GSA on Aging

Social isolation, loneliness, and social health are emerging as key determinants of health across the life course. Join GSA's 2025 Public Policy Intern Apoorva Rangan and Morgan Bailie, Policy Director at the Foundation for Social Connection Action Network, this Policy Profile Podcast explores the evolving federal policy and research landscape around addressing these issues in our communities. Join us as we delve into this critical topic. Transcript Speaker Morgan Bailie, MPH, Policy Director, Foundation for Social Connection Action Network Host Apoorva Rangan, O'Neill and Hyer Policy Intern, Gerontological Society of America Resources Foundation for Social Connection Action Network Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation Older Americans Act Reauthorization Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection GSA Reconciliation Summary

Join this Policy Profile Podcast that examines the latest policy activities impacting research around Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Patricia D’Antonio, GSA’s Vice-President for Policy and Professional Affairs, and Ian Kremer, Executive Director of the Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer’s Disease (LEAD) Coalition, offer insights into the latest federal actions and what to expect in Congress this year around ADRD. Resources BOLD Act  NAPA   By Pass Budget  NAPA Annual Reports  KAER Toolkit and GSA Resources  U.S. Pointer Study  ADRD Summit 2025  Transcript Speaker Ian Kremer, JD, Executive Director of the LEAD Coalition Host Patricia D'Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs, GSA  

As GSA and our partners celebrate Careers in Aging Month, join Patricia D’Antonio, GSA’s vice president of policy and professional affairs, and Amy York, executive director of the Eldercare Workforce Alliance, as they discuss policy implications for caregivers. Resources GSA’s Careers in Aging Month Eldercare Workforce Alliance Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, S. 830 introduced on the Senate and House bill to be introduced soon Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers (ABC) Act to be reintroduced soon (Bill from last congress is available here) Family Caregiver Awareness, Resources, and Education (CARE) Partnerships Act (language here) to be introduced soon Transcript Speaker Amy York, MA, executive director of the Eldercare Workforce Alliance Host Patricia D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, GSA’s vice president of policy and professional affairs

The Older Americans Act (OAA) is a landmark legislation passed with Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 to provide critical support and services to older people in the United States. With Patricia D’Antonio, GSA’s Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs, and Amy Gotwals, USAging’s Chief of Public Policy and External Affairs, this Policy Profile Podcast explores the OAA's history, impact, and future. Join us as we delve into the OAA's programs, successes, and today’s challenges.  Resources Senate Version of Older Americans Act Reauthorization  USAging: Older Americans Act Reauthorization 2024-2025  Administration for Community Living  Leadership Council on Aging Organizations (LCAO) Chair’s Letter on Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act Eldercare Locator  Transcript Speaker Amy Gotwals, BA, MA Legislative Affairs, USAging, Chief, Public Policy and External Affairs Host Patricia D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, GSA, Vice-President of Policy and Professional Affairs  

Considering the Interplay of Research and Policy  The dynamic interplay between research and policy affects geriatric/gerontology practice and research. Whether researcher, practitioner, or policy maker, understanding the context of each strengthens the reach of our work.    HS SRPP joint development team included:   Carol Geary, PhD, MBA, RN Julie Gordon, DrPH, CPHQ Jolie Harris, DNS RN Anju Paudel, PhD, MGS, RN   Mentorship: Part 3 of 3 This GSA Section Podcast episode is hosted by Jolie Harris, explores mentorship from the mentor and mentee perspectives with insights shared by distinguished GSA members Ann Kolanowski and Jasmine Travers. Transcript Speakers Ann Kolanowski, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN Jasmine Travers, PhD, RN Host Jolie Harris, DNS RN This podcast episode is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Considering the Interplay of Research and Policy  The dynamic interplay between research and policy affects geriatric/gerontology practice and research. Whether researcher, practitioner, or policy maker, understanding the context of each strengthens the reach of our work.    HS SRPP joint development team included:   Carol Geary, PhD, MBA, RN Julie Gordon, DrPH, CPHQ Jolie Harris, DNS RN Anju Paudel, PhD, MGS, RN   Consideration of Policy Influences on Research: Part 2 of 3 This episode hosted by Julie Gordon, focuses on how policy influences research in geriatrics and gerontology. Robyn Stone and Alice Bonner, experts with decades of experience, address the “long view” of the critical interplay between policy and research.  Transcript   Speakers Alice Bonner, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAANP Robyn Stone, DrPH, FGSA, FNASI Host Julie Gordon, DrPH, CPHQ This podcast episode is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Considering the Interplay of Research and Policy  The dynamic interplay between research and policy affects geriatric/gerontology practice and research. Whether researcher, practitioner, or policy maker, understanding the context of each strengthens the reach of our work.  HS SRPP joint development team included:   Carol Geary, PhD, MBA, RN Julie Gordon, DrPH, CPHQ Jolie Harris, DNS RN Anju Paudel , PhD, MGS, RN   Using Research to Advance Policy: Part 1 of 3 (GSA Section) This GSA Section Podcast explores the interplay between research and policy in geriatrics and gerontology featuring the work and insights of esteemed GSA members Ann Kolanowski and Jasmine Travers. Hosted by Anju Paudel. Transcript   Speakers Ann Kolanowski, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN Jasmine Travers, PhD, RN Host Anju Paudel, PhD, MGS, RN This podcast episode is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

The GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization (ESPO) created and supports a limited podcast series called Talks With a Trailblazer. In this series, we invite leaders in the field of aging research, education, practice, and policy to share their experiences and wisdom to inspire up-and-coming GSA members and inform the general public about aging well. We will cover a variety of areas of interest, including career reviews, tips for people considering careers in aging, anecdotes from the featured trailblazers’ years of experience, and words of wisdom and practical pointers for people as they age.     In this episode, the ESPO Past Chair, Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson, interviews Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Tamara Baker, about her career, research, and advice for future generations.  Transcript   Speaker Tamara Baker, PHD, FGSA Host Kalisha Bonds Johnson, PhD, RN   This podcast episode is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.   Click here to check out our other Trailblazers podcast episode with Dr. Jim Nelson.

The GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization (ESPO) created and supports a limited podcast series called Talks With a Trailblazer. In this series, we invite leaders in the field of aging research, education, practice, and policy to share their experiences and wisdom to inspire up-and-coming GSA members and inform the general public about aging well. We will cover a variety of areas of interest, including career reviews, tips for people considering careers in aging, anecdotes from the featured trailblazers’ years of experience, and words of wisdom and practical pointers for people as they age.     In this episode, the ESPO Chair, Dr. Brianna Morgan, interviews GSA Board of Directors Chair, Dr. James F. Nelson, about his career, experience with GSA, and advice for future scholars. Download the Transcript   Guests: Tamara Baker, PhD, FGSA James Nelson, PhD, FGSA Hosts: Kalisha Bonds, PhD, RN Brianna Morgan, PhD, CRNP This podcast episode is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.   Click here to view our other Trailblazers podcast episode with Dr. Tamara Baker.

This edition of GSA Policy Profile Series highlights the latest legislative activity regarding the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), which recently was voted out of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, an advancement that serves as a key milestone. Learn how TROA has evolved, its changes in Medicare coverage, what research has been used to advance and advocate for the Act, where TROA is headed in Congress, and what a final legislative act may look like. Download the Transcript   Guests: Tracy Zvenyach, PhD, MS, RN, Director of Policy, Strategy and Alliances at the Obesity Action Coalition Host: Patricia M. "Trish" D'Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, Vice President, Policy and Professional Affairs, Gerontological Society of America Additional resources: GSA’s evidence-based KAER Toolkit for the Management of Obesity in Older Adults   GSA Enrich Learning Center: Obesity and Overweight   GSA’s Policy Advocacy   Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (H.R. 4818) CDC Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps   Trust For America’s Health State of Obesity  This podcast episode is supported by Novo Nordisk.

