Aging in America

My second project with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) means a second opportunity to be a part of the Aging in America Conference. Last year it was in DC, two Metro stops from my home, but this year it is in Las Vegas. Not surprisingly, elements of the preparation are easier when the venue is two miles from the office than when it is three quarters of a continent away. However, in both cases it is impressive to see the degree of collaboration and spirit of cooperation needed to plan and implement a conference with 3500 attendees from every corner of the vast aging services network.

The conference is a joint effort of NCOA and the American Society on Aging. For the past nine years these two distinct organizations have aligned their identities, interests, financial resources, members and staff to co-sponsor this annual conference. There may be as many reasons not to work together on this as there are to continue, but the partnership adapts and coalesces each year to put on what is truly a first-rate conference.

It takes an equally incredible commitment to collaboration within NCOA (and surely ASA) to carry out its responsibilities. As the conference draws nearer boundaries fall and people do whatever it takes to get done, pitching in to meet deadlines and working together to ensure the quality of the conference experience. Rather than sliding toward irritability, as time grows short and demands heighten, NCOA staff becomes more helpful, more collegial. In some organizations, it would require coaching and reminders, but at NCOA, the cooperation seems organic and natural and is seemingly consistently good-natured.

In addition to NCOA and ASA and their respective staffs needing to work together so positively and productively, many other organizations are involved and invested in the success of the conference. Many aging interest groups and organizations come together at the conference and negotiate time and space for their own meetings and programs. It cannot be easy but it all seems to work.

One of the reasons it works is the tremendous shared commitment people and organizations have for improving the lives of older adults. Whether the goal is to better understand issues and needs, improve advocacy or programs, or rally and inspire support, this is the place to be this week if you care about aging in America and beyond our shores.

Given that we are all aging and all have older adults in our lives, it is inspiring to see this degree of collective commitment and collaboration. Hopefully all this collaborative effort will result in improved outcomes for older adults in general as well as those we care about individually.