Social work professor Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen has been named as one of the top 50 Influencers in aging by PBS’s Next Avenue—the first and only public media station for America’s fast-growing aging population. “In recognizing those making a difference in how we live as we grow older, Next Avenue hopes to highlight new ideas, spark conversation and inspire others to engage in this important work,” says Next Avenue Managing Director Susan Donley.Read the full list of 2015 Influencers in Aging.
Fredriksen-Goldsen emphasizes a cross-generational approach in promoting longevity, health and well-being. As director of Healthy Generations Hartford Center of Excellence, she focuses on aging, health and well-being across diverse and historically disadvantaged communities.
Additionally, Fredriksen-Goldsen is conducting the first longitudinal study of LGBT older adults and caregivers to better understand factors that account for health trajectories over time. She has also worked with older adults living with HIV in China and their caregivers, as well as American Indians at risk of cardiovascular disease. She has received numerous awards for advancing aging and health services, education and research. In 2014 received the University of Washington Distinguished Teaching Award. She is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America.