Position

It is no secrete that Americans are reaching old age in unprecedented numbers and there are not enough new physicians and nurses pursuing careers in the field of geriatrics to meet the unique needs of this rapidly growing population. Caring for the elderly requires special skills. Inadequate training in geriatric care often results in misdiagnoses that are harmful to older patients and costly to our healthcare system.

The Alliance for Aging Research supports the restoration and expansion of federal funding for Title VII programs including Geriatric Education Centers, Geriatric Health Professions Training and Geriatric Career Awards. A continued lack of funding for these vital programs will have a tremendous impact on the quality of care older adults receive by removing the few tools currently available to recruit and adequately train those who will care for our elderly now and in the future.