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U.S. EPA Aging Initiative List Serve June 2011

  1. Announcements
  2. News, Research, Reports and Presentations
  3. New Resources and Opportunities
  4. Building Healthy Communities - Sustainable Communities
  5. Pharmaceuticals in the Environment
  6. Intergenerational Activities
  7. EPA Funding Opportunities
  8. Other Funding Opportunities
  9. 2011 Calendar of Events & Meetings
  10. Call for Abstracts

 

I. Announcements

New Report by National Association of Area Agencies on Aging: U.S. Communities Struggle to Keep Up With Needs of Aging Population
Due to the financial consequences from the Great Recession, many U.S. communities have been unable to make significant progress in preparing to meet the needs of the country's rapidly aging population. "The Maturing of America - Communities Moving Forward for an Aging Population," a follow-up to an extensive survey conducted in 2005, reveals that at best, communities have managed to maintain the status quo for the past six years due to the decline in the overall economy and local government budgets.

This report also reveals that, despite the challenges, important advances have been made including increase in specialized training for emergency and public safety staff in dealing with older adults; growth of in-home supportive services; greater support for advanced education for the workforce; and expanded volunteer opportunities. Even so, with millions of Baby Boomers reaching retirement age, these advancements are nowhere near the level of progress needed to ensure that communities are livable for people of all ages.

June is Great Outdoors Month
Presidential Proclamation—Great Outdoors Month
America's vast and varied outdoor spaces are a source of great national pride, and we have long strived to protect them for future generations. Our lands and waters provide countless opportunities for exploration, recreation, and reflection, whether in solitude or with family and friends. During Great Outdoors Month, we renew our enduring commitment to protect our natural landscapes, to enjoy them, and to promote active lifestyles for ourselves and our children.

Our outdoor spaces include the farms, ranches, rivers, forests, and working lands that are integral to our culture and economy, as well as our National Parks, local parks, fishing holes, beaches, and other favorite spots that provide space for us to stay active and healthy. These places are especially important today, as an increasing number of Americans, especially children, fall into unhealthy sedentary lifestyles.

This year, I launched the America's Great Outdoors Initiative to foster innovative, community driven strategies to protect our natural spaces, and to reconnect Americans with our great outdoors. We are addressing the conservation challenges and opportunities of the 21st century through partnerships with ranchers, farmers, sportsmen, and conservationists; State, local, private, and tribal leaders; educational and service programs like AmeriCorps; and business representatives and other stakeholders. To learn how you can join this effort, read more...

The America's Great Outdoors Initiative also builds upon Let's Move, First Lady Michelle Obama's effort to help our children eat more nutritious foods, lead healthier lives, and increase their physical activity. Exploring beyond the walls of their homes and schools will help inspire our children to move, run, play, and thrive. I encourage all Americans to visit http://www.LetsMove.gov to learn more.

In these difficult economic times, renewing our commitment to our natural places will foster jobs in the tourism and recreation industries while conserving our great outdoors. Moreover, as Americans, we are responsible for protecting our heritage, including the raw beauty of our lands and waters. Together, let us rise to meet that responsibility and safeguard our cherished outdoor spaces for our children and grandchildren.

Now, therefore, I Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2010 as Great Outdoors Month. I urge all Americans to explore the great outdoors and to continue our Nation's tradition of conserving our lands for future generations.

For more information, read more...

EPA to Host Public Listening Sessions during National Ocean Month
The Obama Administration announced the launch of a series of listening sessions to gather input from the communities that depend on and care for our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes - continuing work to implement the nation's first comprehensive ocean policy. Feedback and comments gathered through these public engagement opportunities will assist the National Ocean Council as it continues implementing the new National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, our Coasts, and the Great Lakes.

The National Ocean Council will host a series of 12 public listening sessions across the country. EPA will be coordinating efforts with other federal agencies and partners to host a listening session in the Gulf of Mexico region and co-host a listening session in the Great Lakes region alongside the U.S. Coast Guard. Following the executive order issued by President Obama last July that established the National Ocean Policy and the National Ocean Council, these public engagement sessions mark the latest milestone in implementing an ocean policy that addresses critical issues facing our oceans.