Understanding Person-Centered Care for Older Adults in Six Developing Countries/Regions: Thailand [Episode 6] Download the Transcript The impact of population aging is universally recognized and has been extensively studied in wealthier, developed regions. But we know much less about how aging is experienced by low- and middle-income countries and populations and how these regions are responding to the challenges created by the aging of their populations. The rapid rate of population aging in many developing parts of the world—fueled by falling fertility rates and a shift in the predominance of chronic diseases rather than acute and infectious illnesses—has left little time to anticipate and prepare for the consequences of aging populations.  The GSA Interest Group on Common Data Elements for International Research in Residential Long-term Care has developed a limited podcast series to provide insights into how culture, competing population health priorities, political conflict, and resource limitations influence older adults, their families, and paid/formal caregivers along a trajectory of development, including Brazil, China, East Jerusalem, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Thailand. Guest: Siriphan Sasat, PhD, RN, CPG Dr. Sasat is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. She is the Director of the Centre for Health and Well-being Promotion for Older People and the Chair of the Thai Long-Term Care Nurses Society. Dr. Sasat previously served as the Secretary-General for the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Asia/Oceania Region (IAGG-AOR), and as the Vice President of the Thai Society of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. She earned her doctoral and master’s degrees in nursing with a focus on gerontology and the care of older people at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. Additionally, she received a baccalaureate degree in nursing and midwifery from the McCormick Faculty of Nursing, Payap University in Thailand. Host: Barbara Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, Emerita Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Nursing; Founding Director of the UW–Madison School of Nursing’s Center for Aging Research and Education Moderator: Jing Wang, PhD, RN, FAAN, Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire, College of Health and Human Services This podcast limited series is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund. 

Understanding Person-Centered Care for Older Adults in Six Developing Countries/Regions: Ghana [Episode 5] Download the Transcript The impact of population aging is universally recognized and has been extensively studied in wealthier, developed regions. But we know much less about how aging is experienced by low- and middle-income countries and populations and how these regions are responding to the challenges created by the aging of their populations. The rapid rate of population aging in many developing parts of the world—fueled by falling fertility rates and a shift in the predominance of chronic diseases rather than acute and infectious illnesses—has left little time to anticipate and prepare for the consequences of aging populations.  The GSA Interest Group on Common Data Elements for International Research in Residential Long-term Care has developed a limited podcast series to provide insights into how culture, competing population health priorities, political conflict, and resource limitations influence older adults, their families, and paid/formal caregivers along a trajectory of development, including Brazil, China, East Jerusalem, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Thailand. Guest: Diana Abudu-Birresborn, PhD Dr. Abudu-Birresborn is a doctoral graduate of the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, with a specialization in Health Systems Leadership and Administration and a collaborative specialization in ageing from the Institute of Life Course and Ageing, at the University of Toronto, Canada. Dr. Abudu-Birresborn has more than a decade of nursing experience in rural and urban communities of Ghana. Her doctoral work focused on the preparation of nursing students to care for older adults in Ghana. Specifically, she examined nursing students' self-efficacy in caring for older adults in acute care settings, using a mixed-method approach.  Host: Barbara Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, Emerita Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Nursing; Founding Director of the UW–Madison School of Nursing’s Center for Aging Research and Education Moderator: Jing Wang, PhD, RN, FAAN, Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire, College of Health and Human Services This podcast limited series is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund. 

Understanding Person-Centered Care for Older Adults in Six Developing Countries/Regions: Ethiopia [Episode 4] Download the Transcript The impact of population aging is universally recognized and has been extensively studied in wealthier, developed regions. But we know much less about how aging is experienced by low- and middle-income countries and populations and how these regions are responding to the challenges created by the aging of their populations. The rapid rate of population aging in many developing parts of the world—fueled by falling fertility rates and a shift in the predominance of chronic diseases rather than acute and infectious illnesses—has left little time to anticipate and prepare for the consequences of aging populations.  The GSA Interest Group on Common Data Elements for International Research in Residential Long-term Care has developed a limited podcast series to provide insights into how culture, competing population health priorities, political conflict, and resource limitations influence older adults, their families, and paid/formal caregivers along a trajectory of development, including Brazil, China, East Jerusalem, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Thailand.   Guest: Nigussie Tadesse Sharew, MS Nigussie is a doctoral student at the University of Adelaide, Adelaide Medical School in Australia, where he is studying the pharmacogenomics of drugs used in the treatment of mental health disorders. He holds two master’s degrees in clinical epidemiology from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and adult health nursing from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. He was an Assistant Professor at Debre Berhan University in Ethiopia, where he has served as Dean of the College of Health Science for three years and as head of the nursing department for two years. Host: Barbara Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, Emerita Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Nursing; Founding Director of the UW–Madison School of Nursing’s Center for Aging Research and Education Moderator: Jing Wang, PhD, RN, FAAN, Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire, College of Health and Human Services This podcast limited series is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund. 

