Webinars

How to Register for a GSA Webinar

  • Click the white “Login” button on the top right corner of the page.
  • Enter your GSA username and password.*
    • If you have forgotten your password, select “Forgot your password.”
    • If you do not have an account with GSA, you may create one.
  • Once logged in, click the white “My Account” button on the top right corner of the page.
  • Click “My GSA Dashboard” and then “Register for an Event” to begin the registration process.

*If you have previously been active with The Gerontological Society of America, you should have an existing account. If unsure, click “Forgot your password” to see if your e-mail address is in the system.

Upcoming Webinars

New Developments: Mobility, Physical Activity, and Social Engagement of Community-Living Older Adults (GSA Annual Scientific Meeting iSession Series)

Friday, September 15, 2023
Noon to 1 p.m. ET
See registration instructions above
Free for Members; $25 Registration for Non-Members

This GSA Annual Scientific Meeting iSession Series provides participants with a forum for conversation on findings, limitations, and future work opportunities around a topic. Mobility, physical activity and social engagement are important to healthy aging and independent living among older adults. Panelists will discuss new developments that have important implications to community programs that support older adults aging in place.

Supplemental Materials:

Presented by:

  • Wenjun Li, PhD, Professor of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell (Chair)
  • Su-I Hou, DrPH, CPH, MCHES, RN, CPD, FACHE, FGSA, Professor of Global Health Management and Informatics, College of Community Innovation and Education, University of Central Florida
  • Lien Quach, PhD, MD, MSc, Gerontologist/Research Scientist, Department of Gerontology, University of Massachusetts Boston
  • Ladda Thiamwong, PhD, RN, Associate Professor, University of Central Florida College of Nursing
  • Hao (Howe) Liu, PT, PhD, MS, FGSA, Professor of Physical Therapy, University of North Texas Health Science Center (Co-Moderator)
  • Katelyn Webster-Dekker, PhD, RN, Postdoctoral Fellow, Indiana University School of Nursing (Co-Moderator)

Aging Research at the VA GRECCs

Thursday, September 21, 2023
2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Free for everyone

The VA's Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers (GRECC) provides a variety of opportunities for researchers in the field of aging. Join us for this webinar and learn more about aging research at the VA and the GRECCs, as well as mechanisms for funding, opportunities and resources, and collaborative strategies. Two GRECCs will also be featured. Time will be allotted for Q&A

Presented By:

  • Neil Alexander, MD, MS, Ivan Duff M.D. Collegiate Professor of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine, Professor, Internal Medicine, Research Professor, Institute of Gerontology, Director, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System GRECC
  • Katherine S. Hall, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Geriatrics), Duke University School of Medicine, Director, Gerofit Exercise Program, Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham VA Healthcare System
  • Ying-Yee Kong, PhD, Scientific Program Manager, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Marianne Shaughnessy, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, GS-C, FAAN, Director, Geriatric Research, Education and, Clinical Center Programs, Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care, Veterans Health Administration
  • Rozalyn Anderson, PhD, FGSA, Professor of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Madison (Moderator)

Sponsored by GSA's Biological Sciences Section

NIH Grant Review Process Demystified

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Free for everyone

Join us and learn about the ins and out of the NIH grant review process and what you need to do to become a successful applicant.  

Presented by:

  • Bita Nakhai, PhD, Chief, Basic and Translational Sciences Section, Scientific Review Branch, National Institute on Aging
  • Rozalyn Anderson, PhD, FGSA, Professor of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Madison (Moderator)

Sponsored by GSA's Biological Sciences Section

Promoting Social Connection and Health with Intergenerational Ties

Wednesday, September 27, 2023
12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Free for everyone

Recent research has shown a light on the high prevalence of social isolation and loneliness, along with its harmful effects on multiple dimensions of health. Intergenerational programs that purposefully and actively engage youth and older adults represent a popular response, but research on their effectiveness is limited. Join this panel as they discuss priority areas for research on this topic. Share in conversation about top research questions and appropriate methods that will create a road map to enhance understanding of how intergenerational programs can reduce rates and impact of social isolation and loneliness.

Presented by:

  • Thomas Cudjoe, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Carson De Fries, MSW, Doctoral Student, University of Denver
  • Ernest Gonzales, MSW, PhD, Assistant Professor, New York University
  • Skye Leedahl, PhD, FAGHE, FGSA, Associate Professor, University of Rhode Island
  • Nancy Morrow-Howell, PhD, FGSA, Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy, Washington University at St. Louis

Co-Sponsored by GSA's Behavioral and Social Sciences Section and Loneliness and Social Isolation Interest Group


Webinar Archive

Climate Change and Aging: Action and Advocacy 

September 12, 2023

Join GSA's Climate Change and Aging Interest Group for a panel discussion and Q&A to explore action and advocacy on the topic of climate change and aging.

An Introduction to the NIA Centers, Coordinating Centers, and Pilot Funding Opportunities (GSA Grant Chats Series)

September 12, 2023

If you are looking for pilot funding for your next research project, you might consider one of the National Institute on Aging’s (NIA) more than 120 Centers and Networks. This alphabet soup of organizations are known by their acronyms, eponyms, and initialisms: RCCN, ADRC, D&E, OAIC, NSC, RCMAR, Roybal, AITC, and IMPACT. To begin to peel back the curtain on these many organizations, representatives from NIA and a Network designed to coordinate the various Centers will meet to give a high-level overview of NIA Centers and how to stay informed about the opportunities they offer for researchers in the field of aging. Developed by the GSA Grant Writing Program Workgroup.
 
Presented By:

  • Odette van der Willik, Deputy Executive Director and Director of Grant Programs, American Federation for Aging Research
  • Dana Jeffrey Plude, PhD, Deputy Director, Division of Behavioral and Social Research, National Institute on Aging
  • Patricia W. Slattum, PharmD, PhD, FGSA, Co-Director, Virginia Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, Virginia Center on Aging and GSA Visiting Scholar (Workgroup Co-Chair)
  • Gail L. Towsley, PhD, NHA, FGSA, Associate Professor, University of Utah College of Nursing (Co-Moderator)
  • Zachary G. Baker, PhD, Assistant Professor, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University (Co-Moderator)

Latest Perspectives and Future Directions: Effects of Loneliness and Social Isolation on Cognitive Health (GSA Annual Scientific Meeting iSession Series)

September 7, 2023

This iSession reports and reviews new developments on the association between social isolation, loneliness and cognitive health amidst positive COVID-19 milestones; opportunities in aging health service and research.

Supplemental Materials:

  • GSA Annual Scientific Meeting Interdisciplinary Symposia Presentations
    • Biological Pathways Underlying the Longitudinal Association Between Loneliness and Cognitive Decline: Slides (PDF format)
    • A Public Health Analysis of the Relationship Between Loneliness, Isolation, and Dementia
    • The Relationship Between Loneliness and the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cognition and Well-Being in Older Adults: Slides (PowerPoint format)
    • The Longitudinal Association Between Social Isolation and Cognitive Decline Among Canadian Older Adults: Slides (PowerPoint format)

Presenters:

  • Ted K.S. Ng, PhD, BSc, Rush University Medical Center, Rush Institute for Healthy Aging and Department of Internal Medicine, Chicago; Arizona State University, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Phoenix (Chair)
  • Fereshteh Mehrabi, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Regina
  • Xiang Qi, PhD, Research Scientist, New York University
  • Christina Victor, PhD, M Phil, BA, Professor of Gerontology and Public Health and Vice Dean (Research), College of Health and Life Science, Brunel University London
  • Paras Goel, PT, DPT, MEd, MBA (c), GCS, 21st Century Home Health (Co-Moderator)
  • Amanda Sonnega, PhD, Associate Research Scientist, Health and Retirement Study, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan (Co-Moderator)

New Developments: Stress, Cognition, and Minority Health (GSA Annual Scientific Meeting iSession Series)

August 24, 2023

This iSession examines new developments in the many factors influencing cognition and health among ethnically and racially diverse groups.

Supplemental Materials:

Presented by:

  • Toni Antonucci, PhD, Research Professor, ISR and Psychology, University of Michigan (Co-Chair)
  • Laura Zahodne, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychology, University of Michigan (Co-Chair)
  • Sandra Arevalo, PhD, Assistant Professor, Human Development, California State University, Long Beach
  • Erica Diminich, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, Stony Brook University
  • Tiffany Kindratt, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at Arlington
  • Elizabeth Munoz, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Amanda Leggett, MS, PhD, Assistant Professor, Institute of Gerontology and Department of Psychology, Wayne State University (Co-Moderator)
  • Pilar Thangwaritorn, MA, Doctoral Student, Clinical Health Psychology, University of Kansas (Co-Moderator)

The Dollars and Sense of National Institute on Aging Grant Budgets

July 25, 2023

Are you preparing the budget for your first NIA grant or are you an experienced investigator looking to hone your budgeting skills? Join us for this GSA Grant Chat to explore tips for success and pitfalls to avoid in creating a compelling budget.  This session is an opportunity to learn from each other, expand your network and share resources.

Grant funding is an indispensable step to conduct the work needed to advance the science of gerontology and promote optimal experiences of aging. Obtaining funding can protect precious time to pursue the topics that are of greatest interest to you, advance your career, facilitate training, and improve your prospects for future grant funding.  GSA Grant Chats feature panel discussions with peers, experienced researchers, and leaders in gerontology and offer the opportunity to connect with and learn from experts in aging science.

Presented by:

  • Hollie Fuhrmann, MA, Research Associate, Pre-Award Support, Emma Eccles Jones Nursing Research Center, University of Utah College of Nursing
  • Joseph E. Gaugler, PhD, FGSA, FAPA, Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
  • Glen C. McGugan Jr., PhD, Program Officer, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
  • Patricia W. Slattum, PharmD, PhD, FGSA, Co-Director, Virginia Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, Virginia Center on Aging and GSA Visiting Scholar (Workgroup Co-Chair)
  • Duo (Helen) Wei, PhD, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Stockton University (Co-Moderator)
  • Gail L. Towsley, PhD, NHA, FGSA, Associate Professor, University of Utah College of Nursing (Co-Moderator)
  • Zachary G. Baker, PhD, Assistant Professor, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University (Co-Moderator)

Resources:

Developed by the GSA Grant Writing Program Workgroup.

Emerging Research in Climate Change and Aging

July 18, 2023

Join GSA’s Climate and Aging Interest Group for its first webinar, “Emerging Research in Climate Change and Aging.” The session will feature Ruth McDermott-Levy who will discuss environmental health issues for older people, and Karl Pillemer discussing engaging older people in climate action.

Presented by:

  • Ruth McDermott-Levy, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, Professor, Villanova University
  • Karl Pillemer, PhD, Professor, Cornell University
  • Angie Perone, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley (Moderator)

Organized by GSA's Climate and Aging Interest Group.

Transitioning to Academic and Non-Academic Careers in Aging: K Awards from the NIA

June 29, 2023

During the webinar, Dr. Jamie Lahvic, Program Officer from the National Institute on Aging, will describe the Career Development (K) awards available from the NIA. She will particularly focus on two new awards: the REDI K01 which funds career exploration outside of the academy, and the K22 which funds transition to a tenure-track faculty position. Drs. Lahvic and moderator, Dr. Christy Carter, will provide guidance for connecting with program officers ahead of submission for writing a successful application. The session has dedicated time for questions and answers.

Presented by:

  • Christy Carter, PhD, Health Scientist Administrator for Training and Workforce Development, Division of Aging Biology, National Institute on Aging 
  • Jamie Lahvic, PhD, Health Scientist Administrator for Training and Workforce Development, Office of Strategic Extramural Programs, National Institute on Aging 
  • Rozalyn Anderson, PhD, FGSA, Professor, Professor, Department of Medicine, SMPH, University of Wisconsin-Madison and William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital (Moderator)

Sponsored by GSA's Biological Sciences Section.

Careers in Aging Panel: Business Careers

June 27, 2023

Interested in the business world and a career in the aging field? Hear from several gerontologists who have combined these two areas into successful careers. Panelists will share about their work in a conversation with nationally-recognized author, columnist and speaker, Helen Dennis. Time will be provided for questions and answers. This is the second of such panels focused on careers in the aging field. The recording for the panel discussion on research careers can be found here.

Presented by:

  • Sheila Callaham, MA, Executive Director, Age Equity Alliance
  • Lydia Manning, PhD, CEO/Co-Founder, Circle of Life Consulting
  • Barbara Micheletti, MS, CEO, Interrupting Aging
  • Helen Dennis, a national successful aging columnist and author (Moderator)

Organized by AGHE’s Advancement Workgroup. 

Gerontology Careers Beyond Academia: Panel Discussion with Government, Non-Profit, and Private Industry Professionals in the Health Sciences

June 16, 2023

What career options are out there for individuals interested in aging research? How can I use my training to land a position outside of the traditional university setting? Join the GSA Health Sciences Mentorship Workgroup as we host a panel discussion with GSA members in government, non-profit, and private industry positions. Speakers will share about their career trajectories, differences between university and non-university careers, and specific skills, training, or networking experiences that may be useful to land a non-academic job. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Kyle Moored (Assistant Scientist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) and Dr. Tai-Te Su (Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Toronto) and include time for audience questions. We hope this webinar will be especially useful for early career researchers and individuals considering careers outside of a traditional academic setting.

Presented by:

  • Ali Ahmed, MD, MPH, FGSA, Director, Center for Health and Aging, Washington DC VA Medical Center and Clinical Director, Biomedical Informatics Center and Professor of Medicine, George Washington University
  • Bin Huang, PhD, Principal Scientist, BrainCheck
  • On-Yee “Amy” Lo, PhD, Assistant Scientist II, Hebrew SeniorLife

Organized by the Health Sciences Section Mentorship Workgroup

Leveraging Social Networks to Promote Widespread Individual Behavior Change (GSA Webinar Series on NACA Priority Research Concepts)

May 24, 2023

An approved research concept in the January 2023 Council, this concept capitalizes on NIA’s existing investments in the Science of Behavior Change program and the NIH Stage Model for Behavioral Intervention Development and builds off a 2022 workshop “Social Network Interventions for Diffusion of Individual Behavior Change.” Two related notices of intent to issue a Request for Application (RFA) have been released. Learn more and the opportunity for live Q&A with NIA and NCI administrators.

Notice of Intent to Publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity for "Leveraging Social Networks to Promote Widespread Individual Behavior Change (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)"
Notice NOT-AG-23-006 from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts
Published Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2023 10:47:51 EST

Notice of Intent to Publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity for "Leveraging Social Networks to Promote Widespread Individual Behavior Change (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)"
Notice NOT-AG-23-007 from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts
Published Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2023 10:49:04 EST

Presented by:

  • Elizabeth Necka, PhD, National Institute on Aging (Chair)  
  • Jennifer Guida, PhD, National Cancer Institute
  • Laura Major, DrPH, National Institute on Aging
  • Emerald Nguyen, PhD, National Institute on Aging
  • James S. Powers, MD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Moderator)

AGHE's Campus Conversation: Gerontology and Geriatrics Curricular Standards and Guidelines in Higher Education — Advancing Your Curriculum or Program

May 15, 2023

With the publication of the 7th edition of the Gerontology and Geriatrics Curricular Standards and Guidelines in Higher Education, opportunities for curriculum development and program enhancements abound. Although health professions programs have led the way in competency based education, this edition supports the transition for all levels of gerontology programs to shift to a competency-based platform as well. For health professions programs, integrating gerontology and geriatrics into their existing curriculum makes notable the program’s preparation to advance their students’ knowledge, skills, and attitude to work with older people. Additionally, these Standards and Guidelines are the foundation for attaining the AGHE Program of Merit; a voluntary program of curricular review to recognize meritorious programs. The key to this session is the opportunity to have discussions and apply critical thinking in the advancement of gerontology and geriatrics at your institution and within your programs.

Presented by:

  • Marilyn R. Gugliucci, MA, PhD, FAGHE, FGSA, AGSF, FNAOME, Professor and Director of Geriatrics Education and Research, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine 
  • Tamar Shovali, PhD, Associate Professor of Human Development, Eckerd College
  • Mary Ann Erickson, PhD, FAGHE, Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Ithaca College (Moderator)

Sponsored by the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education's Program Resource Development Workgroup

Discussing the Special Issue of The Gerontologist on Implementation Science in Gerontology

May 5, 2023

This webinar will highlight the recent special issue of The Gerontologist dedicated to implementation science in aging research. Authors of special issue papers will share their work and take questions about incorporating implementation science at different stages of a research plan. The objectives of this webinar are to:

  • Highlight different implementation models that guide aging research.
  • Present studies using implementation science at different stages of intervention development, delivery, adaptation, and even discontinuation.
  • Illustrate how implementation science can be used to adapt interventions for different populations, such as for delivery in different cultural contexts.

Presented by:

  • Julie Bobitt, PhD, Assistant Professor, Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago (co-organizer)
  • Natasha L. Gallant, PhD, RDPsych, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Regina
  • Jaime M. Hughes, PhD, MPH, MSW, Assistant Professor, Department of Implementation Science, Section on Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine 
  • Shannon E. Jarrott, PhD, FGSA, Professor, College of Social Work, The Ohio State University (co-organizer)
  • Lauren J. Parker, PhD, MPH, Assistant Scientist, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Job Searching and Networking for Early Career Investigators in Interdisciplinary Research of Aging (GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

April 28, 2023

How do I get prepared if I want to find a job in a discipline different than mine? How can I connect with researchers with diverse backgrounds?  The goal of this webinar is to connect emerging scholars in The Gerontological Society of America with a skilled panel of professionals who have successfully launched a career in another discipline and learn from their experience of job searching and networking. This session will be moderated by Yan Zhang, PhD, Research Scientist at the Center for Demography of Health and Aging of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Co-lead of the ESPO webinar task force.

Presented by:

  • Tyler Bell, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar, The University of California San Diego
  • Philip Cantu, PhD, Assistant Professor, The University of Texas Medical Branch
  • Lauren Stratton, PhD, Senior Associate Director of Psychosocial Research and Program Evaluation at the Alzheimer’s Association
  • Yan Zhang, PhD, Research Scientist, Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Moderator)

This program is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund

New Developments: Advance Care Planning in the Context of COVID-19 (GSA Annual Scientific Meeting iSession Series)

April 26, 2023

This GSA Annual Scientific Meeting iSession Series provides participants with a forum for conversation on findings, limitations, and future work opportunities around a topic. Continuing from an interdisciplinary symposium presentation about advance care planning in the context of COVID-19, this second iSession explores how diverse insights into advance care planning are shifting in a post-pandemic world.

Supplemental Materials:

Presented by:

  • Brian Carpenter, PhD, FGSA, Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis Saint Louis (Chair)
  • Brian De Vries, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Gerontology, San Francisco State University
  • Debra Dobbs, PhD, FGSA, Associate Professor, School of Aging Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida
  • Gloria Gutman, PhD, FGSA, FCAHS, Professor Emerita of Gerontology, Simon Fraser University Vancouver
  • Erica Frechman, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, ACHPN, NEA-BC, FPCN, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
  • Panayiotis Tsitouras, MD, FGSA, FAAA, Associate Professor of Geriatric Medicine, Health Sciences Center, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma (Moderator)

Securing Funding for Community Engaged Research (GSA Grant Chats Series)

April 19, 2023

Are you conducting community-engaged research in aging or considering it? How do you communicate with funding agencies about your work? How do you demonstrate authentic partnerships with communities in your grant application?  What sources of funding are available to support community-engaged research? To delve into these questions and more, please join us in a discussion with experts on securing funding for community-engaged research (CEnR).  This session is an opportunity to learn from each other, expand your network and share resources.

Grant funding is an indispensable step to conduct the work needed to advance the science of gerontology and promote optimal experiences of aging. Obtaining funding can protect precious time to pursue the topics that are of greatest interest to you, advance your career, facilitate training, and improve your prospects for future grant funding.  GSA Grant Chats feature panel discussions with peers, experienced researchers, and leaders in gerontology and offer the opportunity to connect with and learn from a wide spectrum of experts in aging science.

Presented by:

  • Thomas Cudjoe, MD, MPH, Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Endowed Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
  • Carrie Leach, PhD, MPA, Research Assistant Professor, Institute of Gerontology; Community Engagement Director, Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES), Associate Center Director of Community Inclusion, Center for Health Equity & Community Knowledge in Urban Populations (CHECK-UP), Wayne State University
  • Lana Sargent, PhD, RN, FNP-C, GNP-BC, Assistant Dean for Practice and Community Engagement; Associate Professor, School of Nursing; Core Faculty, Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry & Innovation (iCubed): Aging Health and Wellness Transdisciplinary Core, Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Ally Brothers, PhD, Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University (Moderator)
  • Patricia Slattum, PharmD, PhD, Co-Director, Virginia Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, Virginia Center on Aging and GSA Visiting Scholar (Moderator)

Developed by the GSA Community-Engaged Research Interest Group in partnership with the GSA Grant Writing Program Workgroup.

Social Research, Policy, and Practice (SRPP) Section Fellows Spotlight Live

March 31, 2023

SRPP will feature two highly esteemed GSA Fellows, Karon Phillips and Robert Applebaum. Please join us in hearing about their career paths, the focus of their career paths, the focus of their past, present and future work, how being a GSA Fellow has influenced their careers and their advice on career challenges. Take this opportunity to ask questions and learn from two of our wise and generative fellows!

Presented by:

  • Karon Phillips, PhD, MPH, FGSA, Policy Development Manager at Trust for America’s Health (TFAH)
  • Robert Applebaum, PhD, MSW, FGSA, Professor of Gerontology in the Department of Sociology and Gerontology and Director of the Ohio Long-Term Care Project at the Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University
  • Sara Bybee, PhD, MSW, Postdoctoral Research Scholar, University of Utah (Moderator)

This program is sponsored by the GSA Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section.

Towards a Quantified Science of Engagement and Recruitment (GSA/LINC-AD Webinar Series)

March 8, 2023

This webinar will revisit the importance of diversity in research, define and discuss early metrics in recruitment / inclusion science, and deliver concrete suggestions to bolster diverse and inclusive research recruitment. It will overview inequities and barriers for research recruitment in dementia, describe current research in representation science (including a quantified, testable framework for future research), and offer what investigators can do to minimize barriers to research recruitment.

Presented by:

  • Jonathan Jackson, PhD, Executive Director, CARE Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School

The Alzheimer’s Association Leveraging an Interdisciplinary Consortium to Improve Care and Outcomes for Persons Living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and The Gerontological Society of America have partnered to offer this cutting-edge educational webinar series related to psychosocial measurement, research design, and recruitment and engagement.

