People today are living longer than at any time in human history. By 2050 one out of every four people in the United States will be 65 or older. Although significant differences in life expectancy at birth and at 65 based on race, income, ethnicity and more persist, in general all groups have benefitted from better nutrition, medical care, and a generally improved quality of life. Longer lives clearly represent progress, but combined with declining fertility and shrinking family size, an aging population will fundamentally affect all social institutions, including the family. This new reality of a radically changing population profile poses serious financial and practical problems for families and government at all levels.

Perhaps the most important implication of this new demographic and social reality stems from the ways in which it could affect relations among generations. By 2030, older Texans are expected to outnumber children. As a consequence, the needs of aging adults will place new demands on family time and budgets during their empty nest years. Whereas during the baby boom our social agenda was defined largely by need to build elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as to provide opportunities for higher education, increasingly the need for health and long-term care as well as the financial support of older persons will take center stage.

The L&L Symposium on Changing Needs for an Aging Metropolis Conference speakers will address the following topics:

Intergenerational Community Building Strategies
Awareness of Services by Older Adults
Challenges of Affordability, Mobility, and Health
Access to Community Resources

Keynote Luncheon | Aging in Place: Policy to Support Caregivers

Toni Miles Headshot

Toni P. Miles, MD, PhD is the Pope Eminent Scholar at the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers and a physician and epidemiologist by training. Her expertise has been recognized with Fellow status in both the Gerontological Society of America and the American Association of Public Health. Since 2010, she has focused on the health effects of bereavement. In 2020, she completed the first ever state-wide survey of new bereavement in Georgia, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Retirement Research Foundation. Based on these data, Georgia is now poised to lead the nation in policies to reduce the negative impacts of grief and loss.

In addition to her recent work in bereavement, Dr. Miles has authored more than 200 publications.

Agenda:

12:00 pm: Introductions
12:30 pm: Keynote Luncheon - Dr. Toni P. Miles, Rosalynn Carter Institute Pope Eminent Scholar
2:00 pm: Brief Remarks
2:15 pm: Graduate Student Briefing
3:00 pm: Panel Discussion - Challenges of Affordability, Mobility, Health, and Access to Community Resources
4:00 pm: Interactive Polling
4:30 pm: Ending Remarks
4:45 pm: Special Recognitions, Raffle and Wrap-up