Pictured left to right: Diane Oyler, Ph.D., and Nora OBrien-Suric, Ph.D.
New York, NY – Members of the management team at the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York will present to an audience of philanthropic leaders from across the country at the Grantmakers in Aging conference in New York, NY on October 17 and 18, 2019. Grantmakers In Aging (GIA) is a membership organization for philanthropic organizations with a common dedication to improving the experience of aging. The conference will be held at the New York Marriott Downtown in Manhattan from Oct. 16 – 18.
Nora OBrien-Suric, Ph.D., president of the Health Foundation, will present on the topic of age-friendly health systems on Thursday, October 17. The age-friendly health systems model is an approach to health care that works to ensure every older adult’s care is guided by evidence-based practices and centers the needs of older adults and their family. OBrien-Suric will present information on the role regional foundations play in the development of these programs, and how they can collaborate effectively with national organizations. Her presentation will offer examples of successful local and national initiatives, including the Western New York Integrated Care Collaborative (WNYICC), a multi-county network of governmental agencies and community-based organizations strategically positioned to respond to and capitalize on regional opportunities to advance community-based integrated care. Building Age-Friendly Health Systems is a national movement spearheaded by The John A. Hartford Foundation (the session’s presenting sponsor) and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), in partnership with the American Hospital Association and Catholic Health Association of the United States.
The Health Foundation’s vice president of programs, Diane Oyler, Ph.D., will be part of a conference session on Friday, October 18 on integrating social needs into the delivery of health care. The session is based on a recent report published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM). The report, funded in part by the Health Foundation, examined strategies for addressing social determinants of health and offered recommendations to improve the ability of health systems to work with social care providers. Key recommendations from the report include investing in workforce, health information technology, and new financing models to help health care systems address their patients’ social needs. Presenters will discuss how these recommendations benefit older adults, community-based organizations, and health care providers.
“As advocates for continuous improvements in health care, we are so pleased to be part of these crucial conversations on transforming care for older adults,” said OBrien-Suric. “Partnership models that address the health, social and economic needs of older adults continue to emerge and evolve, and it is essential that foundations also adjust grantmaking to allow grantees to evolve as well. We look forward to productive discussions and learning opportunities with our colleagues from across the nation.”
“Addressing social needs is key to improving health for any segment of the population,” said Oyler. “We need to build an infrastructure that allows health care and social care providers to more easily work together to meet those needs. The NASEM report provides a roadmap for doing that. It’s a privilege to join in this discussion and share the latest research on removing barriers to care.”
More information, photos and videos will be shared to the Health Foundation’s Facebook and Twitter accounts during and after the presentations.
About the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York:
The Health Foundation for Western and Central New York is an independent private foundation that advocates for continuous improvement in health and health care by investing in the people and organizations that serve young children and older adults. For more information, visit www.hfwcny.org.
