AGS is pleased to highlight sessions and events at the 2023 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting that involve representatives from our federal partners, AHRQ, CDC, HRSA, NIA, and the VA. In addition to the sessions and events listed below, we are pleased that Dr. Shari Ling, Deputy CMS Chief Medical Officer, will be presenting an update from CMS on the end of the PHE during our Public Policy Plenary session on Friday, May 5, 2023 (11:30 – 12:30 PM) in the Grand Ballroom at the Long Beach Convention Center.
Unless otherwise noted, all sessions are open to AGS Annual Meeting attendees. All sessions will take place at the Long Beach Convention Center unless otherwise noted.
Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Friday, May 5
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
AHRQ LISTENING SESSION: HEALTH SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION TO OPTIMIZE HEALTH, FUNCTIONAL STATUS, AND WELL-BEING AMONG OLDER ADULTS
Room: 102 A/B
Arlene S. Bierman, MD, MS-Chief Strategy Officer, AHRQ & Maria Torroella Carney, MD, FACP
The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) has prioritized designing and implementing a research agenda and dissemination and implementation interventions to improve care delivery with the goal of optimizing health, functional status, and well-being among older adults. We would like to hear from you on how our investments may have the greatest impact, build upon, and create synergies with other efforts. Come and share your ideas and engage in discussion on how we can best advance this objective.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Thursday, May 4
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
2023 UPDATE ON VACCINATION STRATEGIES FOR OLDER ADULTS: MATCHING THE APPROACH TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE CARE SETTING
Room: Grand Ballroom
CME/CE: 1.0 Track: Clinical Practice
Moderator: George A. Kuchel, MD
Vaccination against varied pathogens represents one of the best-validated and most effective strategies for the prevention of disease, hospitalization, disability, and death in older adults. Nevertheless, even expert geriatrics healthcare providers often lack relevant knowledge, especially regarding their use in older adults who are most vulnerable as a result of being frail, suffering from multiple chronic diseases, and residing in long-term care. Learning Objectives: (1) review the latest recommendations and guidelines pertaining to vaccination indications and schedules for older patients; (2) describe published and emerging research evidence pointing to specific aging-related differences in immune responses and immune protections following immunization with varied vaccines; (3) discuss the use of different vaccine formulations, addition of adjuvants, as well as geroscience-guided strategies for overcoming declines in immune responses with aging; and (4) review literature demonstrating the utility of varied strategies designed to overcome barriers to implementation of FDA-approved vaccines.
Introduction to the AGS/CMSS/CDC Vaccine Initiative
Sharon A. Brangman, MD, AGSF
Staying Up to Date and Making Sense of CDC Vaccination Guidelines
Kenneth Schmader, MD
Optimizing Vaccine Effectiveness in Frail OIder Adults with Multiple Co-Morbidities
George A. Kuchel, MD
Improving Vaccine Uptake in Long-Term Care Settings
Stefan Gravenstein, MD, MPH
Thursday, May 4
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
BECOMING A VACCINE AMBASSADOR
Room: Hyatt: Regency A
Track: Clinical Practice
Sponsored by the AGS Older Adults Vaccine Initiative, funded by the CMSS Specialty Societies Advancing Adult Immunization project, under a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
This interactive workshop will prepare clinicians to be Vaccine Ambassadors. The workshop is designed to introduce clinicians to the AGS Older Adults Vaccine Initiative’s website, resources, and strategies to actively promote the CDC’s Standards of Adult Immunization Practices (SAIP) at their health systems and with their patients. Learning Objectives: (1) review strategies to actively promote the CDC’s Standards of Adult Immunization Practices (SAIP) at their health systems and with their patients; and (2) improve vaccination rates among older adults.
Welcome & AGS Older Adults Vaccine Initiative Overview
Refreshments & snacks available
Sharon A. Brangman, MD, AGSF
What Does it Mean to Be a Vaccine Ambassador?
