Today, people are living longer than ever before, and
as the baby boomers age, the number of older adults is
expected to increase exponentially over the coming
decades. Combined, these 2 demographic shifts will
lead to enormous challenges for society. They will
require us to identify strategies to allow older adults to
live independently for as a long as possible; provide
health care and education for older adults who are selfmanaging
multiple chronic illnesses; ensure that older
adults in long-term care settings receive high-quality
care; and support family members and friends who
are caring for an older loved one with dementia and/or
a disability.
Nurses and nurse scientists have been leaders in elder
care, and will play increasingly critical roles in addressing
these challenges in the decades ahead. Nurse
scientists conduct research that informs evidence-based
interventions to promote health and manage illness
in various health care settings. Nursing science will
continue to build the scientific evidence base for
improved clinical care and for improved quality of life for
our aging population. Nurses provide the front line
health care for older adults in a wide variety of settings,
including preventive care in primary care offices and in
the community, acute care in hospitals, and long-term
care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Nurses and nurse scientists lead and participate on the
interdisciplinary and interprofessional teams necessary
to understand and address the complex issueswe face in
elder care, and to provide optimal person-centered care.
To best meet the needs of an aging population and to
improve the health of older adults, it is critical to train
future nurses and nurse scientists in the field of aging.
The Hartford Geriatric Nursing Initiative (HGNI) and
the Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity
(BAGNC) program are leading the way in this critical
endeavor as they collaborate in efforts to train the next
generation of nurses with expertise in geriatric care.
With an emphasis on mentoring and leadership, HGNI
partners with nursing schools and health care organizations
to develop students to be competent in the care
of older adults, as well as to increase the number of
geriatric nursing faculty. At the same time, BAGNC
provides fellowships and scholarships for junior
scholars to work with nursing faculty with expertise in
aging and to gain valuable experience conducting
research on issues related to improving the health and
health care of older adults. I am pleased to introduce
the work of 3 such BAGNC scholars and their mentors
who contributed state-of-the-science briefs to this
special issue of Nursing Outlook, which cover a range
of topics of importance to the health of older adults. All
3 papers deal with basic care issues that are vital to
maintaining the dignity and quality of life of older
adults in various care settings.