Understanding Person-Centered Care for Older Adults in Six Developing Countries/Regions: Caring for Palestinians Living in East Jerusalem [Episode 3] Download the Transcript The impact of population aging is universally recognized and has been extensively studied in wealthier, developed regions. But we know much less about how aging is experienced by low- and middle-income countries and populations and how these regions are responding to the challenges created by the aging of their populations. The rapid rate of population aging in many developing parts of the world—fueled by falling fertility rates and a shift in the predominance of chronic diseases rather than acute and infectious illnesses—has left little time to anticipate and prepare for the consequences of aging populations.  The GSA Interest Group on Common Data Elements for International Research in Residential Long-term Care has developed a limited podcast series to provide insights into how culture, competing population health priorities, political conflict, and resource limitations influence older adults, their families, and paid/formal caregivers along a trajectory of development, including Brazil, China, East Jerusalem, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Thailand. Guest: Amal Abu Awad, PhD, RN, MSN Dr. Abu Awad serves as the Chief Nursing Officer at Augusta Victoria Hospital. She has an educational background that includes a baccalaureate degree in nursing from Al-Quds University in the West Bank, a master's degree in pediatric and neonatal nursing from the University of South Carolina, and a doctoral degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a minor in educational leadership and policy analysis. Additionally, Dr. Abu Awad has a significant history in education, having previously worked as the Dean of Ibn Sina College for Health Sciences and as the Director General of Education in Health at the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian Territory.  Host: Barbara Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, Emerita Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Nursing; Founding Director of the UW–Madison School of Nursing’s Center for Aging Research and Education Moderator: Jing Wang, PhD, RN, FAAN, Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire, College of Health and Human Services This podcast limited series is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund. 

Understanding Person-Centered Care for Older Adults in Six Developing Countries/Regions: China [Episode 2] Download the Transcript The impact of population aging is universally recognized and has been extensively studied in wealthier, developed regions. But we know much less about how aging is experienced by low- and middle-income countries and populations and how these regions are responding to the challenges created by the aging of their populations. The rapid rate of population aging in many developing parts of the world—fueled by falling fertility rates and a shift in the predominance of chronic diseases rather than acute and infectious illnesses—has left little time to anticipate and prepare for the consequences of aging populations.  The GSA Interest Group on Common Data Elements for International Research in Residential Long-term Care has developed a limited podcast series to provide insights into how culture, competing population health priorities, political conflict, and resource limitations influence older adults, their families, and paid/formal caregivers along a trajectory of development, including Brazil, China, East Jerusalem, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Thailand. Guest: Honglin Chen, PhD Dr. Chen is currently a professor of gerontological social work at the University of Eastern Finland. She has been doing research and teaching in aging policy and practice field as a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Social Work at Fudan University in Shanghai, China for 20 years. Her current research area focuses on welfare technology, smart elder care, social work education and serves as an editorial board member in the Journal of Social Work. Dr. Chen is also a Sino-America Fulbright Scholar at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. Host: Barbara Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, Emerita Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Nursing; Founding Director of the UW–Madison School of Nursing’s Center for Aging Research and Education Moderator: Jing Wang, PhD, RN, FAAN, Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire, College of Health and Human Services This podcast limited series is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund. 

Understanding Person-Centered Care for Older Adults in Six Developing Countries/Regions: Brazil [Episode 1] Download the Transcript The impact of population aging is universally recognized and has been extensively studied in wealthier, developed regions. But we know much less about how aging is experienced by low- and middle-income countries and populations and how these regions are responding to the challenges created by the aging of their populations. The rapid rate of population aging in many developing parts of the world—fueled by falling fertility rates and a shift in the predominance of chronic diseases rather than acute and infectious illnesses—has left little time to anticipate and prepare for the consequences of aging populations.  The GSA Interest Group on Common Data Elements for International Research in Residential Long-term Care has developed a limited podcast series to provide insights into how culture, competing population health priorities, political conflict, and resource limitations influence older adults, their families, and paid/formal caregivers along a trajectory of development, including Brazil, China, East Jerusalem, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Thailand. Guest: Patrick Alexander Wachholz, PhD Dr. Wachholz is a geriatrician in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Professor at the Botucatu Medical School at Sao Paulo State University. Dr. Wachholz is also a researcher at the Brazilian National Front for Strengthening Long-Term Care, a network promoting and supporting initiatives for long-term care and advocating for stronger public policies for older adults in this setting. Previously, as a consultant to the Pan American Health Organization for the long-term care sector in Latin America, he served as Director of the Department of Geriatric Medicine in a long-term care facility in Brazil. Dr. Wachholz is currently Editor-in-Chief of Geriatrics, Gerontology and Aging. Host: Barbara Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, Emerita Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Nursing; Founding Director of the UW–Madison School of Nursing’s Center for Aging Research and Education Moderator: Jing Wang, PhD, RN, FAAN, Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire, College of Health and Human Services This podcast limited series is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund. 

