IAGG NEWSLETTERSEOUL, MARCH 201602

IAGG HEADQUARTERS

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IAGG REGIONAL NEWS06

IAGG'S SUB-ORGANIZATIONS

10UN ACTIVITIES11NATIONAL MEMBER SOCIETIES

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UPCOMING EVENTS

VOL. 20 / NO.10

IAGG HEADQUARTERS
54TH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE UN IN NEW
YORKIAGG President, Professor Heung Bong Cha, along with our representatives to the UN- Martha Bial, Laura
Machado and Hans Stohrer- attended the 54th annual session of the Commission on Social Development
held at the UN in New York from February 3rd to 12th, 2016, and the Civil Society Forum that preceded it.
The priority theme of the session was “Re-thinking and strengthening social development in thecontemporary world.” This comes at a time when the UN is finalizing its 2030 Sustainable Development
Agenda. Seventeen goals and 169 targets have been agreed upon and the indicators by which progresson the goals will be measured were scheduled for finalization in March 2016. The NGO community
represented in the Civil Society Forumfocused on achieving inclusiveness in the implementation of thegoals, so that “no one is left behind.”This is particularly relevant for those of us working in ageing as older persons are often invisible to policy
makers, and therefore marginalized in the resultant policies. Dr. Stohrer prepared a statement on behalfof IAGG urging the collection and disaggregation of data about older persons in the implementation of
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In goals related to the reduction of poverty, and promotionof health, education and employment, if “older persons are not measured they will be left behind.”
IAGG was also represented in two side events during the Commission:
President-elect, Professor John Rowe, hosted a seminar at Columbia University’s Aging Center at which
Asghar Zaidi from the UK presented some key findings of the Active Ageing Index, a measure of older
people’s active and healthy aging, introduced in Europe and sponsored by the UN Economic Commission
for Europe, which hopes to see its extended to other parts of the world.
Secretary-General–elect, Professor Toni Antonucci, presented at an event sponsored by the Society for thePsychological Study of Social Issues. She shared her work on the importance of social relationships forolder persons as “convoys of social support that optimize aging and mental health.”2

IAGG REGIONAL NEWS
ASIA-OCEANIA REGION
Our condolences go to Professor Sutthichai Jitapunkul and his family

The gerontology and geriatric medicine
community in Thailand and those who know
Professor Sutthichai Jitapunkul academically,
personally, locally, nationally and internationallywere in great sorrow to hear of the sudden
passing of Professor Sutthichai Jitapunkul on themorning of 16th January, 2016, at the age of 58
years. He was the most important person behindthe beyond-expected success of the recent 10th Asia-Oceania IAGG conference held in Chiang Mai,
Thailand, last October 2015, as Chair of the Conference Organizing Committee, and President-elect for the
Asia-Oceania Region.
Professor Jitapunkul was born and raised in Bangkok, graduated from the Faculty of Medicine,
Chulalongkorn University, and was trained in geriatric medicine in London Hospital, Medical College in the
United Kingdom. He was among the key people involved in the founding committee of the Thai Societyof Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine established in July 1996. With his excellent talent in research andteaching, he was soon promoted to be the first Professor in Geriatric Medicine in Thailand.
Professor Jitapunkul’s works on the pioneering research in demographic trends of Thai older people
contributed to the awareness of the urgent needs of both medical and social services specially designed
for Thai older people. Also, his pioneering research in mental assessment and epidemiology of fall
prevention paved the way for subsequent research in geriatric medicine in Thailand. He was the only
doctor of medicine selected to be the member of the National Committee for Older People and thePresident of the Thai Society of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine for two consecutive terms.
Professor Sutthichai Jitapunkul will be greatly missed and remains in the hearts and souls of all Thai
scholars in gerontology and geriatric medicine, and his friends and colleagues internationally.

Professor Prasert Assantachai, new President-elect of the Asia-Oceania Region
Professor Prasert Assantachai has been appointed to the position of Presidentof the Thailand Association of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, andnominated to the position of President elect for the Asia-Oceania Region,
following the untimely passing of Professor Sutthichai Jitapunkul in January.
Professor Assantachai is a geriatrician at Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Professor Assantachai had a key role as Chair of the Scientific Committee forthe 2015 IAGG Asia-Oceania Regional Congress in Chiang Mai.
We welcome Professor Assantachai to his new roles in Thailand and in the AsiaOceania Region.

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IAGG REGIONAL NEWSGARY ANDREWS ACADEMY WORKSHOP (JULY 2016)
The 2nd Gary Andrews Academy Workshop will be conducted in Hong Kong in July 2016.
Title of workshop: Gary Andrews Academy Workshop on Social Policy for the Aged
Dates: 8-9 July 2016 (2-day workshop)
Faculty (speakers): include Professor Nelson Chow, Professor Julie Byles, Professor Du Peng, Professor Alfred Chan,
Dr. Edward Leung
Workshop topics: include Pension and Social Security, International and National Policy, Demography, Healthy Ageing,
Long Term Care, and Community Care
Target Audience: Government Officials, Academics in Aged Care, Senior Professionals in Social and Health Care
Registration Fee: US 250 per person
For further information, or to register for the workshop, please contact: Ms. Coco Woo -coco@hkag.org.
WORK, RETIREMENT AND HEALTH: A BRIEF DIRECTORY OF AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH
Various research projects have been conducted in Australia to describe and understand this complex relationshipbetween retirement and health. In this brief directory we use the collaborative strength of ILC-Australia to scope
publicly available data that can be used to investigate associations between work, retirement and health; and tocompile a list of people who have undertaken research in this area.
The directory is available from the Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing (contact Julie.Byles@
newcastle.edu.au).
DIRECTORY OF RESEARCH ON AGEING HAS BEEN UPLOADED TO THE POPULATION WEBSITE
This report was prepared by Paul Kowal (WHO) and Julie Byles (ILC-Australia) for the Population Studies Branch,
Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations. It provides an update of the
Directory of Research on Ageing in Africa: 1995-2003. The aim is to profile, promote and encourage research into thehealth and needs of people aged 50 years and over in Africa, and to enable the use of evidence for policy.
The Directory includes a summary of submissions from primary investigators, with analysis of how these projects
related to the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA). There is a growing body of rigorous and indepth research into ageing across Africa. However, there are some countries where research is less active, andsome areas of priority which are under-investigated. Website:http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/
publications/pdf/ageing/Dir_Research_Ageing_Africa_%202004-2015.pdf
INDEX OF WELLBEING FOR OLDER AUSTRALIANS
The Benevolent Society and the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) launched the Index on
older Australians’ wellbeing on 10th February 2016. The index provides:•

information on Maps indicators of wellbeing of older people across geographic locations  •

information on what factors contribute most to wellbeing or disadvantage  •

useful tools for policy makers, planners and service providers to ensure services reach areas where they areneeded the most
The index can be downloaded at: http://www.benevolent.org.au/think/index-of-wellbeing-for-older-australians
WHO’s CHINA COUNTRY ASSESSMENT REPORT ON AGEING AND HEALTH
The WHO have released a report on Health and Ageing in China - http://www.who.int//publicati/china-countryassessment/en/
The report underscores the importance that China places on the development of health and social care systems for
its older people, and particularly the emphasis towards healthy environments, community strengths, reorientation of
the health care system towards primary and integrated care, and the development of a skilled workforce.

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IAGG REGIONAL NEWSEUROPEAN REGION
IAGG-ER CONGRESSThe IAGG World Congress in San Francisco will take place in 2017. During this congress, the host for theWorld Congress in 2025 will be voted upon. We are proud to inform IAGG that three European countries
are preparing a bid for the IAGG World Congress 2025: Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy. We wish allsocieties involved in the bid all the best and look forward to an IAGG World Congress in Europe!
PLANNED ACTIVITIES OF IAGG-ER
The 10th European Congress of Biogerontology, under the theme “Future of Aging,” will take place
September 23-24, 2016, at the Nencki Institute in Warsaw, Poland. The meeting is organized by Professor
Ewa Sikora who writes: “We invite you to share and discuss your views on one of the most important andurgent issues – the future of ageing. Most of us now expect to live a long life and will experience ageing andold age. Understanding the biological, biomedical, demographic and psycho-social aspects of ageing is theroad to prepare for the future. Could we, would we, should we stop ageing partially or completely is thechallenge to think about. Let us do it together. We look forward to welcoming you!”
Website: http://futureofaging.nencki.gov.pl

SOUTH AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN (COMLAT) REGIONCONGRESS SCHEDULE

Year

Month/Date

2016

May 19-21
June 8-11
September
NovemberNovember 4-8

Event
XII Congress Colombia of the Colombia Gerontology, Bogota, Columbia
The 20th Brazilian Congress of Geriatrics and Gerontology in Fortaleza, Brazil
SAGG-September 2016 Buenos Aires Congress of the Argentine Society of Gerontology andGeriatrics: II Meeting of the First Latin American Consensus on Diabetes in the Elderly
SUGG – November 2016 Montevideo Congress Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics Uruguay

ALAD XVII Latin American Congress on Diabetes – Colombian Congress on Diabetes, Bogotá Hotel
Crowne Plaza – Tequendama

AFRICAN REGION
THE 2ND IAGG AFRICAN REGIONAL CONGRESSThe 2nd IAGG Africa Regaion Conference of Gerontology and Geriatrics, on the theme ‘Log Term Care
Systems for Sub-Saharan Africa: Setting Agendas’ will take place on December 6-8, 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Conference will provide a timely, urgently needed forum to consider and address pressing querries oncurrent realities of long term care (LTC) for older persons in SSA, and on required principles and approaches
for forging LTC system that can meet the already considerable-and inevitably growing need for such carein the region. The conference, taking the form of a research-practice dialogue, will bring together ananticipated 100 academic, government, civil society and private sector role players from across SSA andother developing regions in two and a half days of expert plenary panels, open discussions and small group
work.