New Developments: Bridging the Family Care Gap (GSA Annual Scientific Meeting iSession Series)

March 7, 2023

This GSA Annual Scientific Meeting iSession Series provides participants with a forum for conversation on findings, limitations, and future work opportunities around a topic. Continuing from an interdisciplinary symposium presentation about creating a scientific and policy roadmap to offset the impending shortage of family caregivers available to assist older adults in the United States (i.e., the “family care gap”), this first iSession includes updates on caregiving as an emerging public health dimension; cultural humility and supporting caregivers; and policy developments and successes in caregiving.

Supplemental Materials:

Presented by:

  • Joseph E. Gaugler, PhD, FGSA, FAPA, Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
  • Erin D. Bouldin, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine
  • Lisa C. McGuire, PhD, FGSA, FAPA, Lead, Alzheimer’s Disease Team, Healthy Aging Branch, Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Manka Nkimbeng, PhD, MPH, RN, Assistant Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
  • Lauren J. Parker, PhD, MPH, Assistant Scientist, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • Susan C. Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Director, AARP Public Policy Institute, and Chief Strategist, Center to Champion Nursing in America and Family Caregiving Initiatives
  • Rita B. Choula, MA, Director, Caregiving, AARP Public Policy Institute
  • Elham Mahmoudi, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor of Health Economics, Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School

Use of Different Research Designs for Developing, Evaluating, and Implementing Person-Centered Psychosocial Interventions in Dementia Care (GSA/LINC-AD Webinar Series)

March 2, 2023

This webinar will present different methodologies for use in psychosocial intervention research, discussing the strengths and limitations of various approaches in the context of intended outcomes. Investigators will be able to apply results to their own studies and avoid or minimize missteps in intervention research for persons with dementia.

Presented by:

  • Maud Graff, PhD, Professor of Occupational Therapy, Radboud University Medical Center; Honorary Associate Professor, Nottingham University

The Alzheimer’s Association Leveraging an Interdisciplinary Consortium to Improve Care and Outcomes for Persons Living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and The Gerontological Society of America have partnered to offer this cutting-edge educational webinar series related to psychosocial measurement, research design, and recruitment and engagement.

Personalized Goal Setting in the Clinical Care of Persons with Cognitive Impairment: Measuring What Matters Most (GSA/LINC-AD Webinar Series)

February 28, 2023

This webinar will address different approaches to develop measures and achievement of personalized goals of care for persons living with dementia and their care partners, including the use of goal attainment scaling in research and clinical care. These new approaches develop measures that help determine if care interventions help persons with dementia and their care partners achieve what matters most.

Presented by:

  • Lee A. Jennings, MD, MSHS, AGSF, Associate Professor of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma

The Alzheimer’s Association Leveraging an Interdisciplinary Consortium to Improve Care and Outcomes for Persons Living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and The Gerontological Society of America have partnered to offer this cutting-edge educational webinar series related to psychosocial measurement, research design, and recruitment and engagement.

Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers and Related Resources (GSA Webinar Series on NACA Priority Research Concepts)

February 9, 2023

In collaboration with the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Division of Neuroscience, this webinar will provide a short overview of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRC) program, the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) standardized clinical and neuropathological research data for the ADRC, the National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (NCRAD), which banks a wide range of biospecimens to support research, and the NIA Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease Data Storage Site (NIAGADS). The webinar provides opportunity for live Q&A.

Presented by:

  • Nina Silverberg, PhD, Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Centers Program, Division of Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health
  • Sarah Biber, PhD, Program Director, National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center
  • Li-San Wang, PhD, Professor, Perelman School of Medicine, and Co-Director of Penn Neurodegeneration Genomics Center, University of Pennsylvania
  • Tatiana Foroud, PhD, Principal Investigator, National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias, Indiana University School of Medicine
  • Stephen B. Kritchevsky, PhD, Toby R. Alligood, MD Endowed Professor in Geroscience, Department of Internal Medicine: Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, The Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine (Moderator)

Interorgan Communication in Aging (GSA Webinar Series on NACA Priority Research Concepts)

January 31, 2023

One of the National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) approved concepts from September 2022 has recently published a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) that invites applications to examine the molecular mechanisms and consequences of age-related alterations in interorgan communication. Elucidation of the mechanisms that modulate and coordinate organ interactions—and their changes with age—may provide new insights into multimorbidities. Additionally, such research may provide a broader understanding of the complexity and heterogeneity of aging. Learn more about this FOA and the opportunity for live Q&A with National Institute on Aging (NIA) administrators.

Presented by:

  • John P. Williams, PhD, Health Science Administrator, NIA Division of Aging Biology
  • Amanda Boyce, PhD, Health Scientist Administrator, NIA Division of Aging Biology
  • Hongwei Gao, MD, PhD, Health Scientist Administrator, NIA Division of Aging Biology
  • Mulualem Tilahun, PhD, Health Scientist Administrator, NIA Division of Aging Biology
  • Gustavo Duque, MD, PhD, FRACP, FGSA, Biological Sciences Editor-in-Chief, The Journals of Gerontology, Series A (moderator)

Introduction to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs Funding (GSA Grant Chats Series)

January 19, 2023

The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) oversees the investment of USA congressionally directed dollars to fund groundbreaking, high-impact, high-risk, high-reward, meritorious research that targets critical research gaps to institutions across the globe. Looking to transform healthcare, CDMRP supports research in over 30 different programs focusing on diseases, disorders, injuries, and conditions ranging from cancers and neurological disorders to orthotics and prosthetics. CDMRP program managers will provide an overview of CDMRP and introduce funding opportunities. Attendees will be able to engage in live question-and-answer interaction with program managers and a grant recipient to help understand the opportunities available for supporting research.

Presented by:

  • Sarah N. Fontaine, PhD, CDMRP Peer-Reviewed Alzheimer’s Research Program and Neurotrauma Portfolio Program Manager
  • Q. Tian Wang, PhD, PMP, CDMRP Program Manager
  • Elham Mahmoudi, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor of Health Economics, University of Michigan

How and Why to Apply for GSA’s Summer Policy Internship: A Conversation With GSA’s 2022 Policy Interns

January 13, 2023

Are you a graduate student interested in aging policy or learning about how research can contribute to policies affecting the health and well-being of older adults? Are you an advisor whose student is interested in aging policy? Join the 2022 Summer Policy Interns and Trish D’Antonio, Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs, as they discuss the responsibilities and opportunities of GSA’s Summer Policy Internship in this informational session. Learn more about how the 8-week professional development experience in Washington, DC, exposes interns to policymaking and policy, legislative, and regulatory affairs that impact older adults. Hear how previous interns participated in aging-related policy at the national level and how their internship experience informs their research and career trajectories today. Get your questions answered about whether the internship is right for you and find out how to apply for the 2023 season.

Presented by:

  • Hanamori Skoblow, MS, PhD student, Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Missouri
  • Lilian Azer, MA, PhD candidate, Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience Psychology Department, University of California, Riverside
  • Eileen Flores, DrPH, MPH, recent doctoral graduate in health systems organization and policy, Penn State College of Medicine
  • Danielle Llaneza, MA, PhD student, Health Psychology track, Counseling Psychology Program, University of Houston
  • Patricia M. "Trish" D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs, The Gerontological Society of America

Dementia in the Workplace: Person-Centered Approaches to Employment Support and Decision-Making

November 30, 2022

This workshop will discuss the current research on dementia in the workplace in order to explore the supports required to facilitate continued employment and decision-making around employment post diagnosis. Using practical examples, we will highlight the potential factors which could promote a positive employment experience for those living with dementia.

Presented by:

  • Louise Ritchie, Reader in Dementia Research, University of the West of Scotland

Sponsored by the GSA Aging Workforce Interest Group

The GSA Toolkit for the Management of Obesity in Older Adults (GSA Momentum Discussions Series)

The GSA KAER Framework—Kickstart, Assess, Evaluate, and Refer (KAER)—supports primary care teams to better meet the needs of older adults with obesity and overweight. Using this Framework with the tools and resources in the GSA Toolkit for the Management of Obesity in Older Adults, care teams can kickstart the discussion of weight with older adults and their families; assess the presence of altered body fat amount, distribution, and/ or function; evaluate the individualized care plans developed for older adults with overweight and obesity; and refer patients to community resources. During this Momentum Discussion, the expert peer review panelists for the Toolkit discuss the unique needs of older adults with overweight and obesity, review the need to address obesity and associated medical conditions intently, and provide valuable insights into using the GSA Toolkit for the Management of Obesity in Older Adults in clinical practice.

Presented by:

  • Rodolfo J. Galindo, MD, FACE, Associate Professor of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Investigator, Center for Diabetes and Metabolism Research Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Joe Nadglowski, President/CEO, Obesity Action Coalition, Tampa, Florida
  • Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, MBA, FAAP, FACP, FAHA, FAMWA, FTOS, Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics Harvard Medical School Obesity Medicine, Physician-Scientist Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
  • Kathryn N. Porter Starr, PhD, MS, RDN, Assistant Professor of Medicine–Geriatrics Duke University School of Medicine, Research Health Scientist Durham VA Health System, Durham, North Carolina
  • Jennifer Pettis, MS, RN, CNE, Director of Strategic Alliances, The Gerontological Society of America (Moderator)

Support for this Momentum Discussion was provided by Novo Nordisk.

Careers in Aging Panel: Research Careers

October 24, 2022

Hear from GSA leaders from various backgrounds as they engage in a discussion about research careers in aging. This will be the first of such panels focused on careers in the aging field that will be scheduled throughout the upcoming year. 

Presented by:

  • Rozalyn Anderson, PhD, FGSA, Biological Sciences Section Vice Chair
  • Dana Bradley, PhD, FAGHE, FGSA, Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education Chair
  • Shannon Jarrott, PhD, FGSA, Behavioral and Social Sciences Section Chair
  • Deborah Waldrop, PhD, FGSA, Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section Chair
  • Christine Fruhauf, PhD, FAGHE, FGSA, Moderator

This panel discussion is organized by AGHE’s Advancement Working group.   

An Introduction to Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) Methods

October 18, 2022

This is the first workshop in a series for ESPO members focusing on teaching strategies geared toward junior faculty. In this session, we will share several strategies to make our teaching practices accessible to students by introducing new faculty to TILT (Transparency in Learning and Teaching) in higher education. Time will be provided for audience interaction and questions.

Presented by:

  • Britteny M. Howell, PhD, Assistant Professor of Population Health Sciences and Director of the UAA Healthy Aging Research Laboratory, University of Alaska Anchorage

This program is co-sponsored by the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) and ESPO

An Introduction to the NIA Centers, Coordinating Centers, and Pilot Funding Opportunities (GSA Grant Chats Series)

October 13, 2022

If you are looking for pilot funding for your next research project, you might consider one of the National Institute on Aging’s (NIA) more than 120 Centers and Networks. This alphabet soup of organizations are known by their acronyms, eponyms, and initialisms: RCCN, ADRC, D&E, OAIC, NSC, RCMAR, Roybal, AITC, and IMPACT. To begin to peel back the curtain on these many organizations, representatives from NIA and a Network designed to coordinate the various Centers will meet to give a high-level overview of NIA Centers and how to stay informed about the opportunities they offer for researchers in the field of aging.

Presented By:

  • Odette van der Willik, Deputy Executive Director and Director of Grant Programs, American Federation for Aging Research
  • Dana Jeffrey Plude, PhD, Deputy Director, Division of Behavioral and Social Research, National Institute on Aging

Tips for Transitioning to Early Career Success: Advice from Researchers in Academia, Industry, and Community Health Settings (GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

October 7, 2022

What makes for a successful career following graduation from a doctoral research program? The goal of this webinar is to help emerging scholars in The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) learn from the experiences, wisdom, and advice of a skilled panel of professionals who successfully transitioned from doctoral and postdoctoral research programs into new roles in academia, industry, and healthcare.

Presented by:

  • Esther Laury, PhD, MSHP, RN, Associate Director of Policy Research, Merck
  • Ashley Ritter, PhD, APRN, Director of Clinical Care Research, NewCourtland 
  • Hanzhang Xu, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, Duke University School of Medicine
  • Tingzhong (Michelle) Xue, MS, RN, PhD Candidate, Duke School of Nursing (Moderator)

This program is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund

Social Research, Policy, and Practice (SRPP) Section Member Spotlight Live

October 6, 2022

SRPP will feature two two highly esteemed and long-time SRPP-GSA members, Barbara Berkman and Rita Choula. Please join us in hearing about their career paths, the focus of their past, present and future work, how GSA membership has influenced their careers and their advice on career challenges. Take this opportunity to ask questions and learn from two of our wise and generative colleagues! 

Presented by:

  • Barbara Berkamn, DSW/PhD, FGSA, Helen Rehr and Ruth Fizdale Professor Emerita of Health and Mental Health at Columbia University School of Social Work
  • Rita Choula, MA, Director of Caregiving at AARP Public Policy Institute
  • Daniel B. Kaplan, PhD, LICSW, Adelphi University School of Social Work (Moderator)

This program is sponsored by the GSA Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section.

The Economics of a Longevity Dividend

October 3, 2022

The growing emphasis on and progress in extending biological and “healthy” aging raises a number of important questions for health scientists and economists alike. Is it preferable to make lives healthier by compressing morbidity, or to make lives longer by extending life? What are the gains from targeting aging itself compared with efforts to eradicate specific diseases? Economist Andrew J. Scott, coauthor of The Economic Value of Targeting Aging, will share findings and implications from the publication. This public policy webinar from The Gerontological Society of America aims to draw awareness to the many ways geroscience intersects across all disciplines as well as impacts policy. 

Presented by:  

  • Andrew J. Scott, DPhil, Professor of Economics, Consulting Scholar, Stanford University Center on Longevity, and Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research
  • George E. Taffet, MD, FACP,  Professor in Medicine, Geriatrics, and Cardiovascular Sciences and the Robert J. Luchi, MD, Chair in Geriatric Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine; Head of the Division of Geriatrics, Houston Methodist Hospital; 2022 Chair, GSA Public Policy Advisory Panel  (Moderator)

This webinar was developed by the 2022 GSA Public Policy Advisory Panel.

Funding Your Research: AHRQ and PCORI (GSA Grant Chats Series)

September 29, 2022

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provide substantial resources for healthcare research in the United States that can help grantees to advance their research missions and improve healthcare quality. AHRQ and PCORI each have their own missions along with specific criteria and objectives that applicants should know to maximize their chances of successfully applying for funding. GSA members and invited speakers with expertise working with PCORI and AHRQ (from the inside and the outside) will discuss their insights into these funders. This discussion will be followed by an opportunity for attendees to ask questions of the panel and receive helpful tips to maximize the likelihood of future funding application success.

Presented by:

  • Nicole Brandt, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, BCPP, FASCP, Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science; Executive Director, Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging; University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
  • Kate Lapane, PhD, Associate Dean of Clinical and Population Health Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Division Chief of Epidemiology and Professor, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences; University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
  • Brent Sandmeyer, MPH, Program Office, Social Science Analyst, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement

Measures and Methods for Research on Family Caregivers for People Living With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (GSA NACA Priority Research Concepts Webinar Series)

September 28, 2022

The National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) meets three times a year to consider applications for research and training and to recommend funding for promising applications. Although NACA-approved concepts are not guaranteed conversion to a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the majority have historically emerged later (sometimes up to 10 months subsequently) as published FOAs.

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Division of Behavioral and Social Research (DBSR) are collaborating on this GSA webinar focused on recent NACA priority research concepts addressing Measures and Methods for Research on Family Caregivers for People Living With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. This webinar is designed to give interested researchers—especially new investigators—maximal lead time to contemplate, pull teams together, align research ideas, plan projects, and build successful applications. NIA DBSR program officials will give brief presentations, which will be followed by opportunities for Q&A.

Presented by:

  • Elizabeth Necka, PhD, NIA Division of Behavioral and Social Research
  • Elena Fazio, PhD, NIA Division of Behavioral and Social Research
  • Amelia Karraker, PhD, NIA Division of Behavioral and Social Research
  • Steven M. Albert, PhD, FGSA, University of Pittsburgh and GSA editor-in-chief of the journal Innovation in Aging (Moderator)

Developed by GSA Workgroup:

  • James S. Powers, MD, FGSA, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Workgroup Lead)
  • Daniel Gan, PhD, Simon Fraser University
  • Minghui (Sam) Li, PhD, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
  • Meredith Troutman-Jordan, PhD, FGSA, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  • Panayiotis Tsitouras, MD, FGSA, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

From Basic Science to Policy: Applying the NIA Health Disparities Research Framework Across Disciplines in Aging

September 21, 2022

As part of its webinar series for early career scientists and young investigators, The Gerontological Society of America presents this essential episode oriented to scientists investigating health disparities related to aging, including environmental, sociocultural, behavioral, and biological factors.

Beginning with an overview of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Health Disparities Research Framework, the webinar will cover cross-disciplinary approaches by panelists from different career stages, who will discuss how they have applied the NIA Health Disparities Research Framework in their work.

Presented by:

  • Patricia Jones, DrPH, MPH, MS, MBA, Director, National Institute on Aging Office of Special Populations
  • Kalisha Bonds Johnson, RN, PhD, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Emory University and Vice Chair of the GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization
  • Crystal Glover, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center
  • Amy Kind, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Associate Dean for Social Health Sciences and Programs, and Director of the Center for Health Disparities Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
  • James S. Powers MD, FGSA, Professor of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Center for Quality Aging and Presidential Appointee to the GSA Program, Publications, and Products Committee (Moderator)

Aging in a Place: Perspectives on the Meanings of "Home" and "Community" from Age-focused Researchers and Practitioners

September 20, 2022

Everyone ages in some "place," or a series of places. This webinar will explore the concept of place from the perspectives of housing research, affordable housing development and modification, and dementia-friendly community planning. Our aim is to connect humanistic concepts with socially engaged research and practice on planning and housing for aging societies, to support critical thinking about the concept of aging in place and its relationship to social justice.

Presented by:

  • Andrew Clark, PhD (Geography), Professor, School of Health and Society, University of Salford
  • Bailey Hu, MA (Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning), Research Assistant, Housing an Aging Society program, Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University
  • Chris Reeder Young, MA (Medical Anthropology), Director of Research and Evaluation, Programs and Strategic Alliances, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis
  • Nancy Berlinger, PhD, Research Scholar, The Hastings Center (Moderator)

This program is sponsored by the GSA Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Gerontology Advisory Panel.

Leveraging GSA Membership to Support Career Advancement

August 18, 2022

Do you want to know how being a GSA member can help you to succeed across a range of research career tracks? Join us for our upcoming session, Leveraging GSA Membership to Support Career Advancement. During this session, our panelists with experience working in academia, healthcare non-profit, policy, and industry will share their insights and perspectives on how they’ve navigated career decisions and benefited from GSA membership over the course of their careers. Time will be included for questions from participants. 

Presented by: 

  • Elsa Strotmeyer, PhD, MPH, FGSA, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Director of the NIH/NIA T32 Epidemiology of Aging Training Grant, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
  • Harriet Aronow, PhD, Research Scientist, Department of Nursing Research, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
  • Regina Shih, PhD, Director, Social and Behavioral Policy Program, RAND Corporation

This program is co-sponsored by the GSA Health Sciences Section and ESPO 

Insights and Implications of ICD-11 Codes Related to Aging

July 25, 2022

The recently published ICD-11 is the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). ICD is a common language for the reporting and monitoring of disease in countries around the world. ICD codes are widely used by clinicians, researchers, funders, governments, public health agencies, and insurance providers to report diagnoses. The data can be used to track disease prevalence and epidemics, and they allow for comparisons across ages and geographic areas, including the reporting of worldwide, national, or regional mortality and morbidity statistics. Data collection based on ICD codes can also be used to predict future health care expenditures and guide research and development of new therapies and practices.

Countries are able to report health data using ICD-11 now, but none have adopted it yet. In the United States, it likely will not be adopted until 2025 or later. Among the changes included in this update to the ICD, “old age” is classified under general symptoms (code MG2A) and there is an extension code for age-related disease (XT9T). This classification of old age as a disease raises numerous issues of concern to the gerontology and geriatrics community. Join GSA leaders for a conversation on the insights and implications.

Presented by:

  • Matt Kaeberlein, PhD, FAAAS, FAAA, FGSA, Professor of Pathology, Adjunct Professor of Genome Sciences, and Adjunct Professor of Oral Health Sciences, University of Washington ("Aging as a Disease—Insights")
  • Becca Levy, PhD, FGSA, Professor of Public Health and Psychology, Yale University School of Public Health; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health ("Impact of Ageism on Individuals and Their Well-Being—Implications")
  • Nancy Morrow-Howell, PhD, MSW, ACSW, FGSA, Bettie Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor, and Director, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging, Washington University in St. Louis ("Impact on the Conversation on Aging—Implications")
  • John W. Rowe, MD, FAAAS, FGSA, Julius B. Richmond Professor of Health Policy and Aging, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health ("Why Aging Should Not Be Classified as a Disease—Insights")
  • Peter Lichtenberg, PhD, ABPP, FGSA, FAPA, President, The Gerontological Society of America; Director, Institute of Gerontology, and Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Wayne State University (Moderator)

Tailoring Your Manuscripts (GSA Manuscript Writing and Reviewer Skills Program Series)

July 19, 2022

The value of publishing in gerontology extends beyond the investigator to other researchers, scholars, practitioners, and ultimately improvements in life for older adults and society alike. With this in mind, GSA is offering a live webinar series with practical advice on manuscript writing and reviewing. Graduate students and emerging professionals as well as experienced scholars who want to hone their writing and reviewing skills and become more involved in the publishing process will benefit from the hands-on practice, discussion of the “human side” of publishing, pointers from authors of manuscripts accepted by journals, and the insiders’ view with a panel of editors on what constitutes a good paper.

Presented by:

  • Deborah Carr, PhD, FGSA, Boston University
  • Allyson S. Graf, PhD, Northern Kentucky University
  • Brandy Wallace, PhD, FGSA, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Mentoring the Mentor: How to Guide/Mentor/Advise Nursing Doctoral Students to a Successful Dissertation

July 18, 2022

Are you a faculty member who is called to mentor PhD students, but would appreciate more training in this role? During this interactive session, we will explore issues facing new mentors, hear a presentation from Dr. Christine Williams, “Real-World Guidance in becoming a Successful Doctoral Faculty Mentor,” and break into smaller groups to discuss common stresses and new solutions.

Presented by: 

  • Christine Williams, DNSc, APRN, PMHNP-BC, AHNCC-NC-BC, FGSA, Professor Emeritus, Florida Atlantic University

This program is sponsored by the GSA Nursing Care of Older Adults Interest Group

Responding to Reviews (GSA Manuscript Writing and Reviewer Skills Program Series)

June 21, 2022

The value of publishing in gerontology extends beyond the investigator to other researchers, scholars, practitioners, and ultimately improvements in life for older adults and society alike. With this in mind, GSA is offering a live webinar series with practical advice on manuscript writing and reviewing. Graduate students and emerging professionals as well as experienced scholars who want to hone their writing and reviewing skills and become more involved in the publishing process will benefit from the hands-on practice, discussion of the “human side” of publishing, pointers from authors of manuscripts accepted by journals, and the insiders’ view with a panel of editors on what constitutes a good paper.

