OSU Gerontology conference scheduled for June 1-2

Friday, April 27, 2012

The annual Linking Gerontology and Geriatrics Conference, presented by the Oklahoma State University College of Human Sciences' Department of Human Development and Family Sciences in partnership with the Oklahoma Geriatrics Education Center, is scheduled for June 1 and 2.

The conference entitled, Addressing Ethics, Disasters and Well-Being in Rural Communities, will be held in the Wes Watkins Center on the OSU Stillwater Campus. The conference will include three tracks of information emphasizing Bioethics and Ethics, Disaster Preparedness, and Health and Well-Being. The conference is open to the public and will be most informative for professionals working with older adults.

"The objects of the Linking Gerontology and Geriatrics Conference are to identify links between gerontology and geriatrics and apply evidence-based information to enhance the best practices," said Tammy Henderson, conference organizer and Department of Human Development and Family Sciences Associate Professor. "My team has done a great job in organizing the event and scheduling speakers who will help conference participants gain knowledge in relation to these objectives."

A variety of speakers in each track will present information about problems facing those living and working with seniors in rural communities.

Miriam Friedman Kelty, Ph.D., a former associate director of the National Institute of Aging and a leader in the ethics of research, will present the keynote address about bioethical concerns for contemporary times.

Dr. Todd Brockman, Chairman of the Oklahoma State Medical Society Board, will be in attendance Saturday to present the conference introductions.

Glenda Ford-Lee, Oklahoma State Department of Health Statewide At-Risk Populations Coordinator, will speak on functional needs and emergency preparedness for seniors.

Joyce Hood, Ph.D., Director of Occupational Health Services at Cook Children's Healthcare System in Fort Worth, Texas, will address workforce injuries and the aging workforce.

Two sessions will be focus on Programs of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). These sessions will be delivered by Rick Richards, director of Cherokee Nation Home Health Services and program director for Cherokee Elder Care (PACE) along with Matthew McNabney, director in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology and director of the Baltimore PACE program at John Hopkins University.

Presentations on Collaborating for Quality Palliative Care: Health Care Providers and Communities will be given by Professor Nancy Van Winkle, Department of Behavioral Sciences at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences; Reverend Marcia Howland, Cypress Springs Alzheimer's Residence in Tulsa chaplain and bereavement coordinator; and Richard Perry, Director of the Oklahoma Area Health Education Center.

In addition to the Human Development and Family Science Department, sponsors and co-providers of the series include the Oklahoma IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, The Institute for Creativity and Innovation at OSU, the OSU School of Fire Protection and Safety, the Oklahoma Geriatric Education Center, the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma AgrAbility, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Nursing, the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine, and the OU College of Medicine Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatric Medicine.

Continuing education credits are available. For more information about Linking Gerontology and Geriatrics events or to register, visit www.humansciences.okstate.edu/okgec or contact Tammy Henderson at tlhokgec@okstate.edu or (405)744-8350.