Robert Neil Butler
Encyclopedia
Robert Neil Butler was a physician
, gerontologist, psychiatrist
, and Pulitzer Prize
-winning author
, who was the first director of the National Institute on Aging
. Butler is known for his work on the social needs and the rights of the elderly and for his research on healthy aging and the dementias.
diseases by many of his teachers at medical school
, an attitude he later characterised as "ageism
."
He graduated from Columbia College of Columbia University
, where he was editor of the Columbia Daily Spectator
and a member of the Philolexian Society
.
(1955-1966), which resulted in the landmark book Human Aging. His research helped establish the fact that senility was not inevitable with aging, but is a consequence of disease
.
In 1975, he became the founding Director of the National Institute on Aging
(NIA) of the National Institutes of Health
, where he remained until 1982. At the National Institute on Aging he established Alzheimer's Disease
as a national research priority.
In 1982, he founded the Department of Geriatrics
and Adult Development at The Mount Sinai Medical Center
, the first department of geriatrics in a United States
medical school
. In addition, Butler helped found the Alzheimer's Disease Association, the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry, the American Federation for Aging Research and the Alliance for Aging Research.
Butler was the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and President of the International Longevity Center-USA, a non-profit international organization created to educate people on how to live longer and better.
, which won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction
in 1976. A 2003 paperback edition is currently available (ISBN 0-8018-7425-4).
Butler authored 300 scientific and medical articles.
in the Human Condition category. The award recognized his work in advancing the rights and needs of the nation's aging citizenry and enhancing the quality of life for elderly Americans.
He received honorary degrees from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden
and the University of Southern California
as well as other awards such as the Lienhard Medal of the Institute of Medicine and a Hall of Fame Award from the American Society of Aging.
, which examines the positive impact of art on people with Alzheimer's disease
and how these approaches can change the way the disease is viewed by society.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, gerontologist, psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, and Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, who was the first director of the National Institute on Aging
National Institute on Aging
The National Institute on Aging ' is a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health , located in Baltimore, Maryland.The NIA leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life...
. Butler is known for his work on the social needs and the rights of the elderly and for his research on healthy aging and the dementias.
Background
Having grown up with his grandparents, Butler was shocked by the dismissive and contemptuous attitude toward the elderly and theirdiseases by many of his teachers at medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
, an attitude he later characterised as "ageism
Ageism
Ageism, also called age discrimination is stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or groups because of their age. It is a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values used to justify age based prejudice, discrimination, and subordination...
."
He graduated from Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
, where he was editor of the Columbia Daily Spectator
Columbia Daily Spectator
Columbia Daily Spectator is the daily student newspaper of Columbia University. It is published at 112th and Broadway in New York, New York. Founded in 1877, it is the oldest continuously operating college news daily in the nation after The Harvard Crimson, and has been legally independent of the...
and a member of the Philolexian Society
Philolexian Society
The Philolexian Society of Columbia University is one of the oldest college literary societies in the United States, and the oldest student group at Columbia...
.
Career
Butler was a principal investigator of one of the first interdisciplinary, comprehensive, longitudinal studies of healthy community-residing older persons, conducted at the National Institute of Mental HealthNational Institute of Mental Health
The National Institute of Mental Health is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health...
(1955-1966), which resulted in the landmark book Human Aging. His research helped establish the fact that senility was not inevitable with aging, but is a consequence of disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
.
In 1975, he became the founding Director of the National Institute on Aging
National Institute on Aging
The National Institute on Aging ' is a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health , located in Baltimore, Maryland.The NIA leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life...
(NIA) of the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
, where he remained until 1982. At the National Institute on Aging he established Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
as a national research priority.
In 1982, he founded the Department of Geriatrics
Geriatrics
Geriatrics is a sub-specialty of internal medicine and family medicine that focuses on health care of elderly people. It aims to promote health by preventing and treating diseases and disabilities in older adults. There is no set age at which patients may be under the care of a geriatrician, or...
and Adult Development at The Mount Sinai Medical Center
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Mount Sinai School of Medicine is an American medical school in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, currently ranked among the top 20 medical schools in the United States. It was chartered by Mount Sinai Hospital in 1963....
, the first department of geriatrics in a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
. In addition, Butler helped found the Alzheimer's Disease Association, the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry, the American Federation for Aging Research and the Alliance for Aging Research.
Butler was the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and President of the International Longevity Center-USA, a non-profit international organization created to educate people on how to live longer and better.
Publications
Butler is best known for his 1975 book Why Survive? Being Old In AmericaWhy Survive? Being Old in America
Why Survive? Being Old In America written by Robert Neil Butler and published by Harper & Row in 1975, it won the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction.-References:...
, which won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction
Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction
The Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction has been awarded since 1962 for a distinguished book of non-fiction by an American author that is not eligible for consideration in another category.-1960s:...
in 1976. A 2003 paperback edition is currently available (ISBN 0-8018-7425-4).
Recent books
- Aging and Mental Health: Positive Psychosocial and Biomedical Approaches (with Myrna I. Lewis and Trey Sunderland, 1998) (ISBN 978-0205193363)
- Life in an Older America (2001) (ISBN 0-87078-438-2)
- The New Love and Sex After 60 (with Myrna I. Lewis, 2002) (ISBN 0-345-44211-3)
- "The Longevity Prescription: The 8 Proven Keys to a Long, Healthy Life", 2010 (ISBN 1583333886; ISBN 9781583333884).
Butler authored 300 scientific and medical articles.
Awards
Butler was the recipient of the 10th Annual Heinz AwardHeinz Award
The Heinz Award is an award currently given annually to ten honorees by the Heinz Family Foundation. The Heinz Awards recognize outstanding individuals for their contributions in the five areas of: Arts and Humanities, the Environment, the Human Condition, Public Policy, and Technology, the Economy...
in the Human Condition category. The award recognized his work in advancing the rights and needs of the nation's aging citizenry and enhancing the quality of life for elderly Americans.
He received honorary degrees from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
as well as other awards such as the Lienhard Medal of the Institute of Medicine and a Hall of Fame Award from the American Society of Aging.
Film appearance
Butler is featured in the 2009 documentary film, I Remember Better When I PaintI Remember Better When I Paint
I Remember Better When I Paint is a 2009 feature length international documentary film about the positive impact of art and other creative therapies in people with Alzheimer's disease and how these approaches can change the way the disease is viewed by society...
, which examines the positive impact of art on people with Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
and how these approaches can change the way the disease is viewed by society.
External links
- International Longevity Center-USA
- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/health/research/07butler.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=robert%20butler&st=cse Obituary," Robert Butler, Aging Expert, Is Dead at 83", The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, July 6, 2010] - http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/a-last-conversation-with-dr-robert-butler/?scp=2&sq=robert%20butler&st=cse "A Last Conversation With Dr. Robert Butler, by JOSHUA TAPPER, The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, July 7, 2010] - http://cachef.ft.com/cms/s/0/d1c66512-911e-11df-b297-00144feab49a.htmlObituary, "Pioneering Doctor who Championed Dignity for the Elderly", Financial TimesFinancial TimesThe Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, July 17, 2010] - http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jul/18/robert-butler-obituary-doctor-ageismObituary, "Doctor who Worked to Change Perceptions of Ageing and the Aged", The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, July 18, 2010]