Committee on Aging

The GAP Committee on Aging has been working on a variety of projects related to the mental health and well-being of our aging population and training of our healthcare providers. These include 2024 presentations at national scientific meetings on ageism, stigma and bias, substance use in older adults, and the enhancement of brain health and well-being in older adults through lifestyle interventions. In April 2024, with valuable input from the GAP Publications Committee and ultimate endorsement from the President of GAP, the final draft of the invited manuscript “Enhancing Brain Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: Innovations in Lifestyle Interventions” was submitted for peer reviewed publication in a reputable scientific journal.

Ongoing projects include a photo essay project “Through the Lens of Experience” with photos and quotes from older adult subjects of diverse backgrounds and walks of life, depicting various paths towards positive aging.

There has been lively discussion and work done on the book proposal and author list, for the proposed book “Healthy Aging: Enhancing Brain Health and Well-Being.” Some important points about the chapters in this book that will make it unique from other works are a focus on healthy brain aging perspectives such as improving/stabilizing health, primary prevention, restoration, prevention of recurrence and the embedding of the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion in each chapter.

The GAP Committee on Aging focuses on positive aging with projects that provide scientific information to people in different fields--geriatric psychiatrists, general psychiatrists, other health care providers, and the lay public. We prepare projects for a variety of venues such as national scientific meetings, news outlets such as the Psychiatric Times, peer reviewed scientific journals, blogs and books. The committee is especially welcoming of trainees. It strives to promote a collegial and collaborative atmosphere by which all members can learn from one another and grow, as we create products to help our patients, colleagues and any who knows someone who is aging or who is interested in lifespan issues.