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Karl Pillemer, PhD

Hazel E. Reed Professor of Human Development Cornell University

Professor of Gerontology in Medicine @ Weill Cornell Medicine
Director of the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging

Bio

Karl Pillemer, Ph.D. is the Hazel E. Reed Professor of Human Development at Cornell University and Professor of Gerontology in Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. Since 1993, he has been Director of the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging, which is devoted to using research to improve the care and quality of life of older people.

Dr. Pillemer has developed and evaluated a number of evidence-based interventions for long-term care staff, including Partners in Caregiving, which builds cooperation and communication between nursing home staff and family members, and the Retention Specialist Program, which improves the ability of nursing homes to retain frontline staff.

His current work includes seeking solutions for the problem of resident-to-resident aggression in long-term care.

Dr. Pillemer is also known for his work on the family relationships of older people, with a special emphasis on older parent-adult child relationships, including the dynamics of intergenerational caregiving.

Throughout his career Dr. Pillemer has focused on creating a better marriage of science and service by studying and improving methods of research translation in aging. He is the author of over 170 scientific publications and was the recipient of the Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Contributions to Health Aging from the Gerontological Society of America.

He is committed to extending gerontological knowledge to audiences outside academia, most notably through his books for general audiences, including the best-selling 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans.