THE RETURN OF THE SOCIAL GERONTOLOGY COMMUNITY CONFERENCE
T
he Center for Social Gerontology Community Conference promotes successful aging and positive social change. Our goals are to enhance the quality of life, mental and physical health, and social well-being of older adults at all levels of capability. They also work to maximize the knowledge, effectiveness and overall wellbeing of all people, professional and non-professional, who support older adults. October 2022 will see the conference hosted in Statesboro, Georgia for the first time since 2020. To learn more about the history and vision for the future of the conference, Georgia Southern’s Division of Continuing & Professional Education interviewed the chair of the conference, Dr. Adrienne Cohen, who is also the Department Chair for Sociology and Anthropology How did you start the Conference on Social Gerontology? Dr. Cohen: The conference started in 2016 to help fulfill our mission “to make a positive difference in the lives of aging persons and their families and communities through increasing awareness of as well as fostering and supporting the needs and activities of a diverse older adult population at multiple levels.” Members of the Center felt that we needed to provide a venue for increasing awareness of the realities and needs of older adults in Southeast Georgia. 10
ADVANCE
FALL 2022
Dr. Adrienne Cohen, Chair of the Social Gerontology Community Conference
What impact does the Social Gerontology Conference have? Dr. Cohen: The conference helps to increase the capacity of professionals in the field of aging to deliver their services using best practices. It provides an opportunity for faculty and professionals in the field to share what they have learned with others who may benefit from their experiences. For faculty, the opportunity to share their knowledge in an applied way can be very exciting. The conference provides students with a chance to become to become excited about working in the field of gerontology and allows them to network with professionals in the field where they can learn about future internships and jobs.