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IAGG SUB ORGANIZATIONS
IAGG-GARN (GLOBAL AGEING RESEARCH NETWORK)
PUBLICATIONFRAILTY: AN EMERGING PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITY.
In late 2014, IAGG-GARN was commissioned by WHO’s Department of Aging and Life Course to set up a group of
15 international experts to finalize a background paper on Frailty intended for the 2015 WHO Global Report on
Ageing and Health. A background paper was published following the meeting held at WHO Headquarters. The aimof the publication is to raise awareness on the need to better identify frailty as a target for implementing preventive
interventions against age-related conditions. Every effort should be made by health care authorities to maximize
efforts in this field, balancing priorities, needs, and resources. Raising awareness about frailty and age-related
conditions in the population is important for effective prevention, and should lead to the promotion of lifelong healthy
behaviors and lifestyle. The present work and related activities were supported by the International Association ofGerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) and the IAGG-Global Aging Research Network (GARN).
(Cesari M, Prince M, Thiyagarajan JA, De Carvalho IA, Bernabei R, Chan P, Gutierrez-Robledo LM, Michel JP, Morley JE,
Ong P, Rodriguez Manas L, Sinclair A, Won CW, Beard J, Vellas B. Frailty: an emerging public health priority. J Am Med
Dir Assoc. 2016 Mar 1;17(3):273-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2015.12.097)
A WORKSHOP ON “PREVENTION IN RESIDENTIAL AND NURSING HOMES: A NEW MISSION FOR THE FUTURE”
With the support of the Office for Science and Technology of the Embassy of France in the United States, the workshop
was organized by the IAGG-GARN Network and took place on December 2nd, 2015 in Toulouse, France. The 35 key
opinion leaders from academic, industrial, and governmental agencies from Europe and USA, debated on the role ofresidential and nursing homes in the development of preventive geriatrics, in order to maintain function with aging:visual, hearing, weight maintenance, cognition, wellbeing, and mobility. The ultimate objective is to prevent functional
decline with age, and to link older adults with their community. A final perspective paper will be submitted for
publication.
A TASKFORCE ON “PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN NURSING HOME SETTINGS: LOOKING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS”
Organized under the auspices of the IAGG-GARN Network and IAGG-ER Clinical Section, this meeting took place on
December 1st, 2015, in Toulouse, France. Several studies have proven the importance of exercise training for thehealth residents of long term care facilities. However, the best exercise regimen in terms of feasibility, safety, andeffectiveness has not yet been established. The main purpose of this Taskforce was to gather the experience andviewpoints of worldwide leaders in the field of exercise for residents living in long-term care facilities in order todefine clear exercise guidelines for this often vulnerable population of very old people. The meeting got together 18
participants who worked on the draft of the consensus paper that will be submitted to a journal.

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IAGG SUB-ORGANIZATIONS
IAGG-CSO (COUNCIL ON STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS)
President: Claudia Meyer, MPH (PhD Candidate-La Trobe University, Australia)
Vice President: Shannon L. Freeman, PhD (University of Northern British Columbia, Canada)
Secretary-Treasurer: Katherine S. Hall, PhD (Veterans Affairs/Duke University Medical Centers, USA)ATTENTION FUTURE GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRIC STUDENT SECTION LEADERS
Students and early-career scholars working in the field of gerontology and geriatrics are active in their pursuits ofpromoting health and wellbeing for older adults. The IAGG-CSO is committed to supporting awareness, and more
active participation of students and recent graduates. Students and early career scholars are an integral part of IAGG,
being both a present and future resource for gerontology and geriatric associations, helping to build the sustainabilityof IAGG as a global organization over time. The IAGG-CSO is dedicated to linking talented and enthusiastic members
together in the pursuit of the IAGG mission - the promotion of the highest quality research and training, andcollaboration across the globe.
Here is your opportunity to be part of this vision...by building a Student Section in your society/country.
However, we are well aware that becoming involved with, or leading, a Student Section can be a daunting task. To
assist you, the IAGG-CSO will be hosting two webinars to outline the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of setting up yourown Student Section.
Numerous time zone differences mean that one webinar will operate for the Asia-Oceania region and the other tocapture students and early career scholars from Europe, North, Central and South America, and Africa.
Stay tuned for further information.

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IAGG SUB-ORGANIZATIONS

IAGG-CSO EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT AND EARLY CAREER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: INTERVIEWWITH MS. JOSEFA PALACIOSJosefa Palacios
Degree(s): M.A., M.P.H., B.A.
Title: PhD Candidate
Department/Division: Graduate School of Humanities, Organizations, and Society
Institution: University of Rennes, School of Public HealthInstitution Location: Rennes, France

1.

How did you get interested in the field of aging?

My general interests have always been public health and sociology. Aging is a subject that fits perfectly under the lightof these two disciplines. From a more personal perspective, I am attracted to aging because as a stage in the life cycle,
it is generally overlooked in my home country, Chile. Although there is greater recognition of the challenge associatedto a rapidly aging population, the elderly are a vulnerable group that receives little support beyond the immediatefamily. Having lived in other countries, I came to realize the opportunity to draw upon the policies and practices ofother countries to promote the wellbeing of the elderly.
2.

What are your key responsibilities at your job and/or school?

