History 2023
History in 2023
The 4th International Conference on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine was successfully held on May 26-27 via a hybrid platform. The conference was organized by iConference and had the International Institute on Ageing, United Nations - Malta as the academic partner. The conference featured keynote speeches, panel discussions, oral presentations and poster sessions on various topics related to ageing and health. The conference also provided networking opportunities for the participants from different countries and disciplines.
Gerontology and geriatric medicine are related but distinct fields that deal with different aspects of aging. Gerontology is the scientific study of the aging process, from the cellular to the societal level, and the factors that influence it. Geriatric medicine is a medical specialty that focuses on the health care of elderly people, especially the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of age-related diseases and conditions. The conference aims to bring together researchers, educators, and practitioners from both fields to share their latest findings, insights, and challenges in advancing the knowledge and practice of aging well. The conference featured keynote speakers, panel discussions, oral and poster presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities on various topics such as health economics, health services research, health outcomes, public health, medicine, biology, equity, social science, epidemiology, demography, and nursing. The conference also highlighted the interdisciplinary and global nature of gerontology and geriatric medicine and their relevance to countries that are experiencing an exponential growth in older population. Participants from various countries including the Netherlands, Australia, India, Macau, Hong Kong, China, and Sri Lanka brought a range of diverse ideas to the table, leading to many productive conversations.
Welcome Address - Dr. Ponnusamy Subramaniam (Conference Chair)
Senior Lecturer and Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Centre of Healthy Ageing and Wellness (H-CARE)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Keynote Speaker - Dr. Shiromi Maduwage
“Navigating the Changes of Population Ageing towards Reinand Inclusive Society for Older Person”
Public Health Specialist, Consultant Community Physician,
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka
Keynote Speaker - Dr. Prof. Irene Blackberry
“Transforming Care for Older Adults: Co-designing impactful and Sustainable Innovations”
John Richards Chair of Rural Ageing and Aged Care Research and Director of the John Richards Centre at La Trobe University, Wodonga, Australia
Keynote Speaker - Professor Athina Vlachantoni
“International Support and Ageing: A New Kind of Sandwich Generation”
University of Southampton, United Kingdom
Keynote Speaker - Dr. Professor Rhonda Nay
“Sigma, Silos, Politics and Poppycock: What Happened to PCC, Evidence and Leadership”
“Emeritus Professor, La Trobe University, Australia
Keynote Speaker - Dr. Professor Linda Clare
“Living Well with Midt-Moderate Dementia”
Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing and Dementia, University of Exeter Medical School, United Kingdom
Workshop-Dr. Dr Anton H Buddhika Peiris
“The Essential Skills Set to Manage the Needs of Older Adults with Memory Impairment Living in the Community”
Auckland Hospital & Geriatric Care Australia, Australia
Sessions
Technical Session 1
Awareness/ Attitude/ Competency
The first technical session was chaired by Dr. Shiromi Maduwage, a public health specialist and consultant physician from the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka. Six researchers presented their findings on gerontology. The session focused on the three domains of gerontology and geriatric medicine: awareness, attitude, and competency. The participants discussed the challenges and opportunities of working with older adults, the importance of respecting their dignity and autonomy, and the skills and knowledge required to provide quality care. The session also included a case study analysis and a self-assessment exercise to identify areas of improvement. The researchers also offered valuable suggestions on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly dementia in elderly people, which were thoroughly discussed during the session.
Technical Session 2
Covid 19
Dr. Subramanium Ponnusamy chaired the next session titled "COVID-19" which was consisted of 4 researchers from Sri Lanka and India. Under this track, the efficiency of vaccines in terms of gerontology and post pandemic context. This session underlined the case-fatality rate for COVID-19 increases dramatically with age, and people aged 65 years and older account for a large percentage of hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, and deaths. Older people in residential aged care facilities and nursing homes have an even greater risk of death given their age and comorbidities.
Technical Session 3
Medical Condition
he session medical condition was chaired by Dr. Arvind Mathur Editor, Journal of the Indian Academy of Geriatrics Director and Managing Trustee, Asian Centre for Medical Education, Research & Innovation Chairperson, Caregivers Asha Society Ex-Principal and Controller, Professor of Medicine, Dr S. N. Medical College. Jodhpur. Geriatric syndromes such as delirium, falls, incontinence, and frailty are also highly prevalent, multifactorial, and associated with substantial morbidity and poor outcomes were deliberated during the session. Moreover, it added the surgical conditions in geriatric society.
Technical Session 4
Prevalent/ Descriptive factors
This session, chaired by Dr. Nidhi Mishra provided a prevalent and descriptive overview of the factors that influence gerontology, the study of aging and older adults. The session covered biological, psychological social, and environmental aspects of aging, as well as the challenges and opportunities that older adults face in different contexts. The session also discussed current research and best practices in gerontology, and how they can inform policy and practice.
Technical Session 5
Psychology
The session focused on the psychological and psychiatric aspects of aging, such as cognitive decline, mental health, and well-being. The speakers discussed the latest research findings and clinical implications of gerontology, which is the study of the social, cultural, psychological, cognitive, and biological aspects of aging. They also addressed the challenges and opportunities for improving the quality of life and care of older adults in various settings. The session highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based practice in gerontology.
Technical Session 6
Traditional Medicine
The session was chaired by Dr. Prathiba Pereira, JSS Medical College Hospital, Department of Geriatrics, India, who gave an overview of the current research and challenges in this field. The speakers discussed acupuncture for chronic pain in older adults, the effects of herbal medicine on cognitive function and mood in elderly patients and meditation into geriatric care. The session concluded with a Q&A session, where the audience raised questions and comments on the topics covered by the speakers.
Poster Session
The poster presentation summarized the main findings and implications of a research study on gerontology and geriatric medicine. Gerontology is the scientific study of the aging process, while geriatric medicine is a medical specialty that focuses on the health care of elderly people. The study aimed to explore the factors that influence the quality of life and well-being of older adults in different settings and contexts. The poster highlighted the research methods, results, and recommendations for practice and policy. The presentation was well-received by the audience, who asked relevant questions and provided constructive feedback
The award ceremony
The Award ceremony was conducted in order to recognize the exceptional research presentations for each technical session.
Technical Session –Awareness/ Attitude/ Competency
Warsha Jagroep
""Neighborhood age-friendliness and well-being realization: views of older Surinamese adults"
Technical Session – COVID-19
Dr. Prathiba Pereira
Booster bcg vaccine to prevent severe covid among elderly in a covid hot spot of southern India
Technical Session - Medical condition
Ms. Hani Oh
"Quality of life and frailty in older patients with colorectal cancer"
Technical Session - Prevalent / Descriptive / Factors
Mr. Sriharan Parathan
"Pattern of second osteoporotic fractures; a descriptive study in two tertiary care centers in Sri lanka"
Technical Session - Psychology/Psychiatry
Dr. Vidhyajini
"Yoga therapy as an effective approach for managing hypertension and promoting cardiovascular health in older adults: a systematic review"
Technical Session - Traditional Medicine
B.W.A.S. Gunarathna
Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, Sri Lanka
Poster Session
Ms. Yumiko Ishikava
"Self-reported activities of independent elderlies who have orthopedic condition"
Best Student Presenter
Ms. Sree Sanyal
"Prevalence of multimorbidity among elderly population in west bengal"
