February 2006

White House appoints WCA board member to commission

Stephanie Grenier, DC, a member of the World Chiropractic Alliance International Board of Governors, recently served as a delegate to the 2005 White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA), a Commission that meets once every 10 years to develop recommendations about national aging policies to the President and Congress. The 2005 WHCoA is the fifth WHCoA in history.

The Conference, which took place in Washington, DC in December, 2005, focused on the aging of today and tomorrow, including 78 million baby boomers who started turning 60 this year.

"We are pleased to invite these individuals to be part of the historic 2005 WHCoA," said Dorcas R. Hardy, Chairman of the Policy Committee. "Their overall dedication and expertise, not to mention diversity and experience, will contribute to the success of the WHCoA and consequently to the future of aging in America."

Delegates selected the top 50 (out of 73) resolutions to present and participated in working groups to develop strategies for implementing the resolutions. The initial 73 resolutions were developed during some 400 meetings held throughout the US prior to the conference. The top 10 resolutions as voted by the delegates were:

***  Re-authorize the Older Americans Act within the first six months following the 2005 White House Conference on Aging

***  Develop a coordinated, comprehensive long‑term care strategy by supporting public and private sector

***  Initiatives that address financing, choice, quality, service delivery, and the paid and unpaid work force

***  Ensure that older Americans have transportation options to retain their mobility and independence

***  Strengthen and improve the Medicaid program for seniors

***  Strengthen and improve the Medicare program

***  Support geriatric education and training for all health care professionals, paraprofessionals, health profession students, and direct care workers

***  Promote innovative models of non‑institutional long‑term care

***  Improve recognition, assessment, and treatment of mental illness and depression among older Americans

***  Attain adequate numbers of health care personnel in all professions who are skilled, culturally competent, and specialized geriatrics

***  Improve state and local based integrated delivery systems to meet 21st century needs of seniors

By statute, the final report from the conference will be presented to the president and congress by June 2006.

The delegates were charged with bringing the implementation strategies back to their states and working together to create awareness and action in the communities across all levels of government, business, non‑profit and area agencies on aging.

Dr. Grenier, who was appointed to the Commission by Congressman John Linder of Georgia, later reported that the conference was "well‑run and a little frustrating at the same time. My concern is that, while a handful of us were emphasizing the need for prevention ‑‑ and getting good reactions from the entire assembly ‑‑ prevention‑oriented implementation strategies weren't garnering many votes. Most people realize the system is broken, but they keep hoping they can fix it rather than look in a new direction and ask themselves how we can discard the out‑dated programs and prevent these health problems from occurring in the first place."

Grenier explained that her next step will be to take these implementation strategies to each state and community and create action in grassroots efforts across local, state and federal governments, private business and non‑profits, area agencies on aging, communities and individuals.

To do so, she is creating a series of workshops that not only incorporate her holistic wellness background but WHCoA strategies to involve others. "The policy committee has six months to bring the WHCoA full report to the president," she explained. "By then a core group, including the Georgia delegation, should be in place to get this moving."

Terry A. Rondberg, DC, president of the World Chiropractic Alliance, congratulated Grenier on her appointment and expressed his confidence that she will make a valuable contribution to the work done by the Commission.

"Dr. Grenier has always shown not only an incredible level of chiropractic dedication, but exceptional leadership qualities," he stated. "Both these qualities shine whether she's leading the city of Auburn as its mayor, or her state's chiropractic contingent in the office of a Georgia senator. The WCA has greatly benefitted from her involvement as a member of its International Board of Governors, and I know the public in this country will as well."