Professionals from nine southeastern states who work with older adults will gather in Kentucky beginning Sept. 30. Louisville is the host city for the regional conferenceon aging that will offer 42 workshops on topics ranging from health concerns to social and community issues.
Barbara Gordon is director of social services for the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency and is chairwoman of the conference. She said the pre-conference sessions on Sunday are open to public, including one reviewing the latest research on Alzheimer’s.
“We’re also going to have a really interesting session that will feature the work that’s going on in several cities in Kentucky and throughout the nation that will focus on ‘age friendly' communities,” said Gordon.
She said workshops for professionals Monday and Tuesday will include a visit to the University of Louisville’s Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging. The group will review the institute’s ‘Flourish Program,’a project that takes a team approach to medical and social issues.
Another group excursion will be to New Roots, a cooperative that offers local residents access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Gordon said networking among professionals from nine states provides a valuable opportunity for sharing ideas.
“Kentucky, along with many of the other southeastern states, doesn’t fare very well in the health-related issues for its citizens, generally, but especially with older adults," said Gordon. "So there are some areas that we like to focus on, particularly health-related.”
The pre-conference workshops on Sept. 30 are from noon to 3 p.m. and are open to the public. The conference is being held at the Louisville Marriott Downtown.
