Judith Howe ’72
Major: Sociology
Profession: Geriatric care, advocacy for the elderly
Hometown: Yonkers, NY

A North Country native, an honors student at St. Lawrence and a recipient of a 2003 St. Lawrence University Alumni Citation, Dr. Judith Howe has devoted her career to geriatrics and the care of the elderly, particularly in New York City.

While her primary affiliation is with the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, she also works with the Bronx Veteran’s Administration and the New York Consortium of Geriatric Education Centers. Her extensive experience in geriatric interdisciplinary education, curriculum development, aging and public policy has benefited the United States Senate, the National Institutes of Health, and the United Nations World Assembly on Aging.

Her academic and professional responsibilities inspired her to create, and now lead, Linkage House, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for lower-income people in East Harlem, New York. Its guiding principles include continuum of care, care coordination, “aging in place” and shared housing. Each unit consists of five one-bedroom apartments clustered around a common area and a community garden. With flexible programming, Linkage House makes possible long-term residence in a communal living environment—with friendships and networks—while maintaining residents’ privacy.