In addition, the National Ocean Council has launched a month-long public comment period for strategic action plan outlines. The outlines for the strategic action plans were drafted by federal interagency teams as a first step in implementing the president's National Ocean Policy. After the public comment period, the outlines will be used to develop strategic action plans that will propose attainable goals and specific, measureable actions the federal government can implement to address key challenges facing our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes.

To participate in providing feedback for the strategic action plans outlines or to get more information on listening sessions: http://www.whitehouse.gov/oceans

To provide comment on the nine strategic action plans, read more...
To find a National Ocean Council regional listening session near you, read more...

Draft National Action Plan: Priorities for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climate
Recognizing that a changing climate will affect the quality and availability of the Nation's water resources, the Council on Environmental Quality released a draft Action Plan to help Federal agencies assure adequate water supplies, safeguard water quality, and protect public health and property. The draft Action Plan will be available for 45 days of public comment to allow the public to provide input and feedback before it is finalized.

The Draft National Action Plan for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climate recommends Federal agency actions to aid freshwater resource managers in managing and protecting the Nation's water resources. It also outlines ways in which Federal agencies can support state, local and tribal governments in their water resources planning by improving access to quality data and information and best practices. The draft Action Plan responds to a 2010 report from the Obama Administration's interagencyClimate Change Adaptation Task Force that identified freshwater resources planning as a priority.

Comments are due by July 15, 2011.

For more information, read more...
Climate Change Adaptation Task Force

World Health Organization Sponsors International Conference on Age-friendly Cities in Dublin
First International Conference on Age-friendly Cities in Dublin from Sept 28 to 30. More information is available. Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

This will to be a very significant global event and it would be great to see you there. Since places are limited and there are already several hundred communities worldwide participating in age-friendly initiatives, it will be wise to register early. Please note that the conference has been designed to be relevant for smaller rural and regional communities as well as larger cities. Many of the sessions will also have simultaneous translation.

Momentum to establish age-friendly environments is growing at an extraordinary pace. The conference is designed build on this enthusiasm by highlighting innovative strategies from around the world, and by linking diverse fields including urban design, technology and gerontology.

And this will be a truly international and interactive event. One feature will be a series of "global villages" that will allow participants to walk among displays by cities from around the world. The final session will allow different language groupings to work together to identify practical steps forward for their local communities or regions.

It is also anticipated that a defining "Dublin Declaration" will be drafted that sets out principles for how cities and communities can best meet the challenges, and capitalize on the opportunities, of ageing populations. This is your chance to contribute to this groundbreaking statement.

John Beard, MBBS PhD
Director
Department of Ageing and Life Course
Director (a.i.)
Department of Gender, Women and Health

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II. News, Research, Reports and Presentations

Growing Old in A Changing Climate: Exploring the Interface Between Population Aging and Global Warming
The following presentations were part of a conference in conjunction with the 20th John K. Friesen conference that was held at Simon Fraser University that focused on the intersection between population aging and climate change. Read more...

Report Projects Health Impacts and Costs from Worsening Ozone Pollution in a Warming World
Ozone Pollution Could Cost Americans More Than $5 Billion in 2020
According to a peer-reviewed report released recently by the Union of Concerned Scientists, Unchecked global warming could threaten public health and increase health costs by exacerbating ground-level ozone. The report, "Climate Change and Your Health: Rising Temperatures, Worsening Ozone Pollution," found climate change-induced ozone increases could result in 2.8 million additional serious respiratory illnesses, 5,100 additional infants and seniors hospitalized with serious breathing problems, and 944,000 additional missed school days in the United States in 2020.

All told, these and other health-related impacts could cost approximately $5.4 billion. And if global warming pollution continues unabated, these impacts and costs could be significantly higher. "Even a small increase in ozone due to a warmer climate would have a significant impact on public health," said UCS public health expert Liz Perera, a report co-author. "It would mean more asthma attacks, respiratory illnesses, emergency room trips, and premature deaths."

