The Spring Conference focuses on a single concept related to Bowen theory. Guest scientists, researchers, and leaders in the study of family systems offer presentations related to the topic during this two-day conference. There is ample time for questions and discussion with the audience.

This conference explores how the family relationships interact with the process of aging.  Aging family members have an important place in vital families impacting health and vigor of all. More disconnected families include more isolated elders impacting health and life satisfaction. Presentations and interviews will illustrate how the use of Bowen theory impacts growing old.  

Melissa deCardi Hladek, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University Nursing, will bring her expertise, as researcher-clinician, to discuss her research that focuses on how stress, self-efficacy, resilience, and sociocultural factors influence the biology of aging, chronic disease, frailty progression and resilience trajectories. Dr. Hladek’s presentations will focus on the biological underpinnings of aging. She will report on preliminary findings from a research project on successful aging during a global pandemic. The data comes from a nationally representative large cohort study and includes findings from a COVID-19 supplement cohort. Her research goals are to further understand the role of stress and coping in aging and develop novel strategies and policies to mitigate these effects. 

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