The Nation's Premiere Aging Conference, Nov. 16-20 2007

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Also Included In: Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy;  Neurology / Neuroscience;  Conferences
Article Date: 09 Nov 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) has announced a line up of three press briefings for its 60th Annual Scientific Meeting -- the country's largest multidisciplinary conference in the field of aging. All events are taking place from November 16th - 20th, 2007 at the Hilton San Francisco.

This year's theme is "The Era of Global Aging: Challenges and Opportunities." An estimated 3,500 professionals are expected to attend the four-day gathering, which includes more than 500 scientific sessions. Below are the scheduled press briefings, which will all take place in room Union Square 10 at the Hilton:

The Global Impact of Longevity
Saturday, November 17th from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The International Longevity Center's Dr. Robert Butler, the conference's Pulitzer Prize-winning keynote speaker, will answer questions about his address on The Seven Continents: Preparing for Longevity and the Triumph of Survival. Butler is a leading gerontology expert and was the first director of the National Institute on Aging. His distinguished career has provided him with a unique insight on global aging and the benefits and challenges of the longevity revolution.

Preserving Older Americans' Mobility
Sunday, November 18th from 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

The latest White House Conference on Aging named mobility options its third-highest policy priority -- a ranking ahead of even Social Security and Medicare. Hear Katherine Freund, founder of ITNAmerica (the first national non-profit transportation network for America's aging population), describe how federal and state policy are being used to remove barriers and create incentives for sustainable, consumer-oriented senior transportation. ITNAmerica's innovative solution allows thousands of older citizens to remain mobile and earned Freund GSA's prestigious Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Aging. Reporters are also invited to attend her award lecture on ITNAmerica: An Entrepreneurial Approach to Senior Mobility Practice, Policy, and Research.

Can Brain Exercise Really Be Proven To Rejuvenate Older Adults?
Monday, November 19th from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Dr. Elizabeth Zelinski of the University of Southern California (USC) will release initial data from the IMPACT Study, the largest study on aging and cognitive training to use available products (i.e., the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program). This prospective, randomized, controlled trial (led by USC and the Mayo Clinic) will determine for the first time whether computer-based training designed by neuroscientists can cause gains that generalize to broad measures of cognition and that are noticeable in every day life. Zelinski will expand on data covered in a late-breaking poster, The IMPACT Study: Randomized Controlled Trial of a Brain Plasticity-Based Training Program for Age-Related Cognitive Decline, on display in the Hilton's Yosemite Foyer from 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 17th - 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 18th.

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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Complete meeting details are available at http://www.agingconference.com/.

The Gerontological Society of America is the nation's oldest and largest multidisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society -- and its 5,000+ members -- is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public.

Source: Todd Kluss
The Gerontological Society of America