A delegation of eight gerontology researchers and practitioners from five UMB schools traveled to Costa Rica for a gerontology conference and site visits in the Nicoya Peninsula region.
A delegation of eight gerontology researchers and practitioners from five University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) schools (Medicine, Social Work, Pharmacy, Nursing, and the Graduate School) traveled to Costa Rica from July 19 - 26, to participate in the VIII International Congress in Gerontology, hosted by the University of Costa Rica (UCR) in San José. Following the International Congress, the UMB team participated in site visits in the Nicoya Peninsula region, noted as a “Blue Zone” that is home to an impressive number of centenarians.
The trip was organized by the Graduate School’s Alicia and Yaya Initiative in Global Aging Research to create networks across UCR and UMB faculty members who engage in aging research with the goal of stimulating collaborative research partnerships. During the visit, the Alicia and Yaya Initiative founder, Marco Chacón, PhD, announced the launch of a seed-funding program to support early collaborations between UMB and UCR.
As part of the visit, the UMB delegation participated in the VIII International Conference of Gerontology, organized by the University of Costa Rica, from July 20 - 21, with participants from five countries. Denise Orwig, PhD, took center stage as a keynote speaker on July 20, presenting "Changes Across Multiple Domains of Recovery Post Hip Fracture and Key Sex Differences: Findings from the Baltimore Hip Studies." Additionally, Orwig contributed to the "Roundtable: Contributions of Gerontological Training to Society," further emphasizing her commitment to gerontology education in advancing the understanding of aging and its societal implications.
On the second day of the conference, UMB delegation members presented in two panel sessions highlighting significant contributions to their respective areas of research expertise and fostered new partnerships.
The UMB delegation visited the Nicoya Peninsula, one of five "Blue Zones" in the world, along with locations in Greece, Italy, Japan, and Loma Linda in the United States. These zones are known for the remarkable longevity of their inhabitants, with many living beyond 100 years. Site visits were guided by Jorge Vindas, president of the Asociación Península de Nicoya Zona Azul.
The group had the privilege of interacting with several centenarians from Nicoya, including a stop at an elderly day care site in Hojancha, Nicoya, where the group learned about community-based approaches toward aging and elderly populations. The group also visited UCR’s satellite campus in Liberia to see UCR's research initiatives in gerontology and dedication to serving older adults while tackling the issues critical to addressing the increase in the aging of the population.
The visit was transformative for the UMB delegation, laying the groundwork for forthcoming collaborations and sparking discussions for the 2024 seed grants under the Alicia and Yaya Initiative in Global Aging Research.
Read the full report on the Alicia and Yaya Initiative in Aging Research. Applications for the Alicia and Yaya Fellowship in Global Aging Research are now open.