The National Institute on Aging at its twentieth anniversary: achievements and promise of research on aging.
As these distinguished speakers demonstrate, the research community should take enormous pride in its many achievements to date, as well as in the scientific break-throughs that appear to be just on the horizon. However, existing gaps in our knowledge about the aging process certainly will require a great deal more of our attention. As former NIA director Robert N. Butler, MD, cautioned in the symposium's opening panel, "We remain ill-prepared for the 21st Century when population aging will become unprecedented. We already feel the impact of a revolution in longevity that has added 28 years to the life expectancy of Americans since the beginning the century. But we are not prepared for the baby boomers--the largest generation in U.S. history and one-third of our present population, the first of whom will turn 65 in 2011. "I regard the baby boomers as a generation at risk. We still devote relatively few resources to understanding the biology of aging. Although we have made progress in understanding the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, we are a long way from a cure. While we have some insights into the demography of aging, the social impact of population aging upon society and, in turn, the psychosocial experiences of growing older, we are a long way from understanding the full implications of any of these." Maintaining and improving the health and well-being of older people will be among the greatest social challenges of the next century. Research into aging and the diseases common to older people undoubtedly holds the key to addressing the health and social needs of older people and reducing the risk factors driving the increased and costly need for long-term care. At the same time, the effects of downsizing and cost constraints in all segments of today's society challenge our ability to address these needs. Although scientists today face serious challenges to completing the work that research already has generated and to initiating new projects, we are energized by the potential for widespread benefit. Using that energy, in 20 years' time we should expect to look back with the same sense of accomplishment and ahead with the same enthusiasm for achievements yet to come.
Hodes
R J
RJ
National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD 20892-2292, USA.
Cahan
V
V
Pruzan
M
M
D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D044383:Black People; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.) / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D014481:United States
D019098:Telomerase