Conference on Aging promotes proactive aging

By SARA GIBONEY
UNK Communications

KEARNEY – “Rethinking Aging: Promoting Proactive Aging” is the topic for the fifth annual Conference on Aging at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The conference, sponsored by the UNK Department of Social Work and Cambridge Court Assisted Living, is from noon to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Nebraskan Student Union Ponderosa Room.

Christie Hinrichs, president and CEO of Tabitha Healthcare Services, will present “Aging with a Blank Page” from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Hinrichs has served as president and CEO of Tabitha Healthcare Services since 2010. Tabitha Healthcare Services is a nonprofit provider of health care services for older adults. Headquartered in Lincoln, the organization serves 28 southeast Nebraska counties.

In 2006, Hinrichs introduced and began developing LIVE8Succeed, a revolutionary culture change within Tabitha that challenged employees to Love their jobs, Invite optimism, Vision success and Embrace the mission. Today every operational and strategic decision is made through the lens of LIVE’s ideals. In 2012, the program was given the LeadingAge Excellence in the Workplace Award.

Hinrichs has also led Tabitha to receiving awards such as the Rotary Salute to Business in 2014 and the Chamber Cornerstone Award in 2013.

From 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., a panel of service providers will present “Exploring Options for Healthy Aging.” The panel is Derek Schweitzer, a therapist at Michael Burke and Associates; Cheri Theesen, administrator of Good Samaritan Society-Grand Island Village; and Cheryl White, executive director of Cambridge Court.

From 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., a panel of older adults will speak.

Registration for professionals is $50, and includes 3 continuing education credits.

Registration for UNK students, faculty and seniors 60 and over is free. Current field placement supervisors and department committee members can also register for free. To obtain a promotional code to use during registration, contact Suzanne Exstrom at 308.865.8739 or exstromsr@unk.edu.

To register, go to unk.edu/AgingConf2015. For more information, contact 308.865.8739 or exstromsr@unk.edu.

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Source: Maha Younes, 308.865.8741, younesm@unk.edu
Writer: Sara Giboney, 308.865.8529, giboneys2@unk.edu