Program for Friday May 01, 2026

Sponsored by the Post-Acute & Long-Term Care Special Interest Group
 

Moderator: Nicole M. Orr, MD, FACC

This session will examine gaps in care delivery within post-acute and long-term care (PALTC), particularly in nursing home (NH) settings, where clinical complexity often outpaces available resources and systems. Learning Objectives: (1) identify key barriers that limit practicing the standard of care and implementing best practices in caring for patients in PALTC, with particular attention to how systemic challenges contribute to health inequities and disparities among older adult populations; (2) gain an understanding of the key findings in the NASEM report and its significance in driving systemic change and improving quality in PALTC settings; (3) utilize practical, evidence-based strategies including GWEP Project ECHO, principles from the Hartford Foundation Teaching Nursing Home Model, and the evidence-based “4M” framework, so that geriatricians and interprofessional teams can optimize the quality of care delivered to the disadvantaged NH population and improve patient outcomes as well as collective staff engagement in these lofty efforts to deliver truly age-friendly care; and (4) utilize validated prognostic models to support shared decision-making discussions for patients and families in post-acute and long-term care.

Transforming PALTC: Insights and Implications from the NASEM Report
Annie S. Rhodes, PhD, MS
 

Bridging Gaps in Geriatric Care: Leveraging the GWEP Project ECHO® Model for Interprofessional Education and Quality Improvement
Theodore M. Johnson, MD, MPH
 

The Teaching Nursing Home Model: Creating Nursing Schools and Nursing Home Partnerships
Jane E. Carmody, DNP, MBA, BSW, RN, CENP, NEA-BC, FAAN
 

Implementing the 4-M Framework Model in PALTC: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility for NH Residents
Sangeetha Shan-Bala, MD
 

Integrating Prognosis in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care
W. James Deardorff, MD

Developed by the Research Committee

Moderator: Lillian Min, MD

This session will present the latest peer-reviewed geriatrics research with questions and answers to follow.  Learning Objectives: (1) discuss new and original research in geriatrics; (2) describe an emerging concept or new scientific focus in aging research; and (3) summarize the key findings of projects with relevance to care of older adults.

Annual Wellness Visit Compliance Rate in an Academic Geriatrics Practice: A Quality Improvement Initiative         
Shahrzad Tehranian, MD

Measuring Functional Status Among Older Veterans in Primary Care: Implementation Outcomes of a Hybrid Type II Trial  
Rebecca T. Brown, MD, MPH

Melodies for the Mind: Implementing a Nurse-Driven Personalized Music Playlist Intervention for Hospitalized Older Adults                                                                                 
Jody Sharninghausen, MD & Kathleen M. Faherty, MSN, RN-BC

Nursing Staff’s Response to Incorporating a Multi-Modal Sleep Hygiene Bundle to Reduce Incident Delirium in Older Adults 
Kathryn S. Agarwal, MD

Sponsored by the Quality Measures and Performance Committee

Moderator: Claire Davenport, MD, MS

This session explores how accurate and strategic coding across diverse care models; outpatient fee-for-service, inpatient, and Medicare Advantage, can be leveraged to support the growth and sustainability of geriatrics. Learning Objectives: (1) analyze how coding practices in three models influence the visibility, value, and sustainability of geriatrics programs; (2) compare health system strategies that have successfully used coding improvement efforts to expand geriatrics services or collaborations; (3) design a quality improvement approach to enhance coding accuracy and alignment with age-friendly care goals in a specific care setting; and (4) apply coding-enhanced insights to advocate for geriatrics integration within institutional population health and financial models.

Outpatient Fee for Service Geriatrics: RAF Score and HCC Importance
Parul M. Goyal, MD

Inpatient Geriatrics: Balancing Quality Care with Operational and Financial
Nimit Agarwal, MD, MBA, AGSF

Managed Care and Value-Based Geriatrics: Aligning Risk Adjustment and Quality
Victor J. Legner, MD

Sponsored by the Research Committee
 

Co-Moderators: Christine K. Liu, MD, MS & Kah Poh Loh, MD, MS, FASCO, FACCC, AGSF

Panelists: Megan J. Huisingh-Scheetz, MD, MPH; Thomas K.M. Cudjoe, MD, MPH, MA; Sara E. Espinoza, MD; Kenneth Schmader, MD 

The AGS Research Committee and the Research Methods Subcommittee have coordinated this unique and timely session to facilitate an exchange of strategies among aging researchers for maintaining resilience throughout an aging research career lifespan. This session will feature representatives from pivotal stages of training: medical school, fellowship, junior faculty, mid-career faculty, senior faculty and retirement. These representatives were selected to highlight the unique challenges inherent at each juncture of an aging research career. We will harness their extensive and varied experience to delineate vital strategies for surmounting these challenges and sustaining resilience. In addition, we will explore avenues through which we can collectively bolster and fortify the broader community of aging researchers. Learning Objectives: (1) identify key professional and personal challenges encountered across major stages of an aging research career, including medical training, fellowship, junior faculty, mid-career, senior faculty, and retirement; (2) describe evidence-informed strategies to foster resilience, adaptability, and sustained scholarly productivity throughout the lifespan of an aging research career; (3) recognize common inflection points (e.g., funding transitions, leadership roles, caregiving responsibilities, burnout) that may impact career trajectory and research sustainability; and (4) develop a personalized framework for navigating career transitions while maintaining alignment with long-term professional goals in aging research.

