The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — has chosen Carole B. Lewis, PT, DPT, PhD, GTC, GCS, MSG, MPA, FAPTA, as the 2014 recipient of the Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award.
This distinguished honor is given annually to acknowledge outstanding contributions in the field of rehabilitation. The awardee's work may be in the areas of teaching or patient care, or publications that may include scholarly works, books, monographs, administrative directives, or public policy papers.
The award presentation will take place at GSA's 67th Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 5 to 9 in Washington, DC. This conference is organized to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners who specialize in the study of the aging process. Visit http://www.geron.org/annualmeeting for further details.
Lewis is an adjunct professor in the Department of Geriatrics in the School of Health Care Science of The George Washington University. Lewis also has a private practice; owns an online and live continuing education seminar company, Geriatric Rehabilitation Education and Training (GREAT) Seminars; and edits the journal Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, which she has done since its inception 31 years ago, while remaining dedicated to educating other physical therapists and healthcare providers in essential rehabilitation techniques to promote healthy aging.
Over the span of almost 40 years, Lewis has been a physical therapist engaged in high-level clinical practice, education, and advocacy efforts related to the physical rehabilitation of older adults. She has been a founding member and early president of the Section on Geriatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association; a national and international provider of entry-level and post-professional education courses concerned with geriatric neurology, orthopedics and rehabilitation; and a productive author and editor of professional textbooks, journals and articles concerned with advocacy for and rehabilitation of older adults.
Additionally, she has lectured extensively throughout the U.S. as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Finland, Canada, China, Israel, Turkey and Egypt.
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society — and its 5,500+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA's structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society, and an educational branch, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.