Nashville-based Tivity Health, Inc. will bring together leaders in health and aging from government, business, academia, and non-profit, faith-based and community organizations for the inaugural Connectivity Summit: A Catalyst for Change on Rural Aging, June 20-21 in Portsmouth, NH. The invitation-only event will be presented in collaboration with Health eVillages, the MIT AgeLab and the Jefferson College of Population Health.
The day-long summit will be action-focused, with participants engaged in identifying solutions to challenges unique to aging in rural communities. Facilitated sessions will address improving access to healthcare and services, reducing social isolation and developing integrated strategies to address rural health issues.
"In meeting with SilverSneakers Fitness members in communities across the country and through the work that we've done with Health eVillages, I have seen firsthand the unique challenges associated with aging in a rural area," said Donato Tramuto, CEO of Tivity Health and Founder and President of Health eVillages. "Public-private collaboration, enhanced technology and improved local, state and federal policies are potential pathways to enable more people to age in place, improve the health of this population and decrease the cost of care."
Tramuto will lead the day-long symposium in collaboration with Joe Coughlin, PhD, founder and Director of the MIT AgeLab, and David Nash, MD, MBA, Dean of the Jefferson College of Population Health.
"As life expectancy has increased, so too have expectations for our quality of life and for how we want to live as we age," said Coughlin. "New technologies available can enable us not just to live longer, but to live better. While there are challenges facing aging Americans in rural communities, there are also opportunities to create a new vision for longevity."
The percentage of Americans over the age of 65 is growing exponentially, with 10,000 people turning 65 every day. The proportion of the total population made up by Americans over the age of 65 is 27% higher in rural areas compared to urban areas.
"The quality of life of an older American is strongly contingent on their ability to age in place while maintaining connectivity to their community," Nash said. "As the rural senior population grows and their expectations and needs evolve, we must develop innovative solutions to provide quality care, enhance overall well-being and improve longevity for this important and underserved population."
The findings of the summit will be published in the peer-reviewed journal, Population Health Management.
About Tivity Health
Tivity Health, Inc. is a leading provider of fitness and health improvement programs, with strong capabilities in developing and managing network solutions. Through its existing three networks, SilverSneakers® - the nation's leading fitness program for older adults, Prime® Fitness and WholeHealth Living™, Tivity Health is focused on targeted population health for those 50 and over. With more than 14.5 million Americans eligible for SilverSneakers, over 10,000 fitness centers in the Prime Fitness Network, and more than 25 years of clinical and operational expertise in managing specialty health benefits and networks, including chiropractic services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, acupuncture, massage and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) services, the Company touches millions of consumers across the country and works directly with hundreds of healthcare practitioners and many of the nation's largest payers and employers. Learn more at www.tivityhealth.com.
About Health eVillages
Health eVillages empowers healthcare providers to improve global health and well-being through the delivery of mobile technology and community-focused solutions, extending life with dignity and purpose. Our partners include Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Seed Global Health, Global Impact, WelVU, Tivity Health, Sharecare and more. You can find more information at www.healthevillages.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
About the Jefferson College of Population Health
The Jefferson College of Population Health (JCPH) is the first college of its kind in the country. Established in 2008, it is part of Thomas Jefferson University, a leading academic health center founded in Philadelphia in 1824 as Jefferson Medical College (now Sidney Kimmel Medical College). The College is dedicated to exploring the policies and forces that define the health and well-being of populations. Its mission is to prepare leaders with global vision to examine the social determinants of health and to evaluate, develop and implement health policies and systems that will improve the health of populations and thereby enhance the quality of life. Jefferson College of Population Health provides exemplary graduate academic programming in population health, public health, health policy, healthcare quality and safety, and applied health economics and outcomes research. Its educational offerings are enhanced by research, publications and continuing education and professional development offerings in these areas.
About MIT AgeLab
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab is a multidisciplinary program that works with businesses, governments, and NGOs to conduct research that improves the quality of life of older adults and those who care for them. The AgeLab applies human-centered systems thinking to understand the challenges and opportunities of 100 years of longevity. Research focuses include emerging technologies, business models, and emerging generational lifestyles that have the potential to catalyze innovations in transportation, home and community, care, and retirement planning. Working with Member organizations, the MIT AgeLab seeks to invent life tomorrow. More information at agelab.mit.edu.