Three in four Virginia residents (73%) say that it is important for communities to plan for serving residents as they age. Source: 2008 Older Dominion Project Residents' Study
About the ODP
Dr. Richard Lindsay
Richard W. Lindsay, M. D., is Emeritus Professor of Internal Medicine and Family Practice and former Head of the Section of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in Charlottesville. Dr. Lindsay grew up in upstate New York, where his father was a family physician. He attended Cornell University and New York Medical College from which he received his M. D. degree and where he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha. Following an internship at Buffalo General Hospital in Buffalo New York, he practiced briefly with his father in Old Forge N. Y. and then completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia Hospital. This was followed by active duty as a Major in the United States Army Medical Corps. In 1969, he joined the faculty of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia.
In his first faculty responsibility, Dr. Lindsay developed and served as acting Chairman of the Department of Family Practice. Following that, he was awarded one of the seven original Geriatric Medicine Academic awards from the National Institute of Aging and developed the geriatric curriculum, fellowship program and continuing education efforts at the University of Virginia. He served as Head of the Division and Section of Geriatrics from 1977 until his retirement in1999. During this time, he had an active practice of geriatric medicine involving all levels of geriatric care.
In 1985 and 1986, Dr. Lindsay served as President of the American Geriatric Society and then as Chairman of its Board of Directors. He served as a member of the Governor’s Advisory Board on Aging under five different Governors and was its Chairman under Governor Allen. He was recently appointed to the Commonwealth Council on Aging and just completed a two-year term as its Chairman. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Jefferson Area Board for Aging. He served for five years on the Board of the U. S. Pharmacopea. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Senior Navigator Program.
He was the recipient of the Humanitarian Award from the Charlottesville/Albemarle Chapter of the Alzheimer’ Disease and Related Disorders Chapter. In 2000, he received the Geriatrician of the Year award from the Virginia Geriatric Society. The recipient of numerous teaching awards, Dr. Lindsay received the 1990 Adelle F. Robertson award for outstanding efforts in continuing education from the University of Virginia. The Virginia Association of Nonprofit Homes for the Aging bestowed upon Dr. Lindsay their distinguished service award in recognition of outstanding contributions to the People of Virginia (especially the elderly) that he has made throughout his career through educational programs, advocacy, and research.
He recently served on the Board of Directors of the University of Virginia Medical Alumni Foundation and the Foundation Board of Longwood University. He is active as a faculty member in the Jefferson Institute for Life Long Learning. Dr. Lindsay is also a member of the University of Virginia School of Medicine Admissions Committee. He also is a member of the steering committee of the Older Dominion Project.
He serves on the Board of Directors at the Virginia Center on Aging at Virginia Commonwealth University and also at the Virginia Gerontology Center at Virginia Tech. He has served on numerous Task Forces on Aging Issues for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He was chosen by then Governor Mark Warner to represent the Commonwealth of Virginia at the White House Conference on Aging, held in December 2005. This was the third White House Conference at which Dr. Lindsay represented the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Since retiring, he continues to teach medical students, serves on the Medical School Admissions Committee, and continues to conduct post graduate educational programs. He has remained active in continuing education at the national level with participation as a featured speaker at numerous geriatric meetings and courses. He is actively involved in developing a high school curriculum that features aging content and teaches several classes annually at high schools and technical schools. He is the Clinical Director of the Medical Academic Advancement Program (MAAP). This program is sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and was established to increase the numbers of minorities entering health careers. He has served in this program since 1984. He is a champion skier, plays the trumpet, and loves to fly-fish. He is also recognized for his work in the field of aviation photography. He plays a wicked game of tennis, and is a dyed in the wool fan of the Cavaliers. He has three grown children, two new grandchildren and resides in Charlottesville, Virginia.