Timothy W. Farrell, MD, AGSF
Resource Overview
Sharon A. Brangman, MD, AGSF
Vaccination Coding
Robert Zorowitz, MD, MBA, CMD
Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
Wednesday, May 3
11:30 AM – 6:45 PM
GERIATRICS WORKFORCE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (GWEP) PRE-CONFERENCE SESSION
Room: 104 A/B
CME/CE Credit: 4.5 Track: Professional Development
Supported by a grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation
Moderator: Joan Weiss, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, Senior Advisor, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
This pre-conference session is limited to HRSA GWEP awardees, and is an opportunity to bring all GWEPs together to share experiences, lessons learned, and network with each other. Topics on the agenda may include the continuous efforts with incorporating Age-Friendly approaches into primary care and educating and engaging the GWEPs in advocacy for Title VII funding. In addition, there will be ample time for discussion through guided breakout groups. The GWEP-CC will also host a reception following the pre-conference. Learning Objectives: (1) describe strategies implemented to measure outcomes of older adults to create and sustain long-term change with current system (ex., EHR, EMR, etc.) in-place at your practice; (2) discuss new learning approaches and innovative techniques GWEPs are using to train their primary care teams; and (3) explain the current funding environment in the U.S. Congress and learn techniques to become an effective advocate for health care priorities, such as GWEP funding.
Wednesday, May 3
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
GERIATRIC ACADEMIC CAREER AWARD (GACA) SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP
Room: Hyatt Hotel, Shoreline A
Track: Networking
Co-Chairs: Mamata Yanamadala, MBBS, MS; Laura Byerly, MD; Lauren Hersh, MD
This year’s GACA SIG meeting is for current GACA awardees as an opportunity to meet and connect in-person for the first time. The meeting will provide space for informal and formal networking. The SIG meeting will include time to brainstorm in small groups about ways to collaborate as well as share existing project resources with each other.
Thursday, May 4
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Health Resources and Services Administration: Bureau of Health Professions Booth
Exhibit Hall A: Marketplace Booth
Representatives from Title VII and Title VIII Geriatrics Education Programs at HRSA, Bureau of Health Professions will be available to answer any questions you may have throughout the conference.
Friday, May 5
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Health Resources and Services Administration: Bureau of Health Professions Booth
Exhibit Hall A: Marketplace Booth
Representatives from Title VII and Title VIII Geriatrics Education Programs at HRSA, Bureau of Health Professions will be available to answer any questions you may have throughout the conference.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Thursday, May 4
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
NIA SYMPOSIUM FOR RESEARCHERS AT MID-CAREER AND BEYOND – OPPORTUNITIES FOR ESTABLISHED RESEARCHERS
Room: 101
CME/CE Credit: 1.0 Track: Research
Sponsored by the National Institute on Aging in cooperation with the AGS Research Committee
This symposium is intended for independently funded researchers at a mid- to senior career level. It targets the needs of research leaders and established investigators by providing an update from NIA staff on research programs and initiatives. A question and answer session will follow brief introductory remarks on current funding, new opportunities including those related to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias, and future priorities and research directions of NIA. Learning Objectives: (1) describe the current and future research foci of the NIA extramural divisions; and (2) discuss the current funding environment.
Overview of NIA Budget, and Priority Areas
Amy S. Kelley, MD, MHSH, Deputy Director, National Institute on Aging
NIA Division / Office Introductions
Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology: Basil Eldadah, MD, PhD
Division of Behavioral and Social Research: Dana J. Plude, PhD
Division of Neuroscience: Luci Roberts, PhD
Division of Aging Biology: Christy S. Carter, PhD
Office of Special Populations: Patricia Jones, DrPh, MPH, MS, MBA
Training Office: Maria Carranza, PhD
Breakout Tables
NIA representatives will move to designated tables, organized by division. Participants will have an opportunity to visit different tables to interact with NIA representatives in small groups or individual conversations.
Thursday, May 4
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
National Institute on Aging (NIA) Booth
Exhibit Hall A: Booth 416
Explore NIA publications and other research information to share, as well as friendly staff to answer questions about NIA funding opportunities, new initiatives, and more.
Thursday, May 4
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
ENSURING EQUITY IN YOUR RESEARCH: BREAKING DOWN THE WHYS AND HOWS FOR EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATORS
Room: 101
CME/CE Credit: 1.0 Track: Research
Sponsored by the Junior Faculty Research Career Development Special Interest Group in collaboration with Clin-STAR Coordinating Center and the Health Equity Special Interest Group
Moderator: Snigdha Jain, MD, MHS
This symposium will address the importance of integrating equity into aging research and how best to do so, funding opportunities to support equity research, and rigorous methods to perform high-caliber science addressing health disparities in aging. Learning Objectives: (1) describe the resources and support available at NIA/NIH to facilitate integration of social determinants and a focus on health equity into research; (2) connect with senior and peer researchers in aging who could serve as mentors and collaborators to ensure health equity is fundamental to the research and not ornamental for academic success; (3) identify resources to enhance learning of methods that allow rigorous investigation of health disparities in older adults; and (4) discuss how to access funding opportunities to increase the chances of accomplishing research focused on equity.
Equity as a Research Priority: Resources at the NIH/ NIA
Patricia Jones, DrPh, MPH, MS, MBA
How to Pursue Rigorous Research in Health Equity: Methodologic Considerations for Your Research and Grant Applications
Shekinah A. Fashaw-Walters, MSPH, PhD
Establishing Mentorship and Collaborations to Successfully Accomplish Equity Research: Lived-Experience of an Early-Career Investigator
Jasmine L. Travers, PhD, RN, MHS
Thursday, May 4
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
THE ABCS OF NIA GRANTSMANSHIP - FOR EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS AND THEIR MENTORS
Room: 101
CME/CE: 1.0 Track: Research
Sponsored by the National Institute on Aging for new and early-stage researchers in cooperation with the AGS Research Committee
Moderator: Amy S. Kelley, MD, MHSH, Deputy Director, National Institute on Aging
The symposium is intended for investigators with current research training or career development awards, including “T,” “F,” or “K” funding, or GEMSSTARs. It is also intended for individuals who are interested in learning about these types of grant opportunities. The session targets the needs of new and early career investigators by providing an overview of NIA’s extramural research programs and initiatives, including a focus on emerging opportunities across NIA for Alzheimer’s and related dementias research. Funding and training opportunities, the Center for Scientific Review grants review process, and experiences of an early career researcher will also be featured. Participants will have an opportunity to meet and consult with representatives from NIA. Learning Objectives: (1) describe the NIA mission and extramural divisions supporting early-stage investigators in clinical, biomedical, neuroscience, and behavioral and social research; (2) discuss recent policy changes which affect the funding environment; (3) identify NIA’s resources for research training and grant application; and (4) meet with representatives of NIA.
NIA Research Priorities and Opportunities for Early Career Researchers
Amy S. Kelley, MD, MHSH, Deputy Director, NIA
NIA Division and Office Overviews / How to Get a NIA Grant:
Training Office / How to Get an NIA Grant: Maria Carranza, PhD
Office of Special Populations: Patricia Jones, DrPh, MPH, MS, MBA
Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology: Basil Eldadah, MD, PhD
Division of Behavioral and Social Research: Dana J. Plude, PhD
Division of Neuroscience: Luci Roberts, PhD
Division of Aging Biology: Christy S. Carter, PhD
Viewpoints from Junior Faculty Researchers
Melisa Wong, MD, MAS, AGSF
Breakout Tables with NIA Representatives
Thursday, May 4
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
BUTLER-WILLIAMS SCHOLARS RECEPTION
Room: Hyatt: Beacon Rotunda
Calling all alumni or former faculty of the NIA Butler-Williams Scholars Program (formerly known as the Summer Institute on Aging Research). Please join the 2022 Butler-Williams Scholars at this informal ‘meet-and-greet’. This event aims to expand and strengthen your network with researchers who shared in this unique, one-of-a-kind career development program from 2022 cohort and previous cohorts.
Note: This event is limited to the Program Alumni, NIA program staff, and faculty who presented during a previous Butler-Williams Scholars Program cohort.
Friday, May 5
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
BECOMING A MULTIPLE CHRONIC CONDITIONS (MCCS) RESEARCH CHAMPION
Room: Hyatt: Shoreline A/B
CME/CE Credit: 0 Track: Research
Sponsored by the AGS/AGING LEARNING Collaborative, an R25 grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA)
This interactive workshop will prepare mid to senior level faculty to be Champions of Multiple Chronic Conditions (MCCs) Research. The workshop is designed to introduce learners to the new AGS/AGING Learning Curriculum on MCC Research with the goal of encouraging use of the curriculum at their own institutions using the MCC Research Champion Toolkit. By taking part in the Champion workshop, and actively engaging in disseminating the AGS/AGING Learning Curriculum with others, MCC Research Champions have an opportunity to leverage their unique knowledge, skills and enthusiasm to encourage research on MCCs that will ultimately translate into the delivery of higher quality care across the lifespan.
Welcome & AGS/AGING LEARNING Collaborative Overview
Jerry Gurwitz, MD
What Does it Mean to be a Champion?
Heather Whitson, MD, MHS
R25 Resource Overview
Jay Magaziner, PhD
Outreach Strategies
Lauren Ferrante, MD and Una Makris, MD
Friday, May 5
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
National Institute on Aging (NIA) Booth
Exhibit Hall A: Booth 416
Explore NIA publications and other research information to share, as well as friendly staff to answer questions about NIA funding opportunities, new initiatives, and more.
Friday, May 5
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
OVERVIEW OF THE RESILIENCE WORLD – STATE OF SCIENCE R13 BENCH-TO-BEDSIDE CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Room: 201 B
CME/CE Credit: 1.0 Track: Research
Co-Moderators: Heather E. Whitson, MD, MHS & Peter M. Abadir, MD
Learning Objectives: (1) discuss the relevance of “resilience” to stress or challenges, in the context of aging health; (2) describe how different fields have conceptualized resilience in looking for opportunities to optimize the response to stressors across physical health, cognitive health, and psychosocial health; and (3) identify biological and social factors that contribute to a person’s ability to respond adaptively to a variety of stressors.
COVID as a Natural Resilience Experiment: The COVID-19 Virus (and Vaccine) as Stressor
Kenneth Schmader, MD
Cognitive Reserve and Resilience
Andrea R. Zammit, PhD
Role of Social Determinants of Health and Exposome in Resilience to Stressors
Ganga Bey, PhD, MPH
Saturday, May 6
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SPECIALTIES SECTION MEETING
Room: 101
Track: Networking
Co-Chairs: Lauren Ferrante, MD, MHS & Una Makris, MD, MSc
The Medical Specialties Section was developed in 2002 by the Association of Specialty Professors project “Integrating Geriatrics into the Specialties of Internal Medicine: Moving Forward from Awareness to Action,” funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies, Inc.
The theme of the session this year is "Building Research Networks In Your Specialty.” A multidisciplinary panel of specialists will speak about how to build an aging-focused research network in a specialty, with examples provided of successful research networks. The talks will be followed by a panel discussion and small round table breakouts with the individual speakers. Breakout sessions will be followed by a talk from a National Institute on Aging (NIA) program officer about funding opportunities. All medical and surgical subspecialists, including geriatricians, are encouraged to attend. Breakfast will be provided.
Saturday, May 6
10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
AGS/AFAR CLIN-STAR MENTORING AND GRANTSMANSHIP WORKSHOP
Room: Hyatt: Shoreline A/B
No CME/CE for this session Track: Research
The American Geriatrics Society (AGS), in partnership with the American Federation for Aging Research Clinician-Scientists Trandisciplinary Aging Research Coordinating Center (AFAR Clin-STAR CC) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) are offering the second in-person AGS/AFAR Clin-STAR Mentoring and Grantsmanship Workshop during the AGS 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting. This workshop will offer opportunities for networking, mentoring, insights from senior investigators, DEI efforts in research, and provide attendees with useful information on grantsmanship efforts through breakout discussions. This session is geared towards early career investigators but open to all. Lunch will be provided.
VSP: My Story
Gretchen Schwarze, MD
Veterans Administration (VA)
Wednesday, May 3
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
VA ADVANCED FELLOWSHIP IN GERIATRICS (AFIG) MEET-UP
Renaissance Hotel, Dawson Room (3rd Floor)
The National Coordinating Center for the VA’s Advanced Fellowship invites you to an evening of networking! Please join us for a casual gathering where we can catch up with old friends and meet new colleagues with a shared interest in geriatrics. Refreshments will be provided.
Thursday, May 4
8:15 AM – 9:15 AM
VA RESEARCH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EARLY TO ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATORS
Room: 103 A/B
CME/CE: 1.0 Track: Research
Sponsored by the Research Committee
Moderator: Carole S. Woodle, PhD
This session will bring awareness of VA research and research opportunities to clinicians and early-career, mid-career, or established investigators in the field of aging research. The session will end with a Q&A to allow attendees to query VA program officers and current investigators about current funding opportunities and strategies for success. Learning Objectives: (1) describe the VA mission, research services and funding opportunities in the field of aging research available to investigators at different career stages; (2) describe VA research priorities, including strategic and cross-cutting priorities, and new research enterprise initiatives; (3) identify resources for research training within the VA, including the Geriatrics Research and Education and Clinical Center system; and (4) list examples of VA aging research and VA research career trajectories.
VA Research and Funding Opportunities for Early-Career to Established Investigators
Carole S. Woodle, PhD
Unique VA Structures to Conduct Research in the Aging Field: GRECCs
Alayne D. Markland, DO, MSc
Research Career
Kathryn N. Starr, PhD, RD
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP
Room: 104 A/B
Track: Networking
Chair: Marianne Shaughnessy
The Veterans Health Administration Special Interest Group is open to all attendees who have an interest in caring for America’s aging Veteran population. Representatives from the Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care in VA Central Office will be there to provide an update on VA strategic plans, national perspective on current initiatives and to facilitate discussion on items of interest brought by participants.