Kendal to Host Intergenerational Webcast May 28

Old and Young in 5 Cities to discuss White House Conference on Aging Key Issues

On May 28, Kendal is partnering with its local PBS-TV station to webcast live, intergenerational discussions about the four themes of the upcoming White House Conference on Aging: retirement security, healthy aging, long-term services and supports, and elder justice. In addition to WHYY, the 2015 White House Conference on Aging and Next Avenue are jointly sponsoring the event with Kendal.

These “Deepening the Conversation on Aging” discussions will take place in Kendal retirement communities located near Cleveland (Kendal at Oberlin), Columbus (Kendal at Granville), New York City (Kendal on Hudson), and Washington, D.C. (Collington), and will be hosted and networked online from WHYY-TV’s studios in Philadelphia.

Locally, the intergenerational conversation on aging is held at Kendal at Oberlin, where the theme Healthy Aging will be discussed among Kendal residents, Oberlin High School students and students from Oberlin College and Lorain County Community College. The live discussion will take place in the Heiser Auditorium, while the new Education Center will become the “social media center,” with residents and students tweeting commentary throughout the web cast. Kendal at Oberlin resident Larry Dunn will help fellow residents learn how to tweet for this event if Twitter is a new experience for them. To participate via Twitter, #agingsummit.

Beyond the individual community events, anyone interested in the discussions will be able to see and hear the conversations in real time online and will be invited to share their opinions and submit questions via social media sites set up especially for the occasion.  Participation in this event is free-of-charge, but registration is required to reserve a virtual seat. Join the conversation online by registering at 2015.intergenerationalsummitonaging.org.

“This bringing together of the generations is a singular initiative that we believe will provide compelling insights, and become a unique part of the emerging narrative and findings of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging,” says John Diffey, Kendal President and CEO. . “Our goal for these conversations is to deepen the level of conversation around issues of aging related to leaving a legacy and finding meaning in the later years. Today’s elders can see this through their own experiences, while the young can understand this, vicariously, through their parents and grandparents.”

Groups of young and older adults simultaneously will discuss and share their opinions online about the four main themes identified by The White House Conference on Aging, slated for July:

  • Retirement security—Most older adults plan to work longer before retiring, and many will work part-time in retirement. What obstacles do older adults face in the workplace? How can we support encore career options?
  • Healthy aging — As medical advances progress, opportunities increase for older Americans to maintain their health and vitality. Can intergenerational efforts enhance the lives of all age groups while improving end-of-life and dementia care for older adults?
  • Long-term services and supports — How can we help older adults remain independent longer in their communities as they age? Will younger adults be willing to work as direct caregivers? Can care coordination and new technology enhance and expand the caregiving network?
  • Elder justice — How can we prevent the financial exploitation, abuse, and neglect of older adults by friends, relatives and scam artists? How can the Elder Justice Act help older adults protect themselves?

Founded on Quaker values, Kendal is a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Kennett Square, PA., operating retirement communities, programs and services for older adults.

An affiliate of The Kendal Corporation, Kendal at Oberlin is a vibrant retirement living community, located near Cleveland, and less than one mile from Oberlin College and its Conservatory of Music. For more information about the discussion at Kendal at Oberlin, contact Terry Kovach, 440-775-9889.