American Indian Elders Conference To Be Held in Cherokee

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Kayla Sawyer, [email protected]

American Indian Elders Conference To Be Held in Cherokee

National American Indian aging association announces conference location, date

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – May 18, 2023 – The National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the needs of aging American Indian and Alaska Native elders, is excited to announce its American Indian Elders Conference will take place on September 25-29, 2023, at the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina.

NICOA’s conference is the only national conference in the country focusing exclusively on the needs of Native elders. It serves as a national forum for Native elders from across the country to come together to meet and receive updated information on aging in Indian Country.

Every two years the American Indian Elders Conference welcomes over 2,000 attendees from all over the country. Conference attendees represent Native elders, stakeholders, elected tribal representatives, government agencies and aging network providers.

NICOA’s biennial conference offers an opportunity for tribal elders to express their needs and make policy recommendations for the vital events occurring in years to come. This year’s theme is “A Trail of Determination: Our Culture, Our History and Our Future.”

The events that follow the 2023 American Indian Elders Conference will shape the policies and laws that will affect Native elders for the next decade. Tribal leaders, youths, service providers and policymakers are encouraged to learn, share and shape those policies.

National elections for the Executive Office of the President of the United States, and both houses of Congress will be on the ballot next year. The outcome of this election will affect policies and laws that will either be beneficial or detrimental to Native elders as well as Indian Country as a whole.

Additionally, the Older Americans Act (OAA) was last reauthorized in 2020 with another reauthorization possible in 2025. Title VI, Title V (the Senior Community Service Employment Program), Title IV and Title VII all directly impact our Native elders.

NICOA’s American Indian Elders Conference offers the opportunity to elevate issues in American Indian politics and legislation, as well as focus on issues such as health, safety, financial management, elder abuse, caregiving, employment, retirement and more.

The conference is the elders’ forum; the place to voice concerns, provide recommendations on policies that are important to Native elders, and receive up-to-date information and resources to help elders age at home and in their own communities.

We look forward to having an exciting conference and hope you’ll join us for this spectacular weeklong event in beautiful Cherokee, North Carolina! To learn more, visit www.nicoa.org.

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About the National Indian Council on Aging 

Founded in 1976 by members of the National Tribal Chairmen’s Association who called for a national organization focused on aging American Indian and Alaska Native elders, the National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA)’s mission is to advocate for improved comprehensive health, social services and economic well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native elders. For more information, go to www.nicoa.org.