Geriatrics Branch

General Questions: NIA-GB@nih.gov

The Geriatrics Branch supports research aimed at improving health, function and quality of life of older persons. Research emphases include:

• Multifactorial geriatric syndromes such as risk for falls, frailty, polypharmacy, incontinence, and delirium.
• Symptom science including pain and fatigue.
• Mobility disability.
• Effects and interactions of multiple chronic conditions (MCC’s) and development of effective prevention and treatment strategies for patients with MCC’s.
• Palliative care.
• Effects of age-related changes on clinical or functional disease outcomes or treatment responses.
• Effects of physical activity on disease and disability in older persons; and the elucidation, diagnosis, and treatment of previously unappreciated pathologic changes in old age (e.g., sarcopenia, vascular stiffening).

The Geriatrics Branch also supports the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (OAICs) that conduct translational and clinical research to promote independence in older age.