Moderator: Kimberly J. Beiting, MD

Chronic pain, aging, serious illness, and substance use often overlap and present diagnostic and management challenges. Clinicians caring for older adults in geriatric and primary care settings regularly encounter situations that add to opioid management complexity, such as high-risk prescription medication use or substance use disorder, comorbidities, or geriatric conditions. This clinically focused session will use a case-based approach to highlight evidence-based strategies for assessing and treating chronic pain and managing opioid complexity. There will be a focus on the clinical use of buprenorphine, non-pharmacological interventions, and discussions about other modalities. Learning Objectives: (1) describe how bidirectional relationships between substance use and pain necessitate assessment and treatment of both conditions; (2) compare different formulations of buprenorphine and how buprenorphine can be used for older adults with chronic pain and opioid use disorder; (3) describe non-pharmacological interventions for chronic pain in older adults; and (4) explore special considerations in caring for older patients with chronic pain and substance use disorder, including other opioid and non-opioid pharmacological interventions and harm reduction approaches. 

The Clinical Approach of Older Adults with Chronic Pain and Opioid Complexity 
Katie Fitzgerald Jones, PhD

Utilizing Buprenorphine for Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder 
Serena Cheng, PharmD, BCACP

Psychological Interventions for Chronic Pain in Older Adults
Lisa R. LaRowe, PhD

Special Considerations in Caring for Older Adults with Pain and Opioid Use Disorder
Benjamin H. Han, MD, MPH

Chair: Margaret I. Wallhagen, PhD, GNP-BC, AGSF

Join other nurses, nursing students, and AGS leaders at this special session. The Section meeting will also include time for networking and presentations by AGS nursing leaders.  

Resident Faculty Advisors: Maura Brennan, MD, AGSF & Kathryn Denson, MD
Student Section Chair: Lisa Strano-Paul, MD

All trainees are encouraged to attend this section meeting. Come network with peers, test your geriatrics knowledge, and learn about AGS resources to support you each step of the way.

Chair: Nina Blachman, MD

Come and join your fellow geriatrics clinician educators to discuss potential collaborative projects as well as proposals for next year's annual meeting.  

Presenter: Ariel R. Green, MD, MPH, PhD

At the heart of geriatric medicine is thoughtful, person-centered prescribing — ensuring every older adult is on the right medications, at the right doses, for the right reasons — and nothing more. This sounds simple but is difficult to achieve in practice. Dr. Green, a geriatrician and researcher, will provide an overview of emerging research on deprescribing for older adults with multiple chronic conditions, emphasizing key challenges for the field, gaps in evidence, and the need for more person‑centered and system‑level approaches to medication stewardship. She will point toward next steps in research to better align medications with what matters most to older adults. Learning Objectives: (1) describe current evidence and limitations in deprescribing research for older adults; (2) recognize multilevel challenges to implementing and communicating about deprescribing; and (3) identify critical gaps and next steps for advancing deprescribing research.

Moderator: Donald A. Jurivich, DO
 

Sponsored by the Education Committee

This session focuses on innovations in Interprofessional Education and thus helps attendees learn the need for and value of emerging approaches that optimize team - based, age-friendly care for older adults. Learning Objectives: (1) elevate learners' knowledge and skills of interprofessional collaboration’s role in helping to address the Geriatric 4Ms as well as social determinants of health (SDOH) leading to culturally responsive communication, and the development of coordinated care plans that equitably meet the needs of diverse populations; (2) implement updated IPE competencies along with performance evaluations in healthcare education; and (3) adopt innovative strategies to promote IPE through team - based competitions and interprofessional pop - up events centered around the Geriatric 4Ms.
 

