UTHealth School of Nursing to host conference on aging and abuse

"Preventing Abuse and Exploitation in an Aging America" will be the focus of the 24th Annual Joseph C., Sr. & Selenia E. Valley Conference on Aging from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8 at the United Way Community Resources Center, 50 Waugh Drive.

The conference, sponsored by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Nursing Center on Aging, will include panel discussions, a keynote address by Robert Blancato, national coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition, and nearly a dozen other guest speakers.

"According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, as many as 2 million Americans age 65 and older have been injured, exploited or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depended for care or protection," said Nancy Bergstrom, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., the Theodore J. & Mary E. Trumble Professor in Aging Research and director of the UTHealth Center on Aging. "During this conference, we will be exploring how we can best prevent abuse and identify those who are most at-risk."

The scope of abuse and exploitation among the elderly, the potential impact of the Elder Justice Act and local resources for preventing and reporting abuse and exploitation will be among the conference's topics.

The conference is aimed at professionals who work with geriatric populations and the general public. The registration fee is $75 for healthcare professionals and $50 for students and members of the community. There is a $25 fee for those wishing to attend the luncheon only.

Provided by University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston