The 2025 annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society wrapped up over the weekend. The American Geriatrics Society’s 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting (AGS25) took place May 8 through May 10 in Chicago, Illinois. Featuring comprehensive, engaging, and interactive educational opportunities, the event was the premier gathering for professionals in the geriatric care field.

With more than 2,600 geriatric care specialists in attendance and over 900 research studies presented at AGS 2025, there is a lot to discuss and unpack from the event. The following rundown represents a small portion of the research presented at AGS25.

Prevalence and Impact of Geriatric Syndromes in Hospitalized Older Adults: Results from the CHANGE Study
  • Description: Fifteen geriatric syndromes were investigated across an elderly (≥65 years) patient population of 2,556 patients. The mean number of syndromes among that patient population was six. Multimorbidity, disability, polypharmacy, frailty, and sensory impairment were the most common syndromes.
  • Result: Patients with more than six syndromes were noted to have higher 90-day mortality rates than those who had six or less syndromes. The study highlights the need for geriatric assessments to prevent worsening conditions.
County-Level Contextual Disadvantage in the Incidence of Frailty, Disability, and Dementia in Community-living Older Americans
  • Description: The study estimated the incidence of dementia, frailty, and disability over a five-year period based on county-level disadvantage, among community-living older Americans
  • Result: The findings highlight county-level disadvantage as a critical but underrecognized factor influencing the development of geriatric conditions. After a five-year follow-up, it was observed that the elderly patients in contextually disadvantaged counties had a higher incidence of dementia, frailty, and disability. 
Geriatric Prisoners and Their Experiences of Aging and Receiving Healthcare
  • Description: The study explored the largely unstudied elderly incarcerated population to determine the healthcare experience in incarcerated older adults.
  • Result: The study found that incarcerated older adults had trouble navigating the physical demands of incarceration along with having difficulty receiving adequate healthcare from staff despite having a constitutional right to healthcare.
Phantom Concerts: Decoding Musical Ear Syndrome in Older Adults
  • Description: Musical ear syndrome (MES), while not life-threatening, can significantly impact the quality of life in older adults. This study examined one elderly patient who presented hearing loss, hypothyroidism, depression, CVA, and pAF. She had no previous episodes of hallucinations.
  • Result: More studies on the cause(s) of MES are needed, as no curative treatment exists. However, addressing underlying conditions can provide some relief.
Transitioning a Patients with Opioid Use Disorder and Acute Pain to Buprenorphine in a Skilled Nursing Facility
  • Description: As larger numbers of nursing patients require medication for opioid use disorder, more skilled nursing staff should be better equipped with the knowledge of how to balance care levels for this patient population safely.
  • Result: Education and interdisciplinary collaboration between skilled nursing facility staff and addiction medicine specialists can allow for safe medical interventions and patient reassurance through counseling.
Substance Use and Its Toll on Older Veterans: Effects on Heart Failure-Related Hospitalizations
  • Description: With the prevalence of substance use disorders among veterans, and heart failure being a major cause of hospitalizations among the same population, the study focused on exploring the connection between the two in this largely unstudied demographic.
  • Result: Veterans >75 years of age who have heart failure and substance use disorder are twice as likely to be hospitalized from heart failure exacerbations/all causes compared to veterans without substance use disorders.

For a complete rundown of research presented at AGS25, visit the official event website.

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