IPE Innovations: Team Competition to Advance the Geriatric 4Ms 
Marla L. Berg-Weger, PhD, LCSW & Kristine M.C. Talley, PhD, CNP, RN, FGSA
 

IPE Innovations: Interprofessional Education Pop - Ups to Promote Team - Based Application of the Geriatric 4Ms
Sclinda Janssen, PhD, OTR/L, CLA, FAOTA & Denisé G. Dews, MSW
 

IPE Update: Practical Applications of the New IPE Competencies and Resources to Develop Team - Based Care with Team STEPP 3.0
Eric L. Johnson, MD

Moderator: Vanessa Rodriguez, MD
 

Sponsored by the Ethnogeriatrics Committee 

The “loneliness epidemic” presents a growing barrier to quality of life in the United States, with older adults disproportionately affected. Learning Objectives: (1) identify interdisciplinary strategies from geriatric medicine, spiritual care, social work, and community-based programs that effectively address and mitigate social isolation; (2) evaluate real-world interventions, such as spiritual assessment tools, home safety redesigns, and social prescribing, for their impact on physical, emotional, and social well-being in older adults; and (3) apply culturally responsive and collaborative approaches to promote connectedness, reduce disparities, and enhance quality of life among diverse and underserved aging populations.
 

Recognizing and Addressing the Spiritual Needs of Older Adults
Sarah McEvoy, MDiv, JD, NHA, Chaplain
 

Living Better by Design: Promoting Safe and Healthy Aging at Home
Laura Colin Klein, MBA, MSW
 

Social Prescribing to Address Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults
Chris Appleton

Moderator: Peter Hollmann, MD, AGSF

Learning Objective: (1) discuss care management services, including what is new; (2) review advance care planning services, including anything new; and (3) describe collaborative behavioral health and other services, including what is new.

Developed by the Research Committee

Moderator: Joseph V. Agostini, MD

This session will present the latest peer-reviewed geriatrics research with questions and answers to follow. Learning Objectives: (1) discuss new and original geriatrics research; (2) describe an emerging concept or new scientific focus in aging research; and (3) summarize the key findings of projects with relevance to care of older adults.

Exercise Interventions to Improve the Sixth Vital Sign (Gait Speed) in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis                                                                                   
Elizabeth D. Zhou, BHSc

Development of Novel Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Older Adults Following Hospital Discharge                             
Claire Morton, MD

Relationship Between Pre Critical Illness Handgrip Strength and Post Critical Illness Disability                                           
Joshua I. Gordon, MD

Development and Validation of a Severity-Stratified Predictive Model for Undiagnosed Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias in the Emergency Department                                
Natalia Festa, MD, MHS

Sponsored by the Pharmacists Section 

Moderator: Megan Carr, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP

The purpose of this symposium is to educate the audience and summarize the changes over the past year in pharmacotherapy. The speakers will examine information regarding newly approved medications, as well as clinical implications, including potential adverse effects, related to medication formulations. Learning Objectives: (1) communicate the indication for use, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, dosing, safety, and drug interactions for newly approved medications; (2) compare potential advantages and disadvantages of incorporating new medications into clinical practice; (3) discuss Medicare Part D and recent industry changes that impact access to and the promotion of medications use that contributes to polypharmacy; and (4) describe community-based models that address both medication access to and the appropriate use of medications.

Newly Approved Medications and Place in Therapy for Older Adults
Hien T. Nguyen, PharmD, BCGP

Medicare and Medication Optimization: Navigating Access and Appropriate Use
Gina Upchurch, RPh, MPH

Sponsored by the Junior Faculty Research Special Interest Group 

Moderator: W. James Deardorff, MD

It has become increasingly important for geriatric providers, researchers, policy makers, and other professionals to promote their work and maximize the impact of their accomplishments. The benefits include public awareness and interest around a research topic, promoting future funding opportunities and investment, personal professional development and advancement, and an increased national presence on a topic. Learning Objectives: (1) write a compelling narrative piece to promote awareness and interest in a topic or cause; (2) collaborate with the media to translate research for a broader lay audience; and (3) utilize digital audio media outlets or podcasts to engage with a broader scientific audience.

The Power of Narratives to Promote Awareness and Generate Support in Geriatrics
Eugene W. Ely, MD, MPH
 

Science in the Media – How Geriatrics Professionals Can Effectively Engage with News Outlets to Promote Their Work
Paula Span
 

Scientific Podcasts – Using Digital Audio Media to Present Your Work to a Broader Audience
Alexander K. Smith, MD, MS, MPH

Presenters: Paul L. Mullhausen, MD, MHS, FACP, AGSF, Audrey K. Chun, MD, MPH, AGSF; William Hung, MD, MPH

This session will provide an update on AGS’ primary areas of public policy focus including ensuring the healthcare workforce has the skills and knowledge to care for older adults, building on enhancements to Medicare payment for people living with chronic disease, supporting aging research that is critical to increasing the healthspan, and improving healthcare delivery and quality of care for older Americans. Learning Objectives: (1) describe legislative and regulatory opportunities for influencing public policy; (2) discuss how AGS incorporates new public policy priorities into its existing advocacy efforts; and (3) review how the Society works in coalition.

