2015 White House Conference on Aging

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Nora Super and others at Listening Sessions 2014

13. January 2015 16:08
by Cecilia Muñoz
12 Comments

Regional Forums to Provide Input and Ideas for 2015 White House Conference on Aging

13. January 2015 16:08 by Cecilia Muñoz | 12 Comments

Today, I am delighted to announce the launch of a series of regional forums to engage older Americans, their families, caregivers, advocates, community leaders, and experts on aging on the key issues affecting older Americans. These forums are designed to help provide input and ideas for the upcoming 2015 White House Conference on Aging.

Over the past several months, we have been preparing for the 2015 White House Conference on Aging along with the Conference’s Executive Director, Nora Super, by establishing a Conference website, and participating in a number of listening sessions and meetings across the country.

This will include regional forums, the first of which will be in Tampa, FL on February 19th. Subsequent forums will be held in Phoenix, AZ on March 31st; Seattle, WA on April 2nd; Cleveland, OH on April 27th; and Boston, MA on May 28th.

Each will allow us to hear directly from the public on issues such as ensuring retirement security, promoting healthy aging, providing long-term services and support, and protecting older Americans from financial exploitation, abuse, and neglect.  They will also help us to reach older Americans and their caregivers, advocates and others stakeholders where they live.

The regional forums are co-sponsored by AARP and 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.  While participation is by invitation, all of the events will be live webcast to engage as many people as possible. 

This Administration is committed to aging issues, and the 2015 White House Conference on Aging is an opportunity to look ahead to the issues that will help shape the landscape for older Americans for the next decade. We are dedicated to promoting policies that benefit elderly – and ultimately all – Americans.  

As we prepare for the 2015 White House Conference, we want your voice to be part of the conversation. Go to http://www.whcoagov/ to learn more about the Conference, to sign-up for updates on its events and activities, and to tell us your thoughts and stories. 

Thank you for your interest in commenting on this blog. At this time, we are no longer accepting comments. If you are still interested in sharing thoughts, please e-mail them to info@whaging.gov.  


Comments (12) -

Beverly Morneault

1/13/2015 8:51:06 PM

SOCIAL SECURITY

TOTAL AMOUNT  TO BE DIVIDED EQUALLY.  NO EXTRA BURDEN ON THE SYSTEM

Social Security Rules regarding men and women:   "at your full retirement age, your benefit as a spouse can be equal to one-half of your spouse’s full retirement amount."  (Social Security Website)

   When we retire, men receive a certain amount and their spouses receive half of that, or her own benefit amount, whichever is larger.   Why?  When we divorce, the assets are divided equally (hopefully).  When we retire, the benefit is not split equally.  Why is that?

My husband and I had two businesses, two children and a house.  He managed the two businesses and I helped and then I took over one of the businesses and helped with the other; I cleaned the house and we shared the cooking; I was the main caretaker of the children and he helped.  Every year (we were together for thirty years) he travelled to India for a month to visit family and do some business.  This was difficult for me, especially when the children, and the business, were young, and both needed tending.  The case I am making is that I contributed equally in this relationship.  

There is almost $3000 per month from Social Security as a total to my ex-husband and me.  I am not asking that my amount be equal to the amount that he is currently receiving because that increase would be a burden on the system.  I am asking that the total amount of benefits currently being received be divided equally, without one third going to one person and two thirds going to the other.

J.Dwight Cartner

1/14/2015 11:10:47 AM

I wanted to ask why The Piedmont Triad Regional Council Area Agency On Aging was left out of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging?

We appreciate all you do for The Seniors.

Sincerely

J. Dwight Cartner

Marsha Goodman

1/14/2015 1:55:26 PM

I am an Elder Law Attorney in Phoenix, AZ, and am actively involved with our Area Agency on Aging. I would love to learn how I might be invited to the regional conference that will be held in Phoenix on 3/31.

WHCOA Staff

2/25/2015 5:07:54 PM

Thank you for your interest. For more information about how to get involved with the 2015 White House Conference on Aging, please click here: whcoagov/.../register.aspx.

Tonnalee M. Batchelor, President

1/14/2015 2:31:57 PM

I co-host a weekly radio program on WECK 102.9 FM &1230 AM on Saturdays at 10:00 AM in Buffalo, NY were we have among the largest seasoned citizens population in the country.

