Geriatrics Research Council Up and Running

Arnold J. Berry, M.D., Chair
FAER Geriatrics Research Council

he aging of the United States population will have profound ramifications throughout our health care system. Projections from the Bureau of the Census provide an estimate of the magnitude of growth occurring in this segment of the population. Currently more than 12 percent of individuals in the United States are at least 65 years of age with more than 3 million persons 85 or older. As the baby boomers (the 75 million people born in the United States from 1946 to 1964) turn 65 in 2011, the number of elderly in the population will begin to accelerate. It is estimated that by the year 2030, more than 20 percent of the U.S. population, that is more than 70 million people, will be at least 65, including more than 23 million aged 75 to 84 years and almost 9 million over 85. This segment of the population consumes a proportionately larger share of health care resources; currently, this population represents almost one-third of all surgical procedures and half of the annual U.S. federal health care budget.

With these projected demographics for our nation’s population, geriatric patients will undoubtedly make up a larger portion of many anesthesiologists’ practices, and clinicians must be prepared to manage the complex medical conditions associated with aging. As an example, one of the most problematic postoperative outcomes in the elderly is cognitive dysfunction, a subject that was the major focus of the Emery A. Rovenstine Memorial Lecture at the 2003 Annual Meeting presented by Terri A. Monk, M.D. As an acknowledgement of the importance of geriatric anesthesiology, the May 2004 issue of the ASA NEWSLETTER was devoted to this topic.

Recognizing the significance of these national trends, the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) has recently established the Geriatrics Research Council. This group has begun to address several pertinent issues, including the need for increased funding for geriatric research, for the career development of anesthesiologists interested in research pertaining to the perioperative care of elderly patients and for improving education on geriatric-related topics. Although current members of the council consist of FAER directors with an interest in geriatrics, it is planned that national leaders and experts in this area will be invited to participate. To broaden input to the council’s activities, affiliations with professional associations such as the American Geriatrics Society and the Society for the Advancement of Geriatric Anesthesia will be explored. Additionally the council has begun to identify foundations and other charitable organizations with an interest in geriatrics and will reach out to these groups to discuss ways that they may partner with the council’s goals for funding research, training and education.

FAER’s mission is to promote the generation of new knowledge in anesthesiology that advances patient care and to foster career development of anesthesiologists dedicated to research and education in perioperative, critical care and pain medicine. To achieve this goal, FAER has funded more than 400 anesthesiology research projects totaling more than $14 million, but only a small fraction of these grants have been related to geriatrics. The Geriatrics Research Council encourages submission of quality proposals for research or training of researchers to address the many perioperative issues related to geriatric patients. Through this initiative, it is hoped that there will be a boost in funding available for geriatric-specific research and a commensurate growth in grant applications on topics to address the complexities of anesthetic management of geriatric patients.