As a recipient of a scholarship from the Chilean government, my main responsibility is to develop my research projecton understanding the situation of family caregivers of dependent elders. My objective is to identify policy avenues
that will improve the wellbeing of both the elderly and their caregivers. Ultimately, I have the responsibility to returnto Chile to share the knowledge and contribute to both research and public policy.
3.

Tell us a little about your most recent activities/accomplishments?

I’ve recently come back from my second round of fieldwork where I explore family caregivers’ experience in caring
for dependent elders. I find that the experience of caregiving, cannot be reduced to a set of tasks or time dedicated.
Feelings of pressure or gratitude are heavily dependent on the life history of the caregiver, the relationship with otherfamily members, the historical relationship between the caregiver and the elder, and how they perceive their role as
caregivers (e.g. as an obligation, as a choice, etc.). In understanding the investment on care and the pressures it puts
on caregivers, it is necessary to go beyond the traditional measures we use.
4.

How long/why did you become a member of IAGG and why is it important for other students to join/

attend IAGG?
I joined IAGG a year ago searching for a community that would help me meet people in the field of aging to sharemy research and learn from others. As a PhD. student, I find that IAGG provides a valuable multi-disciplinary view on
aging. Also, the quality of the Congress in Dublin and its activities inspired me to carry on with my dissertation work.
5.

Do you have any tips for emerging gerontology and geriatrics scholars?

Be open to learning from other disciplines like sociology, psychology, political science and public health. Aging isa phenomenon that cannot be explained only through a biomedical perspective but needs a combination of otherdisciplines to incorporate the person’s life history, the family dynamics and the role of the state and the community.
As PhD. students, we should seek out other students not only to share knowledge, but also to find support to continue
with the dissertation when it seems to be insurmountable.

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IAGG SUB-ORGANIZATIONSISG (INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR GERONTECHNOLOGY)
10TH WORLD CONFERENCE OF GERONTECHNOLOGY, SEPTEMBER 28-30, 2016, IN NICE, FRANCE
The 10th World Conference of Gerontechnology will be held in Nice, France from September 28 -30, 2016, under
the theme “Sustainable Humanity.” The call for proposals opens from September 1 onward. It is the world’s largest
gathering of scholars, researchers, experts and practitioners in the field of Gerontechnology.
The event will provide a variety of interaction modalities: keynote speeches, symposia, chaired oral sessions,leading-edge technologies, and the GeronTechno Platform. Leading-edge technologies refer to sessions designed forinteractive demonstrations of well-tested prototypes of products and services. The GeronTechno Platform features
demonstrations of newly-developed products with target end-users through interactive exhibitions. In addition, aninternational Master Class will be held. The concept of “Master Class” is modeled on the training often used withyoung professional musicians. The student performs in front of one or more professional musicians in his or her field
who then offer an evaluation of the performance as well as advice to the students.
At the ISG Master Class, the posters the students bring with them are the “performances” analogous to the recitalsof the young professional musicians. The masters, as former aspiring musicians who performed at auditions for
symphony conductors and in front of great professional musicians in their fields, definitely know how valuable theseexperiences can be and thus will try their best to make the students find these experiences helpful.
Coming to the 10th World Conference of Gerontechnology means: meeting with other experts in gerontechnology;
gaining and sharing gerontechnology knowledge; having the possibility to start or renew alliances for gerontechnology
research; and getting inspired.
The activities of Gerontechnology began in the Netherlands with the formation of the International Society for
Gerontechnology (ISG) in 1993, and were further supported by the establishment of the Journal of Gerontechnology
in 2001. The ISG mission is to encourage and promote technological innovations in products and services that address
older peoples’ ambitions and needs on the basis of scientific knowledge about ageing processes including cultural andindividual differences.
The ISG has an executive committee and a board including presidents of the regional chapters. Currently, the ISG has
6 regional chapters, namely; the Dutch-Flemish chapter, Francophone chapter, Japanese chapter, Sinophone chapter,
North-American chapter and German-Austrian chapter, with an Iberian chapter under construction. In addition to
the regional chapters, there is a student chapter, for those PhD students who want to be educated and trained inGerontechnology. All individuals working in any field of aging and technology can become a member of the ISG and
can be linked to the chapter they wish to belong to. Please visit our website for further information: http://www.
gerontechnology.org/.

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UN ACTIVITIES
Report of IAGG Participation
at theUnited Nations 60th Session of theCommission on the Status of Womenand at the2016 AARP-UN Briefing Series on Empowering WomenNew York, 15-18 March 2016

