With the recent economic turmoil in world markets, it is even more important for
good geriatric mental health. How to weather these bumpy economic days for those
whose resources can be limited, is a call for all of us to support our patients
and their caregivers.
However, I am pleased to report some positive changes. Let me announce the
outcome of the recent IPA Board of Directors election and our newest members on
the IPA Board: Sabine Bährer-Kohler (Switzerland), Cássio Machado de Campos
Bottino (Brazil), and Nancy Pachana (Australia) plus re-elected Board members –
Heii Arai (Japan) and Carlos de Mendonça Lima (Portugal). This election is a
change for IPA as we welcome Sabine as our first social worker on the Board.
This election also marks the first time IPA has the designated seat on the Board
intended to help elect non-physician IPA members and as needed, to provide some
travel support for them. In this seat is Nancy Pachana, psychologist, who will
add her voice and perspective to the Board along with current Board member and
psychologist, Anne Margriet Pot. This election should help IPA enhance its
multidisciplinary programming. Thank you to all of you who voted. I also extend
our appreciation to retiring Board members: Michael Davidson (Israel), Ilkin
Icelli (Turkey), and Byoung Hoon Oh (South Korea). On behalf of all of IPA, we
thank them for their service on the Board of Directors and encourage them to
continue to contribute to IPA in new ways.
I am also pleased to advise you that recently we held an IPA symposium, The
International Psychogeriatric Association Advocacy Initiative, at the World
Psychiatric Association meeting in Prague held on 20-26 September. The speakers
included Edmond Chiu, Carlos de Mendonça Lima, Jacobo Mintzer, Anne Margriet Pot
and me, as well as Marc Wortmann of Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI). We
are now planning to present another IPA symposium at the American Association
for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP) meeting in Hawaii in March 2009.
Following the success of the two previous Neuroimaging in Dementia
workshops in Amsterdam and in Dublin, we held another successful workshop in
Florence. I would like to express our appreciation to John O’Brien and Leonardo
Pantoni for organizing this workshop.
In the previous issue of the Bulletin, I reported on the progress of our
next International Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, 4-7 May 2009. Now I would like to
take the opportunity to talk about our next International Congress. It will be
conducted in Montréal on September 1-5, 2009 and the theme is Path to
Prevention. Under the leadership of the Congress Co-chairs, Serge Gauthier
and Nathan Herrmann, the Montréal Congress promises to be a high standard
meeting with a very rich scientific program. Please mark your diary and I hope
we can welcome you in Montréal. Montréal is a charming and graceful city with
lots of attractions. I am sure you will enjoy the meeting and the city.
As the year draws to an end, I would like to wish all of you the very best in
2009! I also look forward to your active contribution to the organization.
Reprinted from IPA Bulletin, Volume 25, Number 4
Copyright 2010 International Psychogeriatric Association
