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Seniors Dissatisfied With White House Conference on Aging Report
By
Michael A. Piekarz
Staff Writer
The
most recent Public Policy
and Aging Report issued
by the National Academy
on an Aging Society is
highly critical of the
latest White House Conference
on Aging (WHCA) due to
the Bush administration’s “dismissive
manner.”
The report was particularly critical of the President’s failure to personally
address the conference and the conference agenda which placed a strong emphasis
on private sector rather than governmental solutions.
White House Conferences on Aging are decennial events held to develop recommendations
for the President and Congress on issues, policy and research in the field of
aging. Many consider them to be a “benchmark of the times” reflecting
the federal government’s attitude on important social policy issues affecting
America’s seniors.
The agenda for each conference is set by the White House, but delegates are free
to raise their own concerns. At the end of the conference, resolutions are issued
to provide guidance to government on senior issues over the next ten years.
The agenda was characterized by report editor Robert B. Hudson as a message “that
the federal government can not and should not be expected to play a central role
in addressing the needs and desires of an aging population.”
Nevertheless, the conference delegates succeeded in proposing resolutions on
areas of concern including technology, social security, Medicare, mental health,
housing, end of life decisions, continued learning and continuing societal contribution.
Unlike previous WHCA events, the President and other cabinet officials did not
attend.
When assessing technology, the delegates found that while it was often available
to seniors and their families, it often went unused. The underlying problem was
determined to be that technology was applied in a piecemeal fashion directed
towards issues of health, safety, connectivity (the ability to remain in contact
with society), contributions and leaving a legacy for the future.
The report suggests that delegates want an integrated approach using technology
to improve quality of life rather than merely to increase longevity.
Social Security and Medicare were areas of contention between the White House
and delegates. Michael Leavett, Secretary of Health and Human Services, was one
of the few cabinet level officials to attend.
Robert Binstock, Professor of Aging, Health and Society at Case Western Reserve
University felt that Leavett “consistently and constantly demeaned older
persons.” Despite the animosity between the Administration and the delegates,
there were some successes in formulating future policy issues. Analysts concluded
that the delegates at the conference were committed to restructuring Medicare,
particularly Plan D, and to making Social Security sustainable over the long
term.
Civic engagement was also a major conference topic, and two civic engagement
resolutions were passed by the delegates. The first of these emphasizes development
of a national strategy for promoting new and meaningful volunteer activities
for civic engagement for current and future seniors.
The second recommends reauthorization of the national and community service act
to expand opportunities for volunteer and civic activities. Nancy Morton-Howell,
Professor of Social Work at George Washington University noted that similar resolutions
had been passed before and questioned the commitment to moving forward on the
part of the government in response to the resolutions.
Mental health and aging issues were vigorously advocated by delegates to the
conference. Emphasis was the linking of both mental and physical well being in
the overall concept of senior health.
Various resolutions regarding education, research and service were specifically
targeted to ensure that mental health issues were included in the proposed impact
area of those services.
In an ironic twist, at the same time the delegates were proposing a resolution
emphasizing the improvement of geriatric health, the United States Congress voted
to eliminate $31.5 million in funding for the training of geriatric health care
professionals.
The delegates had mixed success addressing housing issues. Three key housing
resolutions were included in the final 50 chosen, but none were included in the
top ten which are given the greatest governmental attention.
The delegates were at odds with the government’s agenda of seeking private
sector solutions such as reverse mortgages and universal design. It was considered
pertinent that the Secretary of Housing and Urban development failed to attend
the conference at a time when many federal housing programs are in danger of
being trimmed as part of the federal budget.
Report projections for the next conference looked forward to 2015 using a retroactive
analysis to plot the course of important issues. Harry Moody, Director of Academic
Affairs for AARP, projects changes in three significant areas of concern to older
Americans.
(1) End of life choices will become less legalistic and will emphasize mediation,
consultation and ethics rather than resorting to court determination of patient
and familial rights.
(2). Education will have a more recognized role due to an increased emphasis
on lifelong learning. While some of this will be done out of necessity by the
private sector, government will have to provide input as well.
(3). Moody anticipates the creation of a “Wisdom Corps” similar in
impact to the Peace Corps. The Wisdom Corps will focus on harnessing the talents
of retired people to provide guidance in the 21st century.
The final report from the conference will be released to the White House and
Congress in June of 2006. Further information on the specific resolutions can
be obtained by writing the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence
Ave, SW, Washington, DC 20201 or by visiting their website at www.hhs.gov.
This page and its contents ©2006
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
