Weill Cornell Medical College

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Geriatric and Palliative Medicine Research

The research mission of the Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine is to improve quality of life for older adults through the generation of new knowledge in aging. The Division is especially interested in translational research in aging that engages community partners such as social service agencies, long-term care partners, as well as older adults and their families, both as participants in research and to assist us in identifying areas of need. The Division is actively in involved in spreading geriatric expertise to other areas of medicine such as oncology, emergency medicine, nursing, and rheumatology. We work closely with our gerontology colleagues at Cornell University in Ithaca towards this end. Some of our representative programs include:

The John A. Hartford Center of Excellence trains junior faculty to become academic leaders in geriatric and palliative medicine.

The Center for Aging Research and Clinical Care is a college wide entity that focuses on translational research and the integration of academic aging programs throughout the university, from Ithaca to Manhattan to Westchester.

The Translational Research Institute for Pain in Later Life (TRIPLL) was established in response to the plight of millions of older adults experiencing persistent pain, a costly and frequently disabling disorder in later life. Effective solutions to the problem of later-life pain require moving basic behavioral and social science and medical research findings more rapidly into programs, practices and polices targeting older adults.

The Liz Claiborne Center for Humanism in Medicine is an educational center for health care professionals and trainees in multiple disciplines. Its mission is to enhance and integrate the awareness, attitudes, knowledge, and skills of the principles of palliative care, and to promote the profile and practice of medical humanism, throughout the institution.

The Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA) is an Edward R. Roybal Center for Research in Applied Geriatrics and is funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA). The Institute marries New York City elder social service agencies with Weill Cornell researchers in community-based research projects.

The Weill Cornell Project on Elder Abuse and Neglect is a citywide effort to improve quality of life for older adults who have been victims of elder mistreatment. The project conducts research, clinical assessments, and advocates for the right and dignity of older people.

The Unit for the Study of Older Patient-Physician Communication uses scientifically rigorous methodology to remedy one of the most common problems described by older adults in their medical encounters: lack of effective communication with their physicians. This innovative unit is dedicated to measuring the quality of interactions between older patients and their physicians and developing strategies for improvement with a particular eye towards demonstrating superior clinical outcomes when communication is optimized.

Our Environmental Geriatrics Program seeks to develop gero-friendly environments such as retro-fitting apartment dwellings to accommodate the needs of frail elderly as well as to study the impact of environmental design on health, independence and function.

For more information on our innovative educational programs and research centers, please visit our website.