Jonathan Riggs

Nowhere on earth will the impact of the aging revolution be as drastic as in China—by 2050, there will be more than 400 million Chinese citizens over the age of 60.

With an enormous population, a low mortality rate and its infamous “one child” policy, China is now in the unique position of having too few younger people to support its older citizens, who face a dangerously stressed national infrastructure. As the world watches to see how the nation meets these unprecedented challenges, high-ranking officials invited the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology’s Assistant Dean, Maria Henke, M.A., to explore the possibility of international collaborations.

Drawing on the USC Leonard Davis School’s international reputation among Asian countries and its success with a pilot gerontology-training program in Tokyo, Henke toured many of the country’s facilities and universities. Accompanied by USC Leonard Davis/Keck School professor Edward L. Schneider, MD, and the USC Leonard Davis School’s Director of International Student Initiatives, May Ng, Henke also embarked on a series of meetings to lay the groundwork for future partnerships.

“The link between the USC Leonard Davis School and Asia has always been strong, and we are thrilled about the opportunities our aging expertise could create in China,” said Henke. “We have the potential to help enact very real changes that will benefit literally millions of older adults in China and beyond.”

“Maria was besieged the phone calls from Chinese universities interested in working with the USC Leonard Davis School,” Schneider said. “They recognized that USC was the leading university in the field of gerontology and were eager to discuss collaborations.”

After attending the first China International Senior Services Expo in Shanghai, Henke and Schneider also met with Du Yubo, the Vice Minister of Education, as well as representatives of City University of Hong Kong, the Alliance of International Education, the University of Peking, Renmin University, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Beijing Institute of Technology.

“We were honored to meet so many Chinese and international experts in the field,” Henke said. “The universal desire to improve the quality of life for the older adults of today as well as of tomorrow was inspiring in any language.”

Besides the discussions of academic and professional gerontological programs, the pair met with representatives from planned senior housing communities such as Display Infinity Limited and Belmont Villages.

Every year, safe, affordable housing options for older adults become more crucial. In recognition of his esteemed career serving the housing needs of the world’s aging population, the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology’s Jon Pynoos, PhD, was honored with the Janet L. Witkin Humanitarian Award from Affordable Living for the Aging (ALA).

“I am very honored to receive ALA’s award named for Janet Witkin, whom I first met in 1980 when I was just starting out at USC,” Pynoos said. “Despite the challenges of developing housing for low-income seniors, Janet pioneered the concepts of shared housing and house-matching. She was innovative, tenacious and big-hearted.”“Dr. Pynoos is a powerful advocate for helping others understand that how we design housing—with considerations for the built environment and services—can enhance the vitality of individuals at any age,” said Rachel Caraviello, ALA’s VP of Programs and Services and a USC Leonard Davis alumna. “He has spent his career advising leaders like Janet and educating decision makers, nationally, about the need for more accessible, affordable housing so our communities are prepared to support an aging population.”

Janet L. Witkin founded ALA in 1978 after seeing the limited housing options available to her ailing grandfather. Over the course of her career, she created the first cooperative living house for seniors in L.A., a roommate-matching program and five cooperative residences for low-income seniors. Although she died in 2009, her work lives on in the mission of ALA, who have helped more than 30,000 seniors in their search for safe, stable housing.

“I am inspired by those who are following in Janet’s footsteps to create innovative programs and housing opportunities, to impact the lives of L.A.’s seniors and to prove that if there is a will, there is a way,” Pynoos said. “Shared and supportive housing is life-enriching at a time when older people’s incomes, social networks and supports are often shrinking. Today, such housing options are particularly important.”

In his speech, Pynoos discussed his urban planning, fall prevention and aging research, describing how older adults benefit from the increased companionship, engagement and support found in shared living arrangements like the ones ALA builds—and how absolutely necessary it is to take a fresh look at housing needs through an aging lens.

“Winston Churchill once said, ‘We shape our houses and later they shape us,’” Pynoos said. “ALA has proved Churchill wrong. Keep up the good work.”

Bob Knight, PhD

USC is home to a vast array of aging-related research, as evidenced by the impressive speakers and scope of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology’s third annual interdisciplinary symposium, “What’s Hot in Aging Research at USC.”

As experts from across campus, including from the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Social Work, united at the Davis School of Gerontology’s auditorium on April 10, attendees were treated to a full day of panels, poster sessions and presentations.

“Complex human problems require complex study,” said Gerald C. Davison, PhD, dean of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. “The way we change over time and especially into old age represents great intellectual and social challenges, which require great interdisciplinary responses and solutions.”

“Basically, the intention of today is to show people the connection between basic science, its constituent disciplines and its practice,” said Bob Knight, PhD, associate dean of the USC Leonard Davis School. “In different ways, all the speakers today are involved in both research as well as real-world interventions for older adults.”

Subtitled “From Science to Service,” the conference followed the arc of “bench science to bedside,” beginning with current geriatric medical research.

The first two speakers, Ihab Hajjar, MD, Keck School of Medicine of USC, and Kathleen Rodgers, PhD, USC School of Pharmacy, discussed aging complications due to hypertension and diabetes, respectively, as well as their grounding scientific causes and potential cures.

The morning finished with Roseann Mulligan, DDS, Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC and Knight transitioning from the research element to more functional applications.

Showing a picture of her 90-year-old mother-in-law as an example of healthy aging, Mulligan described the importance of oral health on older adults’ quality of life, examining how it impacts nutrition, communication, intimacy and self-esteem. Knight traced the complex interplay of emotion, cognition and aging as well as explaining several studies that reflected changing professional attitudes towards older adults, depression and treatment.

After lunch, the conference concluded with two panel discussions. The first brought together the members of USC’s interdisciplinary Geriatric Assessment Program (GAP): Knight; Patricia Harris, MD, Keck School of Medicine of USC; Bradley Williams, PharmD, USC School of Pharmacy; Piedad Suarez, DDS, Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC; and Anne Katz, PhD, LCSW, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. The groundbreaking clinic, a free service that streamlines multiple medical visits into a one-stop-shop for older adults, inspired a flurry of spirited questions from the audience, many of whom were in the field themselves.

L to R: Anne Katz, PhD, LCSW, Patricia Harris, MD, Bradley Williams, PharmD, Piedad Suarez, DDS, and Bob Knight, PhD

“Since I only see patients who are 65 or older, I wanted to get some feedback on how to care for them better,” said Sharon Jafari, a geriatric nurse practitioner with Kaiser Permanente. “I came on behalf of my team to bring back the information, and I absolutely loved today’s program.”

The final panel of the day, made up exclusively of Davis School faculty, examined health care systems issues in geriatric health care. Beginning with a discussion of fall prevention from Jon Pynoos, PhD, the panel went on to feature Edward Schneider, MD on polypharmacy, Kathleen Wilber, PhD, on older adults transitioning out of—and, unfortunately, back into—nursing facilities and Susan Enguídanos, PhD, on end-of-life care.

As with its previous two installments, the third annual “What’s Hot in Aging Research at USC” showcased some of the most exciting gerontological developments at the university, as well as helping spark a desire in attendees to continue to bridge the gap between science and service.

“Translating research to practice especially interests me,” said George Caballero, a member of the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging Advisory Board. “It was important for me to come to keep abreast of the latest research on working with older adults.”

“The dedication of the speakers is always obvious, and the program is always put together in such a classy manner,” said Susan Rose, USC’s Executive Director of the Office for the Protection of Research Subjects. “Every year I come, there’s always at least one speaker who captures something new and vital that concerns all of us, no matter our age. I always leave inspired and in awe of the work being done here at USC.”

Mentors mold us every day, but all too often their world-changing contributions go unnoticed.

Happily, that’s not the case for the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology’s Susan Enguídanos, PhD, and Sean Curran, PhD, who won 2012 USC Mellon Mentoring Awards.

Enguídanos was recognized for her work mentoring graduate students, with many alums submitting letters on her behalf as well.

“She is a caring and compassionate person who incorporates the importance of balancing all of life’s facets into her mentoring,” said doctoral student and nominator Alexis Coulourides Kogan. “I am appreciative every day because I get to work with such an exceptional teacher, mentor, supporter and friend.”

Curran was recognized for his work mentoring undergrad students, earning a slew of letters from the undergrad members of USC’s first-ever iGEM team, which he helped create.

“Dr. Curran embodies the very best spirit of mentorship in the field of scientific research, in which he graciously and enthusiastically shares his knowledge,” said USC alum and nominator Percy Genyk. “Better yet, he does so in a manner that leaves room for discovery by the beneficiary.”

As proud as the assistant professors were of their awards, they found the nominations themselves to be equally meaningful.

“The award is really the icing on the cake since mentoring is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job,” Curran said. “The development of students into scientists is wonderful transition to watch. Assisting in this process through mentorship has been my privilege.”

“I am fortunate to work with such motivated, intelligent and exceptional students who will contribute significantly to advancing research and practice in gerontology,” said Enguídanos. “To receive a nomination from them is one of the highest honors imaginable. We all learn and grow from the mentoring process.”

Allison Foertsch

Emotions color and control so much of what we do, and why. As we age—biologically, psychologically, socially—our emotional responses change and grow more complicated.

Exploring this vast, ever-shifting backdrop to human behavior is the passion of USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology doctoral student Allison Foertsch, who was recently awarded a 2012 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Fellowship. The GRFP awards $30,000 per a twelve-month Fellowship Year, and is funded for a maximum of three years.

“This is an amazing opportunity that will enable me to focus on research exclusively,” Foertsch said. “I was so pleased to have been admitted to a great research institute like USC, and to work with my mentor, Dr. Mara Mather. The addition of this fellowship is more than I could have ever asked for.”

