SeniorBridge Mourns Loss of Pioneer in Geriatrics, Robert N. Butler, MD

First founding member of SeniorBridge Board of Advisors continues to inspire quality care of older people

NEW YORK (July 6, 2010)- SeniorBridge joins in mourning the death of internationally recognized leader in the fields of gerontology and geriatrics, Dr. Robert M. Butler, 83, the Pulitzer-prize-winning gerontologist and psychiatrist who coined the term "ageism" and shaped the present and future of aging. 

"We reflect on the legacy of Dr. Robert Butler and his work to advance healthy aging, combat ageism and spotlight the critical role or caregiving," said Eric C. Rackow, MD, President and CEO of SeniorBridge. "Widely regarded as the father of geriatric medicine, he committed his life to expanding knowledge, promoting activism and improving policy for the fastest growing segment of our population."

"Dr. Robert Butler was a mentor to the great minds in the field of aging and inspired me personally as a friend and teacher for more than two decades," said Claudia Fine, MPH, LCSW, Executive Vice President, Chief Professional Officer at SeniorBridge. "He made a profound impact in the lives of multiple generations, while spearheading some of the most important social shifts of our time. Dr. Butler recognized early on the importance of care management and was passionate about allowing people to age with dignity and quality of life."

The vast scope of Dr. Butler's many accomplishments has earned his repeated international recognition. In addition to appearing in front of the United States Congress and authoring some 300 scientific and medical articles, the principal investigator in one of the first interdisciplinary, comprehensive, longitudinal studies of healthy community-residing older persons conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health (1955-1966), Dr. Butler was one of the first to recognize the impact that aging would have on society.

In 1982 Dr. Butler founded the nation's first department of geriatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he served as Chairman and Brookdale Professor of Geriatrics until 1995. In 1990 Dr. Butler co-founded the International Longevity Center, a non-profit, non-partisan organization devoted solely to the study of population aging and its impact on society. 

He was the first founding member of the SeniorBridge board of advisors in June 2004. 

Dr. Butler won a Pulitzer Prize in 1976 for his book Why Survive? Being Old in America and later published numerous books including The Longevity Revolution and most recently, The Longevity Prescription: The 8 Proven Keys to a Long, Healthy Life. He served as the medical editor-in-chief of Geriatrics, a journal for primary care physicians. 

Dr. Butler identified Alzheimer's disease as a national research priority and helped found the Alzheimer's Disease Association, the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, the American Federation for Aging Research, and the Alliance for Aging Research. He served as Chair, Advisory Committee, 1995 White House Conference on Aging. and was a frequent advisor to countless organizations including the World Health Organization, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, National Advisory Committees of the Physicians for Human Rights, among others. 

For more information about Dr. Robert Butler, visit the International Longevity Center USA at http://www.ilcusa.org. 

For more information about Dr. Butler's involvement with SeniorBridge visit http://www.seniorbridge.com/team-pab.shtml 

Read The New York Times obituary (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/health/research/07butler.html) and the SeniorBridge notice (http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=143962655).

About SeniorBridge 

SeniorBridge is a leading care management company with a ten-year heritage in helping people cope with the challenges of complex chronic illnesses such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson's disease and memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The company's 32 offices and national care management network address the total well-being of its clients through a comprehensive process of assessment, planning, service coordination, advocacy and the provision of direct care. These services are provided by a multidisciplinary team of professional geriatric care managers and in-home caregivers who collaborate with healthcare, social service, legal and financial providers. The company has headquarters in New York City and benefits from the support of its advisory board of internationally known experts in geriatrics. For further information, visit http://www.seniorbridge.com.