Moderator: Thomas Laskow, MD 
 

This symposium will explore innovative approaches to understanding and predicting physical resilience in older adults within acute care settings. Anchored by a newly proposed conceptual framework of physical resilience in geriatric medicine, the session will integrate perspectives from clinical research, data science, and emerging technologies to highlight how resilience can be measured, monitored, and supported during episodes of acute illness. Learning Objectives: (1) review the current state of physical resilience research in acute care, including conceptual frameworks and clinical relevance for recovery in older adults; (2) describe how assessments of structural clinical features, such as grip strength, and dynamic processes, such as standardized stress response tests, can be combined to profile, monitor and evaluate resilience in hospitalized older adults; (3) explain how EHR data and AI-based tools can support the prediction of recovery trajectories and help guide clinical decision-making in acute care settings; and (4) discuss how resilience-informed approaches can help identify and address disparities in functional recovery and support more equitable care for older adults.

Introduction to a Generic Resilience Framework for Geriatric Medicine
René Melis, MD, PhD
 

Functional Forecasting in Acute Care: Predicting Resilience from EHR Data
Juliessa M. Pavon, MD, MHS
 

Combining Structure and Dynamic Indicators for Resilience Profiling to Predict Outcomes in Older Patients Admitted to the Acute Medical Unit
Kirsten Bos, MSc

Moderator: Daniel Forman, MD

While funding for Veterans Administration research has weathered some significant challenges over the last year, it still has successfully advanced Age Friendly healthcare initiatives that significantly enrich excellence in the care of older adults. Both clinical innovation and integrated research initiatives have progressed. In a one-hour session, the AGS research committee will present an overview of the remarkable Age Friendly VA initiatives, as well as the broader context opportunities in VA innovation and research. Speakers will address the value of the Age Friendly Health construct to provide care that is holistic and programmatic for older adults. The speakers will highlight the VA’s leadership in advancing clinical innovation and research, and the integrated research overviews are intended to spark ideas and insights among the audience. Learning Objectives: (1) clarify VA State of the art oriented to Age Friendly Healthcare; (2) describe the state of current VA research oriented to older adults, both in respect to overall stability, funding priorities, and funding process, both in respect to Age Friendly SOTA as well as other initiatives; and (3) foster opportunities to learn from other investigators about their own research journeys, highlighting successes and challenges that relate to the first 2 talks.  

Age Friendly Health Systems initiative State of the Art (SOTA) Research Meeting
Andrea N.W. Schwartz, MD, MPH

Overview of the State of Current VA Aging Research Initiatives
Holly K. Krull, PhD

Concrete Examples on How to Structure Applications to Maximize Their Programmatic Relevance via the Age-Friendly and Other Aging Research Initiatives
Clark Dumontier MD, MPH & Una Makris MD, MSc

Moderator: Cathy A. Alessi, MD

This symposium will provide an evidence-based, clinically focused update on three common and important sleep management issues we face in helping our older patients -- the recognition and ongoing management of sleep apnea, effective methods for deprescribing potentially inappropriate sleep medications, and evidence on the use of newer classes of sleep medicines in older adults. Learning Objectives: (1) identify updates and latest evidence that can be applied in the recognition and management of sleep apnea in older patients; (2) recognize evidence-based, non-pharmacologic approaches to help patients discontinue potentially inappropriate sleep medications; and (3) describe the categories and mechanisms of action of newer classes of sleep medications and evidence regarding use of these agents in older adults.

Sleep Apnea in Older Adults – A Clinician’s Update for 2026
Sara Pasha, MD

Effective Non-Pharmacologic Approaches to Deprescribing Sleep Medications in Older Adults
Constance H. Fung, MD, MSHS

What About the “Newer” Sleep Medications – Evidence in Older Adults
Brienne B. Miner, MD, MHS

Developed by the Research Committee
 

Moderator: Thomas Robinson, MD

This session will present the latest peer-reviewed geriatrics research with questions and answers to follow. Learning Objectives: (1) discuss new and original geriatrics research; (2) describe an emerging concept or new scientific focus in aging research; and (3) summarize the key findings of projects with relevance to care of older adults.

Impact of a Geriatric Perioperative Assessment Program in Older Adults                                                                                                     
Arpita B. Shah, MD, MPH
 

High-Risk Medication Prescribing among Older Adults in the Emergency Department: A National Assessment                                                                                                     
Sarah Follman, MD
 

Implementation of an Automated EHR-Based Advanced Care Planning Intervention in Primary Care                                                                                                     
Sarah Nouri, MD, MPH
 

Trends in Clinical Complexity and Outcomes of Older Adults Undergoing Inpatient General Surgery
Caroline Yoon