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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
Session: Keeping Older Americans Healthy and Independent: Responding to the Need, Acting on the Science
4204.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005: 2:30 PM-4:00 PM
Oral
Keeping Older Americans Healthy and Independent: Responding to the Need, Acting on the Science
The population of older adults is increasing at a much faster rate than ever before experienced in the U.S. By 2030, fully 20% of Americans will be age 65 and over, or as has been said, “We are going to be looking a whole lot more like Florida soon.” The dramatic aging of the population is already triggering enormous demands on the health care, public health, and social service networks, and these demands will only escalate in coming decades. Given these challenges, the public health community must work in concert with the aging services network to promote health and preserve independence among older Americans. Fortunately, much is known about how to prevent disease and associated disability, even among older adults. The challenge is to better extend promising research findings into communities for the benefit of individuals. This session will highlight emerging aging demographics and describe effective, evidence-based interventions for older adults, including an innovative, community-based model known as SPARC, or “Sickness Prevention Achieved Through Regional Collaboration.” By coordinating and mobilizing a variety of community partners, this program, operating on limited dollars, has shown dramatic results in ensuring that seniors receive potentially life-saving preventive services such as immunizations and screening. In addition, this session will address key policy implications and strategies related to program sustainability and fidelity, as well as cultural and functional modifications relevant to individual community needs.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) will be able to: 1. Describe U.S. aging demographics and impact on public health. 2. Understand the value of evidence-based programs in promoting health and preventing disease among older adults. 3. Identify strategies for evidence-based program development, implementation and evaluation. 4. Be knowledgeable about at least one model evidence-based program scientifically shown to improve the health of older adults. 5. Describe policy implications and strategies that impact program sustainability and fidelity, and modifications relevant to individual community needs.
Discussant(s):Terrie Fox Wettle, PhD
Moderator(s):Ruth Palombo, PhD
2:30 PMEvidence-based programs: Why should we care
Lynda A. Anderson, PhD
2:50 PMHealthy aging: Programs that make a difference
Nancy Whitelaw, PhD
3:10 PMReaching Seniors with Life-Saving Preventive Services: You Have a Role to Play
Douglas Shenson, MD, MPH
See individual abstracts for presenting author's disclosure statement and author's information.
Organized by:APHA-Task Force on Aging
Endorsed by:APHA-Conference of Emeritus Members; American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Caucus; Caucus on Refugee and Immigrant Health; Chiropractic Health Care; Food and Nutrition; Gerontological Health; HIV/AIDS; Health Administration; Injury Control and Emergency Health Services; Podiatric Health; Social Work; Vision Care Section
CE Credits:CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA