Session 201

Instructional Level: Intermediate

This session will prioritize the role of public health agencies to strengthen our capacity to enhance the equitable health and wellbeing of older adults and promote healthy aging across the life course. Dr. Alvarado will review the ‘Why” to the importance of elevating healthy aging as a core function of our work: aging population has escalated, high cost with limited resources, Tennessee health rankings, wide distribution and determinants of chronic disease leading to health disparities among older Tennesseans, and health habits and the environments we inhabit across our lives. Public health is a critical force in promoting disease prevention and health promotion across the life course so all Tennesseans have the full health potential to age well in their community of choice.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn to adopt public health frameworks to advance healthy aging.
2. Operationalize healthy aging via four strategies (Tennessee State Health Plan, TDH 4-Year Strategic Plan, Community Health Improvement/Assessments and Plans, and TN Healthcare Resiliency Program)
3. Identify how to invest in infrastructure through policies and systems change.
4. Identify four specific partnerships and initiatives within Tennessee to address healthy aging