Blog

Today’s post is from Serena Worthington, Director of National Field Initiatives. Keep up with her conference activities @SerenaWorthy.

Today marks the start of American Society on Aging’s 2015 Aging in America Conference, the nation’s largest aging conference where “Over 2,500 attendees…learn, network and participate in the largest multidisciplinary conference covering issues of aging and quality of life for older adults!”

As a Chicagoan, I’m looking forward to welcoming my colleagues—who are more like frolleagues really (friend + colleague) —to my snowy city. What we lack in spring warmth, we’ll make up for in Midwestern friendliness and excellent food!

Between now and Friday, SAGE staff members will be involved in 12 conference programs related to LGBTQ+ aging including: six 60 minute workshops, three 90 minute workshops, a collaborating program, a symposium, and a national forum.

HIGHLIGHTS

In an exciting departure from the traditional panel workshop format, SAGE National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging is hosting Maximum Impact! Finding Intersections to Make Older Lives Better. This three hour session will feature a highly interactive format with roundtables, presentations and small group breakouts. A group of experts from national organizations that make up one of the Administration for Community Living/Administration on Aging’s technical assistance resource centers will discuss their challenges and victories in multicultural aging policy advocacy and services provision and the audience will interact with the experts to discuss what is most needed now and what organizations could be doing in the future.

Another highlight is Friday’s National Forum: Social and Health Disparities in Aging. This half day forum will address how the Affordable Health Care Act’s mandates for delivering improved health outcomes “do not take into account for social and health disparities that exist within a community.” Presenters will explore Perspectives from Gender and Sexual Orientation and Perspectives from the African-American, Asian, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Communities, SAGE’s Executive Director, Michael Adams— along with a remarkable slate of panelists—will demonstrate the Need for an Integrated Policy, Research and Programs Response.

I’m looking forward to seeing my dear frolleagues from across the country and to my three workshops—

Helping Elders Tell Their Stories: Best Practices From StoryCorps and SAGEwith my co-workerTom Weber, Director of Community Services and SAGE Western Pennsylvania’s Kathi Boyle.

Multiculturalism in Aging: Chicago Perspectivewith Karen Lowe Graham, Manager of Community Programs, Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center; Winnie Lam, Home and Community Based Services Officer, Chinese American Service League; Maria Oquendo-Scharneck, Health and Diversity Coordinator, AgeOptions; and Marta Pereyra, Executive Director, Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly.

Pioneering Inclusive Housing for Diverse Elders with Meghan Jackson, Senior Service Manager, Center on Halsted and Kathleen Sullivan, Seniors Services Director, Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Center

For a list of all of the sessions related to LGBTQ+ aging, check out this excellent guide compiled by ASA.

For updates from ASA, check out their Facebook page and follow them @asaging or using #AiA15.

To keep track of SAGE Staff, check us out on Twitter.

SAGE @sageusa
National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ @lgbtagingcntr
Michael Adams @Adams_SAGEUSA
Serena Worthington @SerenaWorthy