- From resilience in aging to the impact of caregiver distress, & geriatric syndromes in hospitals, #geriatrics research is shaping the future of aging care. Don’t miss this year’s Plenary Paper session at #AGS25. https://ow.ly/N8t050VoRLo
New York (March 26, 2025) – Researchers presenting at the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS25), taking place May 8–10 (pre-conference day on May 7), represent the leading voices in geriatrics scholarship. Selected from a highly competitive pool of 1198 submissions, this year’s presenters will showcase innovative research aimed at advancing the health and well-being of older adults. The distinguished speakers featured in the #AGS25 Plenary Paper Session (Thursday, May 8, 9:30–10:15 am CT) will highlight the wide-ranging impact of geriatrics research, demonstrating its critical role in shaping the future of caring for all of us as we age.
Age-Related Declines in Physical Resilience and Mitochondria in C57BL/6J Mice (presented by Saurav Saha, PhD)
Aging is associated with a decline in resilience—the ability to recover from stress or adverse events—yet the metabolic and molecular mechanisms behind this decline remain poorly understood. To investigate this, Dr. Saha and colleagues examined the impact of aging on physical resilience and mitochondrial function in young (6 months) and aged (24 months) male C57BL/6J mice. Using a series of stress tests, including treadmill running, temperature challenges, and anesthesia exposure, they found that aged mice had significantly prolonged recovery times following anesthesia and were less resilient to heat stress. A composite resilience index revealed that aged mice exhibit considerably lower scores than young mice, and resilience was positively correlated with VO2max. Molecular analysis showed that both young mice and resilient older mice had greater expression of mitochondrial complexes I and V in gastrocnemius muscle and a trend towards greater expression of mitochondrial stimulating proteins PGC1a and SIRT3. These findings suggest that aging-related declines in resilience may be linked to mitochondrial components, highlighting the potential for therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial function to mitigate the adverse impacts of aging on resilience and improve recovery from stress in older adults.
Family Caregiver Distress, Nursing Home Placement and Psychotropic Drug Prescribing Among Care Recipients Living with Dementia: A Population-Based Propensity-Matched Study in Ontario, Canada (presented by Nathan M. Stall, MD, PhD)
Most people living with dementia (PLWD) rely on unpaid family caregivers for support while remaining in the community. To examine the association of caregiver distress on care outcomes, Dr. Stall and his colleagues conducted a population-based, propensity-matched cohort study of 130,416 older adults living with dementia receiving home care in Ontario, Canada, between 2010 and 2021. They found that caregiver distress nearly doubled over the study period, rising from 32.4% to 58.9%. Among a matched cohort of 39,092 PLWD, those with distressed caregivers were 34% more likely to be placed in a nursing home and 7% more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medications compared to those with non-distressed caregivers. However, caregiver distress was not significantly associated with increased mortality, emergency department visits, or hospitalizations among care recipients. These findings highlight the growing burden on family caregivers and its potential impact on care decisions for people living with dementia, emphasizing the need for targeted support interventions.
Prevalence and Impact of Geriatric Syndromes in Hospitalized Older Adults: Results from the CHANGE Study (presented by Thiago J. Avelino-Silva, MD, PhD)
Hospitalized older adults frequently experience geriatric syndromes which are associated with adverse outcomes, yet their overall prevalence and impact are not well understood. Dr. Avelino-Silva and colleagues aimed to quantify the prevalence of geriatric syndromes in hospitalized older adults, identify factors associated with their occurrence, and evaluate their collective impact on mortality in this study.
Using the Creating a Hospital Assessment Network in Geriatrics (CHANGE) Study (a multicenter prospective cohort involving patients aged 65 and older across Brazil, Angola, Chile, Colombia, and Portugal) Dr. Avelino-Silva and colleagues examined the prevalence of 15 geriatric syndromes in 2,556 participants identifying a median of six geriatric syndromes per patient. The most common syndromes included multimorbidity (83%), disability (71%), polypharmacy (61%), frailty (58%), and sensory impairment (55%). They found that a higher burden of geriatric syndromes was associated with increased age and female gender. Critically, patients with more than six syndromes faced a significantly higher 90-day mortality rate (33% vs. 14%), with each additional syndrome increasing mortality risk by 22%. Their findings underscore the need for routine geriatric assessments in hospital settings to identify and address vulnerabilities to optimize outcomes for older adults.
About the American Geriatrics Society
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Our 6,000+ members include geriatricians, geriatrics nurse practitioners, social workers, family practitioners, physician associates, pharmacists, and internists who are pioneers in serious illness care for older individuals, with a focus on championing interprofessional teams, eliciting personal care goals, and treating older people as whole persons. AGS is an anti-discriminatory organization. We believe in a society where we all are supported by and able to contribute to communities where ageism, ableism, classism, homophobia, racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other forms of bias and discrimination no longer impact healthcare access, quality, and outcomes for older adults and their caregivers. AGS advocates for policies and programs that support the health, independence, and quality of life of all of us as we age.
About the AGS Annual Scientific Meeting
The AGS Annual Scientific Meeting is the premier educational event in geriatrics, providing the latest information on clinical care, research on aging, and innovative models of care delivery. More than 2,600 nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, social workers, long-term care and managed care providers, healthcare administrators, and others will convene May 8 – 10 (pre-conference day: Wednesday, May 7) in Chicago, IL to advance geriatrics knowledge and skills through state-of-the-art educational sessions and research presentations. For more information, visit https://meeting.americangeriatrics.org/.