AGS Welcomes New President Barbara Resnick
I’ve had the privilege of knowing Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, for many years, and I, like the rest of the members of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), am looking forward to getting to know her in her new capacity—as the president of the AGS. Dr. Resnick, who has a PhD in nursing and is a professor in the Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, begins her term as AGS president this month, during the AGS 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting.
Dr. Resnick first joined the AGS in 1996 and has been an active and invaluable member from the start. During her 15 years with the organization, she has served on the Interdisciplinary Committee, as a member-at-large of the Board of Directors, and as secretary of the AGS. She is also an active and enthusiastic member of the Eldercare Workforce Alliance, a coalition of 28 associations involved in the care of older adults that is supported by the John A. Hartford Foundation and The Atlantic Philanthropies and is co-convened by the AGS and PHI, an organization representing direct-care workers. Dr. Resnick, who is also a member of many other eldercare and nursing organizations, is a fellow of both the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Nursing, and serves on the editorial boards of Clinical Geriatrics and other journals.
Dr. Resnick has received numerous awards for her research, teaching, and clinical work. These include the University of Connecticut Researcher of the Year Award, the University of Pennsylvania Award for Clinical Excellence, and the Nurse Leader Award in Aging. She is also the recipient of the Springer Geriatric Nursing Research Award and the National Institutes of Health Nurse of the Year Award, among others.
With her professorship, Dr. Resnick holds the Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She has published more than 150 articles in nursing and medical journals, chapters, and texts about clinical geriatrics, restorative nursing, long-term care nursing, and resilience in later life. And she has lectured on these topics and on her research nationally and internationally. Dr. Resnick’s research focuses on elder health promotion and disease prevention, functional performance, outcomes following rehabilitation, the role of motivation as it relates to exercise, and the evaluation of restorative care nursing programs and innovations in long-term care.
It’s appropriate that Dr. Resnick’s research explores, among other things, motivation, as she herself is very inspiring. Where others see obstacles, she sees opportunities and inspires constructive change, getting others to make the most of these opportunities. She is an accomplished leader who has a keen ability to meaningfully connect with people—professionals and patients alike—and will bring a fresh approach, attitude, knowledge base, and strong sense of collaboration and team building to our organization. I look forward to working with her in her new role leading the AGS.
The AGS has a history of recognizing the unique strengths, talents, and perspectives of interdisciplinary professionals. Todd Semla, PharmD, was elected as president of the AGS in 2008. Dr. Resnick will be the first nursing professional to lead the AGS. Her election further demonstrates our commitment to the interdisciplinary team approach that isessential for high-quality geriatric care.
Dr. Spivack is Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, and Consultant in Geriatric Medicine, Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, CT.
Send comments to Dr. Spivack at: medwards@hmpcommunications.com]