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OKLAHOMA CAPITOL -- Registration for the 29th annual Oklahoma Conference on Aging, set for May 3-6, 2004, opened this week. Oklahoma hosts one of the longest running conferences of this kind in the country. This year’s event features more than 50 workshops, six half-day intensive workshops, nationally recognized experts in the field of aging and presentation of the annual “Achievements in Aging” awards.
Under the theme “Socio-Quake! Leave No Elder Behind,” the conference is being held at the National Center for Employee Development Marriott Conference Center, located at 2801 E. State Highway 9 in Norman, Okla., (about five miles east of Interstate 35).
Featured conference speakers include: Jennifer Solomon, U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Rockville, Md, speaking on “Substance Abuse Prevention for Older Adults: One Service Does Not Fit All;” Mike Naylor, director of Advocacy for AARP, Washington, D.C., whose presentation is titled, “Beyond the Fault line: Prescription Drugs, Medicare and You” and Frosty Troy, editor of The Oklahoma Observer, who will be the closing luncheon speaker on May 6.
The four-day event includes six pre-conference intensive sessions on the following topics: Validation with Persons with Alzheimer Disease: Communicating Through the Confusion; Get Connected Toolkit, which provides information linking older adults with medication, alcohol and mental health resources; Creative Problem Solving; Communicating with Your Grandchildren: Developmental Stages of Sexuality in Children; Death, Grief and Loss and Navigating the Legal System.
Wednesday, May 5, is the conference free day for seniors over age 60; however they must still register. Planned special events that day include: the statewide spelling bee finals; a multi-disciplined information fair focusing on how seniors can take better care of themselves and receive free screening for memory loss and depression; presentation of awards by the Mental Health and Aging Collation and the May meeting of the State Council on Aging.
Speakers for the May 6 opening session are Howard H. Hendrick, cabinet secretary for Human Services and the director of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Terry Cline, Ph.D., commissioner for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and Dr. James M. “Mike“ Crutcher, commissioner of the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
Persons needing more information or to receive a registration brochure, call Karen Buntin, at: (800) 426-2747 or in the Oklahoma City calling area dial 271-6203. Registration deadline is April 24.
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