NICOA Presents at Aging 2021 Conference

The National Indian Council on Aging will be both attending and presenting at the annual conference of the American Society on Aging during April 6-15.

NICOA Elder Equity Project Coordinator Rebecca Owl Morgan will present “Stronger Together—Serving Diverse Elders” on April 7 at 2 p.m. MDT. When working with diverse elder communities it is essential to realize that outside forces can add to the lifetime of discrimination that some members face. The more intersecting identities a person holds, the more likely the elder lived and continues to live with daily obstacles and has to navigate oppression. Join this virtual session for a panel discussion on best practices, resources and technical assistance for serving diverse elders documented in the new guide, “Serving Diverse Elders: Strategies for Meaningful Inclusion in Service Planning and Delivery.”

NICOA Executive Director Larry Curley will be among the panelists for the following presentations: “Language Access and Older Adults: One Tip of the Cultural Competency Iceberg” and “Response to COVID-19: Best Practices from Minority Organizations on Mitigation and Preparation for the Next Normal”. The global pandemic has caused tremendous threats and disruptions at all levels. Providers of programs and services for elders and people with disabilities have to face the unexpected reality to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. This session will showcase how minority organizations protect their most valuable assets (staff, volunteers, and individual seeking services), provide essential services and prepare for the next normal. Don’t miss “Response to COVID-19: Best Practices from Minority Organizations on Mitigation and Preparation for the Next Normal” on April 8 at 10 a.m. MDT.

Next is “Building Good Relationships in Indian Country: Strategies for Success” on April 14 at 11 a.m. MDT. NICOA SCSEP Director Sue Chapman and Rebecca Owl Morgan, represent NICOA, a powerful national organization. Listen as they present a clear path and framework for consultancy between tribes and service providers. To initiate the critical work together, NICOA is poised to support state and local agencies as they navigate the sometimes strained relationship between this country and Native communities to increase opportunities for successful consultation and engagement. Developed in partnership with tribal leaders, tribal advocates and members of NICOA, this training is meant to provide the high-level strategies necessary to build trusting and long-lasting relationships with Native communities.

And last, “Language Access and Older Adults: One Tip of the Cultural Competency Iceberg” April 15 11 a.m. MDT. More than 5 million older adults across the country are Limited English Proficient (LEP). LEP elders do not speak English as their primary language or they have a limited ability to speak, read, write or understand English. Properly serving these communities requires adequate language access. This panel examines the language access needs in various communities of LEP elders, the evolving requirements to provide language access, and how true and meaningful cultural competency begins but does not end with language access.