Alabama Power supports conference on issues facing seniors
With support from Alabama Power, senior advocates from across the Southeast United States gathered recently in Alabama to discuss issues facing older citizens.
Stephanie Blunt, 2013 SE4A President addresses conference attendees
Nearly 500 aging-agency employees from the eight-state region participated in the 40th Annual Southeastern Association of Area Agencies on Aging (SE4A) Training Conference in Orange Beach. The professional development event was developed jointly by the Alabama Area Agencies on Aging and the Alabama Department of Senior Services. It offered a comprehensive program that bridged education, policy discussion and networking.
SE4A President Stephanie Blunt said, “The theme for this year’s conference, ‘fins to the left, fins to the right,’ could not be more appropriate, as it highlights the importance and the need for the aging network to be strategic and engaged in national policy discussions.
“Will you be the shark or will you be the bait? It is imperative,” Blunt continued, “that we better prepare ourselves to be stronger partners, as there are many changes arising in the senior and disability service delivery system.”
Information on a variety of relevant topics, from alleviating elder economic insecurity to music therapy to reducing depression in Alzheimer’s patients, was presented by national and regional experts. One workshop, “Keeping the Sharks at Bay to Protect Elders,” explained how to help seniors spot scams, while another session asked the question, “Is Your Community a Good Place to Grow Old?”
SE4A was formed in 1973 as a regional advocacy association primarily to encourage the development and enhancement of a coordinated and unified network on aging in the Southeast. It was the first regional area agency on aging in the country and served as the model for organizing the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
Employees from Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida participated in the recent conference sponsored by Alabama Power.
