Annual Scientific Meeting 2023 Report

By Hwee Yong Lee and Emily Gordon

The 51st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine took place in Brisbane, Queensland 10-12 May 2023. This conference marked a significant milestone as it was the first entirely face-to-face event in recent years, with recorded sessions to be made available on the society’s website in the coming weeks.

Under the theme of ‘Celebrating Successes and Understanding Failures’, the program aimed to acknowledge advances in geriatric medicine while recognising valuable lessons learned from projects that faced challenges and to highlight strategies to promote ‘healthy ageing’ while optimising management of organ and system failures.

We were honoured to have Professor Ken Rockwood from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada, to share how geriatric medicine can contribute to the advancement of medicine generally by promoting the holistic approach to management of elderly patients with complex needs. Professor Rockwood also challenged our conceptualisation of brain failure, emphasising the importance of comprehensive care to prevent complications of delirium and dementia.

Professor Maria Fiatarone Singh from the University of Sydney, highlighted the significance of nutrition and exercise as ‘medicine’. She challenged conventional notions of a patient’s ‘baseline’ and emphasised the need to be brave in order to optimise ageing processes.

The conference also featured a Great Debate on the topic ‘Dementia is the problem; is pharmacotherapy the answer?’ – absolutely no one expected the affirmative team to sing their rebuttal! Other highlights included an interactive symposium on Arts and Ageing and a plenary session providing an international perspective on  geriatric medicine for indigenous communities. The program also included sessions providing clinical updates on organ failures, palliative care, sexual health, sleep medicine, and geriatric pharmacology.

The conference also hosted the first Perioperative Special Interest Group workshop and an academic writing workshop. These sessions provided valuable opportunities for participants to delve deeper into specific areas of interest and to enhance their knowledge and skills.

The advanced trainee weekend was an integral part of the conference, featuring a stellar line-up of speakers and covering a diverse range of topics. Trainees learned more about Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and exercise prescription from our keynote speakers as well as clinical pearls relating to neurological examination and addiction medicine from local experts. They also learned about the twists and turns of a career in Geriatric Medicine from Dr. Catherine Yelland and clinical academia from Professor Ruth Hubbard. Overall, this segment of the conference provided trainees with a unique platform to expand their knowledge, engage in discussions, and gain valuable perspectives from experienced professionals in the field.

With over 680 registrants, 220 abstracts received, and the presence of 21 sponsors and exhibitors, the conference exhibited exceptional participation and support. The abstracts submitted demonstrated a high level of quality, and we extend our congratulations to the winners of this year’s prizes: Dr. Rhiann Sue See (RM Gibson Award), Dr. Jesse Zanker and Dr Margot Lodge (Career Investigator Award) and Professor Alison Mudge (Poster Award).

We express our gratitude to the organising committee, the professional conference organiser ASN Events, the Scientific and Research committee, Federal Council and Alison King, and all the speakers who shared their expertise and passion for geriatric medicine. Their dedication, support and professionalism ensured the success of the conference.

We hope that all attendees enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, forge new connections, and left the conference feeling rejuvenated and inspired. We eagerly anticipate the next Annual Scientific Meeting to be held in Christchurch, Aotearoa, and extend our best wishes to the organisers for a successful event.