The School of Aging Studies hosted more than 80 caregivers, professionals, and community members for a conference on March 27 at the USF Embassy Suites Hotel. The conference, which included a keynote session on loneliness and social isolation presented by Joanne Elayoubi, a USF School of Aging Studies doctoral candidate, was aimed at understanding the problems facing older adults and their caregivers across the care continuum, including within the community and in assisted living, nursing homes, and in hospice care.
Lindsay Peterson (far right, at podium) leads a discussion with panelists (left to right) Makeba Huntington-Symons, Patricia Henderson, and Liz Barlowe.
Attendees learned about services and resources to address issues related to loneliness, social isolation, grief, and bereavement, and had the opportunity to earn continuing education credits.
Session leaders and panelists were representatives of the USF School of Aging Studies, the USF Judy Genshaft Honors College, Chapters Health System, Empath Health, Moffitt Cancer Center, Senior Connections Center, Barlowe and Associates, and the Alzheimer's Association.
This was the third annual conference co-sponsored by the Center for Hospice, Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies and the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging.