Revered as a pioneer in her field of Medical Esthetics and Aesthetic Rehabilitation, Alison developed the first Dermatological Rehabilitation Clinic in the country at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia in 1982. She proudly served on the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology from 1989-2000. For over 30 years has shared her pearls of wisdom on clinical skin care and the emotional cognitive relationship for sensitive skin populations internationally.
One of today’s leaders in confronting the NEW Aging Frontier directly, she has pioneered the development of a specialty called Geriatric Aesthetics©: Giving seniors enduring purpose and meaning by improving their self-perception, both of image and independent care, as their capabilities and physical appearance are altered by age.
Her Atlanta-based charity, the Beauty Becomes You™ Foundation, touches senior adults and provides programs to help them continue to see themselves as an integral part of their community. In 1984, Alison helped develop the American Cancer Society’s National Look Good… Feel Better Program.
A noted expert on WebMD, Alison has been quoted in Self, Mademoiselle, Woman’s Day, American Health, Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country magazines; several major newspapers and television networks including CNN, TBS, and ABC & NBC. A past editorial board member of Progressive Clinical Insights her most recent publication can be found in Aging Well Magazine. Alison received the President’s Volunteer Service Award from the current President Obama as well as a Lifetime Service Award: Point of Life from George H. W. Bush. Alison was selected as one of 10 out of over 6300 women to receive the L’Oreal Paris Woman of Worth Top 10 Honoree 2015!
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Geriatric Aesthetics is the term coined by Alison O’Neil, B.S, MH/HS in her article published in Aging Well Magazine in 2006. Alison defines Geriatric Aesthetics (GA) as the knowledge and capability of recognizing, responding and referring appropriately to the specific physical and emotional needs of the aging. GA is a holistic concept that includes practice in personal care, cosmetics and medical care, as well as products designed for the specific challenges caused by the conditions of aging such as loss of vision, hearing, taste, touch, smell, mobility, dexterity and mental acuity.
The psychology of GA is simple – when a senior adult feels better about their ability to care for themselves, they include themselves more in the community. They stay more active, stay healthier, and live longer. GA assures a good and meaningful quality of life for senior adults as well as their caregivers. When professionals and lay people are able to recognize the early signs of the conditions of aging, respond at the senior individual’s level of capability and refer specific treatments to senior-certified professionals, there is a decrease in severity and complications of condition, and reduced treatment costs. There is increased ease in the dis-ease often related to the conditions of aging.
As the senior population grows at an increasing rate, more interest is being generated around GA, and its application to syndromes of aging, such as “Failure to Thrive,” and “Transfer Trauma.”
Internal Review Council
The Senior Select Seal Internal Review Council (IRC) is an authoritative body of a renowned panel of professionals in the field of aging plus a robust community of senior adults as “expert consumers.”
Senior Select Solutions partners with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) to test products for the SeniorSelect™ Seal.
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is a highly-regarded applied research and development organization. Each day, GTRI’s science and engineering expertise is used to solve some of the toughest problems facing government and industry across the nation and around the globe.
Georgia Tech’s HomeLab consists of a network of 550 homes distributed throughout the State of Georgia, plus the associated infrastructure needed to administer, manage, design, and execute small- and large-scale usability, effectiveness, and efficacy studies. Participants represent a diverse cross section of older adults and represent both urban and suburban consumers. Participants in
HomeLab go through a detailed induction process where information about the participants and their homes is gathered so that participants can be matched to prospective studies. HomeLab is staffed by a diverse roster of experts including those with expertise in human factors, experimental design, behavioral psychology, industrial design, data analysis, engineering, and project management.