Pennsylvania GeriatricS Society

David Nace, MD, MPH 

Division Chief, Geriatric Medicine

Clinical Chief of Geriatric Medicine

Professor of Medicine

Director of Long Term Care & Flu Programs / University of Pittsburgh

Institute on Aging, Medical Director

Shauna Assadzandi, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine

Division of Geriatric Medicine

University of Pittsburgh

WHAT MATTERS MOST

• Tools for strengthening prognostic awareness and aligning care with patients’ goals and values (Dr. Rene Claxton)
• Skills for supporting better transitions across care settings, including hospital-to-home planning and caregiver-centered care (Dr. Morgan Mihok)
• Keynote Highlight: Fred Rubin, MD – a locally and nationally recognized leader in geriatric medicine, sharing wisdom from 45 years as a practicing geriatrician and health system leader

MENTATION

• Clinical tools for evaluating cognition, including updates on executive dysfunction and common pitfalls in assessment (Dr. Jamie Tew)
• A timely, clinically focused session on controversies in dementia diagnosis and treatment (Dr. Alison O’Donnell)
• Practical behavioral health updates, including strategies for optimizing antidepressant response in older adults (Dr. Emily Cottrell)

MOBILITY

• The latest evidence and innovations in falls prevention, including technology-enabled and AI-informed assessment (Dr. Steve Handler)
• A focused session on Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)—an important and often missed cause of gait change and functional decline (Dr. Jody Leonardo)
• Supporting functional safety and independence: evaluating driving safety and risk reduction (Dr. Michelle Rossi)
• Keynote Highlight: Nicholas S. Reed, AuD, PhD (Johns Hopkins University) – Hearing Loss and the Healthcare System: an essential keynote on how hearing loss intersects with safety, communication, and outcomes—and what clinicians can do now

MULTICOMPLEXITY

• A standout panel: “Choose Your Own Aging Adventure” featuring innovative care models including PACE, GUIDE, and home-based care
• Practical approaches to managing competing priorities, multimorbidity, and complexity in real-world settings
• High-yield clinical updates including dermatology pearls and case-based approach to wound care for medically complex older adults (Dr. Justin Vujevich, Dr. Elisa Taffe)

MEDICATION

• Evidence-based clinical updates on osteoporosis and high-yield prescribing pearls for geriatric care (Dr. Nami Safai Haeri)
• Practical approaches to diagnosing and managing common infections in older adults (Dr. Robin Jump)

At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

Ø  Describe how to approach and prioritize the clinical care of a complex older adult with multiple chronic illnesses

Ø  Provide evidence-based updates for common geriatric syndromes and disorders

Ø  Explore multidisciplinary-based models and system changes needed to improve the quality of care of the older patient

Ø  Have enhanced confidence in best practices and clinical decision-making for older adult patients

Ø  Obtain answers to specific clinical questions from their own practice