May 20, 1998 Panel Discussion

SUMMARY

EIIP Virtual Forum Panel Discussion
Wednesday - May 20, 1998 - 12:00 Noon EDT

In Observance of Older Americans Month: Challenges and Opportunities

Featured Panelists

Rebecca C. Bundon
Associate State Representative,
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Tennessee State Office

Jan Weaver, PhD, RN
Associate Director of Education Texas Institute for Research and Education on Aging, University of North Texas

Cecil H. Whaley
Director of Natural Hazards, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA)

The EIIP Virtual Forum panel discussion for May focused on how disasters impact the elderly and why we should be concerned in the face of a rapidly aging population. The recent tornadoes that hit Nashville and other counties in Tennessee on April 16 were part of the discussion as first-hand examples of elderly population issues.

As background information, Jan Weaver, University of North Texas, provided statistics that show the number of people who are 65 and older will double by 2030. Furthermore, the number of 85+ individuals is the fastest growing segment of the older population; the 85+ population will triple in size between 1980 and 2030. As stated by Weaver, the implications for emergency managers are clear; while there will be a greater number of people who need special assistance, there will also be a greater number of people to volunteer in disaster planning and preparation.

Rebecca Bundon, Tennessee AARP, explained the types of issues addressed by the AARP. Bundon provided national statistics on AARP membership and suggested that there are opportunities to reach hundreds of thousands of senior citizens through their national magazine and through state chapter newsletters, monthly programs and public events.

Cecil Whaley, TEMA, emphasized that power and phone outages were serious problems for the elderly in Nashville following the disastrous storm last month. The elderly disaster victims overall (95-97%) did not/would not take advantage of shelters open to them. Additionally, TEMA found that the elderly did not as a rule use FEMA's tele-registration system; this was due in some cases because of lack of phones and, in others, due to reluctance to talk on the phone with strangers. On the positive side, TEMA formed new liaisons with groups who had access to names and locations of senior citizens which enabled them to handle the needs of the older population. As result of the panel discussion, TEMA and the TN AARP will be working more closely together to increase the outreach and human resources needed in future disaster situations.

TENNESSEE AARP

The AARP Tennessee State office opened its doors in July 1996. We are here to provide local information and support to the 555,000 members of AARP throughout the state; recruit, train, manage and support approximately 500 volunteers; partner with state and local organizations; and provide information to the general public on issues relevant to individuals over 50.

Here are examples of information and services you can access through the AARP Tennessee State Office:

55 Alive: Classroom style defensive driving refresher course specifically for older drivers.

Advocacy: Education and voter involvement on state and federal issues of concern to older Americans. Local volunteers lobby the General Assembly on issues related to older Tennesseans.

Consumer Issues: Information on the latest consumer tips, as well as frauds and scams targeting older individuals.

Economic Security: Information on issues related to economic security such as Social Security education, Electronic Funds Transfer, Public Benefits Outreach and the Women's Financial Information Program.

Minority Affairs: Information on special needs and concerns of mid-life and older minorities through speeches, workshops and publications.

Widowed Persons Services: Organizational and training resources focusing on the needs of the newly widowed including one-on-one volunteer outreach, telephone referral, group meetings, public education and a resource directory.

Women's Issues: Information on special needs and concerns of mid-life and older women through speeches, workshops and publications.

Health Advocacy Services: Information for mid-life and older consumers of health care services through community education on long term care, managed care and Medicare.

Tax-Aide: Assistance for low and moderate income taxpayers to complete state and federal income tax forms in cooperation with the IRS.

AARP has 66 Chapters throughout the state and all persons over the age of 50 are encouraged to join their local chapters. In addition to AARP's 66 Chapters, we have 13 community councils, working to improve the quality of life for citizens of all ages.

AARP Tennessee State Office
150 4th Avenue North, Suite 150
Nashville, TN 37214
(615) 259-2277
(615) 313-8414 - FAX
[email protected]
Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday

VISION STATEMENT

AARP, celebrating 40 years of service to Americans of all ages, is the nation's leading organization for people age 50 and older. It serves their needs and interests through information and education, advocacy and community services which are provided by a network of local chapters and experienced volunteers throughout the country. The organization also offers members a wide range of special benefits and services, including Modern Maturity magazine and the monthly Bulletin.

