SCAN, Long Beach State University and City of Long Beach Finalize Speaker Lineup for "Aging Reimagined" Colloquium

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SCAN, a leading senior-focused organization with the mission of keeping seniors healthy and independent, today announced the final speaker lineup for "Aging Reimagined: A Community Approach to Health and Independence." Co-hosted with Long Beach State University and the City of Long Beach on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at the Walter Pyramid on Long Beach State University's campus, the colloquium will feature panel discussions and presentations led by prominent industry leaders, educators, city officials and healthcare experts.

"The extremely high caliber speakers presenting leading research and data, and discussing best practices for supporting seniors in today's world, is a testament to the quality of content that will be shared at this event," said Chris Wing, CEO of SCAN. "We look forward to bringing together a wide array of experts and thought leaders to collaborate on how best to provide a community-based, comprehensive network of care and services for seniors."

Emceeing the colloquium is Tim Carpenter, founder and executive director of EngAGE and host and producer of radio show Experience Talks, which highlights the value of experience in today's society. EngAGE is a nonprofit providing life-enhancing arts, wellness, learning, community building and intergenerational programs and events to thousands of seniors and their families in Southern California. Additionally, Carpenter serves on the board of the National Center for Creative Aging and presented a TED Talk titled, "Thriving as We Age," at a Southern California affiliate event. His breadth of knowledge and unique perspective on aging will offer dynamism to the day's scheduled panel discussions and presentations.

The full day of educational and engaging sessions will begin with welcome remarks from Monica Lounsbery, dean of the College of Health & Human Services at Long Beach State University and SCAN CEO Chris Wing. Both Lounsbery and Wing will describe for attendees their respective organizations' commitment to supporting community and senior health. They will also set the stage for closer collaboration on various community initiatives, which will be discussed in more depth in the subsequent panel sessions. A video message from Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia will convey the City's vision to establish Long Beach as a laboratory for best practices supporting senior health and independence.

Anne Tumlinson, CEO of Tumlinson Innovations, LLC and founder of Daughterhood, and Dr. Romilla Batra, chief medical officer of SCAN Group, will present "Seniors Today & Communities Reimagined." In this session, they will review recent research to identify key trends and dynamics that are shaping the future of senior health and independence. Dr. Batra will also discuss how SCAN has spearheaded several innovative programs to align with these trends and better support seniors and their caregivers.

Kelly Colopy, director of City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services; Marie Knight, director of City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine; and Tara Gruenewald, associate professor of gerontology and interim director of the Center for Successful Aging at Long Beach State University, will present a session titled, "Long Beach: A Laboratory for Senior Best Practices." In addition to her teaching and research career in the field of aging, Gruenewald is the president of the California Council on Gerontology and Geriatrics and is a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. Leveraging her distinguished experience and expertise, she will address needed changes in the age structure of today's society, as well as innovations needed in social, physical, medical and technological environments in Long Beach and beyond. Colopy and Knight combined have more than three decades of experience in public service, and will present the City of Long Beach's initiatives to create a stronger support system for local seniors. Initiatives discussed will include the delivery of evidence-based classes for seniors, the establishment of a senior coordinator for the public library system, research into the needs of the older adult population and progress on the Older Adult Strategic Plan and the current and evolving programs and resources offered at the City's six senior centers.

Delivering the keynote presentation is John Keisler, director of Economic and Property Development with the City of Long Beach. In this role, Keisler seeks to increase economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors in Long Beach. His keynote will discuss how innovation and economic development impacts seniors; the innovation incubators that already exist in Long Beach and new networks that may be established in the future; and how the City of Long Beach plans to better serve seniors through economic development.

Participating in a panel discussion titled, "Technology: The Future of Aging," are Long Beach State University representatives Brian Budzinski, cofounder of the College of Business Administration Incubator, and Dr. Linna Li, assistant professor in the Department of Geography. Budzinski is a structural engineering manager at The Boeing Company, and founded the business incubator along with three colleagues while earning his MBA at Long Beach State University. The incubator serves to foster innovation, as well as inspire and support ideas that provide a positive environmental or social impact on the community. Budzinski will share with attendees details of several incubator initiatives that are staged to help seniors live healthier and more independent lives. Dr. Li's research includes geographic information science theories and applications in public health and urban development, and she will present implications from her work that can be leveraged to eliminate social isolation and its debilitating impact on seniors.

To close out the day, Carpenter and Knight will lead an interactive session to encourage all speakers as well as attendees to share insights and ideas for supporting seniors in today's society, and in the future. Event hosts SCAN, Long Beach State University and City of Long Beach hope to take away concrete suggestions for strengthening the network of programs and resources available to seniors to help all lead more enriching and empowered lives.

"Aging Reimagined will be an expansive and valuable event focused exclusively on the needs of today's seniors and their caregivers," said Wing. "Together with our partners at the City of Long Beach and Long Beach State University, we look forward to bringing this constructive information to the community and identifying opportunities to collaborate to improve the lives of our oldest residents."

Attendance at the colloquium is by invitation only. Additional information and key takeaways will be made available to the public following the event. To learn more, please visit rebrand.ly/AgingReimagined.  

About SCAN
SCAN is a not-for-profit organization committed to keeping seniors healthy and independent. That's been our mission since our founding in 1977. Today we deliver on that mission through SCAN Health Plan, one of the largest not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plans in the nation. Independence at Home, a SCAN community service, provides vitally needed services and support to seniors, disabled adults and their caregivers. SCAN also offers education programs, community funding, volunteer opportunities and other community services throughout our California service area. To learn more, visit scanhealthplan.com or facebook.com/scanhealthplan or follow us on twitter @scanhealthplan.

About City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 460,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach is an ethnically diverse community, offering all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual neighborhoods. Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, Long Beach Airport, an award-winning school district, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning departments such as Health, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services and more. The City also has two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, bike paths, and a Bike Share program.

About the College of Health & Human Services, Long Beach State University
The College of Health & Human Services at Long Beach State University will be nationally and internationally recognized as an innovator and leader in community connections, the discovery of knowledge and educating diverse students in the health and human services professions. Our national and international reputation will attract and retain a richly diverse, high-quality faculty whose students-centered teaching, research and collaborations in the campus and global communities will be well recognized and rewarded. Through our richly diverse and highly qualified faculty, we strive to be leader in connections to the community, collaboration with other universities, research, community service, number of active centers and number of students seeking professional careers. 

SOURCE SCAN