadline is Fri., Nov. 16. Learn more.

The Emerging Leaders in Aging Scholars Program from Tideswell at UCSF, the AGS, and ADGAP is designed for advanced junior or mid-career health professionals with a clear commitment to the field of aging and a leadership role in a clinical work, research, education, or policy programs focused on older adults. Applications are welcome from health professionals including, but not limited to physicians; nurses; pharmacists; psychologists; social workers; physical, speech, and occupational therapists; and non-clinicians with evidence of training or experience in aging. An academic affiliation is not required.

The program, designed to enhance and leverage existing leadership skills, consists of activities from September to May, ultimately building a community of scholars who will remain meaningful colleagues throughout their careers. Applications are due Tues., Jan. 22, 2019. Learn more.

The AGS sponsors student and resident chapters across the country. AGS Resident Chapters are able to access other chapter leaders and resources via MyAGSOnline, establishing a network within AGS to help shape the conversation on geriatrics at a national level. If you're interested in applying for an AGS-sponsored chapter, contact Lauren Kopchik at lkopchik@americangeriatrics.org.

Don't Forget: Students and Residents are offered significantly discounted membership, as well as free e-membership options in AGS. Know a trainee interested in geriatrics? Sign them up!

This #NationalFamilyCaregiversMonth, the Caregiver Action Network is encouraging caregivers to "Supercharge Your Caregiving" by sharing resources and caregiver stories across the nation. You can help caregivers get trusted information by directing them to HealthinAging.org, where AGS experts have developed a number of educational resources on older adult health, as well as caregiver guides, tips, and a caregiver self-assessment questionnaire.