NC Aging Research Community Mourns Chuck Longino

Dr. Charles F. (Chuck) Longino passed away on December 25, 2008. IOA Director Victor Marshall offers the following reflection.
As Director of the Institute on aging, I am sad to note the loss of a wonderful friend and colleague, with the death of Chuck Longino. His loss, following a brief illness, is vividly felt at Wake Forest, where he had been on the faculty since 1991, across the state and nation, and also by a very large number of international colleagues and friends. He was, at the time of his death, the Washington M. Wingate Professor of Sociology and Director of the Reynolda Gerontology Program at Wake Forest University, where he was also a Professor of Public Health Sciences.
Chuck was Chair of the IOA’s Statewide Advisory Council and, prior to that, had served on the Statewide Advisory Committee for many years. He was also a member of the research team for the Workforce Aging in the New Economy (WANE) project, studying human resources management issues and aging in small and medium-sized IT firms in North Carolina and Florida. I had the privilege of publishing actively with Chuck in the period 1988-1992, when we were collaborators on a study of Canadian seasonal migrants (snowbirds) to Florida. He was the ideal colleague, imaginative, cooperative, active, and on time!
An active researcher and prolific writer, Chuck was world-renowned as the leading expert on aging and retirement migration, but he also had strong interests in public health and in social theory in aging. Chuck served the broader field of gerontology as President of the Southern Gerontological Society, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education, and the Gerontological Society of America, and as editor of the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences. As a number of speakers at his funeral on December 31 noted, he had a wonderful, friendly manner and always a twinkle in his eye. He loved life and people and was a great mentor to his students and also to his colleagues. Chuck Longino is survived by his wife of many years, Loyce Longino, two children and two grandchildren. The Institute on Aging will sponsor a symposium in Chuck’s honor at the meetings of the Southern Gerontological Society in St. Petersburg, Florida, April 16-19. The presenters will include Professors Jim Mitchell and Don Bradley of Eastern Carolina University, Professor Larry Polivka of The University of South Florida, and myself – all of whom have published with Chuck. For more information on Charles F. Longino, Jr., see http://www.wfu.edu/wowf/2008/20081226.longino.html

Aging Workforce Interest Group Meets 1/27/09

The next meeting of the Aging Workforce Interest Group will take place on Tuesday, January 27 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the UNC Institute on Aging. Bradford Woodard, an Economist with the NC Employment Security Commission and Bob Konrad, Senior Research Scientist at IOA will report on "New Hires and Separation: Significance for Older Workers in North Carolina". In a timely presentation, Woodard and Konrad will report the latest NC employment trends, and identify sectors of the economy and occupations where older workers are most likely to be hired. Contact Diane Wurzinger at diane_wurzinger@unc.edu to reserve a seat, or Peter Stein, Associate Director of Aging Workforce Initiatives, at 966-6818 with any questions. On March 3, the Group will meet again, to hear speaker Dr. MaryBe McMillan, Secretary-Treasurer of the North Carolina State AFL-CIO.

IOA Seminar Schedule Published

The IOA Seminar schedule for the spring semester has been posted online. Seminars are from 3:00-4:30 pm on Thursdays.

Nominations Open For DeFreise Awards

The UNC Institute on Aging is accepting nominations for the 2008-2009 Gordon H. DeFriese Career Development in Aging Research Awards until March 16, 2009. The awards are given to one junior faculty/staff member and one doctoral student from UNC Chapel Hill who demonstrate outstanding promise and a commitment to aging research. Get more information on the awards and download nomination materials from the DeFriese Awards page.

Are You A Senior Leader? Apply By 2/28/09

The UNC Senior Leadership Initiative, a program of the UNC Institute on Aging, is open to any person aged sixty and over currently residing in North Carolina and having the potential to emerge as a statewide leader in aging. Between 3 and 5 applicants will be selected to participate. Each leader will become involved in a year-long personal development plan and will implement an aging-related project to provide a practical leadership experience that benefits both the participant and North Carolina's older adults. A stipend of $2,000 per participant is available to help defray costs. The application deadline for the 2010 Class of Senior Leaders is February 28, 2009. See the Senior Leadership Initiative web page for more information about the program and to download the application.

IOA, DPH, DAAS Sign Agreement

The UNC Institute on Aging (IOA), NC Division of Public Health (DPH), and NC Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that articulates mutual interests, goals, and roles and responsibilities of each organization in the development of and implementation of future joint health promotion projects. The MOA will assist in maximizing resources to build upon the strengths and expertise of each partner, and outlines six common health promotion goals for older adults. The working relationships among these three organizations are being formalized to ensure sustainability for future endeavors.
The IOA, DPH, and DAAS have previously collaborated on several successful health promotion projects for older adults, including: four Senior Grants funded by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two of which focused on the Healthy Aging Roadmap for evidence-based programming in health promotion, disease prevention, and chronic disease self-management; an Administration on Aging “Empowering Older People to Take More Control of their Health Through Evidence-Based Prevention Programs” grant; and the joint establishment of the NC Healthy Aging Coalition (NCHAC), a multidisciplinary, multi-network group of leaders from across the state with an interest in health promotion and aging.

Journal Of Applied Gerontology Welcomes Submissions

The Journal of Applied Gerontology continues to be edited by IOA Senior Research Scientist Malcolm Cutchin (with IOA support). Please consider submitting a manuscript to JAG. The journal shifts up to 6 issues per year in 2009, and this year's volume will feature two series of provocative articles and related commentaries by some of gerontology's best scholars. Another feature that is in full swing is OnlineFirst, the Sage system that publishes articles online ahead of the hardcopy issue. This and more about the Journal can be found at http://jag.sagepub.com/.

SGS Submission Deadline Extended to 1/30/09

The abstract submission deadline for the 30th Annual Meeting of the Southern Gerontological Society in St. Petersburg, Florida has been extended to January 30, 2009.

Winter Update On The North Carolina Colleges Aging Network (NC-CAN) From Alison Climo

NC-CAN Chair Alison Climo offers some thoughtful analysis of the diverse representation of the scope of gerontology among North Carolina scholars, and introduces several faculty and their interests in this update on the Network. Ron Smith (Wesleyan College), Brenda Jamerson (Campbell University), Steven Fulks (Barton College), and Beth Vogel (Mars Hill College) are among those profiled.

Good News For NC Colleagues

Charie Rosemond, a previous recipient of the IOA's Gordon H. DeFriese Award, has received her PhD in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education in the UNC-CH School of Public Health. Her dissertation is titled Implementing Person-Centered Care in Nursing Homes, and her committee chair was Susan Ennett.

Annual Challenges In Geriatric Practice Conference Coming In March

The 20th Annual Challenges in Geriatric Practice: Advances in Geriatrics, scheduled for March 5-6, 2009 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill, will include sessions on cardiovascular disease, memory and cognitive functioning, social policy, cancer, pain management, mental health, and end of life issues. CME credit is offered. Register/more information.

Osteoporosis Foundation Makes Grants To NC Recipients

The North Carolina Osteoporosis Foundation (NCOF) has awarded $30,000 in grants to six recipients ($5,000 each) from across North Carolina to help raise awareness of osteoporosis and its impact on public health. The recipients include the UNC-CH School of Medicine Center for Aging and Health, Charlotte AHEC, Lenoir Memorial Hospital, Area L AHEC, NCSU Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences, and Cherokee County Senior Services. "The Foundation’s goal in distributing the funds is to empower community-based programs to improve osteoporosis prevention and self-management skills, and improve outcomes for patients with osteoporosis," said Dr. Betty Wiser, Chairperson of NCOF.

New Grant Project Seeks To Find Out More About Men And Their Health; Coordinator Position Open

Congratulations to the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS), the Diabetes Prevention and Control Branch of the North Carolina Division of Public Health (DPCP/DPH), and the North Carolina Public Health Foundation (NCPHF) for their successful grant application to the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to implement Living Healthy: For Men. By Men. The project will address the prevention and control of diabetes and other chronic diseases (including heart disease, high blood pressure, lung disease, stroke, etc.) for males, particularly African American men, living in Lenoir and Pamlico Counties. The project will explore effective ways to implement evidenced-based health promotion programs in these communities, emphasizing those ways that are highly attractive to men. Men will be recruited to serve on one of the two Living Healthy Committees formed – one in each county – and/or to participate in a focus group or key informant interview. Findings from the project will have implications for how programs are marketed and administered not only in North Carolina, but across the country. A Project Coordinator position is currently open to develop this project. See a brief job description or contact Serena Sanker at DAAS (serena.sanker@ncmail.net) for more information.

Center For Creative Aging North Carolina Event Planned

In conjuntion with Older Americans Month in May, 2009, the Center for Creative Aging North Carolina will hold a month-long celebration of the creativity of older adults and people with memory loss. This will include performances, forum discussions and exhibitions of paintings, poems, stories, photos and more created by older adults in public venues such as coffee shops, restaurants and libraries. CCA-NC is actively seeking volunteers, collaborative partners and funding for this signature series of events. Contact Lia Miller, lia@cca-nc.org or 336-253-0856.

Report Implicates Environment In Alzheimers, Parkinsons

"Environmental Threats to Healthy Aging: With a Closer look at Alzheimer's & Parkinson's Diseases" was recently issued jointly by Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Science and Environmental Health Network. It discusses the relationship of environment and disease patterns and presents a primer on brain structure, function, and neurodegenerative diseases. Environmental factors that are likely to be involved in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are also discussed.

New from NC Researchers

New from the Digital Library

Upcoming Events In NC

January 27, 2009 Aging Workforce Interest Group
New Hires and Separation: Significance for Older Workers in North Carolina
Bradford Woodard, NC Employment Security Commission & Bob Konrad, UNC Institute on Aging
1:00-3:00 pm, IOA conference room, 720 MLK Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill
Please RSVP to Diane Wurzinger at diane_wurzinger@unc.edu.

January 28-31, 2009
American Institute of Financial Gerontology
UNC Greensboro, Elliott University Center, Dogwood Room
Classes 7:30 am - 5:00 pm, Wed.- Fri.; Exam is 7:00 am - Noon on Saturday

January 29, 2009 ECRA Seminar Series
Dementia Care in Diverse Populations
Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, PhD, Associate Director of Aging & Diversity, UNC Institute on Aging; Professor, Health Policy & Management, School of Public Health
3:00-4:30 pm, IOA conference room, 720 MLK Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill

Save The Dates

February 19-20, 2009
Alzheimer's 2009: The Many Roads to Brain Aging
The Twenty-Third Annual Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Conference
Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center, Research Triangle Park, NC

View our complete events calendar at www.aging.unc.edu/events/.

Community Bulletin Board and Jobs in Aging

Publication of this newsletter is announced via email listserv. Current and past issues may be viewed at any time at http://www.aging.unc.edu/news/newsletter.html . To join one of our lists, please visit www.aging.unc.edu/news/lists.html for more information. If you have information that you would like to include in this newsletter in the future, please send it to aginginfo@unc.edu at any time.