On most days at her job, Alice Van Wie discovers reasons to feel encouraged about her future. Over and over again, she comes across people in their later years who are still enjoying life, with or without some of the health problems associated with aging. Their lives and attitudes, Van Wie says, help to energize her. Van Wie is, in turn, an inspiration to many of her coworkers at the Yale Program on Aging, an interdisciplinary research endeavor under the auspices of the School of Medicine that seeks to further an understanding of aging, common age-associated diseases and problems, and other issues affecting the elderly. At an age she describes as "way over 55," Van Wie does the kind of work that helps keeps the Program on Aging going -- interviewing and staying in touch with elderly participants in the program's research studies, and serving as a liaison to the various nursing homes where some research participants live. Her official title is Research Associate and Nursing Home Coordinator. Van Wie is, in fact, one of six senior citizens who are staff members of the Yale Program on Aging. Last month, the program was honored with a 1999 American Legion Employer of the Year Award for its record of hiring "mature" workers. The Yale program was nominated for the award by Sage Services of Connecticut, a nonprofit organization that provides employment training and counseling, as well as other services, to senior citizens. According to Dr. Mary Tinetti, director of the Yale Program on Aging, Van Wie and other "senior" staff members have helped the program earn its national reputation as a leader in geriatrics research. "Ours is a research program where we reach out to and rely upon members of the community to share their experiences with us about the common health problems of aging," Tinetti says. "We work directly with our wisest citizens, but we also work closely with the many community agencies that serve them. Our senior staff members are experienced and stable, and have done an outstanding job of helping to identify and enroll people in our studies. They understand our community and what works to keep people participating in the studies. In addition to that, they've been incredibly responsible, mature and dogged in their work." The six older workers are part of the 30-member staff of the Yale Program on Aging. The program encompasses a range of research initiatives at the University, including the Claude D. Pepper Older American Independence Center. Physicians, nurses, epidemiologists, physiologists, economists, psychologists, therapists, research scientists and others from the University and beyond team up through the program to study a range of health issues affecting the elderly. By conducting clinical trials, they develop effective interventions targeted at improving the health, safety and quality of life of older people. The program also serves as a training ground for the next generation of scientists interested in geriatric health issues. Among the topics currently being studied by the project are injury prevention; how older people can improve their driving skills; hospital vs. home-based care; end-of-life decision-making; improving the outcomes of hospital-based care; and the rehabilitation of elderly men and women who have had hip fractures. Funding for many of these studies comes from the National Institute of Aging, among other sources. Joanne McGloin, associate director of the Program on Aging, says that the life experience and skills of her older colleagues are "priceless." During the 18 years that she has been with the program and its forerunner -- the Yale Health and Aging Project, a study that tracked the health of older Americans over a 10-year period -- McGloin has worked with some 50 mature workers, ranging in age from 55 to "well into their 80s," she says. "We've had a lot of older workers who have had backgrounds in nursing or in education," says McGloin. "But regardless of their background, they bring all kinds of life skills. They know how to build a rapport with our study participants. For the people who participate in our studies, sometimes just hearing that experienced voice over the phone can make a difference in whether they decide to take part in, or continue in, one of our studies. It takes great interpersonal skills to explain the studies, answer questions and keep people participating, and our older workers have been tremendously successful in doing that." Research scientist Dorothy Baker says that 'senior' staff members are also able to empathize with the elderly people they so often communicate with because of their vast experience. "Our staff members commonly deal with people who are going through major life events -- the loss of a spouse, a move to a nursing facility, a major illness and so on," she says. "Because of their maturity, these staff members tend to be very good at balancing empathy and professionalism. They have the two-pronged task of collecting data accurately while also being responsive to the life stories they hear. It can be very challenging at times, but their experience helps them to achieve that wonderful balance." Since she joined the Yale staff in 1982 as a researcher for the Yale Health and Aging Study, Van Wie, a social worker, has interviewed thousands of elderly Connecticut residents. She came to Yale after taking an early retirement from her job as quality assurance director in the department of human resources for the State of Connecticut. Today, she sometimes interviews or meets with study participants who are younger than she. Van Wie is continually surprised and uplifted by seeing older people like herself tackle life's problems with determination. "I've been amazed at how people can function and adapt to illness and disabilities, and remain active in their own homes and in their own communities," she says. "Unfortunately, sometimes really sad things happen too; there are a lot of people who become quite ill and have problems functioning on their own," she adds. "But I hear so many people talk about how they manage with illness and other problems, often finding very unique ways to handle things independently. No matter how long I've been doing this, I'm still amazed when I hear some of the stories of people moving on through hardships." Talking to older people is also one of the best parts of the job for Barbara Foster, who joined the staff of the Program on Aging a year ago as a research associate and is currently helping screen candidates for a study on the health and safety needs of people over 70 who are not in nursing facilities. "A lot of the people I am interviewing now are active people who are very upbeat and very involved in their communities," says Foster, who is in her early 60s. "It gives me an idea of what I can look forward to." Foster's Yale career has spanned 38 years, during 29 of which she worked as an x-ray technologist. Prior to joining the Program on Aging, she was a research associate in the department of internal medicine, where she assisted in research on strokes. "I've discovered that you don't have to retire and do nothing," comments Foster. "You can still enjoy life." She notes that both her mother and an aunt are in their 90s, so she expects that she has many years ahead to plan for. One of these days, she says, she may shock some of her coworkers by buying herself a little sports car. One of Foster and Van Wie's colleagues is Janett Nabors, who has worked at Yale for 27 years and has been a member of the Program on Aging staff since 1984. Nabors says she has become increasingly grateful for the knowledge she has gained in her job. "Now I find myself looking for articles about any problems I might have," explains Nabors, a programmer analyst who deals with the massive amounts of data collected by researchers. "I have arthritis, so I'm always looking out for information on the newest medication for that. Through my work, I've learned to eat better and live a more healthy lifestyle so I'll have the opportunity to enjoy old age." For Van Wie, there aren't too many things she'd rather be doing than her work for the Program on Aging. "It's the ideal situation," she says. "It's interesting, and it's rewarding to know that the focus of your work is to help other people. Believe me, I wouldn't be doing it if it weren't very pleasant. At my age, I don't need too much grief." -- By Susan Gonzalez T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S Actress to talk about her art in Maynard Mack Lecture Older workers help Yale Program on Aging reach out . . . Campus honors man who gave Yale its name What's in a name? Endowed Professorship: Physicist Grober is appointed to Barton Weller chair Policymakers to consider prospects for economic and social development . . . Alumna Congresswoman to speak at AACC's anniversary event Feminist Friedan will take part in 'Women and Freedom' conference Conference to examine how life has changed in Connecticut Music student recitals to be held off-campus Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events| Bulletin Board Classified Ads|Search Archives|Production Schedule|Bulletin Staff Public Affairs Home|News Releases|E-Mail Us|Yale Home Page

 The staff of Yale's Program on Aging includes (from left) Janett Nabors, Joanne McGloin, Dorothy Baker, Alice Van Wie and Barbara Foster.