05
February
2015
|
14:20 PM
America/Chicago

UHD, San Jacinto College Sponsor 4th Annual Gerontology Symposium

The University of Houston-Downtown has partnered with San Jacincto College to sponsor the Fourth Annual Symposium on Gerontology and Geriatrics Awareness and Education on February 20 and 21 in the Robertson Auditorium.

This community-based initiative will provide awareness of health and social issues that affect the country's growing elderly population. James Booker, a regional director of Adult Protective Services, will deliver the keynote address. Booker directs, manages and administers Adult Protective Services programs in Region 6, which includes Houston, Harris county and twelve surrounding counties. He has more than 20 years' experience in social services.

The symposium will examine a multidisciplinary approach to creating effective solutions to the issues specific to the elderly. Sociology professor Greg Getz explained, "While medical issues are a significant concern for the aging, there are a number of issues and challenges that are unique to this segment of the population. They are faced with concerns about healthcare costs, navigating insurance processes, technological fraud, and many other challenges that generations before them didn't have to worry about."

As the Baby Boomer generation begins to retire at a staggering rate, there are also implications for caregivers who will face challenges of their own. For students, this foreshadows the creation and growth of career fields aimed at serving this class of citizens.

Other topics to be covered during the symposium include:

  • Cognition, Aging & Alzheimer's Disease
  • Emotional Development in Late Adulthood
  • Human Trafficking among Older Adults
  • Geriatric Mental Health
  • Financial Planning for Retirement
  • Drug Interactions

Faculty and students are invited to attend the conference, which is free of charge. Register Online or contact sociology professor Greg Getz for more information.