"Man and His Years: An Account of the First National Conference on Aging" is an objective, first-hand narrative of the work of 11 sections of an open forum--civilian discussion groups to whom the major phases of the problem of an aging population had been assigned for exploration. Each section chose its own committee or one person in the group to do the actual writing. "Man and His Years" is a compilation of the accounts of section discussion, with conclusions reached, as written, reviewed, and approved by the membership of the respective groups. Eleven chapters of the forthcoming volume, therefore, correspond in subject matter to the range of exploration in the 11 sections of the Conference. Conference topics have become chapter titles: Population Changes and Economic Implications; Income Maintenance; Employment, Employability, and Rehabilitation; Health Maintenance and Rehabilitation; Education; Family Life, Living Arrangements, and Housing; Creative and Recreational Activities; Religious Programs and Services; Aging is a medium for sharing information about programs and activities among agencies and organizations in the field, their staffs and board members, and other interested individuals. It will be issued without regular schedule as significant material is available and distributed without charge. Professional Personnel; Aging Research; In addition, there is an opening chapter, "Our Aging Population," a delineation of the problem by Oscar R. Ewing, Federal Security Administrator; a second chapter, "The Conference," a description of the background and organization of the national forum, by John L. Thurston, Deputy Federal Security Administrator; and a concluding chapter, "What Next?" a review of activities Nation-wise following the Conference and a survey of prospects for the future by Clark Tibbitts, the Conference Director. In his introductory chapter, Mr. Ewing says that the underlying purpose of the Conference on Aging was to focus attention on the problem and the needs, and then to stimulate community action that would work a change in our whole pattern of behavior toward our older neighbors and friends. About "Man and His Years," Mr. Ewing says, "This volume is an objective account of the first national Conference on Aging. It represents the best American thinking, so far, on the implications of the remarkable shift in age groups in our population. It reflects a striking unanimity of opinion on the need for far-reaching adjustments in our attitudes and behavior to keep pace with this shift. And it suggests ways of satisfying this need." Communications and items thought to be suitable for publication should be sent to Clark Tibbitts, Chairman, Committee on Aging and Geriatrics, Federal Security Agency, Washington 25, D. C. MOBILIZATION IN NORTH CAROLINA An Account of the Governor's Conference on Aging, in Raleigh By Annie May Pemberton Following the national Conference on Aging held in Washington in August 1950, the delegates from North Carolina met at the invitation of the State Commissioner of Public Welfare to discuss the usefulness of a Statewide meeting to study needs of older persons in North Carolina and how they could best be met. Since much concern had already been evidenced at both community and State levels by private and public agencies with the result that several service programs were currently under way, it seemed especially important to initiate a State-wide conference both for the new interests that could be aroused and for the purpose of coordinating existing programs. THE GROUND BREAKING The 1949 General Assembly had already recognized the impact of the increasing number of older persons on the social and economic welfare of the State and had authorized the Governor to appoint a Commission to study the problems and to report its findings to the 1951 General Assembly. Thus the delegates had available a representative group of persons with knowledge of the problems and an interest in solving them. The Commission agreed on the need for focusing State-wide attention on some of the issues facing the older citizen and were glad to join in support of such an undertaking. The two groups organized as a Preliminary Planning Committee. The interest of the Planning Committee was brought to the attention of the Governor who not only heartily endorsed any movement for an extension of services to include all citizens, but agreed to call a State-wide conference. Since there were no funds available for such purpose the life insurance companies with home offices in North Carolina were advised of the plan and were asked to give financial support if they felt it was in line with the type of project which had the interest of their companies. A list of the companies that gave specific financial support appears on the program. THE ORGANIZATION The Planning Committee elected a chairman, a vice-chairman and a secretary, all concerned with the problem and acquainted with the resources in the State. Since each officer represented an agency with a real stake in the welfare of all of North Carolina's citizens, much of the work done was in line with regular duties. Expenses involved were absorbed by the agencies involved. The bulk of the work was undertaken by the staffs of Health Publications Institute and the State Board of Public Welfare. It was decided early that wide representation of interest and full participation were to be sought in the State-wide conference, which meant including representatives from the professions, business interests, governmental agencies, private organizations, and civic, religious, and fraternal groups. Suggestions for the invitation list were made for the most part from directors or professional staff of agencies and presidents of various associations. Publicity stressed that the Conference would be a citizen forum, open to all. In planning the program, a chairman and a co-chairman of each subject