Foertsch comes from an extensive research background and completed stints in Shirley McGuire’s Family Research Lab at the University of San Francisco (USF), Marisa Knight’s Emotion and Cognition Research Lab at USF, the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and, of course, Mara Mather’s Emotion and Cognition Research Lab at USC.

For her GRFP-funded research, Foertsch proposed a novel across-the-lifespan study testing arousal-biased competition (ABC) theory, developed by Mather and her graduate student, Matthew Sutherland, which seeks to explain how certain stimuli are “chosen” over others to create memories as well as investigating the effect of sleep on consolidation of these memories into long-term storage.

“Understanding why and how emotional arousal sometimes enhances and sometimes impairs memory, and how this changes across the lifespan, has wide application,” she said. “The brain is complicated, and learning about it has been fascinating.”

“Allie is not afraid to tackle new domains and pushes herself to learn new things. She has an infectious enthusiasm that makes her great at leading a research team,” said Mather. “I expect that she will be an influential researcher and educator in her future career.”

In fact, achieving her goals as both a researcher and educator is vitally important to Foertsch, a first-generation college student.

“I believe it is our responsibility as scientists to turn our research into communicable results. I hope to share my research in a way that engages people and motivates them to consider how science can translate into better lives,” Foertsch said. “I am truly honored and humbled to receive such a prestigious award. Many thanks to my mentors, my lab mates and collaborators, and my family.”

Patrick Beck

Southern California students who are interested in helping older adults have a new statewide voice. Patrick Beck, a doctoral student at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, was named the Southern California student representative to the Board of Directors of the California Council on Gerontology and Geriatrics (CCGG).

“It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to serve as a representative of the collective interests of the many students who share my passion for this wonderful field,” Beck said. “I greatly look forward to helping move our ever-changing field forward.”

Beck’s ascension to the two-year position is personally meaningful, since his decision to enter the field came about during the 2008 CCGG conference held at his alma mater, California State University, Northridge.

“The passion and talent of students like Patrick Beck bode well for the future of gerontology,” said Maria Henke, president of CCGG and assistant dean of the USC Leonard Davis School. “Seeing such dedicated up-and-coming leaders like Patrick helps inspire us all to redouble our efforts to improve the lives of older adults in California and beyond.”

CCGG is the only statewide association that links academic institutions to legislators, service providers and older adults and their families. Its membership is representative of California’s cross-educational systems, spans a wide array of disciplines and seeks to strengthen the quality of gerontology and geriatrics education as well as increasing advocacy for and access to programs and services.

“Southern California represents the future of the field of aging,” Beck said. “I am very proud to join the Board of CCGG to help do my part in making it a better one.”

USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology dean Gerald C. Davison, PhD and assistant clinical professor Aaron Hagedorn, PhD, were among the international experts chosen to pen a chapter for the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Ageing Society’s newest publication, Global Population Ageing: Peril or Promise?

Containing 22 essays by authorities whose expertise spans the globe—from the United States to the United Kingdom to the Netherlands and Japan—the book examines the interplay between ageing and multiple facets of the modern world, including urbanization, equity, media portrayal, leadership, economic security and, in Davison and Hagedorn’s chapter, gerontechnology: the interdisciplinary study of the interaction of technology and the unique challenges and needs of older people.

“We discussed how current and emerging innovations in technology and design can improve quality of life and, for older adults, extend the time they can ‘age in place’ rather than be consigned to residential settings for elders,” said Hagedorn.

“Technology can help level the playing field across the generations, enabling higher productivity for mature people who may be able to contribute productively for a longer time,” Davison said. “Aging societies will need to adapt, finding new roles for older people and supporting the sense of self-worth and self-sufficiency that enable them to maximize their physical and mental potential.”

The scope of gerontechnology’s ability to revolutionize the way we age is virtually limitless, and both Hagedorn and Davison see possible applications for every facet of life over time.

“Look at what technology has done to the job market and general communication in just a few years, for example. The timing of technological expansion into the lives of older adults is excellent, since population aging and medical inflation are straining our existing framework for health and social services,” Davison said. “Implementing technological solutions across the board could result in improved quality of life and potentially save an extraordinary amount of money. Gerontechnology is changing the face of what it means to age.”

“I hope this chapter gives insight into the network of scientists behind technology designed for older adults, and a sense of how the field has developed in recent years,” said Hagedorn. “Specific technologies are often out of date before they get fully adopted, but the concepts that are at the heart of the products often live on in a new form. Our chapter gives insight into the major concepts that form the basis for products that can support aging in place.”

The most universal of human experiences, aging has increasingly become a crucial topic of study, policy and practice in terms of the future of our planet. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) believes it to be of such vital importance that they selected aging as the theme of World Health Day 2012.

“I welcome this timely book, which deals with some of the many other perspectives of population ageing,” said Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO. “The diverse chapters within it can help us invent the kind of society we might want to be part of in the 21st century.”

The full text of Global Population Ageing: Peril or Promise? is available online at the World Economic Forum’s website.

Aaron Hagedorn, PhD & Dean Gerald C. Davison, PhD