Conference Program

9:00–10:30 AM
TUESDAY, MARCH 21
Presenters: Lori Bitter, MA, MS, CEO and President/Senior Strategist,
The Business of Aging; Amanda Cavaleri, Entrepreneur in Gerontechnology
and Intergenerational Design, Cavaleri Design & Strategy, LLC.
Mental Health
TU157 Educating the Executive Branch and
New Policymakers on Mental Health
and Older Adult Issues
9:00 AM | Columbus AB (East Tower, Gold Level)
Part of a full-day program presented by ASA’s
Mental Health and Aging Network (MHAN) and
National Council on Mental Health and Aging (NCMHA).
Now is the time to educate the new administration and new
policymakers on the behavioral health care needs of older
adults. Join mental health and aging policy experts and pundits
to discuss what the new Administration and members of
Congress need to do to address the behavioral health needs of
older Americans. Based on population growth of older adults in
the U.S., if new public policies are not implemented, the
impending silver tsunami of behavioral health conditions that
older adults will experience will overwhelm governments,
communities and family caregivers. Learn what actions can be
taken at the federal level to shape implementation of programs
and initiatives at the local level.
Presenters: Frederic Blow, PhD, Professor, Director and Research
Scientist, University of Michigan Addiction Center; Lynn Friss
Feinberg, MSW, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor, AARP Public Policy
Institute; Robyn Golden, MA, LCSW, Director of Health and Aging,
Rush University Medical Center; Willard Mays, MA, Consultant ,
National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging.
Policy, Advocacy & Ethics
TU159 Innovative Partnerships for
Disruption of Elder Abuse
9:00 AM | Michigan 2 (East Tower, Bronze Level)
Creating innovative partnerships is critical to achieving collective
impact to raise public awareness of elder abuse and to
improve response systems’ ability to protect at-risk adults. The
Cobb Elder Abuse Task Force has linked community partners to
enhance the quality of life for thousands of older adults. Gain
insight to plan similar programs to combat elder abuse.
Presenters: Joe Gavalis, Law Enforcement Coordinator, Cobb Elder
Abuse Task Force; Jessica Gill, MPH, MCHES, Executive Director,
Cobb Senior Services; Jason Marbutt, JD, Senior Assistant District
Attorney, Cobb County Judicial Court; Heather Strickland, Assistant
Special Agent in Charge, Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
TU161 Meeting the Needs of Older Adults
With LTSS Integration: Case Studies
of Successful Programs
9:00 AM | Wrigley (West Tower, Bronze Level)
A growing number of forward-thinking health plans and providersponsored
organizations address the full needs of their members by
integrating LTSS with medical care. These programs improve
healthcare outcomes and quality of life, and have the potential to
lower costs through decreased hospital and nursing home utilization.
Presenters will describe the strategies programs have used to
integrate LTSS and the benefits for older adults and their families.
Presenters: Francine Pechnik, Vice President, Long-Term Care,
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan; Amy Scribner, Division Director,
Community Living Services, Institute on Aging; Anne Tumlinson, MA,
Principal and Owner, Anne Tumlinson Innovations, LLC; Jennifer
Windh, MPP, Research Director, Long-Term Quality Alliance.
Religion, Spirituality & Meaning
TU163 Faith Congregations and Family
Caregivers: A Spiritually Cooperative
Approach to Elder Abuse
9:00 AM | Columbus KL (East Tower, Gold Level)
Part of a full-day program presented by
Forum on Religion, Spirituality and Aging (FORSA).
The Senate Special Committee on Aging estimates that there
may be as many as five million victims of elder abuse, neglect
and exploitation each year. The majority of elder abuse occurs at
the hands of family and frontline healthcare workers. More than
any other demographic, elders are involved in or contacted by
their clergy. This session will highlight the importance of
healthcare workers, family caregivers, clergy and congregations
in the prevention of elder abuse.
9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Constituent Group Program
Protecting Our Seniors: Interfaith Responses to Elder Abuse and Neglect
Presented by ASA’s Forum on Religion, Spirituality and Aging (FORSA).
Many vulnerable older persons are at increased risk for abuse and neglect, yet knowledge about elder abuse lags as much as
two decades behind the fields of child abuse and domestic violence. Elder abuse inherently has spiritual connotations,
including violence and non-violence; power and vulnerability; healing and forgiveness. Prevention of abuse is an area that calls
for a coordinated, systematic approach that includes policymakers, healthcare workers, caregivers, clergy and congregations
working together. An august lineup of speakers will explore how an interfaith approach can be used to protect the estimated
five million victims of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Look for these sessions as part of this program:
TU163 Faith Congregations and Family Caregivers: A Spiritually Cooperative Approach to Elder Abuse
TU223 Creating Safe Temporary Shelter in Long-Term Care: Promising Practices for Abuse Intervention
TU277 The Power of Healing: Awareness and Prevention of Elder Abuse and Neglect From a Spiritual Perspective
82 2017 Aging in America Conference