The seasoned citizen( AKA ) senior citizens believed in the American dream and worked hard paid taxes and believed they would pass it on to their children, only to lose it to the theft in the night called Mr. Spend Down that would qualify them for medicaid. This reminds me of a quote from the Langston Hughes, " What Happens to a Dream Deferred. "  

John Moore

1/27/2015 4:53:19 PM

It is difficult for me to believe that many Americans worked hard and paid taxes mainly to pass money or/and property along to my children. What I worked hard and saved money for was so that I and my family could enjoy a good life. What I wanted -- and still want -- for my children and grandchildren is that they have the ability to do the same. I've no desire to pass along an estate of any great monetary value. At age 82, what I hope I've been able to pass along to them are knowledge, values and other intangibles that will enable them to live successful and happy lives of their choice.  

Dr. Althea Taylor-Jones

1/14/2015 2:45:49 PM

I am a retired Professor of Gerontology, actively engaged as an advocate for seniors on the local, state and national levels. North Carolina is one of the many states with rapidly increasing in-migration of seniors. Additionally, the majority of our 100 counties now have more persons age 65 and older than 17 and younger. Therefore, a large number of seniors are retiring in their home state.These are very valid reasons to engage aging services agencies in North Carolina in the 2015 White House Conference on Aging. More specifically, the Piedmont Triad Council Area Agency on Aging.

Ann Conway PhD

1/15/2015 8:46:38 AM

Thank you for holding these.  I am a sociologist, writer and public health professional; I have also lived with hearing loss for 25 years. Please, please pay attention to this important and ignored issue--almost totally absent in public health, health care and aging policy. Only when the feds make it legitimate will it be present in funding and policy efforts. Sensory impairment is a health literacy issue and it is just as important as fall prevention and chronic disease management.  Yet I have never heard it discussed as a quality concern (if older people don't comprehend instructions this has consequences, as does the lack of screening).

There is virtually zero provider education out there--I've never had any. Because of the terrible morbidities associated w/ untreated hearing loss, this is a serious issue—as is the lack of consumer knowledge of the expanding and cheaper assistive technologies now available. We need a policy alliance of the disability, aging, health care and PH communities (which have different cultures/funding streams and do not talk to each other) to address it.  Also technology developers need to talk to consumers, which would benefit both sectors.

I would love to go to the Boston session. But I also hope you'd have some sub forums in more rural settings.  As you know, places like Maine, where I live, skew much older and Maine elders would have a lot to tell you!  Thank you for reading.

June Ingram

1/16/2015 2:43:10 PM

I am writing from a small town of 2500 people in Alaska.  Air is the only way out of our community.  We are 395 air miles from the nearest city of Anchorage, Alaska.  Alaska is made up of hundreds of small villages...ranging in population from 30 to 5000, this is not including Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks...the main "cities" in Alaska.
My comment is, the way the world is going, more grandparents are having to take  responsibility of raising grand-children.  My husband and I are one of those grandparents.
I strongly believe Federal and State laws need to change to protect the aging grandparents as the grandchildren grow older into teens.
In these times, teens are rebelling more than I have ever seen in my life.  I have raised 2 generations of children for 43 years.  We have raised all our children with the goal of instilling morals, respect and caring for themselves and others.  My grandson is 16 years old.  The change began to occur when he started 9th grade.  The federal laws which are over protecting children in private homes and in the school is a contributing factor to this generation of children thinking themselves "untouchable" by society.  We, the people, have cut our own grown up throats by giving the power to kids!  If we threaten to discipline a child these days...we are told by the child it is child abuse.  What have we created?  Lord help our country.

John Terry

1/20/2015 8:23:56 AM

I live in Las Vegas and would like to go to the Phoenix conference but don't see any infomation on where it is.  Dose anyone look at these comments? There's ads for products and nothing to do with seniors.

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1/28/2015 6:42:12 PM

I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for magnificent info I was looking for this info for my mission.

Jennie O'Leary

2/5/2015 11:38:07 AM

I work in a library that serves mainly senior citizens. I would like more information on the Regional Forum that will be held in Phoenix, Arizona on March 31.  Where is it going to be held?  How do you sign up to attend?  Is there a cost to attend?

I'd like to post information on the forum in our library so that our patrons can see it and decide if they want to attend.

Comments are closed