News

Nearly 4 million people in Texas are over the age of 65, making up nearly 15% of the state’s population, according to a 2019 report. By the year 2050, 1 in 4 adults in the United States will be older than 65. As the population of older adults continues to grow, so does the need for quality health care and powerful research.

Researchers and physicians across all six schools at UTHealth Houston are prepared to take on this challenge with the newly established UTHealth Houston Institute on Aging, positioning the university to become a leader in aging and health care for older adults. The new institute will build on the foundation of the UTHealth Houston Consortium on Aging.

Renowned geriatrician Aanand Naik, MD, has been named the Nancy P. and Vincent F. Guinee, MD Distinguished Chair and executive director of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) Consortium on Aging.

Jason Burnett, PhD, and the late Carmel Bitondo Dyer, MD, were recognized nationally for their contributions to the field of elder mistreatment and Adult Protective Services practice by the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA).

In the world of geriatric medicine, Carmel Bitondo Dyer, MD, is a name many in the field immediately recognize. She has appeared before Congress, served on multiple national advisory panels, and published hundreds of studies on topics such as elder mistreatment and interprofessional geriatric teams. Her research has changed lives, and so has her mentorship. She has influenced many – including her colleague, Jessica Lee, MD.

For many people, dementia creeps in, taking a memory here, the ability to do an ordinary task there, a name or place that used to be able to be recalled with ease. And the journey is different for everyone.

Now, a free handbook written to help people navigate first steps after diagnosis of dementia is available from experts from The UTHealth Consortium on Aging.