Age Friendly Communities as Platforms for Equity, Health & Wellness

September 22-23, 2022

Mission

The Age-Friendly Communities Symposium brought together individuals from the Intermountain West to identify innovations and opportunities that will transform how neighborhoods, campuses, and health environments foster the independence, productivity, and wellbeing of older adults.


Symposium Recap


Thank you for joining us for the Age-Friendly Communities Symposium. Below are the recordings, and graphic recordings (done by Alece Birnbach), of each day and their segments. 

Day 1 Opening Remarks
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These key ideas were presented by Dr. Michael Good, CEO University of Utah Health, in Opening Remarks on Thursday, 22 September.
AFCS Day 1

View Dr. Good's Opening Remarks:

Age Friendly Ecosystems
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These key ideas were presented by Dr. Terry Fulmer, President of the John A. Hartford Foundation, in the Keynote on Thursday, 22 September.AFCS Terry

View Dr. Fulmer's Presentation: 

Reflections
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Discussion question “What Age-Friendly Issues Face your Community?” on Thursday, 22 September.
AFCS Reflections


Day 2 Opening Remarks
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These key ideas were presented by Dr. Keith Diaz Moore, Dean, College of Architecure & Planning at the University of Utah, in Opening Remarks on Friday, 23 September.
AFCS Keith Diaz

View Dr. Keith Diaz Moore's Opening Remarks: 

Age Friendly Neighborhoods
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These key ideas were presented by Mike Watson, Director of AARP Livable Communities, in panel presentations on Friday, 23 September. Regional experts on the panel include Rob Ence, Executive Director of the Utah Commission on Aging, and D . Keith Diaz Moore, Dean, College of Architecture & Planning at the University of Utah.
AFCS Neighborhoods

View the Age Friendly Neighborhoods Presentation:

Age Friendly Campuses
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These key ideas were presented by Dr. Joann Montepare, Professor at Lasell University, in  panel presentations on Friday, 23 September. Regional experts on the panel include Dr. Beth Fauth, Professor at Utah State University, and Dr. Katarina Felsted, Professor at the University of Utah.
AFCS Campuses

View the Age Friendly Campuses Presentation: 

Age Friendly Health
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These key ideas were presented by Patricia D’Antonio, Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs at the Gerontological Society of America, in Opening Remarks on Friday, 23 September. Regional experts on the panel include Dr. Tim Farrell, University of Utah, and Nels Holmgren, Division Director of Utah Adult & Aging Services.
AFCS Health

View the Age Friendly Health Presentation: 

World Café
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These key ideas were presented by symposium participants at the World Cafe, hosted by Dr. Sarah Canham, Associate Professor in the College of Social Work and the College of Architecture & Planning, on Friday, 23 September.
AFCS Cafe Closing



Student "Koi Pond" Competition

The “Koi Pond” Age-Friendly Communities Student Competition was hosted by the Age-Friendly Communities Symposium. The goal of the Koi Pond student competition  was for teams of 2-4 students to come up with an innovative idea or solution to a current aging issue that exists within their communities, neighborhoods, campuses, health care,and/or environments. Teams were asked to create and submit a 3-5 minute video to pitch to an idea or solution. Here are the submissions:
Overall Award & Innovation Award
"Grand House" by Katelyn Sears, Emily Walker, Cecily Bushman, Zack Jordan from BYU College of Nursing
Feasibility Award
"PuzzleFix" by Mckinlie Jones, Jeana Simpson, Aubrey Smedley from BYU College of Nursing

Potential for Impact Award
"VolunCHEERS" by Ella Davis, Maison Williams from the University of Utah Multi-Disciplinary Design
Honorable Mentions: 
"FriendlyDoc" by Mae Betteridge, Maddie Reese Isabelle Housley from BYU

"Aggies" by Emerald Spencer, Adam Smith from Utah State University Business Management

"Care Channel" by Morgan Moulton, Janae Schmidt, Sara Prescott, Allyson Cook from BYU College of Nursing

"Comfort Souls" by Maddy Haggard, Madalynn Taylor, Megan Richards, Tali Gardner from BYU College of Nursing

