President's Message
Anne Margriet Pot, PhD
President (2024-2025)
Dear Colleagues,
As we progress through this year, I am pleased to reflect on the significant strides we have made together since the beginning of my presidency.
First, I want to highlight the outstanding success of our journal, International Psychogeriatrics. My heartfelt congratulations go to our Editor-in-Chief, Dilip Jeste, and his exceptional editorial team for their remarkable achievements. Since taking the helm at the end of 2017, Dilip and his team have doubled the journal's Impact Factor from 2.3—previously near the bottom of our field—to an impressive 4.6, now placing us at the very top. This achievement is pivotal in advancing our mission to enhance the mental health and well-being of older adults worldwide.
In January 2025, International Psychogeriatrics will transition to a new publisher, Elsevier, taking over from Cambridge University Press. We are excited that this transition will make our journal fully open access, allowing your research to reach a global audience anytime, anywhere. We look forward to a productive collaboration with Elsevier.
Next, I would like to share some updates on our upcoming congress, "Crossing Oceans and Connecting People to Improve Mental Health of Older Adults," taking place in Buenos Aires, Argentina (https://www.ipa-online.org/events/2024-international-congress). The number of abstracts submitted has far exceeded our expectations, and we look forward to welcoming many of you there. Since registration opened in June, we have also welcomed dozens of new members, including colleagues from Latin America. This is particularly heartening, as our goal is to be a truly global association dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of older people. If you are a new member reading this message, please know that you are warmly welcomed. We encourage you to share your ideas for enhancing the work of IPA or to contribute in other ways—there is always plenty to do!
Our congress will provide an invaluable opportunity to explore the latest research in our field and exchange insights. Additionally, we have several exciting activities planned. We will officially launch our mentorship program, which has already attracted significant interest from early registrants. There will also be an interactive session on Artificial Intelligence as we prepare to introduce a new IPA program on this important topic. Following the congress, we will hold a closed session for experts from a variety of disciplines on behavioral changes in neurodegenerative diseases—traditionally known as Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). This meeting will culminate in guidance for our members working in clinical practice, and we will keep you informed of developments.
Meanwhile, preparations for other initiatives continue, such as the Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Week, which begins on October 1st. I encourage you to participate in our webinars, journal clubs, debates, and other activities. Recordings will be available in the library (https://www.pathlms.com/ipa/), and we look forward to seeing you at the IPA International Congress in Buenos Aires.
Let’s stay connected and continue our important work together!
Adiós,
Anne Margriet Pot
