Research
The research mission of the faculty and staff of the Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine is to advance innovative, evidence-based strategies that improve health, function, and quality of life for vulnerable older adults. Research within the Division integrates seamlessly with clinical care, education, and community initiatives, ensuring that discoveries translate into meaningful outcomes for patients and families.
What We Study
Division research targets frail, homebound, socially isolated, and mistreated older adults, as well as those with multimorbidity, malnutrition, polypharmacy, and complex needs like geriatric oncology or perioperative risks. Our work emphasizes translating discovery into real-world impact through home-based interventions, clinical informatics, and AI-driven tools.
- Vulnerable populations: frail elders, elder mistreatment victims, homebound adults, and diverse groups with chronic illness.
- Key challenges: social isolation, functional decline, bone health, polypharmacy
How We Do Research
Faculty foster interdisciplinary teams across nursing, psychology, social work, population health, informatics, and health services research, using clinical trials, epidemiologic studies, implementation of science, and health services research. This approach secures funding from NIH, HRSA, AHRQ, the Department of Justice, and foundations
Key Achievements
- Led national initiatives like the Texas Elder Abuse and Mistreatment (TEAM) Collaboratory and Institute on Aging (IOA) with six research cores.
- Established the first U.S. collaboration between a medical school and Adult Protective Services.
- Multi-institutional studies on homebound elders, elder mistreatment, and chronic illness in diverse populations.