Living Life to the Fullest … to the Very End

Several of our friends just reminded us that there will be a community conversation tonight on aging that is relevant to many of our lives. This is just the beginning of an ongoing initiative. Contribute your ideas. Make yourself heard.

TACOMA, Wash. – On April 28 residents from Pierce County will meet to begin a dialogue on what can be done to ensure that our elders and their caregivers live their lives in comfort, in good company, and with the best health care possible, throughout their last years. Everyone is welcome.

The unusual initiative has sprung out of the community and won wide backing from local institutions in response to a recognition, as co-organizer Stuart Farber, M.D., put it, that there is “an elephant in the room”: the population is rapidly aging as baby boomers reach their senior years, and too little has been done to prepare.

The community forum will kick off with a free talk by William Hazzard, M.D., a distinguished pioneer in the field of aging. In the weeks following, there will be further public meetings, the creation of a white paper on a “2020 Vision for Pierce County,” and, ultimately, community action to bring that vision to reality.

The initiative aims to give the community the reins in determining the future of elder care in Pierce County. Organizers will seek ideas and opinions from the people on the front lines today—those heading into retirement themselves, caring for an elderly family member, or getting ready to shoulder the burden of an over-stretched health and Social Security system.

Hazzard’s talk will consider the questions:

• When does aging begin? What determines the rate of our aging and our life span?
• What can we do to maximize our longevity?
• What can we, our family, and our community do to ensure quality of life?
• In our final stage of life, how can our dignity and independence best be preserved?

The event is sponsored by University of Puget Sound’s Civic Scholarship Initiative and community partners, including the Franciscan Health System, L’Arche Tahoma Hope, the City of Tacoma Mayor’s Office, Pierce County Health Department, Pierce County Medical Society, and Tacoma Community House.

Join the conversation.

Details
Wednesday, April 28, 7 p.m.
Kilworth Memorial Chapel, N. 18th Street and N. Warner Ave
University of Puget Sound, Tacoma
ADMISSION: Free and open to the public