05/28/2026

OAGE/AGE 2026 Scholars in Aging White House Conference on Aging discussion

OAGE/AGE 2026 Scholars in Aging
White House Conference on Aging discussion

Authors
Daniel J. Van Dussen PhD, Youngstown State University

Jennifer Kinney PhD, Miami University

Natalie Haslage, Ohio Department of Aging (AGE)

The final scholars in aging session was an in-depth discussion on the biggest issues facing older adults at the local, state, and national/international levels. Students were given a history of the White House Conferences on Aging to show their impact on federal policies on the Aging Network at our March virtual Scholars in Aging meeting. As part of this presentation, students were prompted to bring an issue at each level to begin our discussion. We were joined by Representative Jodi Salvo. She first met our students during the OAGE/AGE Columbus policy day as the chair of the Aging Caucus. We invited her to attend OAGE and were pleased that she jumped right into our discussions.

The discussion began with students writing their issues on Post It notes and placing them on larger sticky pads around the room. There was one large sticky pad sheet for each policy level. We gave them 15 minutes to complete this task.

Students then broke into 3 groups to then rank and select the biggest issue within their level of policy facing older adults. Students were able to choose which level of policy  most interested them. The levels included local, state, and national/international policies. Once in small groups, students then flesh out a policy, goals, and ways to assess success of their goals. The final step was to report out to the rest of the group. Students took about 30 minutes to complete these tasks.

The following are the summaries of their answers:

Local Level

At the local level, the group of students identified social isolation, access to services, and gaps in community infrastructure that would benefit older adults. Social isolation presented a primary concern, with proposed solutions including expanding community-based programs such as senior centers, volunteer visitor initiatives, digital literacy training, and intergenerational events, including RSVP and Foster Grandparent initiatives to encourage connection and reduce loneliness. Students emphasized the need for more affordable, qualified living spaces and improved accessibility for transportation, particularly in rural communities. The goal in mind with these interventions is to reduce social isolation, enhance independence and access to care. Recommendations included incorporating informal network mapping into Area Agency on Aging (AAA) needs assessments to improve communication. In addition to these priorities, students identified assigned family navigators during dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis to aid individuals and caregivers with resources. 

State Level

At the state level, students identified housing affordability and workforce shortages in geriatric care as the most pressing issues facing older adults. Rising housing costs and increasing risk of homelessness were emphasized alongside a lack of trained geriatric providers, especially in rural areas. To address these concerns, the group proposed expanding the geriatric workforce through state-funded training programs, loan forgiveness incentives for providers in underserved areas, and increased hiring to reduce shortages, along with incorporating specialized geriatrics training for professionals entering elder care. Additional strategies included exploring resilience-focused micro-grants funded through state levies to support housing stability and adding asset mapping to state needs assessments to better identify service gaps and available resources. The goals of these policies are to improve housing stability, increase access to quality geriatric care, and strengthen statewide support systems for older adults, with success measured by reduced homelessness rates, increased numbers of geriatric-trained providers, improved workforce retention, and more effective resource allocation.

National/International Level

At the national and international level, students identified financial health in later life and systemic gaps in healthcare and workforce support as significant issues facing older adults. Key concerns included an overloaded healthcare system struggling to meet the demands of the aging population, as well as rising healthcare costs and limited coverage. Another concern stated was a shortage of geriatric-trained providers, such as nurses. The group also highlighted the need to address ageism, particularly toward women and caregivers, and to improve workplace flexibility by offering part-time opportunities for individuals transitioning into later life or caregiving roles.

Proposed policy solutions at the national and international level included expanding Medicare benefits to cover services such as dental, vision, and specialized care, and reducing premiums and deductibles. Additionally, students highlighted increasing funding for gerontology education and providing caregiver training, particularly for dementia care, as important. Improving representation in healthcare, reducing stigma around aging, and incorporating global perspective and cultural values were emphasized to enhance care among aging populations worldwide.  There was some discussion about furthering support for the Senior Community Service Employment Program, which is a job training program for individuals age 55 and older, and addresses many of the issues identified. Success at this level would be measured through reduced poverty rates among older adults, improved mental health outcomes, decreased violations or disparities in care, and a stronger, more inclusive workforce that supports aging individuals both economically and socially.

This was part of the final meeting of the 2026 OAGE/ODA Scholars in Aging cohort. This was an expansion on previous years’ White House Conference on Aging discussions. We added the [What should we call this method?] and an increased level of interactions between scholars.

Thank you Scholars for sharing your passion and insights to make a lasting impact on aging in Ohio.