Local Healthy Aging
Summits for Minorities Win National Award
Spectrum staff
A series of "healthy aging summits" for Sacramento's ethnic minority
groups has won a national award from the American Society on Aging.
The society recognized the summits for the black, Asian and Hispanic communities
coordinated by the Healthy Aging Coalition of Northern California.
The summits provide free health screening, referral for care and "culturally
specific health information" to seniors.
"The Healthy Aging Coalition of Northern California is thrilled about this
award," said Leslie Sandberg, chair of the coalition and chief administrative
officer of the UC Davis Center for Healthy Aging.
"We are pleased with the success of the multi-cultural healthy aging summits,
and we look forward to reaching out to many more diverse communities -- from
Arabic to Ukrainian -- next year," Sandberg said.
Members of the Healthy Aging Coalition of Northern California include the four
local health systems -- Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, Catholic Healthcare
West and the UC Davis Health System -- along with the California Department
of Aging, AARP, Hadassah, California State University at Sacramento and other
government and non-profit entities.
Martha Geraty, co-chair of the multi-ethnic summits and outreach coordinator
at the Center of Healthy Aging, said, "The ethnic elderly population experiences
many barriers in accessing health care, such as language, custom and economics.
By working with a group of interested, involved people from each community,
we've been able to offer vital services to a population in need and improve
health."
Sandberg will accept the award on behalf of the Healthy Aging Coalition of Northern
California and will present a workshop on the structure and design of the healthy
aging summits at a national meeting of the American Society on Aging in March.
Other winners of the American Society on Aging 2003 Healthcare and Aging Awards
are the Ethnic Meal Programs for Isolated Ethnic Minority Elders in the Suburbs,
HESSCO Elder Services, Sharon, Mass.; StrokeSense; VHA Inc., Irving, Texas;
Network of Care for Seniors and People with Disabilities, Trilogy Integrated
Resources LLC, San Rafael, Calif.; SHARE Elder Support Groups, Asian Human Services
Inc., Chicago, Ill.; and the Feeling Fit Club, Aging & Independence Services,
Health and Human Services Agency, County of San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Sacramento's next aging summit is scheduled for Oct. 18 at Cal Expo. Sandberg
said all members of the community are encouraged to attend, especially young
people.
"Since aging is lifelong, Healthy Aging Summit 2003 will engage people
of all cultures to celebrate the inter-generational and inter-cultural aspects
of aging," Sandberg said.
HOME
This page and its contents ©2003 Metropolitan News
Company, Inc.