This episode is part of a continued series that will provide insights into the experiences of GSA Policy Interns from various cohorts. Join former policy intern Bailee Brekke (’23) as she speaks with the 2021 interns, Lei Chen and Kaleigh Ligus, about their internship experience and how it has impacted their current work.   Guest Bios: Lei Chen, PhD, is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies. She is a transdisciplinary and cross-cultural researcher whose work focuses on long-term services and supports, immigrants’ access to health care, migrant workforce, aging and health policy, aging and technology, and cross-cultural study. Dr. Chen is working on a National Institutes of Health–funded project that aims to advance research on the health care workforce that serves people living with dementia. She applies quantitative and qualitative methodologies to her research. Before joining UCSF, she worked on several research projects at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Health Policy Research and collaborated with the UCLA Human-Centered Computing and Intelligent Sensing Lab. Dr. Chen also engages in policy-related work such as assisting in developing and implementing the Master Plan for Aging in California. Kaleigh Ligus, PhD, is a social science research analyst at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. Her work includes developing, implementing, and evaluating new CMS patient care models aimed at improving Medicare beneficiaries’ health care experiences and health outcomes. Dr. Ligus currently works on the team for the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience Model. She has been dedicated to serving older adults living with chronic disease since 2015 during her experience at the University of Connecticut (UConn) Health Center on Aging. She earned her doctoral degree in human development and family sciences, with a specialization in adulthood, aging and gerontology, from UConn in 2023. During graduate school, she served as the Greg O’Neill Policy Intern for the Gerontological Society of America (summer 2021) and Health Policy Fellow at AcademyHealth (summer of 2022), working with like-minded community collaborators and political leaders to advocate for health policy change.

This episode is part of a continued series that will provide insights into the experiences of GSA Policy Interns from various cohorts. Join former policy intern Christina Mu (’23) as she speaks with the 2019 intern, Haley Gallo Sutherland, about her internship experience and how it has impacted her current work. Haley was the inaugural intern at the start of the internship in 2019! The internship was started in memory of Dr. Greg O’Neill, an aging and policy champion, longtime GSA member, and beloved friend and colleague.   Guest Bio: Haley Gallo Sutherland, PhD, is a researcher at Mathematica, where she contributes to a range of technical assistance and research projects focused on integrating care for people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and using Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS). Her work centers on providing states with technical assistance to better integrate Medicare and Medicaid, identifying and filling gaps in states’ HCBS programs, and helping states transition people from institutional settings back to their communities. She analyzes state Medicaid policies to inform federal guidance, presents at webinars and trainings, and develops written resources on various topics for state Medicaid agencies. Her interests focus on studying and improving social and medical programs that enable older adults and people with disabilities to remain in their communities. She earned her doctoral degree in gerontology from the University of Southern California and joined Mathematica in 2022.

This episode is part of a continued series that will provide insights into the experiences of GSA Policy Interns from various cohorts.  Join former Policy interns as they delve into details on how and where to learn more about this fantastic opportunity.

In the inaugural episode of the GSA Policy Intern Podcast Series, meet the 2023 GSA Summer Policy Interns. Alisha Thompson, Bailee Brekke, and Christina Mu, who have aptly named themselves Team ABC, briefly introduce themselves and the series. The series aims to share the experiences of GSA Policy Interns both past and prese nt, provide insights on how to connect with this year’s interns during and after the Annual Scientific Meeting, and will include interviews with colleagues of Drs. Greg O’Neil and Kathy Hyer, for whom the internship is named. The episode serves as a brief introduction and focuses primarily on where and how listeners can connect with the interns during the Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa. They mention attending events like the New Member/First-Timer Orientation, an ESPO informal chat about the Summer Policy Internship, and a Policy Series Symposium chaired by Trish D’Antonio. They also discuss the application deadline for the internship, which is January 31, and invite prospective applicants to join a GSA Policy Internship Webinar on January 12. Team ABC expresses their excitement about sharing their internship experiences in the upcoming episodes and looks forward to meeting the audience in Tampa. The episode concludes with Alisha, Bailee, and Christina signing off as Team ABC.