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Western NY Independent Living seeks experts on seniors to speak at Buffalo convention in September

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Western New York Independent Living, Inc., (WNYIL), which has an office in Batavia, will be holding its third Biannual Summit on Aging and Independence: “Shaping Health and Wellness for the Future” on Sept. 29-30 at the Buffalo Convention Center, and they need knowledgeable people to share their expertise.

WNYIL is recruiting individuals who work with seniors, OR who are part of an organization, business or service providing support to individuals who are over 55 years old, OR are doing research specifically focused on the senior population, to participate as presenters, as plenary speakers, or in panels or interactive workshops. There is no charge to make a presentation, which is limited to 75-minutes long, and those accepted will be given breakfast or lunch.

The purpose of the Summit is to identify and reveal critical efforts, ideas, research and issues related to aging, independence, wellness and change, but it also affords participants a great opportunity to represent and exchange knowledge regarding concepts, programs, services, trends, etc., which can impact individuals who are in the 55+ group.

To be considered, would-be presenters should prepare a proposal that fits one of these categories: Practical and scholarly work on issues important to aging populations; Lecture-style presentations; Hands-on workshops or simulations; Presentations on or by community groups that interact with aging populations; Presentations by students on aging-related course assignments or volunteer work; Panel Discussions; and Interactive Workshops.

While proposals can involve any appropriate topic, some potential areas are: Health Care Provision; Managed Long-Term Care; Assistive Technology Advances; Gerontology; Care-giving; Research; Independent Living; Public Policy or Systems Advocacy; Healthy Lifestyles; Cultural Diversity; New Trends; or Outcomes. The Summit is divided into five tracks to appeal to the perspectives of different attendees: Service providers or advocates; healthcare professionals; consumers; caregivers; or researchers/educators.

The intended audience should be identified in the proposals, which will be scored by the Steering Committee based on how well they address the content area, plus clarity, objectives, method of presentation, likely interest to participants, and overall program balance.

For more information, and to request Proposal Guidelines and application forms, please call Heather at (716) 836-0822, ext. 146, or Katie at ext.166, and we will be happy to assist you! Applications are due by Aug. 15 to WNY Independent Living, Inc. – Summit on Aging, 3108 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14214, or to hmattiuzzo@wnyil.org. Those accepted will be notified by Sept. 1.

The Western New York Independent Living, Inc., family of agencies offer an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

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