Presented by:

  • Sean N. Halpin, PhD, Evidera
  • Tamara Baker, PhD, FGSA, Editor-in-Chief of Ethnicity & Health; Editor Emeritus of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
  • Scott Beach, PhD, FGSA, Director of the Survey Research Program at the University Center for Social and Urban Research
  • Elise Eifert, PhD, University of North Carolina Greensboro
  • Martina Roes, PhD, FGSA, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • Laura Sands, PhD, FGSA, Inaugural Editor-in-Chief of Innovation in Aging

Community-Engaged Research in Low-Income Contexts

June 13, 2022

The privileged position and assumptions of researchers often remain unquestioned when involving communities with starkly different socioeconomic statuses. This presents considerable challenges to effectively benefitting the communities we purport to help. This webinar presents experiences of Community-Engaged Research from the perspectives of researcher and community stakeholder, among refugees and/or precariously-housed populations in two cities. Discussion will focus on contextual considerations when conducting research across different communities.

Presented by:

  • Sudha Shreeniwas, PhD, Associate Professor, Dept. of Human Development and Family Studies, University of North Carolina Greensboro
  • Jenny Konkin, President & Co-Founder, Whole Way House Society
  • Sharon Morrison, PhD
  • Tetyana Shippee, PhD, FGSA, Associate Professor, Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota

This program is sponsored by the GSA Community-Engaged Research Interest Group

Fellowship and Career Development Awards from the National Institute on Aging

June 8, 2022

After providing an overview of NIA awards available to graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty, the presenters will answer common policy questions and share tips for application success.

Presented by:

  • Maria Carranza, PhD, NIA Training Officer, Office of Strategic Extramural Programs, NIH National Institute on Aging
  • Jamie Lahvic, PhD, Program Officer, Office of Strategic Extramural Programs, NIH National Institute on Aging
  • Viviana Perez Montes, PhD, Health Science Administrator, Cell Biology Program, Division of Aging Biology, NIH National Institute on Aging

Sponsored by the GSA Biological Sciences Section

Manuscript Writing (GSA Manuscript Writing and Reviewer Skills Program Series)

May 20, 2022

The value of publishing in gerontology extends beyond the investigator to other researchers, scholars, practitioners, and ultimately improvements in life for older adults and society alike. With this in mind, GSA is offering a live webinar series with practical advice on manuscript writing and reviewing. Graduate students and emerging professionals as well as experienced scholars who want to hone their writing and reviewing skills and become more involved in the publishing process will benefit from the hands-on practice, discussion of the “human side” of publishing, pointers from authors of manuscripts accepted by journals, and the insiders’ view with a panel of editors on what constitutes a good paper.

Presented by:

  • Suzanne Meeks, PhD, FGSA, The Gerontologist Editor-in-Chief
  • Theresa L. Abah, PhD, California State University
  • James J. Dowd, PhD, The University of Georgia
  • Jessica A. Kelley, PhD, FGSA, Social Sciences Editor-in-Chief, The Journals of Gerontology Series B
  • Karen D. Lincoln, PhD, MSW, MA, FGSA, Associate Editor, Mental Health/Social Determinants of Health, Innovation and Aging

Community-Engaged Research for Dementia Prevention

May 11, 2022

Primary (risk reduction), secondary (delaying progression), and tertiary (comprehensive care) prevention of dementia happens largely in the community. But communities are different with varying socio-cultural needs and organizational resources. This webinar presents the Kickstart, Assess, Evaluate, and Refer (KAER) toolkit which attempts to bridge this gap from clinical perspectives, and prevailing needs in community contexts from Indigenous perspectives. Discussion will focus on practical ways forward.

Presented by: 

  • Patricia Heyn, PhD FGSA FACRM, Founding Director, Center for Optimal Aging, Marymount University
  • Jordan Lewis, PhD MSW FGSA, Associate Director, Professor, Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team, University of Minnesota Medical School
  • Mariko Sakamoto, PhD RN, Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia

This program is sponsored by the GSA Community-Engaged Research Interest Group

Addressing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEI&B) in Grant Writing (GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

April 29, 2022

Are you unsure of how to adequately address issues of DEI&B in grant writing? Do you question whether your grant writing fully embraces equity? If so, please join our skilled panel of invited professionals who will present on how to best incorporate these concepts in your grant writing. Our panelists will discuss their experiences and practical advice on how to write grants with an equity lens, focusing on considerations for the research plan, including sampling and recruitment strategies and optimized analysis procedures.

Presented by:

  • Cerise Elliott, PhD, Program Director, Clinical Interventions and Diagnostics Branch of the Division of Neuroscience (DN), National Institute on Aging
  • Victoria Behar-Zuzman, PhD, Professor and Associate Dean for Research and PhD Program Director, University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies
  • NiCole Keith, PhD, Professor, Department of Kinesiology and the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs, School of Health & Human Sciences, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Keith Whitfield, PhD, President, University of Nevada Las Vegas

This program is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

NASEM Report on Nursing Home Quality: Highlights and Dialogue

April 28, 2022

The GSA Health Sciences section is pleased to offer a webinar featuring the newly released report from the National Academy of Science Engineering and Medicine: The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality: Honoring Our Commitment to Residents, Families, and Staff.  Several members of the NASEM committee will share the report’s overall conclusions and recommendations and engage webinar participants in a question and answer dialogue.  If you missed the April 6 webinar sponsored by National Academy of Science Engineering and Medicine, this webinar is a good way to catch up.

Presented by:

  • Gregory L. Alexander, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, FIAHSI, Helen Young CUPHSONAA Professor, Columbia University, School of Nursing
  • Mary Ersek, PhD, RN, FPCN, Senior Scientist, Department of Veterans Affairs, Professor, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
  • Tamara Konetzka, PhD, Louis Block Professor of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago
  • Christine Mueller, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, Professor, Senior Executive Associate Dean for Academic Programs, University of Minnesota, School of Nursing
  • Marilyn Rantz, PhD, RN, FAAN, Curators' Professor Emerita, MU Sinclair School of Nursing
  • Debra Saliba, MD, MPH, Professor, University of California, Los Angeles
  • Philip D. Sloane, MD, MPH, Distinguished Professor, Director of Academic Advancement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine
  • Jasmine L. Travers, PhD, MHS, RN, Assistant Professor, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing

This program is organized by the GSA Health Sciences Section.

No Researcher Is an Island: Developing Your Research Team (GSA Grant Chats Series)

April 21, 2022

Grant funding is an indispensable step to conduct the work needed to advance the science of gerontology and promote optimal experiences of aging. Obtaining funding can protect precious time to pursue the topics that are of greatest interest to you, advance your career, facilitate training, and improve your prospects for future grant funding. This grant writing series of 1-hour virtual sessions is designed to help you win grants through bolstering a broad range of grantsmanship skills specifically tailored to your work as a gerontologist researcher. GSA Grant Chats feature panel discussions with peers, experienced researchers, and leaders in gerontology and offer the opportunity to connect with and learn from a wide spectrum of experts in aging science. Topics range from developing a research trajectory that looks beyond a single funding opportunity to insider tips for successful applications. Join us for what promises to be engaging and rich conversations with takeaways for gerontologists at all career stages.

Presented by:

  • Tullika Garg, MD, MPH, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, Penn State College of Medicine
  • Lana Sargent, PhD, RN, FNP-C, GNP-BC, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Affiliate Faculty, Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Program, Core Faculty, Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry, and Innovation, Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Jasmine L. Travers, PhD, MHS, RN, AGPCNP-BC, Assistant Professor, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University 

Developed by the GSA Grant Writing Program Workgroup

Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Peer Review and Publication Practices for the Medical Sciences Section

April 13, 2022

This webinar will focus on ways to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in peer review and publication practices for the Medical Sciences section of The Journals of Gerontology, Series A. In addition to exploring the historical context, you will learn about current journal guidelines and ways to ensure that publications hold to DEI principles. Experts in our field will provide examples and address key areas of DEI that promote fairness and respect, equity in the publication process, as well as honoring language and research with diverse aging populations. This webinar will include a discussion with experts on a range of topics such as inclusive language, population descriptions, and inferences.

Presented by:

  • Joyce Balls-Berry, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology, Lead, Health Disparities and Equity Core, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
  • Dedra Buchwald, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director, Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University
  • Jason D. Flatt, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Social and Behavioral Health Program, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • Kathleen Jackson, Managing Editor, Medical Sciences Section, The Journals of Gerontology, Series A, The Gerontological Society of America
  • Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD, FGSA, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Chief Academic Officer and Director, Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Chief, Division of Gerontology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences
  • Gladys Maestre, MD, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience and Human Genetics, Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
  • Shana D. Stites, PsyD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
  • Roland J. Thorpe Jr., PhD, FGSA, Associate Vice Provost of Faculty Diversity, Co-Director, DrPH Concentration in Health Equity and Social Justice, Professor, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University

AD/ADRD Behavioral, Social, Clinical, and Neuroscience Research (GSA NACA Priority Research Concepts Webinar Series)

February 24, 2022

GSA and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Division of Behavioral and Social Research (DBSR), Division of Neuroscience (DN), and Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology (DGCG) are collaborating on a GSA webinar focused on recent National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) priority research concepts, published funding opportunities, and application to NIA. NACA meets three times a year to consider applications for research and training and to recommend funding for promising applications.

Focused on NIA Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) behavioral, social, clinical, and neuroscience research, this webinar is designed to give new investigators maximal lead time to contemplate, pull teams together, align research ideas, plan projects, and build successful applications. NIA Program Officials will give brief presentations followed by opportunities for Q&A.

Presented by:

  • Jonathan King, PhD, NIA-DBSR
  • Elena Fazio, PhD, NIA-DBSR
  • Molly Wagster, PhD, NIA-DN
  • Mack Mackiewicz, PhD, NIA-DN
  • Marcel Salive, MD, MPH, NIA-DGCG
  • Anne B. Newman, MD, MPH, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University of Pittsburgh (Moderator)

Developed by GSA Workgroup:

  • James S. Powers, MD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Workgroup Lead)
  • Daniel Gan, PhD, Simon Fraser University
  • Minghui Li, PhD, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
  • Meredith Troutman-Jordan, PhD, University of North Carolina
  • Panayiotis Tsitouras, MD, University of Oklahoma

GSA Awards Nomination Informational Webinar

February 16, 2022

:GSA recognizes outstanding advanced and early/mid-career individuals of all disciplines through a host of prestigious awards. Watch for brief 10-minute overview of the GSA Awards Program including—How to Find the Right Award For You, How to Write a Nomination Letter, and How to Submit an Application. This webinar will help to demystify the awards nomination process and provide more transparency and support to interested members.

Dementia in the Workplace: Person-Centered Approaches to Employment Support and Decision-Making

January 31, 2022

This webinar is for those interested in research related to workers who are identified as having mild cognitive impairment or early onset dementia. The session featured four short talks on issues and research related to dementia in the workplace. Webinar attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and engage in a group discussion facilitated by members of a Canadian-Australian working group on current and future research in this field.

Sponsored by the GSA Aging Workforce Interest Group

Getting to Know the GSA Summer Policy Internship Program: Application and Conversation with Previous Policy Interns

January 14, 2022

If you are an emerging scholar interested in applying for the GSA summer policy internships, you are encouraged to attend! This information session will get you to know the two established professional development opportunities named in memory of Kathryn Hyer, MPP, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, and Greg O'Neill, PhD, two scholars and long-time GSA members. The GSA vice president of policy and professional affairs, Patricia M. D'Antonio, will introduce the duties and opportunities of these internships and answer questions about this year's application. Previous policy interns will share their experiences and thoughts of daily work as GSA policy interns, how they were immersed in aging-related policy development and participated in this process at the national level, and how these opportunities inform their research and career development.

Presented by:

  • Lei Chen, MS, MSP, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 2021 Kathryn Hyer Policy Intern
  • Haley Gallo, BS, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, 2019 Greg O’Neill Summer Policy Intern
  • Kaleigh Ligus, MA, University of Connecticut Department of Human Development and Family Services, 2021 Greg O’Neill Summer Policy Intern
  • Patricia M. D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, Vice President, Policy and Professional Affairs, The Gerontological Society of America (moderator)

Developing a Research Trajectory (GSA Grant Chats Series)

December 2, 2021

Grant funding is an indispensable step to conduct the work needed to advance the science of gerontology and promote optimal experiences of aging. Obtaining funding can protect precious time to pursue the topics that are of greatest interest to you, advance your career, facilitate training, and improve your prospects for future grant funding. This grant writing series of 1-hour virtual sessions is designed to help you win grants through bolstering a broad range of grantsmanship skills specifically tailored to your work as a gerontologist researcher. GSA Grant Chats will feature panel discussions with peers, experienced researchers, and leaders in gerontology and will offer the opportunity to connect with and learn from a wide spectrum of experts in aging science. Topics range from developing a research trajectory that looks beyond a single funding opportunity to insider tips for successful applications. Join us for what promises to be engaging and rich conversations with takeaways for gerontologists at all career stages.

Presented by:

  • Laura N. Gitlin, PhD, FGSA, FAAN, Dean and Distinguished University Professor, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University
  • Lyndsey Miller, PhD, RN, Early Career Investigator, ORCATECH; Assistant Professor, School of Nursing; Oregon Health & Science University
  • Elvin T. Price, PharmD, PhD, FAHA, Victor A. Yanchick Associate Professor; Director, Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Program, Department of Pharmacotherapy & Outcomes Science; Co-Director, Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry, and Innovation (iCubed): Health and Wellness in Aging Populations Core; Virginia Commonwealth University

Developed by the GSA Grant Writing Program Workgroup:

  • Patricia W. Slattum, PharmD, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Virginia Commonwealth University and GSA Visiting Scholar
  • Zachary G. Baker, PhD, Robert L. Kane Post-Doctoral Fellow, Division of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota
  • Gail L.Towsley, PhD, NHA, FGSA, Associate Professor, University of Utah College of Nursing

Applying the Science of Behavior Change to Intervention Development for Diverse Older Adults

November 15, 2021

The webinar speakers will present on how social and psychological factors shape health-related behavior change and will enhance attendees’ understanding of the issues by highlighting variations in mechanisms that create and sustain health behavior changes. In this webinar, attendees will:

  • Be exposed to various theoretical frameworks for behavior change, and how these have been developed and applied to diverse populations.
  • Hear examples of how various approaches can be used to improve behavioral interventions and healthy lifestyles for diverse aging populations.
  • Identify areas of needed research to better apply these principles to interventions for diverse older adults, especially for the development of interventions for Alzheimer’s caregivers.

Presented by:

  • Lisa Onken, PhD, Director, Behavior Change and Intervention Program, Division of Behavioral and Social Research, National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health
  • Jun Ma, MD, PhD, FAHA, FABMR, FSBM, Beth and George Vitoux Distinguished Professor of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago.
  • Michelle Carlson, PhD, FGSA, Professor, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; core faculty, Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions..
  • Donald Edmondson, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor, Medicine and Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center; Director, Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, CUIMC.
  • Fadel Zeidan, PhD, Executive Director, University of California, San Diego, Center for Mindfulness; Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, UCSD.
  • Vincent Mor, PhD, Professor, Medical Science, Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice; Florence Pirce Grant University Professor, Brown University School of Public Health.

Presented in conjunction with the GSA 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting.

Integrated Census and Survey Data for Aging Research: An Introduction to IPUMS

October 26, 2021

IPUMS — formerly known as the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series — offers free, harmonized census and survey data from the United States and around the world for aging research. These data can be used to study many aging-related topics, including caregiving, social isolation, disability, health, families, disparities, and work. This webinar will describe the data available through IPUMS, highlight their applicability to aging research, and demonstrate how to use the online data access system to create customized datasets. The webinar is hosted in partnership with the Network for Data-Intensive Research on Aging initiative at the University of Minnesota’s Life Course Center.

Presented by:

  • Sarah Flood, PhD, Director of U.S. Microdata Projects at IPUMS and Associate Director of the Life Course Center at the University of Minnesota
  • Lara Cleveland, PhD, Director of IPUMS International and senior research scientist at the Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation at the University of Minnesota

Getting to Know the NVAC: Connecting the Immunization and Aging Communities

October 26, 2021

This webinar, Getting to Know the NVAC, will review the purpose and structure of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee – such as who is on the Committee, what and how they make their decisions, and why the Committee matters. It will also share ways to engage with NVAC on issues related to older adult vaccination.

This webinar was developed by The Gerontological Society of America with support from Pfizer.

Getting to Know the ACIP: Connecting the Immunization and Aging Communities

October 25, 2021

This webinar, Getting to Know the ACIP, will review the purpose and structure of the Advisory Council of Immunization Practices – such as who is on the Council, what and how they make their decisions, and why the Council matters. It will also share ways to engage with ACIP on issues related to older adult vaccination.

This webinar was developed by The Gerontological Society of America with support from Pfizer.

World Cafe: Current Research on Issues Related to Workplace Accommodation of Employees with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Early Onset Dementia

October 19, 2021

If you are a conducting research or are interested in discussing research related to workers who are identified as having mild cognitive impairment or early onset dementia, you are encouraged to attend! An informal format will allow participants to meet researchers from policy, engineering, business, occupational health, architecture and numerous other disciplines, who are conducting or would like to conduct research related to workers, organizations, technologies or government involved in these issues. The Café will be facilitated by members of a Canadian-Australian working group exploring a joint research agenda.

Presented by:

  • Arlene Astell, PhD, Professor, Psychiatry, University of Toronto
  • Jen Boger, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Catherine Burns, PhD, Professor, Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • AnneMarie Levy, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University  
  • Josephine McMurray, MBA, PhD, Associate Professor, Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University
  • Philip Taylor, PhD, FGSA, Professor of Human Resource Management, Federation Business School, Federation University Australia

Sponsored by the GSA Aging Workforce Interest Group.

Covid Conversation #4: How well did older people and the caregiving workforce, formal and informal, adapt to the pandemic?

October 12, 2021

The long-term care workforce, severely neglected before the pandemic, faced extreme challenges in staffing, access to personal protective equipment, and guidance to protect older people from a highly transmissible, often fatal infectious disease. This workforce is predominantly female, minority, and low income. This conversation will examine how well older adults and caregivers, formal and informal, bore up during the worst of the pandemic. Allied topics include community-dwelling older adults, resilience, long-term care resident experience, risk perception, and social isolation.

Presented by:

  • Karen L. Fingerman, PhD, FGSA, Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences, School of Human Ecology, The University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences
  • Heather Fuller, PhD, Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Science, North Dakota State University

Unequal Prospects for Working Longer, Before and After the Pandemic: What Can We Do?

October 7, 2021

Older workers, especially those nearing retirement age, who had not recovered from the impact of previous recessions, have been even more adversely affected during the pandemic by both working conditions and the ensuing recession. Reductions in employment and earnings, increased early Social Security claiming, and reduced retirement savings have all been reported. Older workers exited the workforce in significant numbers, retiring in the first month of the pandemic rather than risk infection. Women, racial minority, and other ethnic groups have been particularly vulnerable to this upheaval. Concerns about the vulnerability of older workers to infection increased the risk of age discrimination for those who stayed. The goal of this webinar is to consider recommendations for employers and public policymakers to ameliorate the consequences of these recent shocks.Teresa Ghilarducci will present on “false assumptions supporting the ‘working longer’ agenda” with a focus on those most affected by the pandemic—women, and racial and ethnic minorities. Distinguished discussants will provide commentary that includes recommendations for mechanisms and processes for ameliorating the consequences of twin shocks—the pandemic and the ensuing recession—and for much needed new workplace-based research tracking the employer-employee relationship over time.

Presented by:

  • Jacquelyn B. James, PhD, FGSA, Director, Sloan Research Network on Aging & Work, Boston College School of Social Work
  • Teresa Ghilarducci, PhD, Bernard L. and Irene Schwartz Professor of Economics, The New School for Social Research
  • Mo Wang, PhD, Lanzillotti-McKethan Eminent Scholar Chair, University of Florida Warrington College of Business
  • Ernest Gonzales, PhD, MSW, Associate Professor, New York University Silver School of Social Work
  • Courtney Coile, PhD, Professor of Economics, Wellesley College

Presented by the Sloan Research Network on Aging & Work in conjunction with the GSA 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting.

Addressing Issues of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on the Job Market: Considerations for Job Applications, Interviews, and Presentations (GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

September 30, 2021


Building on ESPO’s spring webinar, the fall webinar will focus on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion during the job application and interview process. Panelists will discuss how to incorporate your diversity, equity and inclusion beliefs, experiences, and vision into your written application statements, when answering interview questions, and when delivering job presentations.

Presented by:

  • Deidre Hill Butler, PhD, Director of Faculty Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging/Academic Diversity Officer, Union College
  • Sheldon D. Fields, PhD, RN, CRNP, FNP-BC, AACRN, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, Research Professor and Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion in the College of Nursing at Penn State University
  • Kristin Levoy, PhD, MSN, RN, OCN, CNE, Assistant Professor of Nursing at the Indiana University School of Nursing (IUPUI Campus)

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

COVID Conversation #3: What worked and what didn’t work for older people in our response to the pandemic?

September 28, 2021

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is under control for older adults at the moment: more than 70% of people aged 65+ years have been vaccinated, and their risk of COVID-19 hospitalization is down by 94%. But the path to this extraordinary accomplishment was not easy and the fallout from the earlier pre-vaccine period is still emerging. In this conversation, we examine false steps and creative hacks in the path to protect older people during the worst phases of the pandemic.

Presented by:

  • Liat Ayalon, PhD, Professor, Deputy Director, Chair of the Retraining Master Degree Program, Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University
  • Brad A. Meisner, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health | York University, Centre for Aging Research & Education (YU-CARE)

The Synchronous, Virtual Functional and Frailty Measurement in Research and Clinical Practice: Guidance from the Literature and Experts

September 15, 2021

Objective functional and frailty measures are a valuable component of clinical and research assessments of older adults. The reliance on telehealth and remote data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic has precluded many in-person assessments in the clinical and research settings. As such, many health care providers and investigators have been left to determine the feasibility of collecting functional and frailty measures remotely over video conferencing with little guidance on safe and standardized approaches for doing so. In 2020, the GSA Technology and Aging Interest Group undertook a project to summarize 1) existing evidence- or experiential-based recommendations for safely implementing objective functional and frailty measures during a remote clinical or research assessment; 2) existing evidence- or experiential-based recommendations for implementing subjective alternatives to objective functional and frailty during a remote clinical or research assessment; and 3) current findings into tip sheets for the synchronous, remote administration of functional and frailty assessment over video conferencing. During this webinar, we will share the results of this work which are relevant to clinicians and researchers who administer frailty and functional measures in practice or during data collection.