Report on 2016 AARP-UN Briefing Series, by Hans STÖHRER, MD:
Although the 2016 AARP-UN Briefing Series was entitled “Empowering Women - The Forgotten Half-Billion,” inthe context of the 60th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) priority theme on “Empowering Women,” theBriefing Series was largely focused on Older Women. Over several years, AARP has hosted a similar Briefing Series
on “Global Ageing” in the context of the Commission on Social Development (CSocD).
The 2016 Briefing Series featured high profile speakers from different sectors of government, United Nations
agencies, and civil society, including government officials from the UK Parliament House of Lords, the US
Department of Justice Office on Violence against Women, the US Department of Health and Human Services
Administration on Aging, the Mozambique Ministry of Health, the UN DESA Focal Point on Ageing, the US-based
NGO Council on Foreign Relations, and the chief executive officers of the NGOs AARP and HelpAge International.
The Briefing Series noted that ageing is largely about Older Women, who are the largest proportion of older persons.
However, due to UN limits on data collection over the age of 49 years, inadequate surveys, and pervasive ageism,
the reality is that Older Women are largely ignored, invisible, and left out, even in CSW, CSocD, and 2030 Sustainable
Development Agenda debates about girls and women. Ageism was declared to be the last form of identity based
discrimination.
Much discussion focused on the need for a true “All-Ages” perspective of UN agencies and governments, to collectdata going forward that is disaggregated by age and gender: “We cannot measure what we do not see; we cannot
see what we do not measure.”
Kathy Greenlee, the US Assistant Secretary for Aging, summarized the barriers facing advocacy for ageing and older
persons, and possible solutions, to include the following: lack of subject matter expertise, requiring education
about ageing; pre-conceived notions about ageing and older persons, requiring combating ageism; resistance,from the notion that some countries have sufficient programs for older persons already, requiring the challengeof how such programs will improve the lives of older persons; and competition from business interests, requiringa determination to face it. She listed the natural advantages inherent to advocacy for ageing and older persons toinclude: the growing numbers of older persons; the force of what data on ageing will show; and the stories of older
persons themselves, which illustrate what ageing means, and which connect with humanity.
Report on 2 side events at CSW, by Martha BIAL, PhD:
In addition to the AARP briefings, the IAGG UN team attended two side events on March 18, 2016 sponsored byNGOs at the Commission on the Status of Women.
The first event was on ageism and widowhood. Speakers described how ageism and gender discrimination intersect,with the result in some countries that widows are seen as witches or harlots and can be deprived of their homes
and lands. In more developed countries, participants reported inadequate pensions and employment discrimination
against widows.
At the second event, speakers from government and civil society addressed the issue of elder abuse worldwide.
They stressed the difficulty of getting reliable data at the national and local levels, which impedes the pursuit ofsolutions. Attendees were urged to expand the data base in their countries on abuse, to disaggregate these data byage, and to advocate with their national policy makers for solutions based on the data.
This is an important role that member societies of IAGG can play.

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NATIONAL MEMBER SOCIETIESBRITISH SOCIETY OF GERONTOLOGY
UK’s Academy of Social Sciences
Congratulations are due to our President-elect, Professor Debora Price, who has been accepted as a Fellow of the
Academy of Social Sciences.
‘Ageing: the bigger picture’
On 17 January 2016, the British Society of Gerontology (BSG) announced the winners of its highly successful photocompetition, ‘Ageing: the bigger picture’. The competition, held in partnership with Photocrowd and in collaboration
with the London College of Fashion, attracted over 1200 photos and more than 200,000 on-line votes from around theglobe. The stunning images explored the complexities of ageing and prompted worldwide interest. Professor Sheila
Peace, president of BSG, said: “This has been an exciting venture, bringing to our attention the beauty, experienceand intergenerational dimensions of global ageing. Our congratulations to the winners, whom we hope have inspired
us all to go on capturing those images that show the value and diversity of our world as we grow older...” BSG intend
to hold a symposium showcasing the images at its upcoming 45th Annual Conference: Communities in Later Life:
Engaging with Diversity to be held at University of Stirling, Scotland, 6 – 8 July 2016.
45th British Society of Gerontology Conference
The 45th British Society of Gerontology Conference will be held at the University of Stirling from 6th to 8th July
2016. We are expecting delegates and speakers from around the world and are particularly pleased to welcome Prof
.Heidi Hamilton from Georgetown University, USA, who will deliver a plenary on her linguistics research with people
with Alzheimer’s disease, titled: Knowing in Dementia: Navigating Everyday Challenges of Epistemics and Face.
Registration is now open for the conference and more information can be found at: www.stir.ac.uk/bsg16
The Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group (MUARG)
The Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group (MUARG) has been launched at the University of Manchester (UK).
The aim of the group is to promote research in the broad field of ‘urban ageing’; to support public, private, not-forprofit, and voluntary sector organisations in their work to develop age-friendly environments; and to encourage
innovation in policy and practice on age-friendly issues. MUARG is part of the Manchester Institute for Research into
Ageing (MICRA) and is led by Dr. Tine Buffel, a research fellow in the University School of Social Sciences. Membersof MUARG come from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, from sociology through to architecture. The group has asubstantial research programme focused around issues relating to: urbanisation and social exclusion; the role of thearts and culture in empowering older people; housing in later life; place, community and social networks; methods ofcoproduction and participatory research with older people; and inequalities across the life course

CANADIAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY
CANADIAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY CONFERENCE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
On behalf of the 2016 Scientific Planning Committee of the Canadian Geriatrics Society (CGS), it is with great
excitement that we announce that early-bird conference registration is now open!
This year, the conference will be held in fabulous downtown Vancouver from April 14 to 16 at the Sheraton Vancouver
Wall Centre. The 2016 conference theme is Environments for Aging: From Health Promotion to End of Life. The
program is designed to provide valuable networking opportunities between sponsors and delegates with attractive

