In June, the Colorado Council on Aging held its annual conference at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in Loveland. Over 300 people from across the state attended the all-day event in person or on the Internet. Vice Chair Jodi Waterhouse was the moderator for the event. Chair Chad Federwitz gave the welcome message to the attendees. Governor Jared Polis gave a welcome video message to the attendees.
CO State Demographer Elizabeth Garner
State demographer Elizabeth Garner gave a presentation on older Coloradoans population overview and the value they contribute to the state. Ms. Garner explained there were 62,000 births in 2020 followed by 45,000 deaths with 20,000 migrations in Colorado. She expects Colorado to have a growth rate of 30,000 people during this decade. She estimates about 40,000 retirees this year with about 400,000 retirees by the end of his decade. Garner explained health & technology will have the highest workforce growth, but many residents are leaving Colorado due to the high cost of living.
Deputy Director Jarett Hughes provided a presentation on Lifelong Colorado, where we are currently and where we are headed. Hughes indicates Coloradoans are ranked #2 in health rankings in the U.S. Colorado strengths are food security, economic well being, social engagement, physical activity, low chronic disease rates, volunteerism, and many geriatric clinicians. Weaknesses include housing costs, falls prevention, Internet crimes, suicide rates, and alcohol consumption.
Dr. Marissa Volpe, AARP’s Associate State Director for Livable & Diverse Communities gave her presentation on How Does Colorado Compare to Other States on Livable Communities. Marissa explained their goals for older Coloradoans are to 1) fully participate in communities of choice, 2) engage in labor and volunteer force, 3) stay financially secure, 4) prepare for challenges in aging, 5) have skilled and compensated workforce for aging Coloradoans, 6) stay healthier longer, 7) all levels of government meet their commitments to older adults, & 8) feel empowered and protected against abuse and neglect. In October & November, AARP is planning an 8-week course on Livable Communities Planning Academy.
Monica Maly with the CO Dept. of Public Health and Danielle Hubbard, Region 4 Health systems Director gave a presentation on Colorado’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). Roughly 10% of the 922,000 adults over 65 years in Colorado have Alzheimer’s Disease. By 2050, that is expected to increase by 21%. Their goal is to have 1) a public awareness campaign to understand ADRD awareness signs, 2) educate public on the disease and caregiving, 3) promote brain health & cognitive aging, & 4) facilitate access to services & support.
The annual Alan Buckingham Awards for Volunteer of the Year and Employee of the Year were announced at the conference. Alan Buckingham served on the Colorado Commission on Aging from 1986-98. The commission’s annual Senior Legacy Award was awarded posthumously to Buckingham in 1998 and the awards was renamed in his honor. C4A Chair Erin Fisher presented two 2023 awards for Volunteer of the Year to Myles Crane and Employee of the Year to Erin Maruzzella.
Erin Maruzzella, Jodi Waterhouse, & Myles Crane
After lunch, World Cafe Discussions on Neighborhood and Community Places were provided followed by breakout sessions with various panelists on 1) Understanding Alzheimer’s & Cognitive Impairments, 2) Health & Wellness…Aging Well in Colorado, 3) The Future of Aging Using Technology, & 4) Workforce Opportunities for Older Coloradoans.
The first breakout session I attended on Alzheimer’s & Cognitive Impairments had a panel of four speakers including JJ Jordan from Dementia Friendly in Denver, who spoke on risk factors, risk reduction, & warning signs. JJ explained Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, representing almost 80% of the dementia cases. The top ten risk factors include age, health, lifestyle, family history, genetics, gender, race, social isolation, poverty, & traumatic brain injury.
Risk reducers include exercise, sleep, diet, hearing & sight issues, heart & brain health issues, mental health, smoking & alcohol consumption, social connections, & cognitive engagement.
The top ten warning signs of AD are memory loss in daily life, challenges with planning & problem solving, difficulties with familiar tasks, confusion with time or place, visual and spatial issues, problems with using words, misplacing things, decreased or poor judgement, withdrawal from work or social activities, and changes in mood or personality.
Early detection and diagnosis matters. When would you want to know? Over 50% surveyed agreed they want to know sooner than later, so they can get treatment! After all, your memory problems may be minor now, but needs to be reviewed by having a cognitive test by a local neurologist.
Dr. Hillary Lum with CU Anschutz Division of Geriatrics spoke on cognitive assessments & annual wellness visits. Dr. Lum stressed the importance of having a cognitive test done early. For aging adults on Medicare, the cognitive test can be part of your annual physical exam.
Danielle Hubbard with the Alzheimer’s Association (AA) presented disparities in Alzheimer’s Disease & related dementias. Danielle stressed minorities seem to be under-represented in clinical tests involving dementia. Two thirds of older women with dementia problems have AD. Two times of Blacks and 1.5 times of hispanics are likely to get AD.
Coral Cosway, Sr Director at the AA spoke on Alzheimer’s Disease & public policy. All speakers gave some interesting facts about the increasing rate of Alzheimer’s Disease worldwide and the challenges facing the scientists in reducing or eliminating this terrible disease worldwide.
The last breakout session was on Technology – Driven Innovation and Cross Sector Collaboration. Facilitators included Kimberly Harris, Cofounder & Vice President of Health Equity with Erin Maruzzella, Executive Director of Innovations in Aging Collaborative. Melanie Colletti, Digital Equity Manager at Future of work discussed government investments in digital equity. Jillian Kelly, director at Impact NextFifty presented philanthropy’s role in driving investments in tech and aging with the final session by Adam Kaplan, CEO & Founder at Solera Senior Living.
Several other breakout sessions included health & wellness and the workforce. Moderator Jodi Waterhouse gave final comments of the event. Overall, the event was very well received by the attendees!