Blog and Commentary

Dr. Judy Kasper: A Remembrance

January 13, 2022
The Frailty Science Team
The Frailty Science Team
The sudden passing of Dr. Judy Kasper, a prominent expert in the study of disability in later life and its implications for older adults, their loved ones, and health care policies, struck all who knew her with feelings of sadness and shock.  To celebrate Dr. Kasper as both a stellar scientist and a wonderful colleague and friend, we asked some of her collaborators to reflect on their work with her and the impact she had on their careers and lives.  We have also summarized Dr. Kasper’s important role in facilitating frailty research in the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Continue Reading
 

Telehealth: remote assessments of physical function and frailty measures

January 04, 2022
Brian Buta 2020
Brian Buta, MHS

Project Administrator, Geriatric Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Faculty Profile

Objective measures of function are critical to both the clinical care of older adults and to research on healthy aging and physical frailty.  While telehealth had already been on the rise in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic skyrocketed the use of remote and virtual assessments, creating an urgent need to adapt methods for patient care and research data collection to the new environments. Clinicians and investigators, struggling with the need to collect functional information remotely over video conferencing or by telephone, need guidance regarding the safety, feasibility and utility of various options and measures. Continue Reading
 

Johns Hopkins Frailty Science Researchers Contribute to a Global Frailty Seminar Series

December 02, 2021
Anthony L. Teano, MLA
Anthony L. Teano, MLA

Communications Specialist
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Dr. Jeremy Walston and Dr. Karen Bandeen-Roche, Frailty Science’s co-PIs, are participating in a novel Frailty Seminar Series along with other influential aging and frailty researchers from around the world over the coming several months. The highly-informative Frailty Seminar Series is an 11-month program aimed at promoting scientific exchanging and sharing evidence-based practices and research advances about all aspects of frailty around the globe. Continue Reading
 

For World AIDS Day, December 1st: How does one face aging when they never planned to survive? 

November 23, 2021
Jason Farley PhD, MPH, ANP-BC, FAAN, FAANP, AACRN
Jason Farley PhD, MPH, ANP-BC, FAAN, FAANP, AACRN

Endowed Professor of Nursing Leadership and Innovation

Director | Center for Infectious Disease and Nursing Innovation

Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

Adult Nurse Practitioner | Infectious Diseases Johns Hopkins Medicine

Clinical Core Co-Director | JHU Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) 

The average age of people living with HIV in most care settings in the United States is 50 years of age or older. For many in this group, a diagnosis of HIV may have occurred decades ago and was accompanied, at the time, with the almost certain fate of disability and eventual death. Continue Reading
 

Family Caregiving: An Essential Resource for Older Adults

November 17, 2021
David L. Roth, PhD
David L. Roth, PhD

Director, Center on Aging and Health
Professor of Medicine

It is estimated that somewhere between 18 million and 53 million Americans provide care to an older adult with a disability who needs some type of help with basic living needs. This care can include help with grooming, bathing, or dressing; assistance with mobility or preparing meals, or help with managing finances or medical appointments. Most older adults with dementia, limited physical capabilities, or major sensory problems depend on family members or close friends for this kind help on a regular basis. Continue Reading
 

November 14th is World Diabetes Day

November 08, 2021
Rita Rastogi Kalyani, MD, MHS
Rita Rastogi Kalyani, MD, MHS

Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Faculty Profile

As people with diabetes live longer, there are many geriatric conditions that occur more frequently in people with diabetes compared to those without diabetes, including cognitive impairment, incontinence, falls, and polypharmacy. Continue Reading
 

Advancing the visibility of frailty research: Upcoming spotlight on novel and exciting research questions 

August 03, 2021
Brian Buta 2020
Brian Buta, MHS

Project Administrator, Geriatric Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Faculty Profile

BMC Geriatrics has announced a call for a collection of papers focused on frailty research: https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/frailty. Categories include: Epidemiology and Measurement; Frailty Biology; Frailty and Clinical Care; and Interdisciplinary Topics. Continue Reading
 

The Geriatric Surgery Program at Johns Hopkins

June 29, 2021
Susan Gearhart, MD
Susan Gearhart, MD

Associate Professor of Surgery
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Faculty Profile

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (JHBMC) annually performs surgical procedures on more than 600 patients over the age of 65, with nearly one-third of these patients identified as frail and at high-risk for adverse outcomes.  It is currently the goal of JHBMC to be the national leader in discovering how to bring our older patients through surgery safely, preserve quality of life, and return them to their loved ones as soon as possible. The first step in mitigating the impact of frailty on surgical outcomes is being able to recognize who is vulnerable. JHBMC has been a leader in the affirmation and implementation of best practice guidelines put forth by the American College of Surgeons and the American Geriatric Society for the care of the older surgical patient. JHBMC participated in a national survey to examine what resources were most needed for the care of the older frail surgical patient.... Continue Reading
 

Understanding the etiology underlying frailty: Making frail older adults less frail 

May 14, 2021
Karen Bandeen-Roche, PhD
Karen Bandeen-Roche, PhD

Frank Hurley and Catharine Dorrier Chair of Biostatistics
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Co-Director, Johns Hopkins Older Americans Independence Center
Faculty Profile

Why do older adults grow frail?  Because they grow old--but not only this. We all know, or we recognize as researchers, that some octogenarians thrive, while others ten years younger are highly vulnerable.  Our field of gerontology often asks a different question: How should an older adult's frailty influence the care we provide them? That's important. So also, though, is to treat the frailty itself: truly treat, and not just ameliorate symptoms. This is what any one of us would wish if we were frail—to not be as frail anymore.  Continue Reading