Center for Elders’ Independence and On Lok Lifeways hold forum to help strengthen the safety net for Bay Area seniors

Oakland, CA (October 27, 2009) – A Senior Healthcare Policy Forum will be held Friday, November 20th, 2009 from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in Oakland to pose and discuss the questions: How can we strengthen the safety net for Bay Area seniors? What will this safety net look like in 2014, when it is estimated the Medicare system may be insolvent?

Hosted by the Bay Area’s two PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) providers, Center for Elders’ Independence (CEI) and On Lok Lifeways, the forum is being held to identify and develop a body of fundamental tenets to bring about a better world for today’s and tomorrow’s seniors. Hundreds of the Bay Area’s top senior advocates, care providers and national, regional and local policy makers will voice concerns, exchange ideas and insights, illuminate trends, and devise strategies and action plans to address the changing landscape of home and community-based care for frail seniors.

The program opens with a 9 a.m. plenary session in the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland , featuring federal and state elected officials including State Senator Loni Hancock, State Assembly member Mary Hayashi and Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, to set the stage for what is happening in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.  Wendy Peterson of Alameda County Senior Services Coalition, CEI’s CEO Peter Szutu and On Lok Lifeways CEO Robert Edmondson will address the current policy environment and how senior advocates, care providers and other concerned citizens can open doors for coordinated senior healthcare advocacy.

Starting at noon, the afternoon program offers a selection of four workshops, each with a specific focus:

• Dementia and Alzheimer’s: planning for the growing need for care

• Ongoing Care for Seniors: bridging silos in the continuum of care

• State and Federal Policy Changes: how they affect Bay Area seniors

• Aging-in-Place: promoting through housing and service options  

Other featured experts at the forum include Ruth Gray of the Alzheimer’s Association, Micheal Pope of Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay, David Sayen of CMS (Medicare/Medicaid), Carol Swartzlander of California Community Choices, Tom Rundall of U.C. Berkeley, Elaine Walsh of Every Generation, Bill Satariano of U.C. Berkeley and Patricia Osage of Satellite Housing. 

“Take the current economic climate, combine it with our nation’s health care crossroads and the burgeoning senior population – you have a full-blown crisis on your hands,” says Peter Szutu, CEO of CEI. “It is our hope that we can join forces as a united community to strengthen the safety net for Bay Area seniors.”

On Lok Lifeways CEO Robert Edmondson concurs: “This forum, which brings together leaders and advocates from the many facets of elder care, is a great place to start building ideas and strategies to that aim.”

The Cathedral of Christ the Light and adjoining conference center are located at 2121 Harrison St. in Oakland; registration for the forum begins at 8:30 a.m., with the program continuing until 3:30 p.m. To register, go to http://weblink.donorperfect.com/cei_registration. For more information, call Earp Events & Fundraising at 510-839-3100.