International Council on Active Aging
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Press release
ICAA contributes Vision Paper to White House Conference on Aging
VANCOUVER, BC (June 30, 2005)-In December 2005, delegates to the White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA) will gather in Washington, DC, to explore key issues and recommend policies to the President and Congress that will shape the future of aging and affect the lives of older Americans for the next decade and beyond. The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), the world's largest trade association for the senior fitness and wellness industry, was honored to be invited to write a vision paper on physical activity and older adults for the conference. This five-page document, entitled "Physical activities for the elderly," provides an overview of the benefits of active aging and assesses trends, challenges and future possibilities in this area.
Delegates to the 2005 WHCoA each receive a book of vision papers ahead of time to help them prepare for the event. When they meet at the conference, attendees select 50 resolutions and then come up with plans to implement them. Since 1961, recommendations made by the White House conferences on aging have helped to establish many crucial aging programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, the Older Americans Act, the Supplemental Security Income Program, and Social Security reforms. Importantly, these meetings allow the public to discuss major concerns and take part in a process every 10 years that guides the nation's policy on aging.
In the ICAA's Journal on Active Aging (May/June 2005), Dorcas Hardy, chair of the WHCoA Policy Committee, says that the 2005 meeting provides "an opportunity to highlight issues that relate to current seniors, but also look at issues that relate to future seniors-the 78 million Baby Boomers, the leading edge of which will begin to turn 60 in 2006." Among the issues likely to be raised, the impact of aging Baby Boomers on the nation's healthcare system and the need for solutions to prevent or reduce disease and disability-such as healthier behaviors and active lifestyles-will reinforce physical activity as a priority.
"At the ICAA, we feel proud and privileged to contribute a vision paper for the 2005 White House Conference on Aging," says Colin Milner, the organization's chief executive officer. "Changing the Way We Age™ is the ICAA's mission. The upcoming White House conference offers an opportunity to advance this mission and promote a new vision of aging for Americans," he says, "one in which people keep active, stay engaged in their communities, age with dignity, and enjoy better health and quality of life."
Participating in the 2005 WHCoA enhances the ICAA's ongoing work with federal government agencies to further active aging. Currently, the ICAA is represented on steering committees of the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) and the National Institute on Aging, one of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The organization is also actively involved as a You Can! Champion in AoA's YouCan! Steps to Healthier Aging national outreach campaign, as well as a Presidential Partner of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
In 2004, Assistant Secretary on Aging Josefina Carbonell commended the ICAA for its "vision and initiative" in a letter supporting the organization's annual Active Aging Week campaign. Such recognition of the ICAA's efforts and expertise has helped to build the organization's credibility at all levels of government. Today, the ICAA enjoys a reputation as an innovator and industry leader, which allows it to take part in the dialog about the aging population and related issues. Milner believes it is this reputation, along with the ICAA's unique network, that led to the invitation to contribute a vision paper for the 2005 WHCoA.
About the International Council on Active Aging
The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) is the world's largest association dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting and working with professionals in the retirement, assisted living, recreation, fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields. It connects like-minded professionals who share the goals of changing society's perceptions of aging and improving the quality of life for aging Baby Boomers and older adults within the six dimensions of wellness. The council supports these professionals with education, information, resources and tools, so they can achieve optimal success with this growing market.
The ICAA takes an active role in helping to change the way society perceives aging. The council is one of more than 55 of the nation's most prominent health and aging organizations working to implement the National Blueprint on Aging. Contributors to the Blueprint's development include AARP, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Geriatrics Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute on Aging and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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For interviews or more information contact:
Colin Milner, CEO, International Council on Active Aging
Toll-free: 866-335-9777 (in North America), Telephone: 604-734-4466
Cell: 604-763-4595
Email: colinmilner@icaa.cc