"GenConnect" by Otavio Tobias, Leticia Tobias from BYU College of Nursing and UVU Commercial Music 

"Super Stickers" by Brooke Perkins, Emily Lewis, Kennedy Powers from BYU College of Nursing

"Close the Digital Divide" by students from the University of Utah and Missouri State University 

"Unsafe Bus Stop on University of Utah Campus" by Dylan Keyte, Kate Anderson from the University of Utah 

"Isolation in Older Adults and Communication through Technology" by Kennedy and Tainui from the University of Utah College of Business

"Walking through Generations" by Gabrielle Gordon, Savannah Cripps, Calvin Reed, Jess Barney from BYU College of Nursing

Speakers

  • Keynote address – The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Terry Fulmer, a nationally and international recognized leading expert in the field of aging. Dr. Fulmer is President of The John A. Hartford Foundation in New York City, a national philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults.
Creating an Age-Friendly Environment

Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, is President of The John A. Hartford Foundation 
Terry Fulmerin New York City, a national philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults. S h e serves as the chief strategist for the Foundati on and her vision for better care of older adults is cat alyzing the Age-Friendly Health Systems social movement. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and recently served on the independent Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes. She previously served as Dean of Health Sciences at Northeastern University and Founding Dean of the New York University College of Nursing. Dr. Fulmer is nationally and internationally recognized as a leading expert in geriatrics and is also known for conceptualization and development of the national NICHE program and research on the topic of elder abuse and neglect. She is the first nurse to have served on the board of the American Geriatrics Society. She is also the first nurse to have served as President of the Gerontological Society of America, which awarded her the 2019 Donald P. Kent Award for exemplifying the highest standards for professional leadership in the field of aging.  
  • Panel discussions – National renown experts will define core issues and opportunities facing age-friendly neighborhoods, campuses, and health environments with an emphasis on factors that are unique to promoting age inclusivity in the Intermountain West. Panel discussions will emphasize how concepts and initiatives have been applied in communities, and lessons learned from these experiences.

  • headshot dantonio Patricia M. D’Antonio
    BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP

    Gerontological Society of America


    MW close up

    Mike Watson
    MPP, Director

    Livable Communities, AARP



    Joann M. Montepare Joann M. Montepare
    PhD

    RoseMary B. Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies at Lasell University

Outcomes

The symposium will produce new knowledge to understanding how age friendly neighborhoods, campuses and health environments serve as critical platforms for equity, health and wellness—particularly in response to the complex set of challenges facing the Intermountain West.  A primary goal is to translate interdisciplinary research and knowledge into actionable, accessible resources for academic researchers, aging and health providers, community planners, policy makers, educators, and students. The symposium will produce the following resources:

  • Chapter book – A collection of thought leadership and new insights into age friendly communities will be organized around themes of neighborhoods, campuses and health environments in a publication that serves as a resource for education, policy making, and social impact. Chapters written by speakers and panelists of the symposium focus on initiatives and research at a national and regional level that contribute significantly to transforming the design, impact, and reach of age friendly environments.
  • Collaboration spark book – Interdisciplinary dialogue facilitated in the World Café provides a forum for participants to engage in conversations with content experts and learn from each other. The purpose of sharing ideas and reflections is to deepen an understanding of issues related to age friendly communities, to connect people, and to open up new avenues for collaborative engagement. Visual notes from the World Cafes will be compiled with a directory of participants, and serve as a resource for expanding awareness and action that translates between education, policy, planning, research, and social impact in the Intermountain West.
  • Video gallery – A virtual gallery that features concepts generated by interdisciplinary teams of undergraduate and graduate students in the ideas competition will serve as an open source asset for community service providers, planners, advocates, educators, and stakeholders. Video presentations and graphics created by students will be organized around the themes of neighborhoods, campuses and health environments. This builds visibility for emerging voices and a platform that furthers interdisciplinary exchange of ideas in the field of aging.

About Us

Meet our Symposium Co-Leads:

Meet our Advisory Board Members:    

Contact

For more information, please contact the symposium chairs Linda Edelman ( linda.edelman@nurs.utah.edu ) or Valerie Greer ( valerie.greer@utah.edu ).