IN THE NEWS - MAY, 2015

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Hello, Everyone. I’m Mark Beutler from the Office of Communications. Thank you for joining us. Let’s take a look at what’s happening in the news.

May is Older Americans Month, a tradition dating back to 1963 to honor the ongoing contributions and legacies of this growing part of society. To celebrate, Aging Services hosted the 40th annual Conference on Aging, May 5-7th, in Norman. The conference theme, ôCelebrate. Discover. Embraceö echoes the healthy approach to aging that DHS supports. The conference hosted Senior Day on May 5. Community members from across the state came to explore topics relevant to today’s older population. The professional days were May 6 and 7--giving those working in the aging field an opportunity for training and networking. AARP Jobs Expert, Kerry Hannon shared information about the changing financial challenges for seniors, and Kathy Greenlee, National Assistant Secretary for Aging discussed the advances Oklahoma is making in services and accessibility, serving as a national model. Aging Services Director, Lance Robertson sat down with us to explain the new composition of the senior population unseen before now in the U.S.

Lance Robertson: The demographic bubble for us continues for us because really given longevity and a variety of other factors, when you talk about the 60 and older population and all the incoming baby boomers, it’s a mushrooming group. 

Now, the difference though, even within the cohort is growing more and more apparent because you do not have your older old, which would be folks that are maybe 75 to 80 plus versus the younger old, which are 60 and older, and their needs are and their desires are strikingly different. How they want their services provided, vocation, level of independence, level of autonomy--there’s just a lot of variables that are different and I think are driving a reshaping of how the aging network in general is looking at our future. That’s not just happening in Oklahoma; it’s happening nationally. I know that a lot of the national conferences that I participate in that’s a real conversation now, because we have floated along for really, our first 40 years of existence serving one type of older adult, and now we’re having to bridge over and serve really a second type of older adult within that save cohort and then probably transitioning into maybe multiple cohorts within the same 60 plus age cohort collectively as some of the older people maybe begin to push out or expire. Then, that older baby boomer cohort hits the middle gap. Then, the younger baby boomers hit. It’s interesting how different they all are.

This biggest thing that I’m seeing is that they are very--in a very respectful way--but they are very demanding, and they’re also very inquisitive. I think the older adult of yesterday really was just appreciative to have about whatever, provided to them wherever and however. Today’s younger older adult receiving services is a bit more inquisitive and would like to know a little bit more about what’s available, and again, how we can help them in a more customized way.

Mark Beutler: The National Council on Aging reports in the ô2014 United States of Agingö survey that Americans 60 and older report that they are more motivated now than in the past two years to improve their health by exercising regularly and setting health goals. According to the third annual survey, more than one-third of seniors (37 percent) say they exercise every day up from 26 percent in 2013. Fifty-three percent report setting health goals in 2014. 

Aging Services partnered with the Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative (or OHAI) to present a Wellness Expo at the Conference on Aging to promote healthy activities and disease prevention.

Paula Cockrell: The new generation are staying healthier. They are learning to start early in their lives--healthy habits so they can have successful aging. Because of that they are able to work longer. They’re able to be more active and to enjoy their life more than what was in the past. 

The Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative is a proud sponsor of the conference. We have helped to support them with financial contribution, but also with our time and our efforts helped to bring them information that maybe they didn’t have and to combine. OHAI is spread out across the state. We have centers, right now three, five by the end of the year. So, we have resources in all areas of the state. We can help bring people to the conference.

Mark Beutler: Check out the website ohai.org to learn about the education programs for seniors, caregivers and professionals they offer. You can also watch a feature video about the Conference on Aging on the infonet. 