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NATIONAL MEMBER SOCIETIES
incentives.
Highlights:• Keynote Speaker, Dr. Isobel MacKenzie: No One Size Fits All Prescriptions • Keynote Speaker, Dr. Roger Wong:
Principles and Practice of Quality Improvement in the Care for Older People • Keynote Speaker, Dr. Thomas Robinson:
Preoperative Assessment for Older Adults • Keynote Speaker, Dr. Genevieve Healy: Standing Up, Sitting Less andMoving More: What are the Benefits for Older Adults? • Keynote Speaker, Dr. Jocelyn Chase: Top 10 Research Papers
Topics:• Sedentary Behaviours in Seniors • Quality Assurance for Older Adults in Acute Care • Advocacy for Seniors •Preoperative Assessment for Older Adults

DUTCH SOCIETY OF GERONTOLOGY
Activities of the Dutch Society
Our main activities to achieve our goals are the biennial National Congress
on Gerontology (lastly in October 2015 including, amongst others, several
key lectures, symposia and three awards for young outstanding scientists),
the yearly National Geriatric Days (lastly in February 2016 together withthree other national professional societies) and the foundation of scientificchairs at universities. In addition, we organize recurrent workshops and theAnnual Prof. dr. D.L. Knook Lecture.

Upcoming events in the Netherlands
The next workshop will be held on May 20, 2016, in Utrecht, Netherlands,
and focus on different perspectives of frailty. The workshop will be combinedwith the Annual Prof. dr. D.L. Knook Lecture where Prof. Rudi Westendorp(Copenhagen University, Denmark) will elaborate on the consequences of
longevity and the impact of vitality for quality of life and well-being in oldage. – On October 4-7 2016 the 5th European Nursing Congress will be heldin Rotterdam, Netherlands. The topic will be “Caring for Older People: How
can we do the right things right?”
Dutch journal
Members of the Dutch society receive the journal Geron: A Journal on Aging and Society. Recently, a special Englishlanguage issue of the journal has been published that focuses on the State of the Art of Aging in Europe. This special
issue focuses on the usefulness of and need for European policies on aging and the older generations. With in-depth
analyses by well-known authors from several European countries, among others, Herman van Rompuy, former
president of the European Council.
Please feel free to download the issue at www.bsl.nl/geron-4en-2015
GERMAN SOCIETY FOR GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS
New population-based study on quality of life and subjective well-being in the very old launched in Germany(NRW80+)The substantial increase in the very old population requires a better understanding of social, political, medical,

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NATIONAL MEMBER SOCIETIES
nursing and ethical factors for quality of life and subjective well-being. However, reliable data on the very old remains
sparse. Starting in 2016, the NRW80+ group is conducting a theoretical and methodological challenging study on
the very old in Germany’s most densely populated Federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This includes efforts toprevent selectivity in survey sampling and a strong drive towards an interdisciplinary understanding of quality of life
in very old age, drawing on objective micro and macro conditions, subjective well-being, self-reported and tested
health conditions, and biological markers as key instruments of the disciplines involved.
The NRW80+ feasibility study will define optimal sampling strategies, ways of approaching potential respondents
and a flexible assessment protocol. The subsequent NRW80+ representative study will include up to 1,800 persons
80 years and older, living in both private homes and institutional settings. A potential transfer to other Federal states
and long-term population monitoring (panel study) is anticipated. The study is located at the University of Cologne;
members of the interdisciplinary board are Christian Rietz, Michael Wagner, Christiane Woopen, and Susanne Zank.
Discussion paper on participation and participative methods in gerontology
The concept of “participation” and the demand for the use of “participative methods” in human, healthcare, nursing
and gerontological research as well as the corresponding fields of practice are in great demand, however, the targets
and organization of “participation” are not always sufficiently explicated. The working group on critical gerontology of
the German Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics has used this phenomenon as an opportunity for positioning andhas developed a catalogue of criteria for reflection and assessment of participation of elderly people in science andpractice, which can also be considered a stimulus for further discussions.
Contact: Prof. Dr. Kirsten Aner, E-Mail: aner@uni-kassel.de
egies available for managing it, within community and outpatient settings. This was published in June 2014.

GERMAN SOCIETY OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS AND GERMAN SOCIETY OF GERIATRICS
The joint congress will be held in Stuttgart,Germany from September 7th till September 10th, 2016, under the theme“Living and aging - functionality and quality”
Save the date: Call for abstracts – deadline April 15th, 2016
Please find more information at our website http://www.gerontologie-geriatrie-kongress.org/

JSG ANNOUNCES AND SHARES INFORMATION ON THE 2ND ASIAN CONFERENCE AS FOLLOWS:
Title: Second Asian Conference for Frailty and Sarcopenia
Date: Nov. 4-5, 2016
Venue: Imaike Gas Building, Nagoya, Japan
President: Hidenori Arai
(Deputy Director, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan)
MONGOLIAN ASSOCIATION OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS
The Mongolian Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics is pleased to announce that we are planning to co-organize
the 8th Conference of Asia-Pacific Society for Men’s Health and Aging (APSMHA2016) from August 18-20, 2016, in
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The purpose of this Conference is to introduce Mongolians and international researchers to each other such that wemight increase scientific exchange between countries. Our goal is to help medical workers and researchers meet theright people who would benefit from their knowledge and resources.

