Last week I attended the 38th Annual OSU Gerontology Conference at the CH2MHill Alumni Center. It was a pleasure to meet and interact with others who are making important contributions to the health and well-being of older adults. Now that AARP cards are regularly arriving in my home mailbox, I was particularly delighted to hear about the research being done right here by OSU’s Center for Healthy Aging Research (CHAR).
Presentations by CHAR researchers discussed the connection between vegetables and bone health, new methods to train caregivers in fall prevention, and facilitation of advance-care planning conversations. Keynote speakers were inspiring, experts discussing such older-adult health topics as pain management, joint health, cardiovascular care, and macular degeneration.
I felt great satisfaction while attending a session titled “Geriatric Drug Therapy Update” when it became apparent that the Research Center at The Corvallis Clinic has been or is active in several of these game-changing therapies. Some of the important clinical trials we’ve contributed to include a vaccine to prevent Clostridium difficile infection (antibiotic-associated diarrhea), atrial fibrillation treatments dabigatran (Pradaxa®) and Edoxaban (Savaysa®), and multiple new classes of drugs for diabetes treatment that help with blood sugar control and weight loss. Not surprisingly, a big portion of the update presentation discussed new approaches to Alzheimer’s disease treatment. If you’ve read my previous blogs you already know that the Research Center is thrilled to be participating in the Expedition 3 study to evaluate a potential new treatment for those with mild Alzheimer’s disease.
Not all sessions were quite so clinical, however. There were sessions discussing the importance of incorporating art, humor, exercise, and natural environments for geriatric well-being. I even attended a session titled Practical Laughter which turned out to be – I’m not making this up – Laughter Yoga. In my career I’ve attended many professional seminars and trainings, but I have never been instructed so thoroughly on how to laugh!
If you’d like more information about clinical studies contact Josh at the Clinical Research Center at 541-754-1398, option 7, or send an email to research@corvallisclinic.com.
– Julie Carrico is Associate Coordinator of The Corvallis Clinic Clinical Research Center
