Q: How long have you been a GSA member?
A: I first attended GSA’s Annual Scientific Meeting in 1983.
Q: How specifically has membership in GSA benefitted you?
A: The most critical benefit of GSA membership is networking for research, practice, and policy across such a breadth of disciplines. My research was enhanced with connections to social scientists, economists, and policy researchers.
Q: How did you get interested in the field of aging?
A: I was always interested in teamwork and care of older adults and grew to a full understanding of the science of biology, psychology, sociology and health related to older adults in my master’s program in nursing at the University of Rochester School of Nursing where I completed a master’s thesis on correlates of life satisfaction among older adults living in a health related facility. My mentor for aging research at that time was Thelma Wells, PhD, RN, a pioneer in gerontology theory and treatment for urinary incontinence. This exposure drew my interest in quality of life for older adults and creating care models that work for those who are at risk for decline particularly with cognitive loss.
Q: What do you love most about your line of work?
A: It was a nascent field in the 1980s and 1990s but teamwork pulled us together to make a difference! It is so exciting to see the growth of our science and enthusiasm for gerontology across several generations! I love the colleagues that have become true friends over the years and take satisfaction in knowing that we made a difference in people’s lives and in society.
Q: What was the best piece of advice you got early on in your career you’d like to pass on to emerging gerontologists?
A: The best advice that I received from early gerontologists was to stay focused on the work despite being discouraged by others who were not in agreement that aging research and practice was a pursuit to follow.