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NATIONAL MEMBER SOCIETIESThe conference will be divided into 4 sections: General Health, Urology, Andrology and Gerontology.
The conference official website is at http://www.apsmha2016.org/
Organised by: Local Organizing Committee of APSMHA 2016
Supported by:•Mongolian National University of Medical Science•Mongol Vision NGO
Official Journal of the Conference:
World Journal of Men’s Health (All oral and poster presentation abstracts of the APSMHA 2016 will be published in
WJMH and Medline)
Organization•Congress President: Nansalmaa Naidan (Mongolia)•APSMHA President: Prof. Zhong Cheng Xin (China)•Congress Secretary: Prof. Sae Woong Kim (Korea)
International Faculty & Advisory Committee•Prof. Sae Woong Kim (Korea)•Prof. Zhong Cheng Xin (China – APSSM)•Prof. Masato Fujisawa (JUA)•Prof. Mikio Namiki (Japan -JSSM)•Prof. Apichat Kongkanand (Thailand-ASU)•Prof. Tantiwonse Kavirachi (Thailand)•Prof. Peter Shepelev (Russia)•Prof. Nam Cheol Park Korea (AOFS)•Prof. Undraga Shagdarsuren (Germany)•Prof. Iliyas Mukhamejan (Kazakhstan)•Prof. Du Geon Moon Korea (KSSMA)
Overview
Motto: Healthy Man, Happy Family
Date: 18 (Thu) Aug – 20 (Sat) Aug, 2016
Venue: The Corporate Hotel & Convention Centre
Hosted by:•Mongolian Society for Sexual Medicine•Public Health Institute of Mongolia•National Gerontology Center•Mongolian Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics•Mongolian Society of Urology and Andrology•Mongolian Menopause and Andropause Society

FINNISH SOCIETY OF GERONTOLOGY AND THE NORDIC GERONTOLOGICAL FEDERATIONThe 23rd Nordic Congress of Gerontology (23 NKG) takes place on 19–22 June 2016 in Tampere, Finland. The Nordic
congresses traditionally emphasize multidisciplinary perspectives on ageing and the life course. 23 NKG is a meeting
place for all researchers and professionals, whether they are in social sciences, health research, medicine, nursing,biology, humanities, services research or any other field of scientific enquiry. The main track of the congress will

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NATIONAL MEMBER SOCIETIES
include scientific sessions on all aspects of ageing. A special aim of 23 NKG is to create sessions at which experts fromdifferent core disciplines can meet and learn from each other.
Websites: http://23nkg.fi/
IRISH GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY
The Irish Gerontological Society (IGS) has announced the Call for Abstracts for its 64th Annual & Scientific Meeting.
This event will take place in The Malton Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry from Thursday 29th (evening) September toSaturday 1st October 2016.
The theme of the meeting is Developing Cultures of Excellence in Ageing and Exploring the Needs of MarginalisedGroups. Confirmed speakers include Professor David Oliver, President of the British Geriatrics Society; and Anne
McFarlane, Professor of Primary Healthcare Research at the Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick.
The meeting is being held by the IGS in association with the University of Limerick, University of Limerick Hospitals
and Tralee Institute of Technology, University Hospital Kerry.
Building on the huge success and diversity of previous years’ submissions, participation in this meeting is invitedfrom clinicians, practitioners, academics, researchers and students working in all fields of ageing. Abstracts which
are accepted for presentation at our meeting will be published online as a supplement to the Age and Ageing journal
which is published by Oxford University Press. We welcome both quantitative and qualitative research submissions
covering all spectrums of ageing within the pillars of gerontology: social, psychology, biology of ageing, health/clinicaland that address multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives on ageing.
Details of abstracts submitted to previous IGS Scientific Meetings (2005-2015) are available on the searchable IGS
Database of Abstracts in Gerontology. This is located on our website (www.irishgerontology.com) under the Research
menu.
SWEDISH SOCIETY OF GERONTOLOGY
Swedish National Graduate School for Competitive Science on Ageing and HealthAnnounced right now and starting in late-May, the Swedish National Graduate School for Competitive Science on
Ageing and Health (SWEAH) is organizing a post-doctorate course for those interested in learning how to make astrong academic career in gerontology.
For more information about SWEAH, see http://www.med.lu.se/english/sweah. For more information, please contact
Rigmor Fransson by telephone: +46 46 2221942 or email: rigmor.fransson@med.lu.se. A signed application as well
as a 2-page CV should be sent as a pdf-file (by email) to Rigmor Fransson no later than March 31, 2016. Incomplete
applications will not be processed.
International Summer School of Ageing
Also, Sweden (represented by Lund University) is a partner of the International Summer School of Ageing (ISSA); thisyear being arranged by the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. ISSA 2016 attracted 93 applicantsfrom all over the world, and the 20 participants selected in high competition have just got the confirmation that they
were admitted. Together with colleagues in Canada, teachers from Sweden and Italy will collaborate to repeat thesuccess of ISSA - now for the third time.

