Jennie Chin Hansen, CEO of AGS, left, with Cory Rieder, the Hartford Foundation's executive director and treasurer.In honor of the American Geriatrics Society’s (AGS) annual meeting opening today in Orlando, we want to reflect on the key role this partner organization has played in our joint efforts to improve the health of older Americans.
Over the years, AGS has been one of our largest and most frequent grantees, leading a diverse array of projects. Many grants have aimed at strengthening the field of geriatrics, such as the leadership development award through the AGS affiliate organization, the Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs (ADGAP) or the Health Outcomes Research Scholars through another affiliate, the Foundation for Health in Aging.
Others like the Practicing Physician Education project, the Geriatric Education Retreats, or the Geriatrics for Specialists Initiative, and the Chief Residents in Training project have focused on sharing the special knowledge of geriatric care with professionals outside the field. Still other efforts have supported policy research on the geriatrics workforce. And even when AGS is not the formal grantee, their member leaders and expert staff often play a key role, as in the Eldercare Workforce Alliance.
Most importantly for us personally, every year when we attend the AGS conference we learn more about how to improve care for older Americas. We meet more passionate people committed to the AGS mission of “improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older persons.” And we come away revitalized and refreshed in our commitment to the mission and confident that we have strong partners and allies in the members and staff of the American Geriatrics Society.
Joining me from the John A. Hartford Foundation at this week’s AGS annual meeting are Executive Director and Treasurer (and AGS award-winner!) Cory Rieder, Senior Program Officer Amy Berman, Program Officer Marcus Escobedo, Program Officer Wally Patawaran, Senior Program Officer Nora OBrien-Suric, and Senior Program Officer Rachael Watman.
Marcus wrote about this year's AGS award winners on Health AGEnda Tuesday. To give you an idea of the people and events that make this meeting so valuable and inspiring, we’d like to share some photos we’ve taken. Enjoy.
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