Mission Magazine - Genetics aside, the key is to stay active

Mrs. Augusta Rizzo, 79, sees Health Science Center physician Dr. Charles Mouton. She is in excellent health and stays active through community work, yoga and gardening.

Genetics aside, the key is to stay active

April 2002

Charles Mouton, M.D., a board-certified geriatrician at the Health Science Center, believes the current revolution in genetics will greatly improve the care of America’s aging population. "In the future we will be able to prevent some of the chronic illnesses that affect many older adults, including predisposition toward Alzheimer’s disease and types of frailty that lead to functional impairment," he said.

Today’s researchers look not at providing a fountain of youth, but rather at increasing quality of life so that people are able to function well to their last days. "Genetics gives us the scientific basis from which to target risk factors," Dr. Mouton said. "Knowing what could lie ahead may cause a person to have a greater desire to modify his diet and lifestyle."

Dr. Mouton’s own research examines the health of elderly women who are exposed to violence. He is an associate professor in the department of family and community medicine and sees patients at the University Health Center Downtown.