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Nutrition & Aging in the New Year
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Happy New Year! Every year millions of Americans make New Year’s resolutions in regards to health and older adults are no exception. However, as we age our nutritional needs change. A goal that a thirty year old might set may not be reasonable for someone who is fifty years or older. This edition of Ripples focuses on directing readers to resources that can help older adults and those who care for them set attainable New Year’s Resolutions! The CDC’s Healthy New Year page is a great place to start!
In This Issue:
Upcoming Deadlines
Announcements
Research & News
Funding Opportunities
Resources
Policy
Upcoming Deadlines
AGHE Annual Meeting Early Bird Registration Ends January 26
Hartford SW Scholars Program Application Due: February 1, 2012
Careers in Aging Week award proposals due: February 15, 2012
CSWE APM Gero-Ed Track abstract deadline: February 27, 2012
The GSA Annual Meeting Abstract Submission Deadline: March 15, 2012
AGE-SW Pre-Dissertation Award applications due: May 1, 2012
Health & Aging Policy Fellows application due: May 15, 2012
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Announcements
Submit a CEU-eligible proposal to the 2012 APM Gero-Ed Track!
It’s time to submit your aging-related proposal to the CSWE 58th Annual Program Meeting, which will be held in Washington, DC from November 9–12, 2012. The Gero-Ed Track especially encourages abstract submission for CEU eligible sessions, which include curriculum and administrative workshops, panels, skills workshops, think tanks, faculty development institutes, and more. To have your proposal considered for the Gero-Ed Track, select the “Gero-Ed (Aging and Gerontology) Track” option. Submit your proposal through the Online Proposal Submission website. You can submit your proposal online until Monday, February 27 at 11:59 pm ET.
GSWI partners with AGHE & GSA for Careers in Aging Week awards
The Geriatric Social Work Initiative is pleased to announce that it will again partner with the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) & the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) in promoting Careers in Aging Week awards. Educational institutions are invited to apply for one of up to 20 $200 awards for their planned activities. To apply, download the pdf form. Applications are due by February 15, 2012. Winners will be notified via email on March 9, 2012. Click here to read about Schools of Social Work who received awards last year.
GSA Announces Social Gerontology Paper Award & Symposium
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) has announced that it will host a symposium and best paper competition in the area of Theoretical Developments in Social Gerontology. Original concept papers or letters of intent on social gerontology theory are due on March 15th. The award carries a $2,000 cash prize, in hopes of encouraging this important and promising theoretical work in Social Gerontology. The award will be presented to the author(s) of the winning paper at a special Social Gerontology, BSS/SRPP symposium at the Society’s Annual Scientific Meeting, Nov. 14-18, San Diego, CA. For more information about the application process, click here.
2012 Older Americans Month Theme
Older Americans Month is celebrated each May to honor and recognize older Americans for the contributions they make to our families, communities and society. To assist our National Aging Network and other groups plan for activities during the month of May or throughout the year, the Administration on Aging (AoA) issues a theme for Older Americans Month. This year's theme "Never Too Old to Play” encourages older Americans to stay engaged, active and involved in their own lives and in their communities. Additional information coming soon.
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Research & News
Some diets protect aging brains, others accelerate harm
Human brains tend to shrink and become less nimble in old age, but healthier eating may slow the process. A study of older adults in Oregon identified mixtures of nutrients that seem to protect the brain, and other food ingredients that may worsen brain shrinkage and cognitive decline. Read this article to get a better idea of which foods pose the biggest threat.
Aging Adults Prone to Dehydration
As their diets change, older adults become prone to dehydration. With symptoms such as dizziness, and an unsteady gait, preventing dehydration should be on the top of any older adult’s priority list in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. To understand how devastating dehydration can be as well as approaches to prevent it read on.
