Action Center    GU Conf 07 Roundtables

Breakfast Roundtable Sessions - Friday, July 27  8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

1. Accessory Units: Moving from Policy to Practice

One potential source of housing grandfamilies is to use under-utilized space in single-family homes to create accessory units, also known as in-law units.  Although there are social and municipal barriers to their being used, steps can be taken to encourage more widespread acceptance.

Presenters:

Sharon Graham Niederhaus

Author

Portola Valley, CA

John Graham

University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA

2. BE SMART: START SMART

This is a model intergenerational literacy program that utilizes the largely untapped resources of older adults to benefit local communities.  These adult volunteers use the skills, knowledge and insights gained over many years and through diverse experiences to tutor and mentor students who are reading below grade level.  The program takes place in public school settings.

Presenters:

Janice Lubin Kirschner

Jewish Council of Yonkers

Yonkers, NY

Janice Kohn

Jewish Council of Yonkers

Yonkers, NY

3. Families and Communities Challenged by Disability

Our findings indicate that families challenged by disability struggle courageously to not only meet the needs of all their children, but to achieve a positive quality of life.  These families require "empowering environments."  In this presentation we explore the relationship between family quality of life and the domains of community involvement and social support.

Presenter: 

Shimshon Niekrug

The College of Judea & Samaria

Ariel, Israel

4. Generations United’s Seniors4Kids: A Civic Engagement Model

Lead ELDER Captains with GU’s Seniors4Kids civic engagement initiative will share their experiences as advocates on behalf of quality early care and education programs in Florida. Includes discussion on how older adults represent a powerful yet frequently overlooked partner in the coalition of groups working on behalf of children’s issues.

Presenters:

Linda Armstrong

GU’s Seniors4Kids Florida

Winter Springs, FL

Linda Darin

GU’s Seniors4Kids Florida

Seminole, FL

Jackie Shields

GU’s Seniors4Kids Florida

St. Petersburg, FL

Claire Wilker

Generations United

Washington, DC

5. Geriatric Career Development Program (GCDP): An Intergenerational Approach to Healthcare Career Development

Presentation on the development, implementation and evaluation of the GCDP, an intergenerational program for at-risk, high school students interested in healthcare careers.  Students learn about geriatrics and healthcare through lectures, mentoring, shadowing, and rotating internships in long term care settings, while participating in tutoring, college prep and life skills workshops. 

Presenters:

Cara Unowsky

The Jewish Home and Hospital Lifecare System

New York, NY

Ellen Colyer

The Jewish Home and Hospital Lifecare System

Bronx, NY

Susan Dolan

The Jewish Home and Hospital Lifecare System

Bronx, NY

6. Grandfamily Matters: Empowerment, Effective Help Giving to Grandfamilies with Special Needs Children

This session will focus on a grandfamily centered approach to caring for children with special needs that strengthens caregiver-supporter-professional collaboration.  Key elements that provide the best opportunity for appropriate intervention and strategies that meet the unique needs of all family members will be discussed.

Presenter:

Rosemarie Di Mauro Satyshur

Solutions for Children and Caregivers Inc

Crofton, MD

7. History, Community and Social Change: An Intergenerational Exploration of the 1960s

“Protest and Change: Ann Arbor in the Sixties” is a lecture-and-discussion series involving over 200 high school students and Learning in Retirement members in a joint exploration of one community’s history.  This roundtable will describe the process of designing, implementing, and evaluating an innovative intergenerational local history program.

Presenters:

Abigail Lawrence-Jacobson

Jewish Family Services

Ann Arbor, MI

Ruth Campbell

University of Michigan Geriatrics Center

Ann Arbor, MI

Patricia Douglas Jenkins

Pioneer High School

Ann Arbor, MI

8. Intergenerational Practices in Spain: Facts, Figures and Experiences to Replicate

Spain is witnessing an unprecedented interest on extra-familial intergenerational practices.  Within the framework of active aging policies, a national intergenerational network was launched in 2005.  Training initiatives have been implemented, and a mapping of the intergenerational field is on its way.  These initiatives may inspire the work of intergenerational practitioners elsewhere.

Presenters:

Mariano Sanchez

University of Granada

Granada, Spain

Sacramento Pinazo

University of Valencia

Valencia, Spain

9. Intergenerational Programming:  A Monumental Solution to American Social Isolation

Research completed by Macklin Intergenerational Institute determined that preschool children involved in intergenerational programs have enhanced personal/social skills compared to preschool children involved in non-intergenerational programs.  This will be discussed along with research completed by the Dana Foundation that links improved fitness in elders to intergenerational initiatives/activities.

Presenters:

Vicki Rosebrook

Macklin Intergenerational Institute

Findlay, OH

Hollie Haley

Macklin Intergenerational Institute

Findlay, OH

10. Intergenerational Programs within Adult Day Centers

Intergenerational programs play a key role in activity programming within adult day centers.  Representatives from leading adult day providers will discuss and highlight the latest trends and innovations.  All those involved in adult day services are encouraged to participate and to share their opportunities and challenges.