Trading Perfectionism for Pragmatism

Most of us, at one time or another, find ourselves seeking the one right choice, the perfect option. I was reminded of this recently when both of my children experienced exhausting and ultimately futile attempts to find the perfect sofa. The discussions of the pros and cons of frames, seating support, arm heights, cushions, and filling were reminiscent of my early years of setting up new homes. My husband and I sympathized with their plights but also found their dogged quests for perfection humorous. Eventually, both children found sofas that were less than perfect, but lovely and functional. Similarly, as a teacher of research methods to future scientists, I find myself fighting the urge to teach the correct gold standard method so that I can provide students with a balanced view of what is gained and lost when choosing one methodology over another. In this editorial, I will explore some perspectives on what may be gained and lost when using pragmatic clinical trial methodologies to test gerontological interventions.