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NATIONAL MEMBER SOCIETIESSOUTH AFRICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY
The South African Geriatrics Society will be holding the annual Diploma in Geriatrics course in Cape Town on theweekend of 26-28 August 2016.
This is directed at general family physicians, especially those doing the diploma course in Geriatric medicine. This
course is run by the College of Medicine of South Africa. Any doctor can attend, even if not doing the course.

TURKISH GERIATRICS SOCIETY
TURKISH GERIATRICS SOCIETY IS AWARDEDThe Third Public Health Awards were given with a spectacular ceremony by the
Public Health Association of Turkey and Okan University in Dec, 2015 in Okan
University Convention Hall in Istanbul

The Turkish Geriatrics Society was awarded for its outstanding efforts on
prevention of elderly health and public education programs about healthy aging.

FIFTH COURSE ON GERIATRICS AND GERONTOLOGY IS GOING TO BE PERFORMED
The Fifth Course on Geriatrics and Gerontology will be held from Arpile 25-29, 2016, inAnkara. All aspects of geriatrics and gerontology will be presented and discussed during
this interactive course which will be organized in collaboration with the Turkish Geriatrics
Society-TGS, the International Institute on Ageing-INIA, United Nations Malta andHacettepe University Research Center of Geriatric Sciences-GEBAM.

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UPCOMING EVENTSMonth/Date/Year

Event

Venue

June 19-22, 2016

23rd Nordic Congress of Gerontology
OB: Finnish Gerontological Society
Website: http://23nkg.fi/index.html

Tampere, Finland

June 21, 2016

IAGG Executive Committee Meeting

Shanghai, China

June 21-23, 2016

International Federation on Ageing 13th Global conference, Brisbane, Australia
Disasters in an Ageing World: REsilience and Recovery
Website: http://ifa2016.org.au/

June 30-July 2, 2016

Congress of Cardiovascular PRevention in Pre-Elderly and Elderly Bratislava, Slovakia
Individuals (CPPEI)
Website: http://cardioelderly.org

December 6-8, 2016

2nd IAGG Africa Region Conference

Nairobi, Kenya

July 23-27, 2017

21st IAGG World Congress
OB: Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
Website: http://www.iagg2017.org

San Francisco, USA

2021

22nd IAGG World Congress
OB: Argentine Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SAGG)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

IAGG WORLD CONGRESS
21st WORLD CONGRESS, SAN FRANCISCO, USA, JULY 23-27, 2017
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) will be hosting IAGG’s 21st World Congress in San Francisco, USA. In viewof GSA’s long experience in organizing major events and of the city’s important conference facilities, IAGG 2017 will be
sure not to disappoint. The theme of this future milestone will be “Global Ageing and Health: Bridging Science, Policy,
and Practice.” In the meantime visit the congress website launched in June 2013.
Key dates
Spring 2016 : Call for abstracts available
Winter 2016 : Notification of abstract decision
Registration and accommodations open
Call of late breaking abstracts
Contact: info@iagg2017.org
Website: http://www.iagg2017.org

Call for Nominations
2017 Busse Research Awards
To promote international research in gerontology, the Busse Research Awards again will be given at the 21st IAGG
World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics in San Francisco, CA, July 23-27, 2017. Two gerontologists (late-junior to
mid-career) will be selected. One award will recognize a scientist from the social/behavioral sciences; the other fromthe biomedical sciences. Awards are $8,000 (USD) each, plus up to $4,000 (USD) for travel/living expenses. Awardees
must present a lecture based on their research at the conference. Deadline for receipt of nominations: November 1,
2016.
For information and application forms, visit: www.geri.duke.edu/busse/busse.html or contact:Harvey Jay Cohen, MD,
Jury Chair (email: harvey.cohen@duke.edu)

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UPCOMING EVENTS

22ND WORLD CONGRESS, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, 2021

The Argentine Society of Gertontology and Geriatrics (SAGG) and the Argentiean Society of Gerontology, both
Member Societies of IAGG, united together to present their candidacy in veiw of hosting the 22nd IAGG Congress ofGerontology and Geriatrics scheduled for 2021.

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IAGG ADMINISTRATION
 IAGG ANNUAL DUES ARE DUE NOW!
Invoices for 2015 Annual Dues have been sent to member associations and societies.
Please send your dues to the Korea Exchange Bank as indicated below. Any questions about
dues or payments should be sent by e-mail: iaggseoul@hotmail.com

 INFORMATION FOR WIRE TRANSFER OF MEMBERSHIP DUES TO IAGG BANK ACCOUNT:Bank name: Korea Exchange Bank
Bank address: 181, 2-ka, Eulji-Ro, Chung-Ku, Seoul, Korea
Bank account #: 650-009094-236
SWIFT Code: KOEXKRSE
Beneficiary: IAGG

 IAGG Headquarters
Room No. 1107, Gwanghwamun Platinum
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Tel: +82-2-737-2548 - Fax: +82-2-737-1042 - Internet Phone: 070-7743-2548
E-Mail: iagg@iagg.info, Website: http://www.iagg.info

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