Presented by:

  • Walter R. Boot, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Florida State University
  • Brian Buta, MHS, Project Administrator, Johns Hopkins University
  • Margaret Danilovich, PT, DPT, PhD, MBA, Senior Director of the Leonard Schanfield Research Institute, CJE SeniorLife; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University
  • Erin Harrell, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Alabama
  • Megan Huisingh-Scheetz, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Associate Director, Aging Research Program, Section of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, University of Chicago
  • Michelle Martinchek, MD MPH, Assistant Professor in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, MGH Institute for Health Professions
  • Carrie Nieman MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
  • Pamela Toto, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, FGSA, Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Pittsburgh

Sponsored by the GSA Technology and Aging Interest Group. Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

COVID Conversation #2: Did the pandemic deepen health inequities for minority older adults?

August 24, 2021

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic exposed great health inequities in society, including disadvantages for minority older adults. Minority populations face an increased risk of transmission, severe disease, and death, for example hospitalization is close to three times higher for minority persons than it is for white persons sometimes as much as three times higher than for the white population. In this conversation, we examine differences in people’s risk for COVID-19 based on race and ethnicity. What happened and what can we learn to address disparities?

Presented by:

  • Omar Yaxmehen Bello-Chavolla, MD, PhD, Investigador en Ciencias Médicas, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría
  • Seung-won Emily Choi, PhD, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Texas Tech University
  • Karen D. Lincoln, PhD, MSW, MA, FGSA, Associate Professor, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California

COVID Conversation #1: How bad was the pandemic for older adults? 

July 20, 2021

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was a particular challenge to older adults. In 2020 during the period before vaccination, COVID-19 was the second leading cause of death among people aged 85+ years and the third leading cause for people aged 75 to 84 years. Residents of long-term care facilities bore the brunt of these deaths, but community residents also died in intensive care units, lost important health and supportive services, and had their lives upended in almost every way. In this conversation, we examine the impact of the pandemic on older Americans, with a special focus on health and medical care.

Presented by:

  • Elizabeth (Betsy) White, APRN, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, and Investigator, Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research at the Brown University School of Public Health
  • Andy Sharma, PhD, Public Policy Studies, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois

Chronic Insomnia in Older Adults: Epidemiology and Approaches to Assessment in the Primary Care Setting

July 16, 2021

In this webinar, sleep health experts present information on the value of detecting and treating insomnia in older adult patients in the primary care setting. The presentation addresses insomnia’s impact on various clinical outcomes in older adults and its relationship with other clinical conditions. Appropriate screening tools for primary care teams and key elements of an evaluation are discussed. Presenters also review a clinical case study to illustrate the webinar’s practical implications.

Presented by:

  • Elizabeth Galik, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, Professor, Chair of the Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing; Past President, Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association
  • Christopher N. Kaufmann, PhD, Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Data Science in Gerontology, Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida College of Medicine
  • Adam P. Spira, PhD, Professor, Vice Chair for Research & Faculty, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • Katie L. Stone, PhD, Professor, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco; Senior Scientist, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute

This webinar is co-developed with Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA) and supported by Eisai Inc.

Publishing in Humanities, Arts, and Aging

June 10, 2021

Scholarship in perspectives on aging from the humanities, arts, and cultural gerontology has greatly enriched our understanding of aging and the life course. It is a vibrant area for peer-reviewed publishing from many disciplines, and there has been a welcome growth in focus in journals on humanities, arts, and aging. This webinar will bring together the perspectives of the editors responsible for humanities, arts, and cultural gerontology in four journals to outline the vision, philosophy, criteria, and opportunities for publishing in their journals.

Presented by:

  • A. Mark Clarfield, MD, Section Editor, Ars Longa and Old Lives Tales, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
  • Kate de Medeiros, PhD, Section Editor, Humanities and Arts, The Gerontologist
  • Desmond O’Neill, MD, Section Editor, Geriatric Medical Humanities, European Geriatric Medicine
  • Aagje Swinnen, PhD, Co-Editor, Age, Culture, Humanities

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund, this webinar is of interest for scholars in a wide range of disciplines within and associated with gerontology and the humanities. Students, faculty, and researchers wishing to learn how to publish in the most appropriate journal in humanities and aging will find this webinar to be particularly enlightening.

Ways to Support Early Career Scholars across The Gerontological Society of America and Alzheimer’s Association ISTAART

Monday, June 7, 2021

Are you new to the Gerontological Society of America/Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization (ESPO) or the Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART)? Have you recently completed your degree or are in the process of completing it? Are you looking for ways to connect with others in a similar career stage? If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, then join us for the webinar exploring how ESPO and ISTAART support early career aging and dementia researchers and practitioners. You will hear from early career scientists and learn of local and global opportunities to support early career scholars!

Presented by:

  • Darina Petrovsky, PhD, RN, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, ESPO Chair
  • Beth Shaaban, PhD, MPH, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers Vice Chair
  • Naiara Demnitz, PhD, Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Denmark, PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers Communications Chair

Addressing Issues of Diversity and Social Justice in Research and Practice: Lightning Rounds and Panel Discussion (GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

April 23, 2021

This webinar offers information on how to address issues of diversity and social justice in research, practice and education. Our skilled panel of researchers, educators, and clinicians will discuss strategies to 1) identify and incorporate diversity and equity in everyday life, 2) ensure diversity and equity in research and collaborations, and 3) facilitate inclusivity in teaching and service. Attendees will gain strategies useful in addressing diversity and health equity in future research and clinical practice.

Presented by:

  • Adriana Perez, PhD, CRNP, ANP-BC, FAAN, FGSA, Assistant Professor and Senior Fellow, at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
  • Andrew Porter, PhD, Assistant Professor of Public Health and an award-winning teacher at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies
  • Rabbi Erica Steelman, MAHL, MPP, Chaplain at Horsham Center for Jewish Life
  • Kalisha Bonds Johnson, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, T32 National Institute of Nursing Research Postdoctoral Fellow at Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing (Moderator)
  • Panelists' Bios

 This webinar is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Using BRFSS Data for Action and Impact (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Webinar Series)

March 5, 2021

Using public health data for impact is an important way to translate data into practice. Informing policymakers, systems, and environments is important to meet the needs of older adults, their caregivers, and the systems that support them. Presenters will hear about cognitive decline data that can be translated for use in public health policies and systems.

Presented by:

  • Matthew Baumgart, Alzheimer’s Association
  • John Shean, MPH, Alzheimer’s Association

Older adults often experience multiple comorbid conditions, including issues related to cognitive decline, which can complicate their health management and quality of life. This webinar series will describe population-level data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) relevant to older adults, with an emphasis on cognitive decline and caregiving-related issues. Data collected through the BRFSS can be used to track these issues and to inform public health professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders about important aging-related health issues. Presenters will provide concrete examples of how these data have been used and can be applied to research questions as well as to real-world problems, including how they can be used to effectively stimulate strategic changes to meet the needs of the growing proportion of older adults. This 4-part webinar series is organized by CDC, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online.

Analyzing and Interpreting Caregiving Data in the BRFSS (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Webinar Series)

February 26, 2021

Caregivers play an important role in caring for adults with health conditions or disabilities. This session will describe the CDC BRFSS Caregiver module, including its variables, structure, and interpretation. Tips for analysis will be discussed. User-friendly tools and resources will also be presented.

Presented by:

  • Erin D. Bouldin, PhD, MPH, Appalachian State University and CDC Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program
  • Benjamin S. Olivari, MPH, CDC Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program

Older adults often experience multiple comorbid conditions, including issues related to cognitive decline, which can complicate their health management and quality of life. This webinar series will describe population-level data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) relevant to older adults, with an emphasis on cognitive decline and caregiving-related issues. Data collected through the BRFSS can be used to track these issues and to inform public health professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders about important aging-related health issues. Presenters will provide concrete examples of how these data have been used and can be applied to research questions as well as to real-world problems, including how they can be used to effectively stimulate strategic changes to meet the needs of the growing proportion of older adults. This 4-part webinar series is organized by CDC, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online.

Analyzing and Interpreting Cognitive Decline Data in the BRFSS (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Webinar Series)

February 19, 2021

Cognitive decline in older adults is an important public health issue. This session will describe the CDC BRFSS Cognitive Decline module, including its variables, structure, and interpretation. Tips for analysis will be discussed. User-friendly tools and resources will also be presented.

Presented by:

  • Christopher A. Taylor, PhD, CDC Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program
  • Benjamin S. Olivari, MPH, CDC Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program

Older adults often experience multiple comorbid conditions, including issues related to cognitive decline, which can complicate their health management and quality of life. This webinar series will describe population-level data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) relevant to older adults, with an emphasis on cognitive decline and caregiving-related issues. Data collected through the BRFSS can be used to track these issues and to inform public health professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders about important aging-related health issues. Presenters will provide concrete examples of how these data have been used and can be applied to research questions as well as to real-world problems, including how they can be used to effectively stimulate strategic changes to meet the needs of the growing proportion of older adults. This 4-part webinar series is organized by CDC, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online.

Introduction to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Data for Cognitive Decline and Caregiving (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Webinar Series)

February 12, 2021

This session introduces participants to the CDC BRFSS, including its structure, administration, and usefulness in describing important public health issues for older adults and their caregivers.

Presented by:

  • Lisa C. McGuire, PhD, FGSA, CDC Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program

Older adults often experience multiple comorbid conditions, including issues related to cognitive decline, which can complicate their health management and quality of life. This webinar series will describe population-level data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) relevant to older adults, with an emphasis on cognitive decline and caregiving-related issues. Data collected through the BRFSS can be used to track these issues and to inform public health professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders about important aging-related health issues. Presenters will provide concrete examples of how these data have been used and can be applied to research questions as well as to real-world problems, including how they can be used to effectively stimulate strategic changes to meet the needs of the growing proportion of older adults. This 4-part webinar series is organized by CDC, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online.

New Member Orientation

February 11, 2021

Are you a new member of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA)? Interested in learning more about your GSA member benefits? Join GSA’s Membership Coordinator for an interactive orientation on the services, programs, events, resources, and networking opportunities available to all GSA members. We want to ensure you are getting the most value possible from your membership. This webinar will help you become more connected with the GSA community and show you how to access member resources. This session will include plenty of time for your questions about GSA and our services.

Presented by:

  • Jontice Small, Membership Coordinator, The Gerontological Society of America

When Does Aging Begin? Part 3

December 16, 2020

“When does aging begin?” is a fundamental question whose answers will help inform all aspects of research, clinical practice and healthcare policy. There is an emerging consensus on an answer that is broad but captures some of the uncertainty at present: Aging begins before we observe it or experience it. Investigators who study the life course of aging and from the emerging field of geroscience will make brief presentations of their hypotheses and then challenge or seek to modify each other’s proposals through a guided panel discussion. Importantly, there will be consideration of how the hypotheses could be supported experimentally. It is hoped that the outcomes might stimulate new understanding and insightful areas of research.

Presented by:

  • James DeGregori, PhD, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Colorado
  • Mark F. Mehler, MD, FAAN, FANA, Alpern Professor and University Chairman, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Director, Institute for Brain Disorders and Neural Regeneration, Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Senior Investigator, Rose F. Kennedy Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Gottesman Stem Cell Institute, Einstein Cancer Center, Center for Epigenomics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

This three-part webinar series is organized by NIH, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online.

Medication Data and the Next Generation of Dried Blood Assessment in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP Advancing Interdisciplinary Clinical Research Series, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online)

December 14, 2020

This webinar focuses on the medication data, dried blood spot assays, and social network survey responses in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, a longitudinal study that contributes to finding new ways to improve health as people age. Studies regarding polypharmacy and the social (and behavioral) dimensions of the adoption of supplements and prescribed medications will be discussed. The presenters will also illustrate how these data may be used to determine the use, underuse, and unsafe use of prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements as well as the presence of diagnosed and undiagnosed conditions such as diabetes.

Presented by:

  • Elbert Huang, MD, MPH, FACP, Professor of Medicine, Director, Center for Chronic Disease Research and Policy, Section of General Internal Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine
  • Dima M. Qato, PharmD, MPH, PhD, Hygeia Centennial Chair and Associate Professor, Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Director, Program on Medicines and Public Health, Senior Fellow, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California
  • L. Philip Schumm, MA, Director, Research Computing Group, Senior Biostatistician, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago
  • Linda Waite, PhD (moderator), George Herbert Mead Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Senior Fellow, NORC at the University of Chicago, Principal Investigator, National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project
  • Louise Hawkley, PhD (moderator), Senior Research Scientist, Academic Research Centers, NORC at the University of Chicago, Co-Investigator, National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project

When Does Aging Begin? Part 2

November 23, 2020

“When does aging begin?” is a fundamental question whose answers will help inform all aspects of research, clinical practice and healthcare policy. There is an emerging consensus on an answer that is broad but captures some of the uncertainty at present: Aging begins before we observe it or experience it. Investigators who study the life course of aging and from the emerging field of geroscience will make brief presentations of their hypotheses and then challenge or seek to modify each other’s proposals through a guided panel discussion. Importantly, there will be consideration of how the hypotheses could be supported experimentally. It is hoped that the outcomes might stimulate new understanding and insightful areas of research.

Presented by:

  • Elissa Epel, PhD, University of California — San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry ("When Does Aging Begin? When There is Toxic Stress, There is Aging")
  • Anne B. Newman, MD, MPH, Chair, Department of Epidemiology, Katherine M. Detre Endowed Chair of Population Health Sciences, Director, Center for Aging and Population Health, Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology, Professor of Medicine, and Clinical and Translational Science, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Clinical Director, Aging Institute of UPMC and Pitt ("When Does Aging Begin? Detecting Physiologic Aging in Midlife")

This three-part webinar series is organized by NIH, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online.

Raising Adult Immunization Rates — Using Routine Vaccination to Prepare for COVID-19

November 19, 2020

Adult immunization rates dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic as patients and health care professionals delayed in-person visits for routine care based on national health guidance. Influenza season presents an important opportunity to vaccinate not only with flu vaccine, but other routine adult vaccinations in both medical offices and pharmacies. Focusing on vaccination processes will not only protect patients but provide a test run for safely delivering and administering an eventual COVID-19 vaccine. This webinar will cover:

  • Age-related decline in immunity;
  • Vaccine recommendations for older adults; and
  • Practical strategies to support a strong recommendation for vaccines, including ways to address common questions or hesitancy

Presented by:

  • Stephan L. Foster, PharmD, Captain (Retired), USPHS
  • Steven Peskin, MD, MBA, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
  • Elie Saade, MD, University Hospitals of Cleveland

This program was jointly developed by GSA, the American College of Physicians, and the American Pharmacists Association with support from GSK.

When Does Aging Begin? Part 1

November 12, 2020

“When does aging begin?” is a fundamental question whose answers will help inform all aspects of research, clinical practice and healthcare policy. There is an emerging consensus on an answer that is broad but captures some of the uncertainty at present: Aging begins before we observe it or experience it. Investigators who study the life course of aging and from the emerging field of geroscience will make brief presentations of their hypotheses and then challenge or seek to modify each other’s proposals through a guided panel discussion. Importantly, there will be consideration of how the hypotheses could be supported experimentally. It is hoped that the outcomes might stimulate new understanding and insightful areas of research.

Presented by:

  • Daniel W Belsky, PhD, Columbia University, The Robert N, Butler Columbia Aging Center ("When Does Aging Begin? How Geroscience Can Help Us Understand and Address Social Gradients in Health")
  • Vadim Gladyshev, PhD, Department of Medicine, Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital ("When Does Aging Begin? The Embryonic Ground Zero")

This three-part webinar series is organized by NIH, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online.

Aging Policy and the 2020 Election Results

November 9, 2020

With the presidential and congressional election results extremely fresh in our minds, this panel will look at potential ramifications for aging and health policy. As advocates prepare to submit policy analyses and proposals to the Administration’s team, the speakers for this session will address how the Administration and Congress should and will likely address issues of COVID-19, economic security, long-term supports and services, Social Security and Medicare, and other policies and programs serving older Americans. Key changes in Congress, the Administration, and congressional committees will also be identified and explained.

Presented by:

  • Brian W. Lindberg, MMHS (Chair), GSA Policy Advisor
  • Robert (Bob) Blancato, MPA, President of Matz, Blancato and Associates
  • Jean C. Accius, PhD, Senior Vice President, AARP Global Thought Leadership
  • C. Grace Whiting, JD, President and CEO, National Alliance for Caregiving

Program Organizer: Patricia M. D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, GSA Vice President, Professional Affairs

Equity, Justice, and Inclusion for Older Workers: Recommendations and Solutions, Part 2: Systems of Inequality Affecting Older Workers

October 29, 2020

Topic 1: Identifying Malleable Barriers to Engage Underserved Minority Middle-Aged and Older Adult Learners in Adult Educational Opportunities
Despite the growing need for adult education and training opportunities globally, opportunities to engage in adult education and training are most often pursued by higher-income or higher-skilled adults. Engaging and retaining adult learners in education and training among underserved racial/ethnic minority middle-aged and older adults are often challenging due to the structural barriers (e.g., program costs). This segment of the webinar will describe a study whose purpose was to identify barriers to engaging and retaining adult learners among underserved minority middle-aged and older adult groups. Through semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 60 key informants representing Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Norway, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Deductive qualitative descriptive methods revealed the need for recruitment efforts tailored to support adult workers, while also emphasizing the importance of multiple learning forms, including formal, nonformal, and informal learning. The presenters will provide recommendations to promote the inclusion of underserved subpopulations in learning opportunities.

Presented by:

  • Nytasia Hicks, MSW, PhD candidate in the Social Gerontology Program at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
  • Phyllis A. Cummins, PhD, Senior Research Scholar at Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
  • Takashi Yamashita, PhD, MPH, MA, Associate Professor of Sociology and faculty in the Doctoral Program in Gerontology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Topic 2: Older Adult Peer Specialists’ Role in Offsetting the Impact of Social Distancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Older adults with mental health conditions experience disproportionate risk from the COVID-19 pandemic and are more likely to have been homeless, to reside in a group setting, or to have been cared for at nursing facilities. Increasing fear during the pandemic can lead to gaps in communication and delays in medical care, particularly when isolated from community advocates. Older adult peer specialists are a Medicaid reimbursable workforce with a lived experience of aging with mental health issues; they have shown to improve clinical outcomes such as feelings of loneliness as well as behavioral health issues such as depression and anxiety—all of which are on the rise due to COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, older adult peer specialists are using technology to deliver digital peer support services related to addressing both the mental health and physical health needs of older adults. With the projected increase in behavioral health problems resulting from the pandemic, policies need to be created to incorporate older adult peer specialists into the existing workforce of behavioral health providers.

Presented by:

  • Mbita Mbao, LICSW, PhD candidate in the School of Social Work at Simmons University
  • Karen L. Fortuna, PhD, LICSW, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Dartmouth College

Topic 3: Microlearning for Low-Wage Workers in Nursing Homes
Direct care work in nursing homes is characterized by low wages, few benefits, heavy workloads, high rates of injury, and few opportunities for advancement. Because nursing homes are fast-paced environments that are faced with both rising acuity of residents (e.g., increasing numbers of residents with dementia) and high rates of staff turnover and “working short,” the time and resources for education and training are limited. Additionally, the women of color and immigrants, who comprise the majority of the direct care workforce, struggle with barriers to education, including low educational attainment, poor quality secondary education, foreign credentials, second jobs, and English fluency problems. Further, mid-level workers in nursing homes—licensed practical and registered nurses—require higher level credentialing that is out of reach for the majority of direct care workers. While it is clear that these workers need access to continuing education and diverse educational and career pathways, delivering this education requires innovation and creativity to address multiple layers of barriers. This segment of the webinar will discuss data from a statewide survey of nursing home staff and will provide access to microlearning videos aimed at supporting educators within nursing centers to fit learning into short huddles and in-service opportunities within these fast-paced environments. The presenters will discuss their research findings that suggest direct care workers are open to additional training but face persistent barriers to accessing and accruing rewards to training.

Presented by:

  • Jennifer Craft Morgan, PhD, Associate Professor at the Gerontology Institute at Georgia State University
  • Elisabeth O. Burgess, PhD, FGSA, Director of the Gerontology Institute at Georgia State University, and Professor of Gerontology and Sociology.

Over the last two decades, the phrase “aging and work” has evolved from its status as an oxymoron to a well-understood reality. It is now clearly recognized that the three-legged stool of retirement security (i.e., employer-sponsored pensions, Social Security in the United States, and individual savings) is rickety at best. More people need to work beyond conventional retirement ages to sustain their financial security in the face of longer lives and growing expenses. This need is paramount for older adults in general, but even greater for low-income, racial and ethnic minority, and blue-collar older workers. While perceived and/or real age discrimination has been identified as a factor limiting options for older adults, less is known about factors that mitigate against such perceptions of unfairness and injustice. This two-part webinar series from The Gerontological Society of America aims to: (1) identify the challenges of underrepresented older workers in their efforts to obtain or retain employment and (2) identify strategies for overcoming those challenges for people who either want or need to work in later life.

Series organized by:

  • Jacquelyn B. James, PhD, FGSA, Director of the Sloan Research Network on Aging & Work, and Co-director of the Center on Aging & Work at Boston College
  • Kendra Jason, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and member of the Steering Committee for the Sloan Research Network on Aging & Work.

Making Our Research, Practice, and Academic Knowledge Relevant in the Policymaking Arena

October 22, 2020

This webinar, organized by the GSA Public Policy Advisory Panel, will provide an opportunity to better understand the role that GSA and its members play in public policy and will include a dialogue around the value of making this a part of our work. Brian Lindberg, GSA’s Public Policy Advisor, will moderate the panel and will frame the discussion on the importance of GSA members using their research, practice, and academic skills and knowledge to educate and influence aging and health care policymakers at both the federal and state levels. This will be followed by interviews with three researchers to discuss how policy perspectives can be integrated in their work. The researchers, each representing a different substantive area in aging, will provide their perspectives on how to identify and elucidate the policy relevance of their research and other work. Linda Harootyan, who chairs the GSA Public Policy Advisory Panel, will serve as discussant.

Presented by:

  • Steven Austad, PhD, FGSA, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
  • Martha R. Crowther, PhD, MPH, Tenured Professor, University of Alabama (UAB) College of Community Health Sciences (CCHS), Department of Community Medicine and Population Health and the Department of Family, Internal, and Rural Medicine
  • Darina V. Petrovsky, PhD, RN, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, funded by the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Fellowship
  • Brian W. Lindberg, MMHS (Moderator), GSA Public Policy Advisor
  • Linda K. Harootyan, MSW, FGSA (Discussant), Co-Principal, Harootyan2

The Intersection of Aging and COVID-19

October 20, 2020

Join us for a webinar and public facing address that will involve experts in Biology of Aging, Immunology and Infectious Disease, and Clinical Geriatrics. Our goal is to explore the basis for the profound skew in vulnerability to COVID-19 where older individuals are at much greater risk of succumbing to disease with much higher mortality rates than for the population at large. This session is designed to be translational, spanning the spectrum of aging including each of the sections within GSA.

