Specialized Healthcare & Life Care Management featured Sara Honn Qualls, Mary Ann Kluge, and Amy Silva-Smith, Gerontology Center at UCCS; Stephen Bensen, Researcher, Department of Veteran Affairs; Darla Gurry, Senior Reach National Consultant; Don Backstrom, Director, Regional Specialties & Geriatrics, Kaiser Permanente; and Julie Anderson, Peak Nutrition Clinic Director, Gerontology Center UCCS. 70 persons attended the event.
Innovations in Aging Collaborative Presents the Remarkable Aging Series for 2014.These gatherings will address the major issues that are facing our community as Baby Boomers are aging and choosing to remain in our community and as new retirees move to Colorado Springs. The series will feature thought leaders in each topic area as keynote speakers and trainers sharing their expertise and knowledge of trends and emerging issues to address aging in our community. These dynamic topics address our community’s frail and elderly seniors as well as the healthy and vibrant retiree seeking engagement, recreation and culture and the confidence that this community will provide for them as they age.
Persons attending the events were given the opportunity to meet and interact with the speakers, received a bibliography on the topics presented, and had an opportunity to purchase books from the UCCS traveling library. Follow up online surveys were conducted and were overwhelmingly positive four convenings. At present two follow-up groups are meeting, one on volunteer transportation networks modelled after ITNAmerica, and one on the “Village” model presented by Dr. Ramsey from “A Little Help” organization in Denver.
The series consisted of four convenings featuring national and regional thought leaders as keynote speakers. Our purpose for the series was to change the mindset about the contributions of older adults in our community and to explore the impact of engaged seniors on the vibrancy and viability of the Pikes Peak Region.