Aging & geriatrics

The world's population is aging, and many well-informed and demanding U.S. baby boomers are entering their golden years. So it's only fitting that much of the research at Group Health Research Institute (GHRI) contributes to helping seniors to lead healthier lives.

"Research on aging cuts across virtually everything the Institute does," said Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH, the senior investigator who directs GHRI. This includes studies of older women's health, mental health issues in the elderly, and controlling cancers and chronic illnesses that become more common with age. The widely cited Chronic Care Model, developed at GHRI's MacColl Institute for Healthcare Innovation, is now the leading care design model for older people with chronic disease.

In addition, the Institute hosts several long-running cohort studies, including the Seattle Longitudinal Study, begun in the early 1950s, and the University of Washington (UW)/Group Health Alzheimer's Disease Patient Registry (ADPR)/Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study. The ADPR/ACT study, funded since 1986, now focuses on finding ways to delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease, related dementias, and cognitive decline. It has generated many related studies, currently including neuropathology, genomics, mild cognitive impairment and insulin resistance, and clinical trials to improve sleep. It also has been focusing on the "upside" of aging—so-called successful aging.

"We've learned about what our research subjects value as they age," Larson said. "And we hope to apply that to our research to help them find the best solutions to have a positive experience with aging—promoting their independence and providing them with skills to cope with any problems that may occur."

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Researchers in aging & geriatrics

GHRI

Affiliate researchers

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Recent publications on aging & geriatrics

2008

Larson EB. Physical activity for older adults at risk for Alzheimer disease. JAMA. 2008;300(9):1077-9. PubMed

Larson EB, Langa KM. The rising tide of dementia worldwide. Lancet. 2008;372(9637):430-2. Epub 2008 Jul 28. PubMed

Simonsen L, Taylor RJ, Viboud C, Miller MA, Jackson LA. More on influenza vaccine benefits in seniors. Lancet Infect Dis. 2008;8(8):463-5. PubMed

Siegel GJ, Chauhan NB, Feinstein DL, Li G, Larson EB, Breitner JC, Montine TJ. Statin therapy is associated with reduced neuropathologic changes of Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2008;71(5):383; author reply 383. PubMed

Nguyen HQ, Koepsell T, Unützer J, Larson E, LoGerfo JP. Depression and use of a health plan-sponsored physical activity program by older adults. Am J Prev Med. 2008;35(2):111-7. Epub 2008 Jun 11. PubMed

Cheadle A, Egger R, LoGerfo JP, Walwick J, Schwartz S. A community-organizing approach to promoting physical activity in older adults: the southeast senior physical activity network. Health Promot Pract. 2008; [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Langa KM, Larson EB, Karlawish JH, Cutler DM, Kabeto MU, Kim SY, Hu HM, Rosen AB. Trends in the prevalence and mortality of cognitive impairment in the United States: 1993-2004. Alzheimer Dement. 2008:4(2):134-44.

Crane PK, Narasimhalu K, Gibbons LE, Mungas DM, Haneuse S, Larson EB, Kuller L, Hall K, van Belle G. Item response theory facilitated cocalibrating cognitive tests and reduced bias in estimated rates of decline. J Clin Epidemiol. 2008 Oct;61(10):1018-27.e9. Epub 2008 May 5. PubMed

Nguyen HQ, Ackermann RT, Maciejewski M, Berke E, Patrick M, Williams B, LoGerfo JP. Managed-Medicare health club benefit and reduced health care costs among older adults. Prev Chronic Dis. 2008 Jan;5(1):A14. Epub 2007 Dec 15. PubMed

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Our major research interests

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