Each year NHCOA hosts a national summit on the premise of 'sharing the best of us' – working together to ensure that the protection and empowerment of Hispanic seniors remains a top national priority.
Starting this year, NHCOA's annual gathering will continue to be guided by the same governing principle, but with a new format that hones in on the most pressing issues impacting Hispanic older adults by serving as a catalyst for meaningful action and change.
Working Together for a Stronger Golden America:
NHCOA hosted its 2011 National Summit— the premier annual event focused on issues impacting Hispanic older adults, their families, and caregivers— on September 18-20, 2011 in Washington, DC to host a solutions-oriented discussions focused on health, economic security, and the voting power of the Latino community with the generous support of the 2011 National Summit sponsors. NHCOA also released a fact sheet, “A Snapshot of Hispanic Older Adults: Economic Security, Demographics & Voting Trends.”
The NHCOA 2011 National Summit convened a broad spectrum of subject-matter experts, professionals, service providers, Administration officials, Hispanic seniors, as well as community and national leaders, to explore how our nation can ensure that all seniors enjoy their golden years in health and security.
The discussions were recorded and will be used to develop a white paper to inform policy, program, and research work as it relates to Latino seniors and families. The plenaries, which were facilitated by Washington Bureau Chief for TV Azteca & Azteca America Network Armando Guzman, also served as a networking and information-sharing platform to connect diverse audiences who work for and on behalf of Hispanic older adults.
Understanding these perceptions and preparing for the upcoming demographic shift are critical as we reshape public policy and federal programs focused on the U.S. aging population, such as the Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act and proposed changes to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The Summit also highlighted how the current reality for Latino seniors across the country is shaping voting trends among Hispanics as we approach the 2012 election cycle.
The speakers and panelists at the NHCOA 2011 National Summit were:
- Congressman Xavier Becerra (D, CA-31)
- Congressman Ruben Hinojosa (D, TX-15)
- Cindy Padilla, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging
- Teresa Niño, Director of the Office of Public Engagement, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Lisa Pino, Deputy Administrator of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (USDA)
- Val Halamandaris, President, National Association for Home Care and Hospice
- Cara James, PhD, Director, Kaiser Family Foundation’s Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program
- Carlos Ugarte, MPH, Senior Public Health Adviser
- Nancy Altman, PhD, Co-Director, Social Security Works
- Rene Perez-Rosenbaum, PhD, Associate Professor, Michigan State University
- Concepción (Conchy) Bretos, CEO, MIA Consulting Group
- Mark Hugo Lopez, PhD, Associate Director, Pew Hispanic Center
- Andres Ramirez, President, Ramirez Group
The first two days of the National Summit convened grassroots and grasstop leaders from across the country, many of which are members of the NHCOA Hispanic Aging Network, to provide them with the tools to empower and mobilize Hispanic older adults, their families, and communities as well as identify challenges and opportunities to better serve this important population.