field to be considered were chosen. These chairmen, with the help of selected committee members, took responsibility for preparing preliminary materials for the Conference. The materials were assembled with a view to evaluating resources and needs in a particular field and to serve as a springboard for group discussions relative to the State situation. Prior to the opening of the Conference, the chairmen and co-chairmen, with committee reporters, met for the purpose of reviewing the material for uniformity in presentation. In all, six general planning meetings were held. In addition, most of the subjectmatter committees held two or three meetings prior to the Conference. The officers consulted at frequent intervals. Endeavor was toward a flexible program of free discussion which would bring to attention problems as seen each day by the doctor, the nurse, the family, the boarding-home operator, the businessman, the public welfare worker, and others whose activities and interests brought them into contact with problems of aging. To achieve this end, it was felt that each group should have every interest represented; thus new and practical ideas could be merged with professional knowledge and experience, and a practical plan for full coverage of older persons' needs could best be formulated. As invitations were accepted, each person's interest and experience were considered and he was requested to enter the group discussion which the committee responsible for assignments felt needed his contribution most. THE CONFERENCE A The Conference was organized around six discussion sections with approximately 35 persons in each group: (1) Research and Population; (2) Employment, Employability, and Income Maintenance; (3) Education, Recreation, and Religion; (4) Health Maintenance and Rehabilitation; (5) Family Life, Housing, and Social Service; and (6) Professional Personnel. In order that all Conference participants might know the area of work being covered in each section, the Conference opened Thursday morning, June 28, with a panel discussion among the co-chairmen of all sections. moderator assisted, through questioning, in clarifying the blocks of work to be undertaken by each group. Each panel member outlined the information resource materials available for the work of his section including the data gathered earlier by the Conference planning committees and distributed to each participant as he registered. The panel discussion served to reassure participants in each section that the correlative needs their discussions touched on were already being pursued with vigor in other sections. Thus, overlapping among sections was reduced. The first discussion period in each of the sections focused on trying to delineate the needs in the subject area with which that section was concerned. The second group discussion period, held for two and one-half hours on Thursday afternoon, was devoted to plans for meeting needs. At the evening session Clark Tibbitts, Chairman of the Federal Security Agency's Committee on Aging and Geriatrics, spoke to the entire Conference on "Conservation of Our Aging Population." His address was followed by a showing of a film, "Steps of Age." On Friday morning, there was a third short group period given over to reaching agreements on reports of each section, for consideration by the Conference. These reports had been prepared by the reporter and chairman of each group following the second group discussion period. Full participation in this period provided for clarification of points raised in sessions held the day before and gave opportunity for last-minute suggestions which had developed after there had been time to think over the discussion, to talk with participants in other group discussions, and to hear the address of the night before. The final general session heard these section reports. They were formally adopted by the Conference as a whole. Following this action, Dr. Wilma T. Donahue, Chairman of the Division of Gerontology, Institute for Human Adjustment, University of Michigan, spoke on "Challenge of Longer Living." The meeting closed with the Governor's message, "North Carolina Looks Ahead for Its Aged." A RESOLUTION Immediately before adjournment, the following resolution was presented by the co-chairmen of the Section on Employment, Employability, and Income Maintenance and adopted unanimously: Whereas Governor Scott, recognizing the importance of considering the effect-economically and socially--of the growing number of older persons in the State's population, issued a call for this first State-wide Conference on Aging, and, Whereas the discussions of these past two days and the reports presented this morning indicate that many steps should be and can be taken with respect to the needs of older persons in our State, Be it resolved That we express our appreciation to Governor Scott for calling this Conference and request that at his earliest convenience the Governor appoint a special committee on aging to follow-up on the work of this Conference. The Conference was attended by approximately 200 people. It was definitely a citizens' meeting in which representative men and women from throughout the State met to discuss a problem recognized as requiring continuing and skilled attention. "THEY REALLY WORKED" The Industrial Relations Center of the University of Wisconsin was sponsor of a conference on the older worker held in Madison June 2 and 3. The meeting was the outgrowth of the work of a university interdepartmental committee exploring research needs. Representatives of labor and management and prominent figures in public life joined in the deliberations, and, as one of the participants reported, "They really worked." Round-table topics were: "Employability of Older Workers," "Experiences With Older Workers," "The Pros and Cons of Compulsory Retirement," "Adjustment to Retirement," and "As Workers View It." |