I realize that many of you have already received this information from other sources, and apologize for the cross-posting. However, I wish to make sure that Division 20 members have received word of the recent death of Dr. Gene Cohen, a true pioneer and leader in the mental health and aging field.
Gene Cohen was the geriatric psychiatrist who basically built the mental health and aging research program at NIMH, beginning in 1974 or 1975 as the director of what first was called the Center for Studies of the Mental Health of the Aging, and today is represented by the NIMH Geriatrics Research Branch. He recruited to NIMH such gerontologists as Barry Lebowitz and Nancy Miller, and (somewhat later) myself. In 1988, he moved to NIA to become Deputy Director, where from 1991-1993 he served as the Acting Director. He was President of GSA in 1996-1997, and as you can read in various obituaries and tributes, in addition to his intellectual contributions has been a pioneer and moving force in the formation and building up of many other organizational structures and publication outlets that have become critical components in the mental health and aging field.
The GSA website has posted an obituary written by his son, Alex Cohen, at: http://www.geron.org/cohenobituary.pdf
You can access the obituary in the Washington Post at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/10/AR2009111018634.html?sub=AR
The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry has posted a tribute at: http://www.aagponline.org/news/pressreleases.asp?viewfull=138
There is a biographical sketch on the website of the Center for Aging, Health and Humanities, which he headed at George Washington University Medical Center: http://www.gwumc.edu/cahh/about/cohen.htm
--gn
George Niederehe, PhD
Chief, Geriatrics Research Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
