Annual Environments for Aging Conference meets in New Orleans
APRIL 6 – 9, 2013 | The Roosevelt Waldorf Astoria Hotel
The annual Environments for Aging Conference meets in New Orleans, April 6-9, 2013. The three-day event offers the latest strategies and ideas for creating attractive and functional living environments that meet the needs of our aging population. Register now in order to receive early bird discounts.
Professionals attending — architects, design professionals, government officials and aging experts – will come together to share common goals in the areas of building, architecture and design. The conference offers networking opportunities with peers and myriad workshops in the latest innovations and best practices in the design of long-term and residential care settings.
On Day 1 of the conference, attendees will hear from keynote speaker Margarent Wylde. Wylde is the President and CEO of ProMatura Group, LLC, and a 25-researcher of consumers age 50 and older. Wylde’s knowledge of the age-qualified housing industry is widely recognized as being among the industry’s best.
On Day 2, the keynote address, Postive Aging Environments—The Community Response, is presented by a dynamic panel: Dodd Kattman, Partner, Morrison Kattman Menze, Inc., Architecture; Thomas M. Esselman, President and CEO, Institute for the Ages; and D. Scott Crabtree, President and CEO, Broadway Services, Inc., Lambeth House. Members of the dynamic panel will share real stories of how communities successfully provided services, support and housing lifestyles for their aging citizens. Attendees will hear about the rebuild of a community following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, a visionary and strategic regional approach in Florida, and case studies from across the U.S.
Conference organizers have put together workshops under six tracks: Advancements Across the Continuum of Care; Emerging Trends Leading Change; Innovations in Technology and Design; Successful Remodeling and Repositioning; Future-focused Household Models; and Improving Care for Those with Dementia.
The following is a sampling of the sessions. See the program on the EFA website for the full list, including Facility Tours:
Hospice—The Missing Link in the Continuum of Care
The hospice business model is highly regulated and hospices that chose to provide inpatient care often build freestanding facilities where patients and families have to contend with unfamiliar location and environment. One organization is changing that. The Community Hospice of Northeast Florida successfully developed the Bailey Center for Caring at Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine, Florida. Built as an identifiable addition to a hospital, patients and families are provided a seamless continuum of care, in an environment designed to enhance the human end-of-life experience.
New Opportunities in Design for Aging—Are You Tooled Up?
The design for an aging marketplace is an area poised for growth. Does your design team have the tools necessary to respond to economic realities, global trends, and new questions about aging in place? These presenters will outline current questions and the types of information required to expedite your efforts, from proposal to project results. Highlights will include new and repositioned spaces, energizing environments, layouts that evoke physical competence, and features that tweak senses and coax mental competencies.
Independent Living—Bricks, Mortar, and a Whole Lot More!
In developing and operating independent living facilities, bricks and mortar are important, but long-term vision, compassionate management, and a healthy dose of technology are key. This presentation will describe the joint efforts of an architect and client to renovate 400 existing independent living units and a new 92-unit residential tower that support frail, elderly aging-in-place residents. Attendees will explore green technologies as well as how to develop and promote wellness programs and provide the right spaces to support resident needs.
The spring conference promises to inspire like-minded individuals who are instrumental in the creation of environments for the aging. (Attendees are able to earn up to 20 CEU credits.) For general information about registration and fees, visit the conference site. To learn more about the sessions on all three days, check out the conference the agenda at a glance. Details about exhibitors are also found on the conference site.