A Fat Hormone May Play a Role in Alzheimer’s Development
New research suggests a fat-derived hormone may be a risk factor for the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s in women. Adiponectin, a hormone that sensitizes the body to insulin and works to metabolize sugars and fats, was found to be elevated in women who developed dementia and Alzheimer’s, according to researchers at a nutrition research center on aging at Tufts University in Boston. To learn more about the study click here.
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Funding Opportunities
Health & Aging Policy Fellowship (Applications due May 15, 2012)
The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program is a unique opportunity for professionals in health and aging to receive the experience and skills necessary to make a positive contribution to the development and implementation of health policies that affect older Americans.
Gerontological Social Work Pre-Dissertation Initiative (Applications due May 1, 2012)
The Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGE-SW) has announced that they will again fund the Gerontological Social Work Pre-Dissertation Initiative for doctoral students. This is a wonderful opportunity for pre-dissertation students to receive valuable training in research methods, writing for publication, seeking dissertation funding and being socialized into the academic gerontological social work family. For more information about applications click here. If you have any questions about the program or application process, contact Dr. Carmen Morano at cmorano@hunter.cuny.edu.
The following opportunities are from the Department of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health:
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Resources
Small Steps to Health and Wealth
A new program provided by the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension, focuses on health and finance. The initiative titled Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ is designed to motivate consumers to implement behavior change strategies that simultaneously improve their health and personal finances. This is a wonderful resource for anyone who wishes to set, reach, and maintain their New Year’s resolutions.
USDA’s Older Adult General Nutrition Resource List
The USDA has compiled a comprehensive directory of resources for older adults, caretakers, and medical professionals to aid in selecting healthy food options. Click here to access the resource list.
Webinar: Military Personnel, Veterans, Suicide, and Intimate Partner Violence (January 25, 2012)
The Battered Women’s Justice Project (BWJP) is pleased to announce a Webinar on the intersection of suicide and intimate partner violence (IPV) in the military and veteran populations. In response to reports of increasing levels of suicide for military personnel and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the webinar will provide information about suicide involving military service members and veterans and explore the intersection between suicide and IPV. Presenters will provide valuable information that will expand participants’ understanding of the link between suicide and IPV and how this impacts military personnel, veterans, and their family members. For more information click here.
AARP Report on Dual Eligibility
In an effort to improve care and hopefully reduce costs, states and the federal government are seeking new ways to provide services to dual eligible—people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Missing from the discourse are the voices of dual eligibles themselves. Changes to the way their care is organized and delivered could have profound effects on their health, quality of life and satisfaction. The recent AARP report, Experienced Voices: What Kind of Care Works Best for Dual Eligibles?, is intended to complement state and federal efforts to develop innovative approaches to serving dual eligibles by offering consumer perspectives on what duals want from their models of care. To download a copy of the report, go to the AARP website.
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Policy
Senator Sanders to introduce Older Americans Act reauthorization
The Older Americans Act has required reauthorization since 2011, and Senator Sanders (I-VT) is working to make that happen. Thousands of older adults depend on the programs created by the Older Americans Acts and its reauthorization is a priority. Read on to learn more about the Senator’s efforts.
For Older Adults, Not having a Photo ID May Jeopardize Their Ability to Vote
Having a driver's license or photo identification card is commonplace for most Americans, but about 11 percent of adult citizens — more than 21 million people — lack a valid, government-issued photo ID. As ID-requirement laws continue to pass, voting rights advocates are nervous as to what that will mean for older adults. To hear personal stories and learn more about which states have these laws click here.
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Ripples, an e-newsletter, is designed to keep interested deans and directors, faculty members, students, practitioners and others informed about the work of the Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI). Please note that the information contained in Ripples comes from a variety of sources, including aging listservs, and social work and aging newsletters. In order to get this information to subscribers as quickly as possible, there is little to no additional verification of work or research of resources.
We welcome your feedback and encourage you to contribute any story ideas, stories, resources, news and other content to subsequent issues of the newsletter. To make a contribution, please contact us via email at gswi@geron.org.
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