Presented by:

  • Rozalyn Anderson, PhD (moderator), Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
  • Brian K. Kennedy, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS, Singapore, Director of National University Health System (NUHS) Centre for Healthy Ageing, Singapore, Professor, Buck Institute for Research on Ageing, Novato, CA, USA
  • R. Tamara Konetzka, PhD, Professor, Departments of Public Health Sciences and Medicine Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago
  • David Melzer, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Professor, University of Connecticut Center on Aging
  • Janko Nikolich-Žugich, MD, PhD, Department Head and Professor, Immunobiology, Co-Director, Arizona Center on Aging, The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tuscon

The program is jointly planned by the American Aging Association (AGE) and GSA. As part of the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting Online, this program is supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number 1 R13 AG067648-01. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.  Funding is also provided by Nathan Shock Centers Coordinating Center.

Geriatric Oral Health and COVID-19: Old Problems, New Challenges, Part 2: Case Studies (GSA Momentum Discussions Series)

October 16, 2020

Join the Oral Health Interest Group of The Gerontological Society of America for a pair of information-packed GSA Momentum Discussions exploring the challenges of providing oral health care to older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging solutions with the potential to change practice forever.

Older adults have faced problems with access and affordability of essential oral health care for years. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this already-bad situation as well as created new problems. Creative strategies and resources are needed to help older adults realize the importance of oral health to their overall health and help them feel comfortable when they need preventive or restorative oral care. Innovations with teledentistry can help triage potential problems in long-term care facilities and in some cases enable treatment in an environment that is safe and reassuring for the patient.

GSA’s Oral Health Workgroup has assembled a distinguished team of experts to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the oral health of older adults. In these Momentum Discussions, panelists will engage participants on how the interprofessional health care team can help older adults and care partners address geriatric oral health issues in the community and long-term care facilities, additional research opportunities that may emerge post-COVID-19, and real-world innovations for improving oral health care for older adults in the COVID-19 era and beyond.

Presented by:

  • Michael J. Helgeson, DDS, Apple Tree Dental (Successes and Challenges With Teledentistry: Insights From the COVID-19 Pandemic)
  • Jeffrey E. Dodge, DMD (Pearls From the Pandemic: Experiences in Oral Health Practice and Long-Term Care)
  • Samuel Zwetchkenbaum, DDS, MPH (Pearls From the Pandemic: Experiences in Oral Health Practice and Long-Term Care)
  • Stephen Shuman, DDS, MS, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry (Moderator)

This webinar is supported by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. Click to view Part 1: Issues and Research Opportunities. (link to YouTube)

Sensory Functioning and the Remote Assessment of Biological and Performance Measures in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP Advancing Interdisciplinary Clinical Research Series, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online)

October 15, 2020

All five senses are objectively assessed in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a longitudinal population-based study of health and social factors that aims to understand the well-being of older, community-dwelling Americans. In this webinar, the presenters will describe how these data have been used to examine the role of specific and global sensory deficits in predicting aging health outcomes such as cognitive decline and mortality. The presenters will also describe a range of biological and performance measures that NSHAP has developed or modified for remote (self-) administration along with preliminary data regarding their feasibility and quality.

Presented by:

  • Jayant Pinto, MD, Professor of Surgery, Director, Rhinology and Allergy, Director, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Research, University of Chicago Medicine
  • Martha K. McClintock, PhD, David Lee Shillinglaw Distinguished Service Professor Emerita, Departments of Psychology and Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago
  • L. Philip Schumm, MA, Director, Research Computing Group, Senior Biostatistician, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago
  • Linda Waite, PhD (moderator), George Herbert Mead Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Senior Fellow, NORC at the University of Chicago, Principal Investigator, National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project
  • Louise Hawkley, PhD (moderator), Senior Research Scientist, Academic Research Centers, NORC at the University of Chicago, Co-Investigator, National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project

University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and Collaborating Sites Data Sources
(HIV and Aging: Data Access, Availability, and Research Funding Opportunities Webinar Series)

October 14, 2020

Continued research on HIV prevention and intervention among older adults is crucial as people aged 50 years and older accounted for 17% of new infections in 2016, approximately 50% of all people living with HIV in the United States are in this age group, and people are living longer with HIV owing to improvements in antiretroviral therapy in the past several years. Therefore, this webinar series covers access to multiple data sources and their availability, which can be used to answer important research questions in HIV and aging. In addition, this webinar series reports on funding opportunities for HIV and aging research, which will help to provide support in advancing research in this area.

Presented by:

  • Robert Heaton, PhD, ABPP-CN Director, HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center; Co-PI, CNS HIV Anti-Retroviral Therapy Effects Research Study; Co-Investigator, Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center, Behavioral Assessment Core
  • Scott Letendre, MD Co-Director, HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center; Co-PI, CNS HIV Anti-Retroviral Therapy Effects Research Study; Co-Investigator, Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center, Behavioral Assessment Core
  • Jennifer Iudicello, PhD Center Manager, HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center; Co-Investigator, Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center, Behavioral Assessment Core; Principal Investigator, Identification of Biomarkers of CNS Injury and Resilience related to HIV-1 and Methamphetamine
  • David Moore, PhD Principal Investigator, California NeuroAIDS Tissue Network; Chair, Neuropsychology Workgroup, National NeuroAIDS Tissue Consortium; Co-PI, Multi-Dimensional Successful Aging Among HIV-Infected Adults

This webinar series, which is hosted by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), has been organized by the GSA HIV, AIDS, and Older Adults Interest Group and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) Inter-CFAR HIV and Aging Working Group.

Geriatric Oral Health and COVID-19: Old Problems, New Challenges, Part 1: Issues and Research Opportunities (GSA Momentum Discussions Series)

October 9, 2020

Join the Oral Health Interest Group of The Gerontological Society of America for a pair of information-packed GSA Momentum Discussions exploring the challenges of providing oral health care to older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging solutions with the potential to change practice forever.

Older adults have faced problems with access and affordability of essential oral health care for years. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this already-bad situation as well as created new problems. Creative strategies and resources are needed to help older adults realize the importance of oral health to their overall health and help them feel comfortable when they need preventive or restorative oral care. Innovations with teledentistry can help triage potential problems in long-term care facilities and in some cases enable treatment in an environment that is safe and reassuring for the patient.

GSA’s Oral Health Workgroup has assembled a distinguished team of experts to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the oral health of older adults. In these Momentum Discussions, panelists will engage participants on how the interprofessional health care team can help older adults and care partners address geriatric oral health issues in the community and long-term care facilities, additional research opportunities that may emerge post-COVID-19, and real-world innovations for improving oral health care for older adults in the COVID-19 era and beyond.

Presented by:

  • Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, John A. Hartford Foundation (Impact of COVID-19 on Geriatric Health & Well-being)
  • Leonardo Marchini, DDS, MSD, PhD, University of Iowa (COVID-19 Geriatric Oral Health Issues)
  • Bei Wu, PhD, New York University (Emerging Geriatric Oral Health Research Needs in the COVID-19 Era)
  • Stephen Shuman, DDS, MS, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry (Moderator)

This webinar is supported by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. Click to view Part 2: Case Studies (link to YouTube)

Cognitive Function, Physical Function, and Accelerometry in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP Advancing Interdisciplinary Clinical Research Series, in conjunction with the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online)

October 1, 2020

This webinar features the cognitive function, physical function, and accelerometry measures in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, a longitudinal study to increase understanding of the mechanisms through which the trajectories of social connectivity and health are intertwined in the aging American population. The presenters will provide an overview of how each measure is assessed as well as examples of how each of these measures has been used to study the intersection of cognitive, physical, and social health among older adults. Additionally, special analytic considerations when using these measures will be presented to guide potential data users.

Presented by:

  • Megan Huisingh-Scheetz, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Associate Director, Aging Research Program, Co-Director, Successful Aging and Frailty Evaluation Clinic, Section of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine
  • Ashwin Kotwal, MD, MS, Assistant Professor, Division of Geriatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco
  • L. Philip Schumm, MA, Director, Research Computing Group, Senior Biostatistician, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago
  • Linda Waite, PhD (moderator), George Herbert Mead Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Senior Fellow, NORC at the University of Chicago, Principal Investigator, National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project
  • Louise Hawkley, PhD (moderator), Senior Research Scientist, Academic Research Centers, NORC at the University of Chicago, Co-Investigator, National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project

Equity, Justice, and Inclusion for Older Workers: Recommendations and Solutions, Part 1: Enhancing Economic Security for Older Low-Wage Workers

September 30, 2020

Older workers are an often overlooked segment of the low-wage labor force. In this webinar, Mary Gatta, PhD, will share the experiences of older workers in the United States hospitality industry, including the factors shaping what it means to grow old while working in economic insecurity such as facing race- and gender-based inequities, health hazards associated with work, and housing concerns. In addition, the ways that larger social and economic policies can fail this group of workers will be examined.

Presented by:

  • Mary Gatta, PhD, Associate Professor of Sociology at the City University of New York–Guttman

Over the last two decades, the phrase “aging and work” has evolved from its status as an oxymoron to a well-understood reality. It is now clearly recognized that the three-legged stool of retirement security (i.e., employer-sponsored pensions, Social Security in the United States, and individual savings) is rickety at best. More people need to work beyond conventional retirement ages to sustain their financial security in the face of longer lives and growing expenses. This need is paramount for older adults in general, but even greater for low-income, racial and ethnic minority, and blue-collar older workers. While perceived and/or real age discrimination has been identified as a factor limiting options for older adults, less is known about factors that mitigate against such perceptions of unfairness and injustice. This two-part webinar series from The Gerontological Society of America aims to: (1) identify the challenges of underrepresented older workers in their efforts to obtain or retain employment and (2) identify strategies for overcoming those challenges for people who either want or need to work in later life.

Series organized by:

  • Jacquelyn B. James, PhD, FGSA, Director of the Sloan Research Network on Aging & Work, and Co-director of the Center on Aging & Work at Boston College
  • Kendra Jason, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and member of the Steering Committee for the Sloan Research Network on Aging & Work

Navigating the Job Market During and Beyond the COVID-19 Era
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

September 25, 2020

Are you currently planning to enter the job market? Are you interested in learning some ways to navigate a highly competitive job market during and post the COVID-19 pandemic? How can you use this time strategically to effectively prepare for the next steps in your career? The events of recent months have created dramatic shifts to life as we know it and early career scholars will find that it can impact their research, career plans, and where they will end up next. In this timely webinar, emerging scholars will learn how to overcome the challenges of a highly competitive job market and how to best set up for success. Webinar attendees will hear from two skilled professionals, who will share their experiences, lessons learned, and practical advice about how to effectively plan for and be most prepared for an increasingly difficult job market.

Presented by:

  • Justin Lord, PhD, MBA, CMA, FHFMA, Assistant Professor with dual appointments in the Department of Accounting and the James K. Elrod Health Administration Department, College of Business at Louisiana State University–Shreveport (LSUS).
  • Bei Wu, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, FNYAM, Dean’s Professor in Global Health and Director for Global Health and Aging Research, New York University (NYU) Rory Meyers College of Nursing

This webinar is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online Speaker Procedures

September 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, 2020

To help you become more familiar with the presentation (slides and audio) process for posters, papers and symposia, GSA offered a “How To” webinar multiple times the week of September 21 to 25. This 1-hour webinar will outline the GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Online structure, describe the various presentation formats, and explain the tasks required for presenters.

Presented by:

  • James Appleby, BSPharm, MPH, ScD (Hon), Chief Executive Officer, The Gerontological Society of America
  • Megan McCutcheon, MA, Director of Publishing and Professional Resources, The Gerontological Society of America
  • Andrew Alix, Meetings Coordinator, The Gerontological Society of America

Understanding the Value of Enhanced Influenza Vaccine Products in Long-Term Care Settings

September 17, 2020

There are many benefits to preventing flu transmission in long-term care settings yet only about two-thirds of nursing home residents receive annual influenza vaccinations—one of the best known preventive strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic has further amplified the need for effective infection control in these settings. Compared with standard-dose influenza vaccines, enhanced influenza vaccines are not only more effective in preventing disease in older adults, they also provide a higher return on investment. This webinar is designed to help nursing home administrators, infection control teams, and other long-term care staff to (1) understand the benefits of using enhanced influenza vaccine products in residents and (2) learn practical tips that can help leadership and staff consistently apply immunization practices.

Presented by:

  • R. Gordon Douglas, MD, Chair, National Adult Vaccination Program Workgroup; Professor Emeritus, Weill Cornell Medical College (Moderator)
  • David H. Canaday, MD, Professor of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University; Associate Director, Geriatric, Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center; Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
  • Sherry A. Greenberg, PhD, RN, GNP-BC, FGSA, FAANP, FAAN, Associate Professor, Seton Hall University College of Nursing; President-Elect, Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association
  • Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, Professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing; Co-Director, Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center; Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology

This program was jointly developed by GSA, the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, and AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, with support from Sanofi.

Common Data Elements for Workforce and Staffing in International Long‐Term Care Research

September 2, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted the critical need to transform long-term care (LTC). Worldwide Elements To Harmonize Research In LTC liVing Environments (WE-THRIVE) is a LTC research initiative to identify LTC common data elements (CDEs) that can be used internationally to support older adult thriving in LTC. To date, WE-THRIVE has identified four key measurement domains: workforce and staffing, person-centered care, organizational context, and care outcomes. This is the second GSA webinar in the series on WE-THRIVE.

Addressing major challenges faced by LTC providers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the webinar will focus on the “workforce and staffing” measurement domain and the work completed by this WE-THRIVE subgroup of researchers. The presenters will describe the concepts and proposed CDEs related to staff retention and turnover, evaluating nursing supervisor effectiveness, and staff training, with insights and lessons learned during the pandemic. International research on LTC can valuably inform LTC policy and practice, and the proposed CDEs can facilitate data sharing and aggregation internationally, including low-, middle-, and high-income countries. The proposed CDEs address key challenges to support LTC workforce and staffing to support the delivery of person-centered care and the achievement of person-centered outcomes.

Presented by:

  • Charlene Chu, PhD, RN, GNC(C), Assistant Professor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, cross-appointment at Institute for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, Canada
  • Franziska Zúñiga, PhD, RN, FEANS, Head of Education, Institute for Nursing Sciences, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Switzerland
  • Michael Lepore, PhD, Vice President of the LiveWell Institute, Farmington, CT, USA, & Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

Other entries:

Understanding Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Influenza, and COVID-19: Preparing for the Fall

August 31, 2020

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, causes 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths in older adults each year. Those over 65, adults with chronic heart or lung disease, and adults with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Yet RSV remains underdiagnosed.

In this one-hour webinar, experts will answer questions about RSV and how to prepare for the fall, when influenza and COVID-19 will be co-circulating. Participants will understand RSV and its impact on older adults; the challenges of distinguishing between RSV, influenza, and COVID-19; and how to keep older adults healthy with so many respiratory viruses circulating, particularly in a long-term care facility. Speakers will address gaps in understanding and research opportunities, as well as what gives them optimism for the fall respiratory illness season.

Presented by:

  • Robin Jump, MD, PhD – Case Western Reserve University, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
  • Lindsay Kim, MD, MPH – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Helen “Keipp” Talbot, MD, MPH – Vanderbilt University Medical Center

This webinar is supported by Johnson and Johnson Health Systems, Inc. Content is developed by GSA.

NIH Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS)
(HIV and Aging: Data Access, Availability, and Research Funding Opportunities Webinar Series)

August 28, 2020

Michael Saag, MD, Principal Investigator, will present the CFAR Network of Clinical Integrated Systems (CNICS) cohort. CNICS, established in 2002, is a clinic-based research network that captures clinical management and outcomes from point-of-care HIV clinics at 8 CFAR sites. It is an open access research platform containing pooled, de-indentified, data from electronic medical records of over 36,000 PLWH that are linked to patient reported outcomes, geospatial, genetics, and ARV resistance data, all linked to biologic specimens. The platform is available to investigators worldwide with an approved concept proposal.

Presented by:

  • Michael Saag, MD, Principal Investigator, CNICS

Continued research on HIV prevention and intervention among older adults is crucial as people aged 50 years and older accounted for 17% of new infections in 2016, approximately 50% of all people living with HIV in the United States are in this age group, and people are living longer with HIV owing to improvements in antiretroviral therapy in the past several years. Therefore, this webinar series covers access to multiple data sources and their availability, which can be used to answer important research questions in HIV and aging. In addition, this webinar series reports on funding opportunities for HIV and aging research, which will help to provide support in advancing research in this area.

This webinar series, which is hosted by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), has been organized by the GSA HIV, AIDS, and Older Adults Interest Group and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) Inter-CFAR HIV and Aging Working Group.

Other entries:

Reframing Aging: A Primer for Health Care Professionals

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

As healthcare professionals working on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic, you are confronted daily with communication choices. Research by the FrameWorks Institute on aging and ageism shows that words matter. This webinar presented by the Reframing Aging Initiative will cover four ideas to keep in mind when talking about older people and health equity in health care settings during the pandemic.

Presented by:

Longevity Fitness: Financial and Health Dimensions Across the Life Course (GSA Momentum Discussions Series)

July 29, 2020

“Longevity Fitness” is the term used in the GSA report, "Longevity Fitness: Financial and Health Dimensions Across the Life Course" describing how people can thrive by matching their Health Spans, Wealth Spans, and Life Spans as they enjoy increasingly long lives. Transitions commonly associated with advancing age—work disruptions, physical decline, dementia—can be better managed when a person has planned for the social support, financial means, and health resources needed to compensate for aging-related physical and cognitive changes. As people age, chronic diseases accumulate and reduce the ability to carry out the necessary activities of daily life. When a person also is lacking in social support, financial resources, or access to health care, the result of declining functional ability is a downward and potentially irreversible spiral. Insecurities in life—including uncertainty about food, housing, transportation, health care, or safety—exacerbate this situation, leading people to live in isolation or poverty and to be unable to seek the interventions they need for maintaining health and ultimately their ability to take care of themselves. In this webinar, experts in the field will exchange ideas about the concept of Longevity Fitness and insights into positive aging across the life course. For more information on longevity economics and longevity fitness, see www.geron.org/longevity.

Presented by:

  • Peter A. Lichtenberg, PhD, ABPP, FGSA, Wayne State University, Institute of Gerontology
  • Mary D. Naylor, PhD, RN, FAAN, New Courtland Center for Transitions and Health, University of Pennsylvania

Supported by Bank of America.

Aging Native American, Rural, and Homeless Populations: Engagement and Advocacy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

July 22, 2020

The COVID-19 public health crisis is perilously affecting all sectors of life, including services for older adults. Most gravely affected by this crisis have been some of the most vulnerable among us—marginalized older adult populations. The impact of COVID-19 and the effectiveness of various responses among these disparate populations are seldom considered in a common frame and in relation to each other. This webinar brings together community and public health leaders and advocates in a facilitated problem-identification and problem-solving discourse about aging Native American, rural, and homeless populations with regard to the challenges and effectiveness of responses to COVID-19.

Presented by:

  • Carla Frase, Director, Blue Rivers Area Agency / ADRC
  • David Knego, MSW, Executive Director, Curry Senior Center
  • Donna L. Polk, PhD, MS, LMHP, Chief Executive Officer, Nebraska Urban Indian Health Collation

This webinar is organized by the GSA Environmental Gerontology and Rural Aging Interest Groups.

Hearing- and Vision-Related Practical Strategies for Clinical Research With Older Adults During COVID-19 Pandemic

June 24, 2020

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have had to quickly adapt protocols in order to collect data remotely or while practicing social distancing from participants of ongoing clinical studies. This is especially true for researchers with an older adult study population, for whom the virus poses high risk. Older adult study participants are more likely to have hearing or vision impairment, or a combination. The webinar panelists will offer practical strategies and supporting case studies to help health-system researchers address older adults’ sensory health needs, while advancing their research aims during the time of the pandemic.

Presented by:

  • Heather E. Whitson, MD, MHS, Associate Professor of Medicine (Geriatrics) and Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine (Moderator)
  • Nicholas S. Reed, AuD, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • Bonnielin Swenor, MPH, PhD, Associate Professor, The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
  • Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD, Professor of Otolaryngology and Epidemiology; Director, Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • Alan Stevens, PhD, Director, Baylor Scott & White Center for Applied Health Research

Social Media for Research Dissemination: Expanding the Impact of Your Research

May 12, 2020

Description: Social media can play a valuable role in both career development and research dissemination. This webinar is designed to provide attendees with an overview of social media platforms and strategies to effectively use social media to promote research and personal branding. Attendees will also come away with a deeper understanding of the neural underpinnings of social media strategies.

Program Objectives:

  1. To describe the rationale for incorporating social media for research dissemination and personal branding.
  2. To provide an overview of frequently used social media platforms.
  3. To provide an overview of social media use strategies and options.

Presented by:

  • Julie Marie Faieta, PhD, OTR/L, rehabilitation science researcher, The Ohio State University, postdoctoral fellow, Université Laval in Quebec, clinical occupational therapist.

Leveraging Small Grants to Build Your Research Program
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

May 1, 2020

What are small grants and why are they important? Where do you find them? How can you use these grants strategically to further your research? If you are interested in learning how to leverage small grants to build your research program, please join us. Our skilled panel of professionals will present on how to find, apply, and leverage foundation and other pilot funding mechanisms to form collaborations, build a research program, and establish a productive career trajectory with a track record in funding. We will discuss the steps involved in this process, and our two skilled professionals will share their experiences and practical advice about how to make the most of small grants.

Presented by:

  • Jamie Justice, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Chair, GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization.
  • Amy Hoffman, PhD, RN, Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Assistant Dean, College of Nursing at the Omaha Campus.

This webinar is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Why Reframe? Understanding the Significance and Tools of Reframing Aging and Reframing Elder Abuse

April 30, 2020

The Reframing Aging Initiative is a long-term social endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to society. Its sister project, Reframing Elder Abuse, aims to demonstrate how we can put elder abuse on the public agenda, generate a sense of collective responsibility, and boost support for systemic solutions to address elder abuse. This webinar will build understanding of both projects, discuss where they overlap, and build awareness about the impact of ageism on society.

Presented by:

  • Patricia M. D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, Vice President of Professional Affairs, The Gerontological Society of America. board-certified geriatric pharmacist.
  • Laurie Gibson Lindberg, Project Manager, Reframing Aging Initiative, The Gerontological Society of America.
  • Aly Neumann, Project Coordinator, NCEA’s Reframing Elder Abuse project.

