Forum | White House Conference on Aging Tampa, FL Regional Forum

The Tampa White House Conference on Aging Regional Forum, held on February 19, 2015, was the first in a series of 2015 White House Conference on Aging forums. These regional forums are co-sponsored by AARP and are being planned in coordination with the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, a coalition of more than 70 of the nation’s leading organizations serving older Americans.

Over 200 older adults, caregivers, advocates, community leaders, and experts in the field of aging attended the Tampa Regional Forum. The forum featured remarks by U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor (FL-14); Sam Verghese, Secretary, Florida Department of Elder Affairs; Bob Buckhorn, Mayor, City of Tampa, FL; and Jeannine English, President, AARP.

Cecilia Muñoz, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, delivered the keynote address. Director Munoz’s speech highlighted the themes of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging and the importance of having this national conversation about advancing the quality of life for older Americans in the coming decade.

The forum included two moderated expert panels. The first panel focused on the themes of healthy aging and long-term services and supports. Nora Super, Executive Director of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging served as moderator. Panelists included: Dr. Martha Pelaez, Director, Health Foundation of South Florida; Dr. Anand Parekh , Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dr. Naushira Pandya, Professor and Chair, Department of Geriatrics, Nova Southeastern University; and Linda Levin, Executive Director, ElderSource. The panelists explored a range of issues, including the foundational elements of healthy aging and the opportunities for cross-sector collaboration to address the complexities of long-term care.

The second expert panel looked at the topics of elder justice and retirement security and was moderated by Nancy LeaMond, Executive Vice President, State and National Group, AARP. Panelists included: Rebecca Morgan, J.D., Chair, Elder Law and Director, Center for Excellence in Elder Law, Stetson Law School; Patty Ducayet, Texas State Long-term Care Ombudsman and President, National Association of State Long-term Care Ombudsman Programs; Dr. Jack VanDerhei, Director, Employee Benefit Research Institute; and Vickie Elisa, Board President, Mothers’ Voices Georgia. The panelists noted the significance of both the Elder Justice Act and the recent federal rule regarding States’ Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs. Panelists also discussed the key factors for a secure retirement and the need to expand opportunities for Americans of all ages to invest in their futures.

In the afternoon, attendees participated in breakout sessions to discuss each of the four topic areas (healthy aging, long-term services and supports, elder justice, and retirement security,). Forum attendees brainstormed individually and as a group, providing their thoughts on the most important priorities, challenges, and possible solutions related to these issue areas. Kathy Greenlee, Assistant Secretary for Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services then moderated a discussion between representatives from each of the breakout sessions. The ideas that were discussed in the breakout groups were shared, and cross-cutting themes were identified. These discussions will help inform our work going forward.

The forum was also available by webcast, and communities were encouraged to host local viewing sessions, facilitate discussion, and submit feedback.

If you were not able to view the live webcast, a recording of the Tampa forum is available below: