Delaware State University to host first-ever symposium on aging care

The symposium on aging care will be held at the Milford Wellness Village. (Photo by PeopleImages/Getty Images)

DOVER – Delaware State University, in collaboration with Education Health and Research International (EHRI), will host the inaugural Delaware Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) Symposium on Wednesday, June 18 at the Milford Wellness Village.

The event marks a major milestone for the university, which is among 42 institutions nationwide selected to lead the GWEP initiative—a five-year, $5 million federally funded effort aimed at improving care for older adults through education, workforce training, and community partnerships. The program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The one-day symposium will gather health professionals, educators, community leaders, and state officials to share strategies for building age-friendly health systems and dementia-informed care throughout Delaware.

The agenda includes plenary sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities.

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Key speakers will include Dr. Patrice Gilliam Johnson, interim provost at Delaware State University; Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay; Dava Newnam, deputy cabinet secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services; Dr. Karen Panunto, GWEP principal investigator and MSN program director at DSU; and Rabbi Halberstam, chief strategy officer at EHRI.

Topics to be covered include geriatric curriculum development, dementia education, medication management, and career advancement pathways for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and other direct care workers.

Participating organizations include Accent Care, La Red Health Center, Pace Your Life, Polaris Healthcare and Rehab Center, Village Primary Care, and WeCare.

The symposium will also debut an interprofessional learning community, designed to foster long-term collaboration between academic and community stakeholders in the field of aging care.

For more information, including the full agenda, click here.