Infections in older persons are an important threat to
the wellness of older adults and place an enormous burden on the
health care system, as witnessed by emergency and hospital admissions for respiratory infections this past winter. Given the breadth of the
problem, relatively little research to address infection in this
population exists.

To address this problem, a workshop funded by three major funding
agencies in Canada — the Medical Research Council of Canada, Social
Sciences Research Council and the Natural Sciences and Engineering
Council — will take place on April 13 and 14 in Hamilton at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel.

Prominent researchers, clinicians, and key stakeholders from across North America have been invited to set the research priorities in this area.

According to health experts, infections in the elderly will be one of
the most difficult challenges in the 21st century. This workshop
represents an important first step in addressing these challenges.