Ithaca College Gerontology Institute to Host New York State Rural Aging Summit
ITHACA, NY—Citizens interested in the issues facing an aging population in rural areas of New York State will have the opportunity to meet with legislators and other policymakers at the first Rural Aging Summit, being hosted by the Ithaca College Gerontology Institute Sept. 20–21. The registration deadline for those interested in taking part in the summit is Wednesday, Sept. 12.
The summit is designed as a working conference to assist in raising awareness of the challenges and opportunities presented by the growing elder population in rural New York. Attendees will be invited to participate in a working group to address one of the following six topics: health promotion and services; income and economic security; long term care; informal support, social and supportive services; and transportation and access. From these sessions, a comprehensive report of policy recommendations will be developed to address these concerns at the state and local level.
Among the policymakers participating in the summit will be:
- Michael Burgess, Director of the NYS Office for the Aging
- Senator George H. Winner Jr., Chair of the NYS Legislative Commission on Rural Resources
- Robert Herz, Director of the NYS Senate Committee on Aging
- Jennifer Best, Legislative Analyst for the NYS Assembly Committee on Aging
- Mark Kissinger, Deputy Commissioner for Long Term Care, NYS Department of Health
- Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton
- Joe Baker, NYS Assistant Deputy Secretary for Health & Human Services
- Greg Olsen, Deputy Director of the NYS Office for the Aging
John Krout, director of the Ithaca College Gerontology Institute and professor of aging studies, will deliver welcoming remarks. An expert on the issue, Krout is the author of “The Aged in Rural America” and coeditor of “Service Delivery to Rural Older Adults.”
“A significant body of research has found that compared to their city counterparts, elders living in rural areas have lower incomes, poorer health status, fewer housing and transportation options and less-well-developed health and social service systems, said Krout. “As legislative, fiscal and regulatory policy to address the unique needs of older adults in rural communities are considered in Albany, it is critical that discussions be informed by input from the grassroots level from a broad spectrum of interests and experts.”
For more information and to register for the Rural Aging Summit, visit http://www.ithaca.edu/agingconference/.
Questions about summit content should be directed to Marilyn Kinner, Outreach Program Coordinator, Ithaca College Gerontology Institute, at 607-274-1967 or mkinner@ithaca.edu. Questions regarding registration may be addressed to the Office of Continuing Education at 607-274-3143 or cess@ithaca.edu.
Originally published in News Releases: Ithaca College Gerontology Institute to Host New York State Rural Aging Summit.