For questions and concerns dealing with membership, insurance and travel, please check out our National Web Site.

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CECIL H. WHALEY, JR.

Director of Natural Hazards
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA)

He attended Indiana University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and later worked on his Masters in Public Administration from the University of Tennessee. Cecil has been a Secondary Education Teacher in Tennessee Public Schools and served as a Coach during his teaching tenure. He served in the US Army during the Vietnam Conflict and served as a special electronic warfare surveillance combat evaluator in the Republic of South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

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REBECCA C. BUNDON

Associate State Representative
AARP Tennessee State Office, Nashville TN

Rebecca Bundon currently serves as Associate State Representative for the AARP Tennessee State Office in Nashville. Prior to moving to Nashville in 1996, Rebecca was in Atlanta with AARP's Southeast Regional Office where she served for four years as the Economic Security Representative for 14 states. Rebecca has 15 years of experience in aging. She managed Senior Employment Programs for Louisiana's State Unit on Aging, was a Teaching Associate at LSU and just prior to joining AARP served as a consultant to older worker programs for the Georgia Department of Labor. She holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Georgia State University. Rebecca was born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, and received her undergraduate degree in Music Education from Carson Newman College, Jefferson City, Tennessee.

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JAN WEAVER, Ph.D., R.N.

Associate Director of Education
Texas Institute for Research and Education on Aging
University of North Texas

Dr. Jan Weaver is Associate Director of Education for the Texas Institute for Research and Education on Aging at the University of North Texas. Prior to coming to UNT in 1992, Dr. Weaver was the founding Executive Director of Adult Day Care of San Angelo, a non-profit, community-supported adult day center that serves as a model program in the state and region. Dr. Weaver is Past President of the Adult Day Care Association of Texas and served two terms as Region VI Representative to the National Adult Day Services Association. She has assisted in research in disaster planning for adult day centers and has provided training in fire and tornado preparedness and evacuation procedures for nursing homes. Dr. Weaver is the author of several articles on adult day services and is the editor of the second edition of Planning and Managing Adult Day Services: Pathways to Success, due to be published later this year.

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MODERATOR
Avagene Moore, CEM

Avagene Moore is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) who served as the Director of Emergency Management for 16 years in Lawrence County, Tennessee. Avagene worked four years (1991-1995) as an Emergency Management Project Manager for the Emergency Management Laboratory, Oak Ridge Associated Universities; her responsibilities included the coordination of the Occupational Safety Special Interest Group (OS SIG) for TRADE. She currently runs her own company, Avagene Moore/Professional Management (AM/PM), and serves as Vice President of TEAM Simulations, Inc., of Tallahassee, Florida. As part of her work, Avagene coordinates the Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP) for the National Coordinating Council on Emergency Management (NCCEM).

Avagene is a 22-year member of NCCEM. She is a Past President of both NCCEM and the American Society of Professional Emergency Planners (ASPEP) and established her name and credibility with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), other Federal agencies and national organizations through speaking engagements, published articles and papers, and testimony before various congressional committees on behalf of NCCEM and the emergency management profession.

Summary of Background/Experience:

Avagene Moore / Professional Management (AM/PM), 10/95 - present
Current Responsibilities as Personal Services Contractor:

• Write Video Scripts, Training Manuals and Guidance Documents
• Manage Emergency Information Infrastructure Partners (EIIP) - NCCEM/FEMA
• Manage and Develop Projects for TEAM Simulations, Inc.
• Work projects with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)

Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 6/91-9/95
Emergency Management Project Manager for the Emergency Management Laboratory; Group Coordinator and Project Manager for Training Resources and Date Exchange (TRADE)

ERP&M, Inc., Princeton, New Jersey 1/91-6/91
Personal Services Contractor:

City of Lawrenceburg, Lawrence County, Tennessee 1975-1990
City/County Emergency Management Director; Chaired Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and 911 Emergency District Board

Professional Affiliations:

National Coordinating Council on Emergency Management (NCCEM)
American Society of Professional Emergency Planners (ASPEP)
National Association of Female Executives (NAFE)
American Management Association (AMA)
Toastmasters International (TI)
Emergency Management Association of Tennessee (EMAT)

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