Reframing the Response to COVID-19: Applying Reframed Language to Counteract Ageism

April 21, 2020

Many of us are concerned by the ageism exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this webinar, the presenters offer ways that we can respond using empirically-supported narratives developed by the FrameWorks Institute for the Reframing Aging Initiative and other projects to frame the public discourse on social and scientific issues. Review the webinar and slides to learn strategies for connecting COVID-19 and aging without perpetuating ageist tropes.

Presented by:

The Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol: A New HRS Data Resource

March 25, 2020

The Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) is part of an international research collaboration funded by the National Institute on Aging to measure and understand dementia risk within ongoing longitudinal studies of aging around the world with the aim to harmonize methods and content to facilitate cross-national comparisons. The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) HCAP was designed to serve as a central hub for harmonization. The HRS HCAP sample includes 3,496 respondents who have completed a carefully selected set of established cognitive and neuropsychological assessments to better characterize cognitive function in older adults. This webinar will provide an overview of the design and content of the HCAP study followed by a question and answer portion.

Presented by:

  • Amanda Sonnega, PhD, is Associate Research Scientist in the Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan (UM), where she is responsible for integrating communication, outreach, and education efforts for the Health and Retirement Study. She received her doctorate through the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship within the ISR program in Social Environment and Health. Dr. Sonnega has lectured in the UM School of Public Health on psychosocial factors in health-related behavior. Her research focuses on life course trajectories of physical and mental health; institutional and personal factors associated with vulnerability and resilience in aging individuals; and work transitions and their broad effects on health and well-being.
  • Lindsay Ryan, PhD, is Associate Research Scientist at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. She received her doctoral degree in Human Development and Family Studies in 2008 from the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Ryan is an investigator on several ongoing research projects, all of which involve an interest in better measuring and understanding the processes by which adults change over the life course. Her research interests include investigating individual and contextual influences on well-being, physical health, and cognition across adulthood, with a particular focus on the impact of social relations. She has worked on the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) for 10 years, and is involved in the development and management of the cognition and psychosocial content within the HRS.

This webinar, which is hosted by The Gerontological Society of America, has been developed and is presented by the University of Michigan with funds from the National Institute on Aging. Visit GSA's YouTube channel for previous installments: Introduction to the Health and Retirement Study; Biomarkers Data; Data on Cognition; HRS Sample Design, Weighting, and Complex Variance Estimation; Psychosocial Data Resources in the HRS.

Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS)
(HIV and Aging: Data Access, Availability, and Research Funding Opportunities Webinar Series)

February 10, 2020

This webinar presents a description of two large cohorts that use data from the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA). The Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) comprises all HIV-infected (55,000) veterans in VA care from 1997 to 2017, each matched to two demographically similar uninfected veterans. The Veteran Birth Cohort includes all veterans born between 1945 and 1965 who have used VA care from 1997 to 2017 (4.5 million), encompassing person-time between ages 35 and 75 years. Both cohorts have complete electronic health record data, including diagnoses, procedures, lab results, medication fill dates, vital signs, and self-reported tobacco and alcohol use. This information is augmented with supplemental data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as well as the National Death Index. Several exposures and outcomes have been validated with chart review.

Presented by:

  • Janet Tate, MPH, ScD, Affiliated Principal Investigator, VACS; Member of the Executive Committee; Director, Biostatistics Core; Co-Director, Risk Index Workgroup; Co-Director, Liver Core

Continued research on HIV prevention and intervention among older adults is crucial as people aged 50 years and older accounted for 17% of new infections in 2016, approximately 50% of all people living with HIV in the United States are in this age group, and people are living longer with HIV owing to improvements in antiretroviral therapy in the past several years. Therefore, this webinar series covers access to multiple data sources and their availability, which can be used to answer important research questions in HIV and aging. In addition, this webinar series reports on funding opportunities for HIV and aging research, which will help to provide support in advancing research in this area.

This webinar series, which is hosted by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), has been organized by the GSA HIV, AIDS, and Older Adults Interest Group and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) Inter-CFAR HIV and Aging Working Group.

Other entries:

The Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)/Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS)
(HIV and Aging: Data Access, Availability, and Research Funding Opportunities Webinar Series) 

January 30, 2020

This webinar presents a description of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)/Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS), including an overview of the two cohorts that comprise the MWCCS, the more than 25-year longitudinal case-control design (HIV+ and HIV-) and every-6-month legacy measures of sociodemographic, aging (e.g., frailty, falls, cognition), cardiovascular health, mental health (depressive symptoms), sexual health, and behavior data as well as genome-wide association studies and biospecimen resources.

Presented by:

  • Deborah Gustafson, PhD, Co-Principal Investigator, Brooklyn Clinical Research Site of the MWCCS

Continued research on HIV prevention and intervention among older adults is crucial as people aged 50 years and older accounted for 17% of new infections in 2016, approximately 50% of all people living with HIV in the United States are in this age group, and people are living longer with HIV owing to improvements in antiretroviral therapy in the past several years. Therefore, this webinar series covers access to multiple data sources and their availability, which can be used to answer important research questions in HIV and aging. In addition, this webinar series reports on funding opportunities for HIV and aging research, which will help to provide support in advancing research in this area.

This webinar series, which is hosted by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), has been organized by the GSA HIV, AIDS, and Older Adults Interest Group and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) Inter-CFAR HIV and Aging Working Group.

Other entries:


The Art of Engaging Older Adults in Research

December 11, 2019

This webinar highlights two diverse research advisory boards that are working to bring the experiential voice of older adults to research. Researchers working with these advisory boards will discuss their unique models of engagement, use of technology, and experiences in recruitment, training, and sustainability of research advisory boards. The experiential voice of older adults is largely absent from health research, often leading to the development of ineffective programs and policies. While older adults have the capacity to participate in the design, development, and delivery of research, researchers traditionally do not recognize such capacity, may be unsure how to seek their input, or may not fully appreciate the extent to which such input can improve the research enterprise. Yet, the participation of these stakeholders, can ensure that patient-centered research meaningfully addresses older adults’ care preferences and desired health outcomes, and can ultimately improve the effectiveness of programs and policies as well as quality of care and quality of life for vulnerable older adults. 

Moderator:  

  • Amy Eisenstein, PhD, Program Officer, The Retirement Research Foundation

Panelists:  

  • Carol Geary, PhD, MBA, RN, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Medicine
  • Erin McGaffigan, PhD, Policy and Research Fellow, LeadingAge LTSS Center, University of Massachusetts Boston

Discussant:  

  • Gyasi Moscou-Jackson, PhD, MHS, RN, Nurse Scientist, University of Maryland Medical Center

Advancing International Research in Residential Long-Term Care With Common Data Elements

October 25, 2019

International research on long-term care (LTC) can valuably inform LTC policy and practice, but limited transnational collection of data on key LTC issues restricts the contributions of international LTC research. Effectively addressing key challenges to providing high-quality, person-centered, residential LTC requires data sharing and aggregation, but this can only be achieved through the development and implementation of common data elements (CDEs) in an open, collaborative infrastructure. This webinar reviews Worldwide Elements To Harmonize Research In long-term care liVing Environments (WE-THRIVE), an initiative led by LTC researchers—including researchers from low-, middle-, and high-income countries—to identify LTC CDEs that can be implemented internationally for the purpose of supporting older adult thriving. We discuss four key measurement domains of organizational context, workforce and staffing, person-centered care, and care outcomes, as well as explore opportunities for participants to engage in consortium efforts. 

Presented by:

  • Adam Gordon, PhD, MB, ChB, MMedSci(Clin Ed), FRCP, FRCPEdin, Professor of the Care of Older People, University of Nottingham; Visiting Professor, City University London; Consultant Geriatrician, Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Michael Lepore, PhD, Senior Health Policy and Health Services Researcher, RTI International; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University
  • Kristen Corazzini, PhD, Associate Dean for the PhD Program, Office of the Academic Deans; Professor, Organizational Systems and Adult Health—University of Maryland, School of Nursing.

Other entries:

Tips on How to Successfully Negotiate Your Job Offer
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

September 6, 2019

What happens after you receive a job offer? How do you negotiate and prepare for your position? If you are looking for tips and advice about successful job negotiation and how to best spend your time before starting your new job, then this webinar is for you. You’ll learn useful strategies from our skilled panel: Keith A. Anderson, PhD, MSW, FGSA, will discuss negotiations in academia and Hannah Wohlfert, MBA, will discuss her job negotiation experiences in industry. These knowledgeable professionals will share their insights and practical advice on how to maximize a job negotiation for a successful future.

Presented by:

  • Keith A. Anderson, PhD, MSW, FGSA, is a Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Montana, Director of the Montana Geriatric Education Center, and Series Editor for Columbia University Press. During his career, he has been a Hartford Doctoral Fellow, Hartford Faculty Scholar, and Associate Professor in the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University. Dr. Anderson’s scholarship focuses on the health and well-being of older adults and their caregivers, home and community-based services, and the creation and evaluation of applied interventions.
  • Hannah Wohlfert, MBA, has worked in the technology industry for over 14 years across multiple areas, including quality assurance, business analysis, and now in enterprise project management. During these years, she has changed full-time jobs nine times and negotiated for each of those roles. Ms. Wohlfert has an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and a master of business administration degree from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. In addition to her day job, she is involved in career consulting and runs a successful tech consultancy, helping companies and individuals with data and visualization needs.

This webinar was supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Sun Protection and Sunburn Among Older U.S. Adults

August 2, 2019

The second of a two-part series on cancer prevention during older adulthood, this webinar will describe the prevalence of sunburn and use of sun protection among U.S. adults aged 65 years and older. The webinar will also address associations between sun protection behaviors and sunburn and the public health implications for skin cancer prevention among older adults.

The content of this webinar will be founded on the paper titled “Association Between Sun Protection Behaviors and Sunburn Among U.S. Older Adults,” which was authored by the speaker, Dawn M. Holman, MPH, and coworkers Helen Ding, MD, MSPH; MaryBeth Freeman, MPH, and Meredith L. Shoemaker, MPH. The paper will be published in a CDC-funded supplemental issue of The Gerontologist on Opportunities for Cancer Prevention During Older Adulthood. Preliminary analyses of the research were presented as a poster presentation at the 4th International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention in Toronto, Canada in May 2018.

The webinar topic may be of interest to researchers, public health professionals, and health care providers who are interested in health promotion among older adults. It may also appeal to those with an interest specifically in skin cancer prevention.

Presented by:

  • Dawn M. Holman, MPH, is a behavioral scientist in the Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch of the CDC Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. Her work is focused on opportunities to reduce cancer risk through community-level strategies that make it easier for people to adopt healthy behaviors and reduce harmful exposures at every stage of life. She leads the Division’s skin cancer prevention efforts, including use of national data to examine sun-protective behaviors, indoor tanning, and sunburn among U.S. adolescents and adults and trends over time in the incidence of skin cancer. Ms. Holman leads the development of CDC’s annual Skin Cancer Prevention Progress Report and other skin cancer prevention resources and she served as a lead writer for the U.S. Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer.

Health Literacy Considerations for Cancer Prevention Initiatives With Older Adults

June 28, 2019

The first of a two-part series on cancer prevention during older adulthood, this webinar focuses on new developments in health literacy studies and implications for public health and health care programs and practices. Of particular interest are strategies for increasing the accessibility of health information and support for healthful action. This webinar builds on the U.S. National Prevention Strategy to provide an argument for attention to literacy and numeracy with illustrations related to the development of efficacious health communication strategies geared toward older adults.

For background, read the paper titled “Health Literacy Considerations for a New Cancer Prevention Initiative” authored by the speaker, Rima E. Rudd, ScD, and published in a CDC-funded supplemental issue of The Gerontologist on Opportunities for Cancer Prevention During Older Adulthood.

The webinar topic may be of interest to researchers, public health professionals, and health care providers who are interested in health promotion among older adults.

Presented by:

  • Rima E. Rudd, ScD, has been a member of the faculty in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences within the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for 30 years. A founder of and leader in health literacy studies, Dr. Rudd drafted the first national call to action, served on the original Institute of Medicine Health Literacy Committee, and has written and contributed to multiple health policy reports, white papers, and research studies. She is helping to broaden the notion of health literacy with attention to the quality of health-related texts, the communication skills of health and health care professionals, and the barriers and facilitating factors in health environments.

Forming Science-Industry Research Collaborations: A Preview (and Helpful Tips!)

June 26, 2019

The Standford Center on Longevity and Duke Center for Interdisciplinary Decision Science are jointly inviting applications from early career social scientists to attend a workshop at the GSA 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting. This full-day workshop will focus on strategies and tools for academic researchers to collaborate with private-sector companies on applied research problems and interventions related to everday decision making and behavior.

Topics will include:

  • Strategies for engaging private-sector collaborations.
  • Indentifying mutually interesting research questions.
  • Tips for communicating with the private sector.
  • Navigating the research process: funding, timelines, contracts, scientific rigor, and research ethics.
  • Managing expectations
  • Avoiding conflicts of interest.

There is no cost to participate in this workshop supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging. Two nights lodging and airfare will be covered by accepted applicants. 

Eligibility: Assistant professors, postdocs, and PhD students who have advanced to candidacy. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Presented by:

  • Dr. Greg Samanez-Larkin, Duke University
  • Dr. Marti DeLiema, Standford Center on Longevity

Psychosocial Data Resources in the HRS

April 30, 2019

This webinar will provide an overview of the psychosocial data resources in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). It will also provide practical guidance on using the data, including how to: merge two half-sample waves, apply the appropriate weights, and construct analytic files to conduct dyadic analyses. A question and answer portion of the webinar will allow users to pose specific questions related to survey content and to their analyses. Joining Amanda Sonnega in the question and answer session will be Jacqui Smith, the HRS co-investigator who leads the development of HRS psychosocial content, and Lindsay Ryan, who is a key member of the HRS psychosocial group.

Visit GSA's YouTube channel for previous installments: Introduction to HRS; Biomarkers Data; Data on Cognition; and HRS Sample Design, Weighting, and Complex Variance Estimation

Presented by:

  • Amanda Sonnega, PhD, Associate Research Scientist in the Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan (UM), where she is responsible for integrating communication, outreach, and education efforts for the Health and Retirement Study. She received her doctorate through the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship within the ISR program in Social Environment and Health. Dr. Sonnega has lectured in the UM School of Public Health on psychosocial factors in health-related behavior. Her research focuses on life course trajectories of physical and mental health; institutional and personal factors associated with vulnerability and resilience in aging individuals; and work transitions and their broad effects on health and well-being.
  • Jacqui Smith, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Research Professor, Institute for Social Research, and co-investigator of the HRS. Her research deals with the heterogeneity of psychological functioning, well-being, and health in midlife and old age. She uses experimental and survey methodologies to investigate age-cohort differences and age-related change in cognitive functioning, self-regulation, and well-being. Her current research focuses on subjective well-being after age 50, psychological vitality in the oldest-old, early-life and life course predictors of outcomes in later life, self-perceptions of aging, and cognitive aging.
  • Lindsay Ryan, PhD, is an Assistant Research Scientist at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. She received her doctoral degree in Human Development and Family Studies in 2008 from the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Ryan is an investigator on several ongoing research projects, all of which involve an interest in better measuring and understanding the processes by which adults change over the life course. Her research interests include investigating individual and contextual influences on well-being, physical health, and cognition across adulthood, with a particular focus on the impact of social relations. She has worked on the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) for 10 years, and is involved in the development and management of the cognition and psychosocial content within the HRS.

This webinar, which is hosted by The Gerontological Society of America, has been developed and is presented by the University of Michigan with funds from the National Institute on Aging.

Discussion on The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit for the Older Adult: Challenges and Opportunities

April 10, 2019

Presented by:

  • Patricia D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, GSA Vice President, Professional Affairs
  • Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, Professor, OSAH, Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, University of Maryland School of Nursing
  • Sherri Sheinfeld Gorin, PhD, FSBM, Department of Family Medicine, The School of Medicine, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, New York Physicians against Cancer, New York, NY
  • Peter A. Hollmann, MD, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI
  • Brian Kaskie, PhD, Public Policy & Aging Report Editor-in-Chief, University of Iowa

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Finding and Getting the Most Out of Your Postdoctoral Fellowship Experience
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

April 5, 2019

Where do you find opportunities about postdoctoral fellowships in your field? How do you get the most out of your postdoctoral fellowship experience? If you are considering a postdoctoral position after obtaining your PhD, and wish to learn more about how to find a postdoctoral fellowship and get the most out of your experience, please join us. Our skilled panel of professionals includes a former postdoc (Ryon J. Cobb, PhD) and a current postdoc (Jasmine Travers, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, RN) along with a postdoctoral mentor (Julene K. Johnson, PhD). Our three skilled professionals discuss the process of finding and applying for postdoctoral opportunities and share their experiences and practical advice on how to maximize your experience as a postdoctoral fellow.

Presented by:

  • Ryon J. Cobb, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington. His program of research elucidates how experiences of mistreatment combine with one’s racial/ethnic identification to affect the health of adults in the United States. His research has appeared or is forthcoming in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, Social Psychology Quarterly, Ethnicity and Health, Race and Social Problems, and Biodemography and Social Biology. Several institutes within and outside the National Institutes of Health have invested in his work, including the Louisville Institute; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the National Institute on Aging. He received a doctorate in sociology with a focus on health and aging from the Florida State University and he received postdoctoral training in the biodemography of aging at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California.
  • Julene K. Johnson, PhD, is the Associate Dean of Research for the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Nursing and the Associate Director at the UCSF Institute for Health and Aging. She is also the Research Education Core Lead and mentor in the UCSF Center for Aging in Diverse Communities. Dr. Johnson is a cognitive neuroscientist; she obtained her doctorate at the University of Texas at Dallas and completed postdoctoral training at the Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Johnson’s research program focuses on cognitive aging and covers two primary themes: (1) developing cost-effective and novel community-based interventions (e.g., arts interventions) to promote health and well-being, particularly for diverse older adults; and (2) studying risks and protective factors for cognitive and functional decline in older adults. Her research on community-engaged health promotion involves racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse older adults.
  • Jasmine Travers, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, RN, is a postdoctoral fellow in the National Clinician Scholars Program at Yale University Schools of Medicine and Nursing. She is receiving training in a cohort of physicians and doctorally prepared nurses to become a health systems leader driving policy-relevant research and partnerships to improve health and health care. Previously, Dr. Travers completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health and a Vice Provost Fellowship for Academic Diversity. Her current work focuses on mitigating disparities in access and use of in-home and facility-based care for older adults and how best to optimize health outcomes among older adults across long-term care settings. Dr. Travers is the author of over 20 manuscripts on aging, long-term care, health disparities, workforce diversity, and infections; she has presented her work at multiple regional and national health services research, gerontological, nursing, and public health conferences.

This webinar is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Leveraging Improved Vaccine Technology and the Health Care Team to Protect Older Adults (GSA Momentum Discussions Series)

April 1, 2019

Continuing the conversation from the Momentum Discussion at the GSA 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting, this webinar will explore the exciting developments in vaccine technology, review the underappreciated benefits of vaccination, and share evidence-based strategies that health care teams can use to help raise immunization rates, thereby preventing disease and its complications in older adults.

Presented by:

  • "Overview of Adult Immunization Rates and Challenges to Improvement": Kevin O'Neil, MD, FACP, CMD, has been a recognized leader in the senior living and geriatric medicine fields for more than 30 years. He is currently the Chief Medical Officer for Affinity Living Group and a clinical professor in the Department of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida. Dr. O’Neil was formerly the Chief Medical Officer for Brookdale Senior Living from 2005 to 2016 and Chief Medical Officer for Ascension Senior Living from 2016 to 2018. He also served as the medical advisor for The Institute for Optimal Aging.Dr. O’Neil is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both internal medicine and geriatric medicine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Geriatrics Society. He is a Certified Medical Director of AMDA—The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine and recently served on its Board of Directors. Dr. O’Neil also serves on the Board of Directors of the Senior Friendship Centers of Southwest Florida and on the Board of First Step in Sarasota, Florida, which provides addiction recovery programs. Dr. O'Neil is on the editorial board of the peer-reviewed journal The Medical Roundtable: General Medicine Editionand he is co-editor and a contributing writer for Optimal Aging Manual.
  • "Improving Vaccine Effectiveness in Older Adults: Advances in Vaccine Technology": Janet McElhaney, MD, FRCPC, FACP, is a geriatrician and the Health Sciences North Volunteer Association Chair in Healthy Aging and the Vice President of Research and Scientific Director of the Health Sciences North Research Institute in Sudbury, Ontario. She is also a professor of medicine at Northern Ontario School of Medicine and an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.Dr. McElhaney’s research interests include the effect of immunosenescence and inflammaging on the immune responses to vaccination, immunologic biomarkers of protection mediated by vaccination, and how vaccination plays a role in preventing disability in older adults. More recently, she has fostered several positive relationships with indigenous communities and health care leaders to help address multimorbidity and support collaborative community and team-based approaches to healthy aging of older indigenous people in Northern Ontario. She serves on editorial boards for the Journal of Immunology and Journal of Infectious Diseases, as an advisor to the European Scientific Working Group on Influenza, and on multiple grant review panels and advisory boards in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia.
  • "Beyond Disease Prevention: The Building Benefits of Vaccination": Stefan Gravenstein, MD, MPH, is an academic and clinical geriatrician, currently serving as professor in the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, Department of Medicine at Brown University. He is also active with the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Gravenstein was a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s influenza guidelines committee and co-author of the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences publication Optimizing the Prevention of Herpes Zoster in Older Adults.Dr. Gravenstein routinely speaks at Medical Grand Rounds and other lectures about influenza vaccine. He understands practical implications of vaccine recommendations and has been working with quality improvement projects to change the behavior of individuals in institutions specific to vaccines.
  • "Putting it Into Practice: One Health System’s Success at Improving Adult Immunization Rates": April Green, PharmD, is the Population Health Management Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist and co-chair of the System Vaccine Subcommittee for Ochsner Health System in New Orleans. Prior to becoming a pharmacist, she earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana–New Orleans and worked as a semiconductor engineer for Toppan Photomasks, where her projects ranged from manufacturing of phase shift masks to product integration engineering. She received her doctor of pharmacy degree and completed Pharmacy Postgraduate Year One residency training with Xavier and the interim Louisiana State University Hospital. Dr. Green joined Ochsner in 2014 as an inpatient staff pharmacist at the Slidell hospital campus and later relocated to the Ochsner Main Campus in New Orleans for her current role. As Population Health Management Pharmacist, she is responsible for assisting with efforts to improve Ochsner’s quality measure outcomes, increasing vaccination rates in the pediatric and adult populations, increasing comprehensive medication reviews performed by pharmacists, and improving patients’ medication adherence for the treatment of chronic health conditions.

This webinar is developed by The Gerontological Society of America and supported by Seqirus. The content is based on a program hosted at the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting, sponsored by Merck, Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, and Seqirus.

