Over the next 20 years, aging Baby Boomers will effectively double Virginia's population of adults 65 and older. Ultimately, seniors will make up 20% of Virginia's population.
Partners
Partner Profiles
Name: Dr. Richard W. Lindsay
Title: Former Head of the Division of Geriatrics, Older Dominion Partnership Board Member, Shared Database Work Group, Chair
Company/Organization: University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, University of Virginia
ODP Partner Since: December 10, 2007
ODP Committee Affiliation: Shared Database Research, Board of Directors
Summarize your professional background relevant to Age Wave preparedness.
Dr. Lindsay served as Head of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Virginia where he had an active medical practice. Dr. Lindsay was the recipient of one of the first seven Geriatric Medicine Academic Awards from the National Institute of Aging. These awards had two major purposes. One was to create a Geriatric Medicine Program at the University of Virginia and the other was to raise the level of awareness in the nation, state and community regarding aging issues and the challenges they present. Since the award, he has presented this challenge throughout the Commonwealth in the form of lectures, workshops and consultations, which continue to the present time. In Virginia, he has served on the Commonwealth Council on Aging under six Governors and also serves on the Boards of the Gerontology Center at Virginia Tech and the Virginia Center on Aging at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is currently active in the Senior Navigator and the Older Dominion Partnership. He also represented the Commonwealth at the last three White House Conferences on Aging.
What expertise or other strengths do you bring to the Older Dominion Partnership?
The expertise gained through 30 plus years of efforts to improve the quality of life for older Virginians. The skills of a practicing geriatrician, and the ability to form important partnerships via a working knowledge of the aging network and its key players.
What do you believe are the most pressing issues in Age Wave-preparedness in Virginia today?
To increase the competence in geriatric and aging issues of every individual that interacts with Virginia's senior population. The Geriatric trained Healthcare workforce including dentists, pharmacists, optometrists, social workers podiatrists, home care personnel and particularly physicians and nurses are in critically short supply, and the need is immediate to increase their numbers. Another critical issue is the revision of the remuneration of health care to appropriately value primary care and prevention. Finally, a change will be needed in the training programs to reflect the new practice models for geriatric care. All of the above issues will benefit from a current state wide database as envisioned for the Older Dominion Partnership.
What advice do you have for age wave planning in Virginia?
Increase the recruitment of individuals into careers in Geriatric Medicine, Geriatric Nursing and Geriatric Social Work. Study ways to improve the career ladder, enhance the reimbursement of and increase the benefits for Certified Nursing Assistants, home care workers and other front line personnel in the long-term care system. Support the Older Dominion Partnership and its plans for a statewide database for age wave planning.