Region F: San Bernardino/Riverside, Orange County, Palm Desert

NASW Region F Desert Cities Unit Partnership Event

In Partnership with NASW California Chapter Region F Desert Cities unit and the California Commission on Aging, the Riverside County Office on Aging/Aging & Disability Resource Connection hosted the New Roadmap to Chronic Care symposium on Friday, October 24, from 8:00am to 11:00am at the UC Riverside Palm Desert Campus. The symposium highlighted a critical conversation on the status of California’s aging services delivery system and the future of long-term care for the elderly.

The event featured a keynote presentation by
Bruce Chernof, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the SCAN Foundation and the Chair of the Congressional Commission on Long Term Care. Dr. Chernof focused on the federal and state-wide efforts to increase the capacity of the long term care delivery system and highlighted the recommendations developed by the 2013 Congressional Long Term Care Commission, and The Long Term Care Scorecard that identifies the areas where California is already excelling in its service delivery system and where it needs to improve in order to be ready for the anticipated increase of older adults over the next 20 years.

Additionally, Glen Grayman, MD, Board President of the Health Assessment Resource Center (HARC) and Vice-President of the Desert Health Care District, focused on the future need for long term care in the Coachella Valley, presenting HARC data indicating the current health and welfare status of Coachella Valley older adults. Riverside County Office on Aging Director, Michele Haddock, discussed the County’s efforts to improve coordination among aging services partners and providers to meet the growing need.

This special event helped to put current efforts into perspective as the State implements multiple public and private sector initiatives to improve the quality of health and life of vulnerable older Californians. More than 100 health care professionals, caregivers, consumers of services and others interested in the future of long term care attended.

NASW California Chapter Region F and the Desert Cities
unit was represented by Cameron Galford, LCSW; Region F Director, Ed Walsh, MSW; Assistant Director, Joseph Brinson, MSW, Unit Chair; and Peter Shorts, MSW, Past Unit Chair and CEU Coordinator. NASW Desert Cities unit provided free CEUs for LCSWs and LMFTs. Joseph Brinson, MSW,
and Peter Shorts, MSW, hosted the NASW table and provided information on the benefits of NASW membership as well as providing CEU materials for participants.

Finally, the event also served to highlight the common birthday of the sponsoring partners in that NASW California Chapter, the California Commission on Aging and the Riverside County Office on Aging are all celebrating their 40th Anniversary this year. Video of the presentations and presenters PowerPoint presentations will be made available on the Office on Aging website, www.rcaging.org.