The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — has chosen Jay Magaziner, PhD, MSHyg, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine as the 2012 recipient of the Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award.
This distinguished honor is given annually to acknowledge outstanding contributions in the field of rehabilitation. The awardee's work may be in any or all of the areas of teaching or patient care, or publications which may include scholarly works, books, monographs, administrative directives, or public policy papers.
The award presentation will take place at GSA's 65th Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 14 to 18 in San Diego. This conference is organized to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners who specialize in the study of the aging process. Visit www.geron.org/annualmeeting for further details.
At the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Magaziner currently is the chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, where he also serves as director of the Division of Gerontology. He pursues research in aging in three interrelated areas: the consequences of hip fracture, health and long-term care, and methods for studying older populations. The major focus of this work is to identify ways of enhancing functioning and improving the quality of life for older persons.
Magaziner is best known for his research on hip fracture recovery. The National Institute on Aging has recognized his research contributions by awarding him two consecutive MERIT (Method to Extend Research in Time) Awards. His studies include examining changes in functioning, bone, and muscle following hip fracture, hip fracture outcomes in men, and the effects of novel rehabilitation programs on outcomes that are important for older persons, such as physical activity and the ability to walk independently in the community.
As founding director of the Baltimore Hip Studies, a program of research dedicated to identifying deficits and evaluating interventions to improve recovery in hip fracture patients, he has made seminal contributions to the field of rehabilitation of older adults with chronic disability, frailty, and dependence.
Magaziner is a GSA fellow, which represents the Society's highest class of membership, and previously served as chair of GSA's Health Sciences Section.
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society — and its 5,400+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA's structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society, and an educational branch, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.