Page 40 - Layout 1

UTHSCSA
DEAN’S MESSAGE
UT SCHOOL OF MEDICINE:
AGING AND THE
SAM AND ANN BARSHOP INSTITUTE
By Francisco González-Scarano, MD
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Serv-
ices, approximately 10,000 Americans become 65 years old every
day. This is a common talking point for many federal policy and
planning discussions. Although this trend is currently fueled by the
‘baby boom’ generation, it will continue unabated because of the
lengthening of life expectancy and the decreasing birth rate in our
country. By the year 2040, it is estimated that older adults will rep- and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, part of
resent more than 21 percent of the total U.S. population, and that
by 2060, there will be 98 million Americans 65 and older.
With one of the largest elderly populations in the country,
Texas is likely to feel the effects of this acutely. By 2030, older
Texans will represent 5.9 million people, or 19.4 percent of the
state’s population.
The longer life expectancies result in a population that is more
likely to suffer from multiple and concurrent declines in health and
with more chronic diseases. This could have a severe impact on long
term healthcare costs and access, as well as have implications for
40 San Antonio Medicine • November 2016
many other social issues. This trend underscores the need to address
the complex issues of longevity and aging.
One way to mitigate the ripple effect of care and costs is to find
a way to reduce or limit the effects of the debilitating conditions
and diseases associated with aging. That is the mission of the Sam
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The
Barshop Institute is one of the leading organizations in the country
solely dedicated to aging research. It is also special in that it con-
ducts studies from the bench through translational research.
The Institute was founded in 2001 through a leadership gift from
Sam and Ann Barshop. Their vision in making the gift was to ad-
vance “leading edge” basic research for studies of aging and age re-
lated diseases and to establish The Sam and Ann Barshop Institute
for Longevity and Aging Studies at the UT Health Science Center
San Antonio. Mr. Barshop was a noted Texas businessman and
Founder and Chairman of the Board of La Quinta Inns, Inc. He