Promoting Healthy Aging through a Population Health and Social Determinants Framework

This session focuses on the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) 2014-2015 President’s Challenge: Healthy Aging: Living Longer Better. The goal is to promote the health of older adults by collaborating across sectors to implement evidence-based strategies for increasing the number of older adults who can live and age well in our communities. The President’s Challenge platform reflects a comprehensive approach, highlighted in the National Prevention Strategy (NPS). To create a system/infra-structure where older adults can age well in their communities, State Health Officials are pledging to elevate healthy aging in their states, by partnering with at least one new or renewed partner in implementing at least one NPS strategy. The goal is not necessarily to create something new but to leverage existing opportunities across state agencies, and encourage that the health of older adults, as it relates to transportation, housing, etc. is considered. Much of the capacity to advance healthy aging collaboratively already exists with public health agencies. Health promotion and disease prevention programs already emphasize tobacco free living, healthy eating and physical activity; and injury prevention initiatives often focus on falls. Public health emergency preparedness leaders design initiatives to build resilience, including plans to ensure safe and effective environments for community dwelling elders. These examples remind us that advancing NPS priorities to benefit older adults is the essence of public health. It also grounds our work in a life course approach that supports the NPS vision of “Healthy Americans at Every Stage of Life.”