Aging in America Conference Preview

Aging in America, the annual conference of the American Society on Aging (ASA), is planned for March 28 through April 1 in Washington, DC. With more than 3,000 attendees, it is recognized as a venue to explore programs and projects that benefit older adults, a forum for policy discussion and advocacy, and a key source of information on new research findings in aging. It is the largest gathering of a diverse, multidisciplinary community of professionals from the fields of aging, healthcare, and education.

Highlighted Sessions

CARE: Changing Aging Through Research and Education

Wednesday, March 28 | 4-5 pm 
Attendees will learn about the primary needs of family caregivers, especially those with family members who have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Presenters will offer practical solutions and resources for supporting these individuals as well as tools for professionals in aging.

Presenters: Mary Alexander, strategic alliances director for Home Instead Senior Care; Amy D’Aprix, MSW, PhD, CSA, president of Dr. Amy Inc.

The 2012 Political Landscape and Older Adults

Thursday, March 29 | 3-4:30 pm
The 2012 Presidential and Congressional elections could be critical events for the future of aging policy in the United States. Older voters increased from 16% of the population in 2008 to 23% in 2010 and that trend will continue. Older voters are also trending Republican in recent elections. They will be a contested and coveted vote again. Which party’s candidate and platform will resonate better with older voters and why? Who will win the political fight on Medicare and Social Security? This session will feature leading Democrat and Republican political figures and a respected pollster who have been invited to discuss these issues and the 2012 election.

Presenter: Kathy Greenlee, assistant secretary for aging with that U.S. Administration on Aging

National Forum on Building a Workforce to Care for an Aging Society

Friday, March 30 | 8 am-12:30 pm

Program Chair: Robyn Stone, DrPH, executive director and senior vice president of research for LeadingAge 

Over the next 20 years, the population of people aged 85 and older will increase fivefold. America will need an additional 3.5 million healthcare workers by 2030 just to maintain the current ratio of workers to the older population. The development of a quality eldercare workforce is no longer a backwater issue. This program will delve deeply into the policy implications, education, and practice levels needed to build a workforce to care for America’s aging population. 

Presenters include: Richard G. Frank, PhD, professor in the department of health care policy at Harvard Medical School; Cheryl Phillips, MD, senior vice president for advocacy at LeadingAge; Susan Reinhard, RN, PhD, senior vice president and director of the AARP Public Policy Institute; Walter Leutz, PhD, MSW, an associate professor in the Heller School at Brandeis University; Vicky Parker, EdM, DBA, an associate professor of health policy and management at the Boston University School of Public Health; and Nancy Hooyman, MSW, PhD, a professor of gerontology and dean emeritus at the University of Washington School of Social Work

To register for the conference or get more information, visit www.asaging.org/aia12.