The Joint Conference of the American Society on Aging (ASA) and the National Council on the Aging (NCOA) — taking place March 16-19, 2006, at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel in Anaheim, Calif. — will include an array of sessions addressing the concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people ages 50-plus and of the agencies and professionals serving them. In addition, a number of events are planned for the Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network (LGAIN), one of ASA’s eight constituent groups.
“Presentations on LGBT aging at the NCOA-ASA Joint Conference provide the most up-to-date information on this vital topic,” said Richard Gollance, a psychotherapist based in Los Angeles who serves as cochair of LGAIN. “We’ll be hearing about new research, model programs and emerging services for LGBT older adults. This conference offers an ideal opportunity for learning and networking for all people — both professionals and nonprofessionals — interested in LGBT aging issues.”
More than 20 Joint Conference presentations will deal with LGBT aging, with a focus on such topics as housing options; advocacy, law and public policy; health and mental health concerns; elder abuse and neglect; spirituality; and cultural competence for service providers. Among the special networking events for conference participants is a reception at The Center Orange County, the LGBT community center in Garden Grove, Calif., on the evening of March 16.
LGAIN will join four of ASA’s other constituent groups in presenting a daylong special program during the conference: “End-of-Life Communications Before the Crisis,” set for March 16; the program is sponsored by the Archstone Foundation. In addition, a number of conference presentations will discuss HIV/AIDS among older adults, including a special “Critical Issues in Aging” session on March 18 sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline.
The American Society on Aging has been a leader in continuing education for professionals in aging since 1954; the association’s Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network, founded in 1994, is the only professional group of its kind. The National Council on the Aging has been helping community organizations for over 50 years through advocacy, research, demonstration programs and innovative education and service initiatives.
The 2006 NCOA-ASA Joint Conference is expected to draw nearly 4,000 participants from throughout North America to attend some 1,000 sessions on all aspects of aging. A complete schedule, as well as online registration, is available on the conference website at www.agingconference.org. Details also are available by phone at (800) 537-9728, ext. 9675.
For extensive resources on LGBT aging, as well as a full list of Joint Conference sessions and activities dealing with LGBT and HIV/AIDS issues, visit the LGAIN home page at www.asaging.org/lgain.
Media Contact: Gerard Koskovich
(415) 974-9641 or lgain@asaging.org