Vital Aging 2020: Live.Learn.Connect

It is said, the best way to predict the future is to create it! What are YOU doing to ensure your life is filled with vitality, vigor and vision? This fall AARP Oregon hosted the 9th annual Vital Aging Conference presented by the AARP Southern Oregon Community Action team. The entire conference was offered virtually over a three-day period from Tuesday, November 10 through Thursday, November 12.
Most of the conference sessions were recorded and we are pleased to offer you video recordings and session slides decks where available for your convenience. Enjoy thought provoking and inspiring keynotes and panel discussion with thought leaders working to shape the future of aging.

CHECK OUT THE FULL AGENDA AND SPEAKERS : https://aarp.cvent.com/vitalaging2020 or DOWNLOAD agendaat a glance.

RECORDINGS OF CONFERENCE SESSIONS:

Tuesday, November 10

Design Your Life, Reimagine Our Future
The future of aging is YOU! Hear from powerful key speakers as they share their expertise, insights, and knowledge about designing our lives for the future we want. Learn how cognitive bias can impede your adaptability and how you can reframe your thinking to age well. Hear what the latest AARP research on life transitions tells us about what we can expect as we are. Get actionable tools and strategies to harness your creativity and live your best life.

• Ruby Haughton-Pitts, State Director, AARP Oregon
• Deborah Jordan, Senior Design Thinker, AARP Innovation Labs - DOWNLOAD slide deck
• Dr. Alison Bryant, Senior Vice President, AARP Research - DOWNLOAD slide deck
• Tim Carpenter, Founder & Executive Director, EngAGE - DOWNLOAD slide deck

Strategies for the Caregiver
How can you take the time to care for yourself when you are caring for somebody else? Vicki Schmall, aging and caregiving expert, talks with Yvonne Smith, social worker and family caregiver, and Heidi Gehman, Program Manager for Rogue Valley Council of Governments Senior and Disability Services, about how important it is for caregivers to keep up with their own needs even when caregiving. They also give you tips and answer questions about techniques and skills that caregivers can use to stay happy and healthy and resources that can help.

• Vicki Schmall, Executive Director, Aging Concerns
• Yvonne Smith, Professor, Clackamas Community College
• Heidi Gehman, Program Manager, Rogue Valley Council of Governments - DOWNLOAD slide deck

Connecting Virtually: Facebook, Zoom, Oh My!
Connecting virtually has never been more important. Learn how to use, navigate and be safe while using some of the most common virtual platforms, including Facebook and Zoom.

• Roger Tobin, AARP Technology Team Volunteer - DOWNLOAD slide deck

Wednesday, November 11

Technology Innovations in Our Homes and Communities
How will today’s technology advances change the future of aging at home and in our community. Join us for our second day general session and hear from national thought leaders on topics including autonomous vehicles, smart cities, smart home technologies from apps to robots.

• Nico Larco, AIA, Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, University of Oregon - DOWNLOAD slide deck
• Wendy A. Rogers, Ph.D., Khan Professor of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - DOWNLOAD slide deck
• Tom Kamber, Founder and Executive Director, Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) - DOWNLOAD slide deck
• Liz James, Livable Communities Volunteer Leader, AARP Oregon
• Travis Kadylak, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate, Human Factors & Aging Laboratory, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A Fireside Chat with Dr. Jeffrey Kaye: Pandemics, Alzheimer’s, and What?

• Dr. Jeffrey Kaye, Professor of Neurology & Director of ORCATECH and Layton Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Center, OHSU School of Medicine

VIDEO TO BE UPLOADED


Safe Driver Program: A Sneak Peak
Learn about the Smart Driver program in SW Oregon, its goals and what it can do for you! This is not the class but a general review of what classes are available and how they can help your driving skills.

• Steve Haydon, AARP Oregon Volunteer Leader
• Jim Nagle, AARP Driver Safety Volunteer

VIDEO TO BE UPLOADED

Thursday, November 12

Rebuilding for an Age-Friendly Future

Watch the recording from our Facebook LIVE event as we explore issues and impact of wildfires that wreaked havoc this September in the Rogue Valley. Hear from key leaders on current response and recovery efforts and learn about the future plans and considerations for long term recovery that is equitable and age-friendly. Watch the video from the session: https://fb.watch/1RsaVjGpMX/

• Rep. Pam Marsh, State Representative, District 5
• Dee Anne Everson, CEO, United Way of Jackson County
• Danielle Arigoni, Director, Livable Communities, AARP
• Bandana Shrestha, Engagement Director, AARP Oregon

Livability following a Disaster
Join this interactive session to learn about services and supports available and information pertinent to livability following the Almeda wildfire in the Rogue Valley.

• Haley Cox, Planner, City of Medford
• John Vial, Jackson County Emergency Operations Center
• Brandon Thoms, Program Director, Rogue Valley Habitat for Humanity

VIDEO TO BE UPLOADED



Surviving and Thriving During the Holidays
At any time of year, but especially between Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day, holidays give people a chance to take a break from their ordinary activities and to refocus on their values and relationships. But holidays can also be problematic times that create loneliness, anxiety, and stress. This timely presentation offers helpful tips for anticipating, celebrating, and reflecting on the holidays. It provides strategies for remaining centered; taking maximum advantage of this special time to be with loved ones; honoring spiritual, cultural, and family traditions; and inventing new ones that carry celebrations into the future.

• Jeanette Leardi, MA

Download slide deck