FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Geriatricians Loan Forgiveness Act of 2009 (HR 1457), introduced in Congress today by Reps. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), James McGovern (D-MA), and Ron Klein (D-FL), will help meet the needs of a growing population of older adults by building a health care workforce trained in geriatrics, says the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP). AAGP lauds the efforts of legislators concerned about a shortage of providers trained in late-life health care.

The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to deem certain geriatric health training to be obligated service for purposes of the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, which provides up to $25,000 to repay student loans in exchange for working for two years in a high-need Health Professional Shortage Area.

Between 2005 and 2030, it is estimated that the number of adults age 65 and older will nearly double from 37 million to more than 70 million, increasing from 12 percent of the U.S. population to almost 20 percent. Currently, 1 in 10 Americans over age 65 and nearly half of those over 85 suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, one-third of people age 71 and older have some cognitive impairment, and upwards of 5 percent of the elderly in the community and 13 percent of those in home health care live with depression. As of 2008, there were just 1800 board-certified geriatric psychiatrists meeting the needs of this vulnerable population.

The Institute of Medicine’s 2008 report, Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce, emphasized the increasing need for geriatric specialist care and for geriatric specialists to train the entire health care workforce in geriatric principles. However, numerous barriers prevent an adequate supply of health care professionals, such as physicians, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and others, from entering geriatric specialties—including the time required for additional training and financial disincentives.

“If enacted, this bill will go a long way towards enticing much-needed health care professionals into a highly rewarding field,” commented AAGP President Charles F. Reynolds, III, MD. “This bill also would carry out a major recommendation of the Institute of Medicine’s 2008 report, Retooling for an Aging America, which called for increased financial support for health care professionals willing to enter the field of geriatrics.”

The AAGP, along with the American Geriatrics Society and a number of other provider groups, strongly supports legislation to allow geriatric fellows to include fellowship training as part of their obligated service under the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. Currently, issues of aging, including geriatric mental health, are inadequately emphasized at the medical school, internship, and residency levels. It is critical that action be taken now to alleviate the serious shortage of physicians and psychiatrists trained to meet the special needs of older people.

The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (www.AAGPonline.org) is a national association representing and serving its members and the field of geriatric psychiatry. AAGP’s mission is to enhance the knowledge base and standard of practice in geriatric psychiatry through education and research and to advocate for meeting the mental health needs of older Americans.

CONTACT:
Kate McDuffie, E-mail: kmcduffie@aagponline.org, Phone: 301.654.7850 x113

# # #