HRS Sample Design, Weighting, and Complex Variance Estimation

March 26, 2019

This webinar provides an overview of the complex sample design of the Health and Retirement Study. It also provides practical guidance on the application of sample weights and complex variance estimation in analysis of the data. A question and answer portion of the webinar will allow users to pose specific questions related to their analyses.

Videos on the Introduction to HRS; Biomarkers Data; and Data on Cognition are available on GSA’s YouTube Channel.

Presented by:

  • Amanda Sonnega, PhD, is an Associate Research Scientist in the Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan (UM), where she is responsible for integrating communication, outreach, and education efforts for the Health and Retirement Study. She received her doctorate through the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship within the ISR program in Social Environment and Health. Dr. Sonnega has lectured in the UM School of Public Health on psychosocial factors in health-related behavior. Her research focuses on life course trajectories of physical and mental health; institutional and personal factors associated with vulnerability and resilience in aging individuals; and work transitions and their broad effects on health and well-being.
  • Sunghee Lee, PhD, is an Associate Research Scientist in the Survey Methodology Program at the University of Michigan. She earned her doctorate from the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland. Previously, Dr. Lee served as Survey Methodologist for the California Health Interview Survey and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Biostatistics at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research interests include sampling and measurement issues in data collection with linguistic and racial minorities as well as hard-to-reach populations and cross-cultural survey methodology.
  • Ryan McCammon, MS, is Research Area Specialist Lead, having joined the Health and Retirement Study program in November 2018. He was previously with the University of Michigan (UM) Department of Internal Medicine as a Database Analyst while working on his master’s degree in survey methodology, which he completed in April 2018. He also holds a master’s degree in sociology from UM and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wabash College.

This webinar, which is hosted by The Gerontological Society of America, has been developed and is presented by the University of Michigan with funds from the National Institute on Aging.

A Starting Point for Looking at Age-Friendliness on My Campus: AGHE Can Help
(Part 3 of 3)

March 1, 2019

This webinar will discuss data-gathering approaches to explore your institution’s age-friendly assets, gaps, and opportunities along with how AGHE can be an Age-Friendly University resource for you and your institution.

Presented by:

  • Nina M. Silverstein, PhD (University of Massachusetts Boston—Massachusetts, USA)
  • Marilyn Gugliucci, PhD (University of New England—Maine, USA)

Made possible through a grant from the Retirement Research Foundation to AGHE for the Founders 3.0 Project.

One Vision, Many Paths: Making an Age-Friendly University Work for You
(Part 2 of 3)

February 6, 2019

This webinar examines how different institutions approach their AFU vision and offer examples of how your institution can draw on its distinctive strengths to realize the AFU principles.

Presented by:

  • Carrie Andreoletti, PhD (Central Connecticut State University—Connecticut, USA)
  • Andrea June, PhD (Central Connecticut State University—Connecticut, USA)

Made possible through a grant from the Retirement Research Foundation to AGHE for the Founders 3.0 Project.

The Road to Austin: Mapping the Steps for GSA 2019 Abstract Submission

January 31, 2019

Prepare yourself in advance of the March 14 deadline to submit your abstract for the GSA 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting. This webinar will enhance your knowledge and skills for submitting an abstract. Hear from the experts about the importance and process of submitting an abstract and how best to prepare an abstract for submission.

Presented by:

  • GSA President and Program Chair S. Michal Jazwinski, PhD, FGSA, of Tulane University, and Program Co-Chair Holly Brown-Borg, PhD, FGSA, of the University of North Dakota, will walk attendees through the ins and outs of the GSA 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting call for abstracts.
  • John Beilenson, President of Strategic Communications & Planning, who has been advising scientists about communications for more than a decade, will demonstrate how to make your submission stand out from the crowd. Facilitate your abstract preparation and submission experience—and avoid disqualifying errors and rushing at the last minute—by becoming familiar with the constructive information presented in this webinar.

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Becoming an Age-Friendly University Partner
(Part 1 of 3)

January 9, 2019

This webinar will describe why higher education needs to be more age-friendly, the vision of the AFU initiative, and how your institution can join the AFU network.

Presented by:

  • Joann M. Montepare, PhD (Lasell College—Massachusetts, USA)
  • Kimberly S. Farah, PhD (Lasell College—Massachusetts, USA)

Made possible through a grant from the Retirement Research Foundation to AGHE for the Founders 3.0 Project.


Translating Basic Research on the Aging Family to Caregiving Intervention

October 31, 2018

Gerontology has sought to establish optimal connections between the scientific activities of researchers and the real-world concerns of practitioners and clinicians. The concept of translational research has emerged in recent years as a model for bridging the gap between science and service. This webinar provides examples of the translational research process, demonstrating how a body of basic research can be mined for insights that can guide intervention. A focus on within-family differences in older parent–adult child relationships suggests how existing caregiving interventions could be adapted or fine-tuned to take advantage of empirical insights regarding family complexity. Background reading: Translating Basic Research on the Aging Family to Caregiving Intervention: The Case of Within-Family Differences

Presented by:

  • Megan Gilligan, PhD, Assistant Professor, Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University
  • Laura P. Sands, PhD, FGSA, Editor-in-Chief, Innovation in Aging; Professor, Human Development and Family Science, Virginia Tech
  • Steven M. Albert, PhD, FGSA, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Innovation in Aging; Professor and Chair, Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund

Academic Job Market: What Every Early Professional Needs to Know
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

October 26, 2018

How should you prepare yourself to become a competitive candidate for an academic career? If your career goal is to become a faculty member, this webinar will provide guidance. The presenters share the basics of a job market process and how to present your research and teaching experiences. The process of entering the academic job market may seem overwhelming, but three skilled professionals share practical advice as well as their own experience on how to navigate academic job market.

Presented by:

  • Barbara Cochrane, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA is the de Tornyay Endowed Professor for Healthy Aging and Interim Chair of the Department of Family and Child Nursing at the University of Washington School of Nursing. Her research and professional commitments focus primarily on older women’s health and healthy aging, specifically positive aspects of aging, symptoms in older women, breast cancer prevention and survivorship, and cardiovascular health. She has presented and consulted nationally and internationally on midlife and older women’s health, health promotion, and community care transitions for older persons.
  • Noelle Fields, PhD, MSW, LCSW is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a gerontology health researcher specializing in family caregiving among vulnerable populations and home- and community-based services for older adults. She has expertise in conducting community-based participatory research and has co-authored a book, Home and Community-Based Services for Older Adults: Aging in Context, with Columbia University Press. Dr. Fields has been the PI and Co-PI on several funded projects including a qualitative community assessment of “aging well” in Arlington, Texas. Currently, she is the PI of a funded project from the Transportation Center for Livable Communities to design an innovative electronic daily transportation diary for older adults using app technology.
  • Cal Halvorsen, PhD, MSW is an Assistant Professor at the Boston College School of Social Work and an expert on productive engagement in later life, with particular emphasis on longer working lives. He investigates self-employment and entrepreneurship in later life, encore careers, and the role institutions of higher education can play in helping those past midlife to re-career. He has taught both graduate and undergraduate courses in social work and aging. Before earning his PhD, Cal was the director of research at Encore.org, a national nonprofit that aims to engage people at midlife and beyond to improve their communities and the world.

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Moving From Linear to Reciprocal: Conceptualizing Productive Engagement Using System Dynamics

October 24, 2018

In this webinar, the authors of Conceptualizing Productive Engagement in a System Dynamics Framework describe the background that led to system dynamics scholars and gerontologists coming together to think differently about the topic of productive engagement in later life. The authors proposed that existing conceptual frameworks that articulate the antecedents and outcomes of productive engagement in a linear fashion can be improved using system dynamics. System dynamics assumes that feedback mechanisms or circular causality are central to social reality and is distinct from more traditional statistical techniques that infer unidirectional cause and effect. This approach offers a more complete understanding of the feedback loops between individuals, families, and society, as well as the impact of potential program and policy changes intended to increase the productive engagement of older adults. To create a system dynamics model, seven experts in productive aging and system dynamics met regularly to produce the “stock and flow” diagram presented in Innovation in Aging. The findings from this unique, qualitative effort suggest that there are modifiable conditions to increase the utilization of human capital in productive activities, advancing theory and helping to refine the productive aging research agenda. This activity also served as an educational and professional development tool for both teaching and research. In this session, the authors review the rationale for the project, the methods used to create the system dynamics model, the model itself, and implications of this work.

Presented by:

  • Nancy Morrow-Howell, MSW, PhD, FGSA, Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy, Brown School of Social Work Center for Aging, Washington University
  • Cal Halvorsen, MSW, PhD, Assistant Professor, Boston College School of Social Work
  • Laura P. Sands, PhD, FGSA, Editor-in-Chief, Innovation in Aging; Professor, Virginia Tech

Approaches to Measuring Wisdom

July 11, 2018

Wisdom research is a fast-growing field, and more and more investigators, especially those studying aging, are interested in using measures of wisdom. A number of measures of wisdom are available that differ in conceptual background and measurement approach. After attending this webinar, participants will be able to select the measure of wisdom that best fits their research questions. A broad distinction is made between self-report measures and performance-based measures, both of which have advantages and disadvantages. In this webinar, we discuss general issues in the measurement of wisdom, give a detailed overview of the existing measures, and describe current and potential future developments. In addition to describing the current state of wisdom measurement, we hope to attract researchers who are interested in developing new, creative measures of this complex construct.

Presented by:

  • Judith Glück, Dr. rer. nat., is a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Klagenfurt in Austria. Her main field of research is wisdom—how wisdom develops, under which conditions it manifests itself, how laypeople define it, and how it can be measured. She studied psychology at the University of Vienna with a focus on measurement and item-response theory and was then introduced to wisdom research by Paul Baltes when she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin. Thus, she brought her background in psychometrics to the field of wisdom research and has published several papers on how wisdom can be measured. Currently, Dr. Glück is editing a psychological sciences special issue of The Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences on new developments in psychological wisdom research and co-editing the Cambridge Handbook of Wisdom with Robert J. Sternberg.
  • Nic M. Weststrate, PhD, is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Developmental Psychology at the University of Klagenfurt in Austria. His research examines growth and adjustment in response to challenging life experiences with a particular focus on the association between diverse modes of self-reflective processing and wisdom. Dr. Weststrate is an alumnus of the Wisdom and Identity Lab in the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at the University of Toronto and a current member of the university’s Institute for Life Course and Aging.

Health and Retirement Study: Biomarkers Data
(Part 3 of 3)

April 24, 2018

This webinar provides an overview of the data resources on physical measures and biomarkers in the Health and Retirement Study. The first part of the webinar provides information on the design of the physical measures and biomarkers data collection (through dried blood spot) and the measures collected. It also describes the Venous Blood Study with guidance on accessing these sensitive health data and relevant documentation.

Presented by:

  • Amanda Sonnega, associate research scientist in the Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan (UM), where she is responsible for integrating communication, outreach, and education efforts for the Health and Retirement Study
  • Jessica Faul, associate research scientist in the Survey Research Center and a co–principal investigator of the Health and Retirement Study, and affiliated with the Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging, the Population Studies Center, and the University of Michigan BioSocial Methods Collaborative.

This webinar was developed and presented by the University of Michigan with funds from the National Institute on Aging and hosted by GSA.

Non-Academic Careers in Aging
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

April 6, 2018

What are career opportunities outside of academia? Do you want to know how to remain involved and be actively involved in gerontology research and policy outside of university institutions? Join our experts in non-academic career paths, as they discuss their experiences in diverse gerontology roles and ways to explore potential trajectories for non-academic careers in aging, offered as part of the ESPO Professional Development Webinar Series.

Presented by a panel of professionals working in non-academic careers:

  • Mindy Baker, PhD, from George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers, Inc. is the Director of Education, where she provides Specialized Alzheimer’s and Dementia Training to their team members and also to professionals in the community. She has more than twenty years of experience working with people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. She has a PhD in Applied Cognitive Aging Psychology and a Certificate of Gerontology from the University of Akron, in Akron, Ohio. Her passion is finding ways to make meaningful connections with people who have dementia and teaching others to do the same.
  • Sonya Barsness, MS, from Sonya Barsness Consulting Sonya is a Masters-prepared Gerontologist with 20 years of experience in aging, primarily in dementia care and long-term care. As a consultant, she works with organizations to support elders, particularly elders with dementia, in living with meaning and purpose, regardless of cognitive or functional challenges, or where they live.
  • Cynthia Dougherty, PhD, MSW, is the Director of the Office of Geriatrics and Interprofessional Aging Studies at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. In her current role, some of her major responsibilities include managing a number of distance education/professional development programs, advising health profession and other students interested in the field of aging, developing and maintaining relationships with community partners, and supporting geriatric and gerontological research.

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Methodological Innovations in Gerontology: Advances in Psychosocial Research

April 3, 2018

Over the past decade, the data and methods available to scholars of aging, the life course, and human development have expanded tremendously, enabling explorations of new areas of study and more sophisticated investigations of questions at the core of social gerontology. Scholars working in the social and psychological sciences have moved beyond data resources focused on measurement of individuals at a single or two points in time, and instead investigate the experiences of individuals embedded in dyads, families, social networks, and neighborhoods, at multiple points in time. Technological advances have led to an increased volume of individual-, meta-, and macro-level data, necessitating the development and use of statistical techniques to appropriately model psychosocial phenomena.

This webinar highlights key features of the recently published special issue on methodological innovations in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences.

Presented by:

  • Co-editors Deborah Carr and Shevaun Neupert
  • I-Fen Lin describes applications of the multiple-indicators and multiple-causes (MIMIC) model to intergenerational transfer and reporting bias
  • Nilam Ram presents core concepts from each of his four papers in the issue.

Papers from the special issue discussed on the webinar:

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Health and Retirement Study: Data on Cognition
(Part 2 of 3)

March 27, 2018

This webinar presents an overview of the data resources on cognition in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The first part of the webinar identifies and provides guidance on the measures that have been included in the core survey along with where to find them. It also describes the supplementary clinical study of dementia — the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study (ADAMS) — and offers guidance on accessing these sensitive health data. The last part of the formal presentation provides an initial glimpse into a new data resource — the Healthy Cognitive Aging Project (HCAP) — that provided valid data on the presence of cognitive impairment and dementia in the U.S. population.

Presented by:

  • Amanda Sonnega, Associate Research Scientist in the Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan (UM), where she is responsible for integrating communication, outreach, and education efforts for the Health and Retirement Study. She received her PhD through the Department of Health, Behavior & Society at the Johns Hopkins University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship within the ISR program in Social Environment and Health. She has lectured in the UM School of Public Health, teaching Psychosocial Factors in Health-related Behavior. Her research focuses on life course trajectories of physical and mental health; institutional and personal factors associated with vulnerability and resilience in aging individuals; and work transitions and their broad effects on health and well-being.

This webinar was developed and presented by the University of Michigan with funds from the National Institute on Aging and hosted by GSA.

The Road to Boston: Mapping the Steps for GSA 2018 Abstract Submission

January 25, 2018

Be prepared to click submit on March 15 for the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting call for abstracts deadline. This webinar will enhance your knowledge and skills for submitting an abstract. Hear from the experts about the importance and process for submitting an abstract and how best to prepare an abstract for submission.

Presented by:

Introduction to the Health and Retirement Study
(Part 1 of 3)

January 9, 2018

This introduction familiarizes new users with the study including previewing available data, how to access it, and some tips on getting started with analysis. An overview of the study can be found in PubMed: Cohort Profile: the Health and Retirement Study (HRS).

Presented by:

  • Amanda Sonnega, Associate Research Scientist in the Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan (UM), where she is responsible for integrating communication, outreach, and education efforts for the Health and Retirement Study. She received her PhD through the Department of Health, Behavior & Society at the Johns Hopkins University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship within the ISR program in Social Environment and Health. She has lectured in the UM School of Public Health, teaching Psychosocial Factors in Health-related Behavior. Her research focuses on life course trajectories of physical and mental health; institutional and personal factors associated with vulnerability and resilience in aging individuals; and work transitions and their broad effects on health and well-being.

This webinar was developed and presented by the University of Michigan with funds from the National Institute on Aging and hosted by GSA.


NIA Outlook for 2018

December 18, 2017

Join the senior leadership of each program division within the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to learn about the 2018 outlook for aging research.

Moderated by:

  • Marie Bernard, Deputy Director of NIA

Panelists:

  • John Haaga, Director of the Division of Behavioral & Social Research
  • Eliezer Masliah, Director of the Division of Neuroscience
  • Winnie Rossi, Deputy Director of Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology
  • Felipe Sierra, Director of the Division of Aging Biology

How to Use the GSA KAER Toolkit: A 4-step Process to Detecting Cognitive Impairment and Earlier Diagnosis of Dementia

December 13, 2017

With the number of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease continuing to grow (estimated at 6 million Americans in 2017), it is imperative that primary care providers conduct earlier cognitive impairment assessments to ensure that older adults receive appropriate medical care and referrals to community services that can often lead to improved health-related outcomes and well-being.

The online GSA KAER toolkit provides approaches and tools for primary care providers to kickstart the cognition discussion with their patients, to assess for cognitive impairment, to evaluate and diagnose dementia, and to provide post‐diagnostic referrals for education and supportive community services for persons with dementia and their family caregivers.

During this webinar, hear how the KAER model was developed, learn how to use the toolkit, and receive an overview of the approaches and featured tools to implementing each step of the KAER model.

Presented by:

  • Richard H. Fortinsky, PhD, FGSA, Professor, UConn Center on Aging and Department of Medicine, Health Net, Inc., Chair in Geriatrics and Gerontology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine
  • Katie Maslow, MSW, Visiting Scholar, The Gerontological Society of America

Supported by an independent grant from Merck & Co., Inc.

US Aging Policy — What You Didn’t Know You Needed to Know

November 9, 2017

Think policy doesn’t affect the work that you do in caregiving/immunotherapy/oncology/technology/chronic disease research/long term care/fill-in-the-blank research? Think again. Join GSA Policy Advisor Brian Lindberg, MMHS, and a panel of experts who will discuss how debates that happen on Capitol Hill can impact you. The panel will take your questions live on everything from changes based on the new administration to how to get involved in policy.

Presenters:

  • Ellen Nissenbaum, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
  • Howard Bedlin, National Council on Aging
  • Tricia Neuman, The Kaiser Family Foundation

Trends in Aging

October 26, 2017

Hear GSA leaders discuss top trends in the field of aging. The panelists discuss how issues such as healthcare, lifespan innovations, and long term care cross disciplines

Moderated by:

  • Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP, FGSA

Presented by:

  • Janko Nikolich-Zugich, MD, PhD, FGSA
  • Tomas Griebling, MD, MPH, FGSA
  • Karl Pillemer, PhD, FGSA
  • Kathy Sykes, MA, FGSA

Educating Policymakers: Sharing Your Expertise with Capitol Hill

October 23, 2017

In this webinar for GSA and NAGE members, experts in the aging field who have testified on Capitol Hill share their perspectives on the process, preparation, and experience of testifying before a congressional committee.

Moderated by:

  • Brian Lindberg, MMHS, GSA Policy Advisor

Presented by:

  • Kathryn Hyer, PhD, MPP, FGSA, Professor/Director Policy Center, School of Aging Studies/Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging, University of South Florida
  • Janice Knebl, MBA, DO, Chief, Geriatrics Section and Dallas Southwest Osteopathic Physicians, Endowed Chair in Geriatrics, University of North Texas Health Science Center
  • Frank Lin, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Geriatric Medicine, Mental Health, and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Aligning your Scientific Inquiry with Public Policy: Recommendations from Experts in Policy and Aging
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

October 13, 2017

Given the projected growth of the older population in the United States, researchers and clinicians are tasked to explore ways to promote the health and well-being of older adults through policy. A few examples of relevant policy issues include end-of-life care, elder abuse, long-term care and Medicare reform. Emerging scholars have the unique opportunity to influence policy and engage in important discussions with policy makers to advocate for the aging society. Join us for the eighth installment of the ESPO Professional Development Webinar Series to learn more about best practices in aligning your work with the public policy arena.

Presented by:

  • Gretchen E. Alkema, PhD, LCSW, FGSA, serves as vice president of policy and communications for The SCAN Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, she was the 2008-09 John Heinz/Health and Aging Policy Fellow and an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow, serving in the office of Senator Blanche L. Lincoln.
  • Brian Lindberg, MSW, MMHS, is the public policy advisor for The Gerontological Society of America in Washington, DC. Brian worked in Congress for ten years on the House Select Committee on Aging and the Senate Special Committee on Aging.
  • Brian Kaskie, PhD, MPH, has served as a professor of health policy in the Department of Health Management and Policy at the University of Iowa, College of Public Health since 2000. He currently is working as an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow with the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging (Senator Susan M. Collins).

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Culturally Adapting Interventions to Promote Healthy Aging among Latinos: Best Practices in Research and Publishing
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

February 17, 2017

The older population in the United States is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. As minority populations grow and see longer life expectancies, researchers and clinicians are tasked to explore ways to promote the health and well-being of racial and ethnic minority populations. Given the growing diversity of the older population emerging scholars are uniquely positioned to focus on the health of minority aging population. In this seventh installment of the ESPO Professional Development Webinar Series, learn more about best practices in research and publishing in minority aging. 

Presented by:

  • Adriana Perez, PhD, ANP-BC, FAAN. Perez moved from Arizona to Philadelphia to join the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Nursing faculty in 2015. At Penn, she has the opportunity to strengthen her work so that it has a greater impact and is more sustainable across diverse communities. She is partnering with a pediatric nurse practitioner to develop an inter-generational physical activity program for seniors and their grandchildren. Perez is working with the National Association of Hispanic Nurses to teach multicultural families, particularly Latinos, about concepts such as premiums and co-payments, and the benefits of health insurance, so they can select health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace and use it to stay healthy and save money.

This webinar is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.


More Than Just Memes: Using Social Media and Technology to Boost Your Career
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

October 14, 2016

Details: Social media and technology have changed the way many professionals find work, network, collaborate, and progress in their careers. Academic and clinical careers are no different. Numerous social media and technology platforms can be used for career development, networking, and research dissemination including, but not limited to, LinkedIn, ResearchGate, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. With so many outlets, it is important to know how to create a successful social media presence and use technology to your advantage. In this sixth installment of the ESPO Professional Development Webinar Series, learn more about how social media and technology can boost your career.   

Presented by:

  • Melissa Batchelor-Murphy, PhD, RN-BC, FNP-BC, assistant professor at Duke University School of Nursing. She is a National Hartford Center for Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE) Patricia G. Archbold Scholar (2009-2011) and Claire M. Fagin Fellow (2012-2014). She is currently a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar (2014-2017) and a project director for the Duke University School of Nursing’s NIH/ NINR P30 ADAPT Center (2014-2017). She uses social media to disseminate her research findings related to improving nutritional outcomes for residents with dementia in nursing homes, and inform clinical practice. Additionally, she uses social media as a viable means for networking with experts in her field, translating/disseminating the scientific achievements of her colleagues to the public, and developing her voice/ presence in the healthcare arena. In this webinar, she discusses how she developed a plan to increase her social media repertoire (as a nurse scientist, educator, and clinician), and her plans to advance this innovative means of disseminating her science to the next level.