The self-care video this month, also available on the infonet, is the first in a series of four about the Quality Service Standards and how they translate positively as personal choices. Safety, Integrity, Professionalism and Compassion are the four pieces of the Quality Service Standards. Here is Director Ed Lake sharing some thoughts on Safety as part of the culture at DHS:

Ed Lake: We have people in every division who are charged with helping vulnerable people, and that involves fieldwork. So, we can look at safety on two different levels. We’re charged with protecting the safety of vulnerable adults, of people with severe difficulties and of children. So, we have a responsibility there to protect and ensure the safety of the clients. But, in the same way, that can be a dangerous job that you’re going out at all hours perhaps, or you’re going into unknown areas, not very pleasant parts of town, or you’re out in rural areas where you’re exposed. We would want our employees to be thinking about their personal safety. We would want supervisors thinking about their workers’ personal safety, not sending people out in a known dangerous area alone, transporting someone, for example, in your vehicle that might be dangerous, if you were doing it by yourself. 

Mark Beutler: Make sure to watch the feature video about the Quality Service Standards with Director Lake and Shannon Rios, if you haven’t already. 

Helping to ensure safer, healthier lives for Oklahomans is a crucial part of the agency’s mission. DHS has launched the Safe Sleep Initiative to help prevent infant sleep-related deaths. These tragic losses all too frequently occur due to unsafe family sleep practices. 
DHS receives notification of all infant sleep-related deaths in the state. In 2013, 75 infants died due to unsafe sleeping practices. In 2014 that number dropped to 63, but one would be too many. These numbers do not include Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, making them all preventable. 

Director Ed Lake assigned some savings within the agency’s budget to be used to purchase 500 full-sized cribs with mattresses and 500 small portable cribs to help families keep their babies safe. Director Lake says that he wants Child Welfare workers who are already in homes across the state checking on the safety and well-being of children to have the ability to help families they encounter who do not have or cannot afford cribs for their infants.

In addition to providing cribs, the DHS Office of Community and Faith Engagement and Child Welfare Services are partnering with the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) to distribute information and materials that provide helpful information and promote safe sleeping environments. The OSDH provided DHS with a supply of the materials. Approximately 500 pamphlets have already been distributed by Child Welfare workers to families and more have been ordered due to the high demand. DHS also refers families to local county Health Departments for follow-up services and other resources. 

The Office of Community and Faith Engagement also recently held a ceremony to recognize the significant contributions of the volunteers and community partners who dedicate their time and support to help Oklahomans in need. Director Ed Lake handed out Recognition Awards to thank these community-focused individuals and groups. Oklahoma City news anchor Paul Folger was the Master of Ceremonies, and a reception followed at the April 23rd event.

Over 700-thousand volunteers donated more than 100-million hours of service to nonprofit or community organizations last year alone. The event theme was ôVolunteers Make a World of Difference,ö and they truly do. If translated to a dollar amount, volunteer hours provided to DHS recipients total more than $37 million dollars. Congratulations to Karen Jacobs and the Office of Community and Faith Engagement for connecting those who have the desire to help with the people who need it. Volunteering is a way that we can all participate in making a difference in the world, and we are grateful to these dedicated folks for setting such a good example.

May is also Mental Health Awareness month and one of the main goals of agencies and organizations across the country is to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues and the reticence to seek help. The Employee Assistance Program offers six, cost-free visits per year for DHS employees and family members living in the home. These professional sessions are coordinated through Human Resources Management with the Integris Corporate Assistance Program and are strictly confidential. EAP visits can also be used to address parenting and family concerns, drug and alcohol problems, job-related issues, and financial and legal matters. 

Taking the help that is available to you can make life better. Make sure to contact HRMD if you’d like to use your sessions. 

Reaching for a good life is the goal for many Oklahomans and was the theme of this year’s Developmental Disabilities Day at the State Capitol. Self-advocates, family members and professionals joined together to make their voices heard on behalf of the over 60,000 Oklahomans with Developmental Disabilities. The event featured legislative visits and speakers, including Director of Developmental Disabilities Services, JoAnne Goin. 

We’ll finish our program with more of these great images taken at the Capitol by our own Caroline Miller at the March event.

We’ll see you next time.

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