Oral

Presenters will identify environmental barriers and challenges to healthy aging, along with promising strategies for practice and policy change. The session will highlight key outcomes and lessons learned from the CDC-Healthy Aging Research Network national dissemination to engage practitioners and policymakers from diverse disciplines in creating environmental and policy change. This initiative included development of a clearinghouse, a series of four action briefs, a series of online conferences and technical support, and use of an established online community to further support action plans of participants. Tools, resources and strategies will be shared along with best practices to enable participants to create environmental and policy change in their own spheres of influence. Implications for the public health community will be addressed.

Session Objectives: 1. Explain rationale and evidence for environmental and policy systems change to support healthy aging and prevent and/or delay disease and disability. 2. Describe outcomes and lessons learned from a CDC-Healthy Aging Research Network (CDC-HAN) national dissemination focused on environmental and policy change. 3. Describe examples of successful use of tools, action briefs, resources and strategies to effect environmental and policy system change for healthy aging.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)