This webinar is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

How to Help Older Adults Recover from Disasters

October 5, 2016

At present, most literature developed by policymakers and planners identify older adults as a vulnerable population that requires additional assistance and resources during disasters. However, it is a constellation of risk factors that make a person vulnerable. The effect of aging, vulnerability, and resilience on responses to disasters is both multidimensional and complex. This webinar provides practical information from the perspective of diverse practice settings (e.g., community-based programs, long-term care services) on how best to support the recovery of older adults after a disaster. This webinar describes best practices and organizational planning considerations related to the unique needs of this population. To highlight key issues, a case scenario is used to illustrate the importance of emergency responders, organizational response, and initiating relationships and partnerships in advance of an emergency or disaster.

Presented by:

  • Lisa M. Brown is Professor and Director of the Trauma Program at Palo Alto University in California. She received her PhD and MS in clinical psychology from Palo Alto University Pacific Graduate School of Psychology and BS in gerontology from City University of New York. She is licensed in Florida and California and is board certified through the American Board of Professional Psychology in Geropsychology.  Dr. Brown’s clinical and research focus is on trauma and resilience, aging, health, vulnerable populations, disasters, and long-term care. Her research has been funded by the National Institute of Aging, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service, and the Agency for Healthcare Administration. She serves on the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Aging and is a Fellow of Division 20 and The Gerontological Society of America.
  • Allison Gibson is Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She received her PhD, MSW, and BSW in social work from The Ohio State University. She is clinically licensed in South Carolina (LISW-CP) and Ohio (LISW). Her research interests focus on community-based services for older adults, particularly in the improvement of disaster response services for older persons, their families, and caregivers.

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

How to Help Older Adults Prepare for Disasters

September 7, 2016

Among all age groups, older adults are the least prepared for disasters and have the highest rate of disaster-related deaths relative to the general population. This webinar provides information for clinicians, public health officials, emergency managers, researchers, social workers, and policymakers on how to best help older adults prepare for a disaster. Best practices and pre-disaster organizational planning considerations related to the unique needs of this population are discussed and methods to address concerns are offered. This webinar includes a case scenario to deepen group understanding and facilitate discussion.

Presented by:

  • Lisa M. Brown is Professor and Director of the Trauma Program at Palo Alto University in California. She received her PhD and MS in clinical psychology from Palo Alto University Pacific Graduate School of Psychology and BS in gerontology from City University of New York. She is licensed in Florida and California and is board certified through the American Board of Professional Psychology in Geropsychology.  Dr. Brown’s clinical and research focus is on trauma and resilience, aging, health, vulnerable populations, disasters, and long-term care. Her research has been funded by the National Institute of Aging, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service, and the Agency for Healthcare Administration. She serves on the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Aging and is a Fellow of Division 20 and The Gerontological Society of America.
  • Jessica Walsh is a PhD candidate in clinical psychology at Palo Alto University in California, specializing in the Trauma Program. She received her BA in social studies from Harvard University in 2010 and her MSc in psychology from the University of East London in 2013. She is currently a psychology extern on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Her research interests focus on trauma, aging, and resilience, particularly in the context of improving public policy to better respond to acts of terrorism, war, and disasters.

Supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Strategies to Advance the National Adult Immunization Plan Through a Focus on Influenza

August 2, 2016

Learn about the National Adult Immunization Plan (NAIP) released in February 2016 by the National Vaccine Program Office, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Angela Shen addresses the four NAIP goals and key focus areas. GSA Executive Director and James Appleby shares actionable ideas generated by a multidisciplinary group to advance adult influenza immunization rates using the NAIP framework and key focus objectives. When it comes to saving people’s lives and reducing human disease and affliction, few interventions can match the record of vaccines. Participate in this one-hour webinar and learn ways to use the NAIP as a road map to create your influenza immunization strategy.

Audience: All professionals seeking to increase adult influenza immunization rates

Presented by:

  • Angela Shen, ScD, MPH, Senior Science Policy Advisor, National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO), US Department of Health and Human Services
  • James Appleby, BSPharm, MPH, Executive Director and CEO of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA)

This webinar was developed by GSA and supported by Sanofi Pasteur.

NIA 101: The Review Process
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization/National Institute on Aging Webinar Series)

June 14, 2016

  • (This webinar is no longer archived on the NIH website)
  • Webinar slides (PDF format)

The NIA and the Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization of The Gerontological Society of America have collaborated to present the webinar “NIA 101: The Review Process,” featuring Chyren Hunter, PhD, from the NIA. This webinar will focus on each step of the grant application review process and respond to questions from the “virtual” audience. At the end of the hour-long webinar, you should have all the information you need to apply for NIA funding.

Presented by:

Chyren Hunter, PhD, is the deputy director and research training officer in the Division of Extramural Activities at the NIA. She oversees and coordinates a broad range of activities that support the review, funding and management of applications and grants to support research on aging.

A Balancing Act: Navigating Work and Life in Early Career
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

February 26, 2016

Emerging scholars and professionals face unique experiences related to building a successful career while balancing relationships and personal well-being. Training programs often provide useful skills for professional development, yet few of us receive mentorship on how to navigate personal challenges related to family, relocation, work demands, and the difficulty of saying “no.” This interactive webinar provides ESPO members the opportunity learn strategies for personal success while managing a full life of work, relationships, and self.

Presented by:

  • Daniel Kaplan, PhD, is a clinical social worker with expertise in mental and neurological disorders. He is an assistant professor at the Adelphi University School of Social Work. His research includes both intervention studies and workforce development initiatives to optimize care services, clinical interventions, and supportive environments for older adults with mental and neurological disorders living in the community. Kaplan is a co-investigator for the John A. Hartford Foundation-funded NASW Supervisory Leaders in Aging (http://socialworkers.org/sla/). He is the former national director of social services for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. Kaplan holds clinical social work licensure in New York and Massachusetts, as well as an NASW certification in advanced gerontological clinical social work. He earned his doctorate at Columbia University and then held a postdoctoral research fellowship in the NIMH Geriatric Mental Health Services Research program at the Weill Cornell Institute for Geriatric Psychiatry.

This webinar is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.


Indigenous Aging Research: Current State of the Science and Future Directions for Research

October 30, 2015

The older adult American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population is growing at a rapid pace. Statistics reported by the Administration on Aging reveal that the number of AI/AN adults aged 65 years and older in the United States is expected to nearly quadruple by 2050. Chronic diseases have a detrimental impact on this population, yet few research studies include AI/AN or indigenous populations worldwide. In this webinar, the presenters discuss studies funded by the National Institutes of Health and international research on indigenous populations, innovative practice-based programs, and the impact of colonization on the health of indigenous older adults. Future directions for research as well as novel approaches are also addressed.

Presented by:

  • Jordan Lewis, PhD, assistant professor, University of Washington School of Social Work and Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
  • Sarah Llanque, RN, PhD, scholar-in-residence, Frisch Institute for Senior Care, Florida State College at Jacksonville

This webinar is supported by The Mentoring Effect, a special project of the GSA Innovation Fund.

Networking: Building Solid Career Connections for Emerging Scholars and Professionals
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

October 2, 2015

Throughout your career, the ability to network is a fundamental cornerstone to building strong professional relationships. Because networking takes place in various settings, both online and offline, and oftentimes even before an initial meeting, it is an essential skill to hone. Successful networking can advance your career in the field of aging through attainment of career goals, promoting collaboration and mentorship, and enhancing grantsmanship. Join us for the fourth installment of the ESPO Professional Development Webinar Series to learn the ins and outs of networking and how to apply these skills during the upcoming GSA Annual Scientific Meeting in Orlando.

Presented by:

  • Jaime Hughes, MPH, MSW, doctoral student in Social Work and Public Health and a NIH Predoctoral Research Fellow at UNC-Chapel Hill. Ms. Hughes has worked previously with the Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) at both the Ann Arbor and Los Angeles VA Medical Centers and currently collaborates with health services researchers at the Durham VA Medical Center. She is currently a member of the ESPO Executive Committee and will begin her term as Chair in November 2015.
  • Katherine Hall, PhD, Assistant Professor of Geriatrics at Duke University and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Durham, NC. She is a Past Chair of ESPO’s Executive Committee and currently serves as the Communications Officer of the International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology Council of Student Organizations (IAGG-CSO).

This webinar is supported by The Mentoring Effect, a special project of the GSA Innovation Fund.

Post-Doctoral Opportunities: A Complete Look at the Spectrum of the Post-Doc Experience
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization/National Institute on Aging Webinar Series)

September 18, 2015

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Office of Special Populations and the Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization (ESPO) of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) have collaborated to present the webinar “Post-Doctoral Opportunities: A Completed Look at the Spectrum of the Post-Doc Experience,” featuring Jamie Justice, PhD, from the University of Colorado, and Todd Ruppar, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, from the University of Missouri. This webinar will focus on how to identify post-doctoral opportunities; how to make the most of post-doctoral positions; and the next steps to launch a career after the completion of a post-doctoral position. The speakers will address this content from an early career and more senior perspective, commenting on both clinical and academic opportunities.

Presented by:

  • Jamie Justice, PhD, is a Research Fellow in Geriatrics at Wake Forest School of Medicine working with Drs. Steve Kritchevsky and Carol Shively. Her primary research interests are to identify novel biological and behavioral factors that contribute to age-related declines in physical function and to test dietary, lifestyle and drug interventions with potential to slow the trajectory of age-related functional decline. Dr. Justice received her graduate training with Dr. Roger Enoka in the Neurophysiology of Movement Laboratory and completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Douglas Seals in the Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory, both located at the University of Colorado Boulder.
  • Todd Ruppar, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, serves as assistant professor and associate director of the Meta-Analysis Research Center at the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing. His research focuses on improving adherence to cardiovascular medications, and he has particular interests in adherence measurement and in how approaches to addressing adherence may impact health disparities. Dr. Ruppar is currently funded through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars program, and has also had research funding through organizations including the PhRMA Foundation, and the John A. Hartford Foundation. As an educator, Dr. Ruppar teaches graduate courses on health behavior change and meta-analysis research methods, and undergraduate courses on public health nursing.

How to Gain Entry and Work with Older Adults in Culturally Grounded and Respectful Approaches

July 29, 2015

This webinar focuses on Dr. Lewis’s research experiences with tribal communities in rural Alaska and urban Seattle. The presentation discusses culturally grounded approaches to research with tribal communities, with an emphasis on community-based participatory research, and will outline recommendations for working respectfully and collaboratively with older adults in tribal communities across the United States. It also highlights the steps of beginning a research study with American Indian and Alaska Native older adults, from developing research questions to disseminating findings.

Presented by:

  • Jordan Lewis, PhD, assistant professor, University of Washington School of Social Work and Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
  • Sarah Llanque, RN, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in cancer, aging, and end-of-life care, University of Utah College of Nursing

This webinar was supported by The Mentoring Effect, a special project of the GSA Innovation Fund.

New Visions for Long-term Services and Supports: The Aging Network & the White House Conference on Aging

June 25, 2015

With the backdrop of the upcoming 2015 White House Conference on Aging, and the challenges of the evolving long-term services and supports (LTSS) system at the state level, this webinar looks to the lessons of the federal Commission on Long-Term Care and the innovations of the aging services network to frame the future for person-centered LTSS.

Moderated by:

  • Brian Lindberg, MSW, MMHS, public policy advisor, GSA

Presented by:

  • Larry Atkins, PhD, executive director, Long-Term Quality Alliance, and president, National Academy of Social Insurance
  • Amy Gotwals, chief of public policy & external affairs, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
  • Nora Super, MPA, executive director, 2015 White House Conference on Aging

Developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and supported by a grant from The SCAN Foundation — advancing a coordinated and easily navigated system of high-quality services for older adults that preserve dignity and independence. Additional support provided by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Nothing With Us Without Us: Exploring Research Partnerships With Native American Communities

April 28, 2015

This presentation seeks to provide a basic overview of the opportunities and challenges in conducting human subjects research in Indian Country. T.J. Holland, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Cultural Resources Supervisor and Chair of the tribe’s Cultural IRB and member of the Medical IRB, will discuss issues such as academic freedom, cultural sensitivity, and best practices for potential researchers who seek to work with Native American communities.

Presented by:

  • T.J. Holland, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Cultural Resources Supervisor; Chair of the tribe’s Cultural IRB; and member of the Medical IRB

This webinar was supported by The Mentoring Effect, a special project of the GSA Innovation Fund.

Sleep Health and the Appropriate Use of OTC Sleep Aids in Older Adults: Results from a GSA Summit

March 13, 2015

To engage national stakeholders in a discussion on OTC sleep aid use by older adults and explore strategies for improving safe use of these products, The Gerontological Society of America organized a National Summit on OTC Sleep Aids and Sleep Health in Older Adults. Key findings from the summit include the high prevalence of sleep disturbances and recourse to OTC sleep aids, the long half-life of these medications and possible next-day detrimental effects, frequent anticholinergic side effects and the need for concerted efforts by retail pharmacists and other providers to address sleep health in older adults.

Presented by:

  • Steven M. Albert, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh
  • Michael V. Vitiello, PhD, of the University of Washington
  • Tom Roth, PhD, of Henry Ford Health Systems

Show Me the Money! Grant Writing for Emerging Scholars and Professionals
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

February 20, 2015

Grant writing is an essential component of all phases (dissertation, post-doctoral, early career) of your academic and professional careers. Funding is competitive, but gaining skills early in your career can help you learn how to identify funding opportunities and assemble a competitive application. This third webinar in the ESPO Professional Development Webinar Series offers tips for successful early career grantsmanship.

Presented by:

  • Laura Tonks Raffield, a PhD candidate in molecular genetics and genomics at Wake Forest School of Medicine and recipient of an F31 Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute on Aging
  • Ruth Masterson Creber, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and the School of Nursing, and recipient of an F31 Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute of Nursing Research and grants from the John Hartford Foundation and Edna G. Kynett Memorial Foundation

This webinar was sponsored by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Medicare Annual Wellness Visit as Springboard to Detection of Cognitive Impairment, Diagnosis, and Post-Diagnosis Support

January 14, 2015

The 2010 Affordable Care Act established the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) as an opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries to receive preventive and assessment services during visits with their primary care providers (PCPs). Detection of cognitive impairment is among required AWV services, yet no specific tools are mandated and no data are available regarding tools used for this purpose. This webinar explains these and related issues being addressed by the GSA Workgroup on Cognitive Impairment Detection and Earlier Diagnosis.

Presented by:

  • Shari M. Ling, MD
  • Katie Maslow, MSW

This webinar was developed by GSA with support from Eli Lilly and Company


Non-Academic Careers in Aging Research
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization/National Institute on Aging Webinar Series)

December 10, 2014

  • (This webinar is no longer archived on National Institutes of Health website)

Ever wondered about career opportunities beyond academia? Want to know how to remain involved and influential in gerontology research and policy outside of university institutions? During this webinar, join GSA members as they discuss their experiences in diverse gerontology roles and ways to explore potential trajectories for non-academic careers in aging.

  • Leland “Bert” Waters, PhD
  • Tracey Gendron, PhD

Navigating the Mentor-Mentee Relationship
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

September 3, 2014

The mentor-mentee relationship is essential to the development and success of scholars and professionals at all career stages. Establishing and cultivating a productive relationship can be uncharted territory for both mentors and mentees. This second installment in the ESPO Professional Development Webinar Series addresses various aspects of the mentor-mentee relationship, including finding mentors, delineating roles and responsibilities of mentors and mentees across career stages, and managing potential challenges.

Presented by:

  • Deborah T. Gold, PhD, Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Sociology, and Psychology and Neuroscience, leader of GSA’s The Mentoring Effect
  • Keith Whitfield, PhD, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, leader of GSA’s The Mentoring Effect

This webinar was supported by The Mentoring Effect, a special project of the GSA Innovation Fund.

Increasing the Odds that Your Manuscript will be Published
(GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

February 7, 2014

Feeling the pressure to publish? Struggling to know where to publish? Have questions about the publications process? For many new scholars, navigating the publishing path can be both exciting and intimidating. ESPO’s inaugural career development webinar addressed issues that often arise during the race to get published and provided guidance through this sometimes sticky process by highlighting common pitfalls.

Presented by:

  • Merril Silverstein, PhD, Professor of Aging Studies and Editor of The Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

This webinar was sponsored by the GSA Innovation Fund. 

Sleep Health and the Appropriate Use of OTC Sleep Aids in Older Adults

January 22, 2014

Nearly half of older adults experience disturbed sleep at least a few nights each week, and about a quarter of older adults report use of a sleep medication in the prior month. In October 2013, The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), in collaboration with Pfizer, engaged national stakeholders in a discussion on over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid use by older adults and explored strategies for improving safe use of these products. During this webinar, join multidisciplinary experts to examine aging and sleep disturbances, the current state of OTC therapeutics for sleep disturbance, and pharmacist perspective on gaps in therapies and clinical practice.

Presented by:

  • Steven Albert, University of Pittsburgh
  • Phyllis Zee, Northwestern University
  • Thomas Roth, Henry Ford Health Systems
  • Michael Toscani, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy

This webinar was sponsored by Pfizer as part of a collaboration with GSA to support GSA’s campaign to address OTC sleep aids and sleep health in older adults.


Understanding OTC Medication Behaviors of Older Adults: Research Is Needed to Better Understand and Promote Safe and Effective Use

September 25, 2013

Join three clinical and academic experts to explore the key components discussed during the April 2013 National Summit on OTC Medication Behaviors of Older Adults, including future research needs and practical solutions. Topics include OTC medication literacy, the perceptual and cognitive basis of OTC medication decision-making, the interface between clinical and family care in OTC medication use, and technologies to support optimal OTC medication use.

This webinar was in partnership with the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA).


Learn What’s Happening with NIA Grants and Funding

June 9, 2011

GSA welcomed National Institute on Aging Director Richard J. Hodes, MD, for a discussion on federal budget constraints, their impact on NIA, strategies his agency is employing to address them, and a look toward the future. Hodes also addressed the institute’s tight payline (an agency’s funding cutoff point for grant applications), an issue of great concern to the research community.

Presented by:

  • Richard J. Hodes, MD, director, National Institute on Aging

This webinar was co-sponsored by the Friends of the National Institute on Aging and the American Geriatrics Society, and was supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Advocacy Training for Take Action Week

September 13, 2011

In anticipation of September's Take Action Week, GSA's policy advisor, Brian Lindberg, led a conversation about how to advocate for federal research funding, and other issues important to GSA members. Lindberg discussed how to set-up a meeting with your Senator or Member of the House of Representatives, what to expect and how to prepare for the meeting, and the basics of communicating your message.

Presented by:

  • Brian Lindberg, MMHS, GSA policy advisor

Thinking Inside the Box:  A Strategic Approach to Message-Driven Posters

October 4, 2011

Scientific posters. You've seen them. You've created them. Now, it's time to look at them in a whole new way. GSA's Annual Scientific Meeting features several poster sessions, and many of you will have the opportunity to present your research and ideas to a large and varied audience. If you're interested in improving your poster and making the most of these sessions, join us for this interactive webinar featuring John Beilenson, president of Strategic Communications & Planning, who has been advising scientists about communications and their posters for more than a decade.

Presented by:

  • John Beilinson, president, Strategic Communications & Planning

The Effectiveness of Survivorship Models in Older Individuals
(Comparative Effectiveness in Older Cancer Patients: Age Versus Health Status Series)

November 21, 2010

This webinar highlights different considerations between younger and older individuals as it pertains to functional decline, psychosocial issues, and the role of caregivers in cancer survivors; discusses the role of functional status and comorbidity as it pertains to functional decline, psychosocial issues, and the role of caregivers in cancer survivors; and defins important unanswered questions that would benefit from comparative effectives with respect to functional decline, psychosocial issues, and the role of caregivers in cancer survivors

Presented by:

  • Charles W. Given PhD
  • Arash Naeim MD, PhD
  • Julia Hannum Rose PhD

This series, recorded during GSA's 63rd Annual Scientific Meeting, includes three sessions on topics related to comparative effectiveness research in older cancer patients. It is designed to create new opportunities for a broader national audience to discuss and provide suggestions of areas and questions that require comparative effectiveness evaluation in order to help both the provider and the older cancer patient.

The series was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and co-sponsored by the International Society of Geriatric Oncology, the American Geriatrics Society, and the GSA Research on Cancer and Aging Informal Interest Group.

The Effectiveness of Adjuvant Therapy in Older Individuals
(Comparative Effectiveness in Older Cancer Patients: Age Versus Health Status Series)

November 20, 2010

This webinar highlights different considerations between younger and older individuals as it pertains to breast, colon, and lung cancer adjuvant therapy; discussed the role of functional status and comorbidity with respect to the value of breast, colon, and lung cancer adjuvant therapy; and defines important unanswered questions that would benefit from comparative effectives with respect to breast, colon, and lung cancer adjuvant therapy.

Presented by:

  • Arti Hurria MD
  • Arash Naeim MD, PhD

This series, recorded during GSA's 63rd Annual Scientific Meeting, includes three sessions on topics related to comparative effectiveness research in older cancer patients. It is designed to create new opportunities for a broader national audience to discuss and provide suggestions of areas and questions that require comparative effectiveness evaluation in order to help both the provider and the older cancer patient.

The series was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and co-sponsored by the International Society of Geriatric Oncology, the American Geriatrics Society, and the GSA Research on Cancer and Aging Informal Interest Group.

The Effectiveness of Cancer Screening in Older Individuals
(Comparative Effectiveness in Older Cancer Patients: Age Versus Health Status Series)

November 21, 2010

This webinar highlights different considerations between younger and older individuals as it pertains to colon, prostate, and breast cancer screening; discussed the role of functional status and comorbidity with respect to the value of colon, prostate, and breast cancer screening; and defines important unanswered questions that would benefit from comparative effectives with respect to colon, prostate, and breast cancer screening.

Presented by:

  • Erica S. Breslau PhD, MPH
  • William Dale MD, PhD
  • Arash Naeim MD, PhD
  • Janine Overcash PhD, GNP-BC

This series, recorded during GSA's 63rd Annual Scientific Meeting, includes three sessions on topics related to comparative effectiveness research in older cancer patients. It is designed to create new opportunities for a broader national audience to discuss and provide suggestions of areas and questions that require comparative effectiveness evaluation in order to help both the provider and the older cancer patient.

The series was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and co-sponsored by the International Society of Geriatric Oncology, the American Geriatrics Society, and the GSA Research on Cancer and Aging Informal Interest Group.