Gerald Rothstein has spent his life working with people who will never remember his name.
Rothstein, a physician and professor of geriatrics at the University Hospital, will receive the A Lifetime of Exceptional Achievement Award on Saturday from the Utah Alzheimer’s Association.
“Dr. Rothstein has not only helped to advance the treatment of patients, he has also impacted future generations by training hundreds of doctors,” said Jack Jenks, executive director for the UAA. “His influence will be felt long beyond the time he practices.”
Rothstein said he was humbled to receive the ALEXA Award, but hopes that it will continue to bring recognition to treatment and diagnosis of mental disorders.
“This award is a great honor for me,” Rothstein said. “But it also provides an opportunity for education. The issue of older adults dealing with cognitive disorders is not going away.”
Rothstein said as the general population ages, the need for better-trained mental health physicians grows. Rothstein is hopeful that with better training, physicians will be better prepared to diagnose and treat patients suffering from cognitive disorders.
Jenks said Alzheimer’s is unique because it is often difficult to diagnose and treat. He said Rothstein has been instrumental in helping families to understand the disease and the available treatment plans.
Rothstein came to Utah in the 1960s to attend medical school, but was not initially interested in mental illness.
After finishing his training, Rothstein began doing research on blood cell production in older adults. He soon began to interact on a regular basis with older patients and recognized that a large portion suffered from mental disorders. He became interested in what caused the disorders, and since then he has worked to better understand them.
Rothstein helped found the department of geriatrics at the U in 1987 and served as its head for 19 years. During that time, he helped train more than 300 health care professionals in the care of adults dealing with mental health issues.
“While this award is a reflection of my work, it also represents work from a large number of people,” Rothstein said. “The U has always supported me and I think that this award recognizes the university as a whole.”
Jenks said Rothstein’s contribution to the study and treatment of Alzheimer’s cannot be understated.
“There is no doctor across the Wasatch Front that has been treating patients with Alzheimer’s as long or as well as Dr. Rothstein,” Jenks said. “He deserves every recognition he gets.”