GIA Vision & Mission
Institute Vision
To become nationally recognized as a center of excellence for the creation and application of new knowledge about healthy aging through research, innovative interdisciplinary education and collaborative community outreach efforts.
Institute Mission
The Garrison Institute on Aging is a unique organization whose mission is to promote healthy aging through cutting-edge research in Alzheimer's disease and other diseases of aging, and through innovative educational opportunities offered to students, health care professionals and the public.
GIA History
In 1999, TTUHSC leadership identified aging as a
strategic priority for the 21st century. The Board of
Regents approved the establishment of the Institute for
Healthy Aging to meet the HSC's strategic priority in aging. The Institute was renamed in February 2005, to the Garrison Institute on Aging in honor of Mildred and Shirley L. Garrison's commitment and leadership to advancing aging and Alzheimer's disease research, education, and service for West Texans
About Us
Through a multifaceted approach, the Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA) is the keystone of the TTUHSC initiative to help seniors successfully approach and extend the years of quality life.From investigating the causes of neurodegenerative diseases to preparing healthcare professionals for the growing demands of geriatric care, the GIA is addressing health issues of the aging population.
The GIA is a collaborative initiative of the Health Sciences Center schools: Allied Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy, and addresses special challenges in geriatric training and health care, while striving to become a national leader in improving the quality of life in older persons Under the leadership of executive director, Paula Grammas, Ph.D., the GIA has established new functional divisions to meet the its goals:
- Research Division: Innovative research programs to detect, prevent and treat neurodegenerative diseases and other age-related conditions. Continued expansion of research capacity in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases of aging.
- Education Division: Educational programs for students, health professionals and the general public to increase knowledge and awareness of age-related healthcare issues. Established as a Center for Advancement of Quality in Long-Term Care by the Texas legislature in 1999, the institute aims to expand education, research, and helth policy initiatives directed at improving the quality of long-term care.
- Community Outreach: Programs serving the Lubbock and South Plains communities to increase activity and nutrition awareness and its importance in the aging process.
- Development and Advancement: Building endowments and financial support for long-term sustainability of GIA programs and activities will ensure the impact of efforts made by all divisions.
Aging in Texas
Texas currently has a population of almost 21 million people, with 2.7 million over age 60. Texas has the second largest number of Hispanic elders and the third largest older black population in the country. By 2020 in Texas :
- One in five will be over age 60.
- The oldest-old population (80+) will increase by 179 percent.
- More than 80 percent of those 65+ will have at least one chronic health condition.
Currently 1 in 10 people older than age 65 and nearly half older than age 85 are affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD), a devastating disorder of the brain's nerve cells that impairs memory, thinking, and behavior, and ultimately leads to death. By 2050, the number of people with AD could be as high as 16 million in the United States.
Back to Top