International Rural Aging Project

Preliminary Results-Preface
June 15, 2000

Introduction

A historic event took place in Charleston, West Virginia from June 7-11, 2000. Over 3000 conference participants, including over 800 consumers from the Charleston area, attended this five-day event. Participants came from 40 nations from all over the world, for the first time ever to learn more about Rural Aging.

The conference consisted of five plenary sessions, which included keynote speakers as:

• Hugh Downs- Former co-anchor ABC News’ 20/20;

• Cecil H. Underwood – Governor of the State of West Virginia;

• John Langmore- United Nations Director of Division of Policy and Social Affairs;

• Martha Pelaez – Regional Advisor on Aging and Health, Pan American Health Organization;

• Robert Butler - President & CEO, The International Longevity Center/Professor of Geriatrics & Adult Development at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine;

• Alexandre Sidorenko – Chief, United Nations Programme on Ageing;

• John D. Rockefeller IV – United States Senator, West Virginia;

• Geraldine Ferraro - Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission;

• Alexandre Kalache – Chief, World Health Organization Programme on Ageing and Health;

• Robert C. Byrd – United States Senator, West Virginia.

Other Sessions included eighteen symposia, seventeen workshops, paper and poster sessions as well as a tract on Healthy Lifestyles, which primarily focused on special topics for seniors in West Virginia. 

The centerpiece of this conference was a tract named 2000 Forum on Rural Aging This Forum consisted of a series of symposia which followed up policy recommendations as outlined in the Shepherdstown Report on Rural Aging (May of 1999).

Discussions were held by international participants & U.S. participants. Results of discussions from both groups will be merged into one document after obtaining broad feedback. Please review the document and email comments, suggestions for change, proposals for dissemination to ruag2000@hsc.wvu.edu.

During a plenary session on Sunday June 11, the following conclusions and recommendations were given:

Implications for Policy (Preliminary)

Global