Ladislav Volicer, M.D., Ph.D., FAAN, FGSA, is Courtesy Full Professor at the School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida at Tampa; Visiting Professor at the 3rd Medical Facility, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; and Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Sydney. Dr. Volicer studied medicine at the Charles University in Prague in the former Czechoslovakia, and received a Ph.D. in pharmacology at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. In 1969, he moved to the United States and began teaching pharmacology and conducting research at the Boston University Medical School. In 1979, Dr. Volicer moved his laboratory to the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts, and became involved in research on care for individuals with dementia. As a medical director, he established one of the first dementia special care units and introduced the concept of structured palliative care for patients with advanced dementia. The goals of care on this unit were quality of life, dignity, and comfort. He investigated various aspects of dementia care, including behavioral symptoms, medical complications, and eating difficulties. Recognized as an international expert on advanced dementia care, Dr. Volicer has published more than 250 articles and chapters as well as edited four books on clinical management of dementia. He served as past chair of the American Medical Directors Association Ethics Committee and currently serves as section editor for the Journal on Nutrition and Aging as well as on the Editorial Board of the Journal of American Medical Directors Association.