For more information, read more...  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

Toward a Quantitative Estimate of Future Heat Wave Mortality under Global Climate Change
Peng RD, Bobb JF, Tebaldi C, McDaniel L, Bell ML, et al. 2010 Toward a Quantitative Estimate of Future Heat Wave Mortality under Global Climate Change. Environ Health Perspect 119(5): doi:10.1289/ehp.1002430

Abstract

Background: Climate change is anticipated to affect human health by changing the distribution of known risk factors. Heat waves have had debilitating effects on human mortality, and global climate models predict an increase in the frequency and severity of heat waves. The extent to which climate change will harm human health through changes in the distribution of heat waves and the sources of uncertainty in estimating these effects have not been studied extensively.

Objectives: We estimated the future excess mortality attributable to heat waves under global climate change for a major U.S. city.

Methods: We used a database comprising daily data from 1987 through 2005 on mortality from all nonaccidental causes, ambient levels of particulate matter and ozone, temperature, and dew point temperature for the city of Chicago, Illinois. We estimated the associations between heat waves and mortality in Chicago using Poisson regression models.

Results: Under three different climate change scenarios for 2081-2100 and in the absence of adaptation, the city of Chicago could experience between 166 and 2,217 excess deaths per year attributable to heat waves, based on estimates from seven global climate models. We noted considerable variability in the projections of annual heat wave mortality; the largest source of variation was the choice of climate model.

Conclusions: The impact of future heat waves on human health will likely be profound, and significant gains can be expected by lowering future carbon dioxide emissions.

Read more...

Rotenone and Paraquat Linked to Parkinson's Disease: Human Exposure Study Supports Years of Animal Studies
Spivey A, 2011 Rotenone and Paraquat Linked to Parkinson's Disease: Human Exposure Study Supports Years of Animal Studies. Environ Health Perspect 119(6): doi:10.1289/ehp.119-a259a

A growing body of evidence suggests pesticides may play a role in Parkinson's disease (PD) in humans. Self-reported PD has been associated with lifetime use of pesticides, and animal studies have suggested that the pesticides paraquat and rotenone can cause oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, respectively-posited mechanisms of action in PD-as well as symptoms in rodents similar to human PD. Now, researchers have linked human exposure to paraquat and rotenone with PD [EHP 119(6):866-872; Tanner et al.]. Their study is the first analysis of pesticides classified by presumed mechanism of action rather than by intended use or chemical class.

Among the mitochondrial complex I inhibitors studied, the researchers found the strongest association between PD and use of rotenone. Among oxidative stressors, they found the strongest association between PD and use of paraquat. Participants with PD were 2.5 times more likely than controls to have reported use of rotenone or paraquat.

http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.119-a259a

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III. New Resources and Opportunities

New Report "Dangerous By Design 2011: Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths
The 2011 edition of Transportation for America's pedestrian safety report was recently released and examines the 47,000 people that were killed and 688,000 injured while walking our nation's streets in the ten years from 2000-2009. Dangerous by Design 2011 examines the problem and several solutions for the epidemic of preventable deaths that far too many have simply accepted as matter of course.

This national report includes data and a factsheet for each of the 50 states, comes with a powerful visual: this year, we've taken the pedestrian fatalities from 2001 to 2009 that have location data (all but about 5 percent) and plotted them on an interactive map, allowing you to take a look at the streets and roads near you to see how safe or unsafe they may be. Test it out.

Dangerous by Design 2011 Map of Fatalities  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

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IV. Building Healthy Communities - Sustainable Communities

2009 Facts Older Population-National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
In 2009, 5,288 persons 65 and older were killed and 187,000 were injured in traffic crashes. Older drivers made up 15 percent of all licensed drivers in 2008, compared with 14 percent in 1999.

Older adults represented 16 percent of all traffic fatalities and 8 percent of all persons injured in traffic crashes. For older adults, 64 percent of all pedestrian fatalities in 2009 occurred at non-intersection locations compared to 78 percent of fatalities for other ages. Read more...(PDF) (7 pp, 901K,  About PDF)

Will Your Community be Recognized as a Healthy Community for Active Aging?
The Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging awards recognizes communities that have excelled in strategies, planning and programs that support active aging and smart growth. The Achievement Award, the top honor, is awarded to communities for overall excellence in building healthy communities for active aging. The Commitment Award recognizes communities that have developed and begun to initiate a specific plan to implement smart growth and active aging principles.

Communities self nominate for the award. A panel of judges selects the winners each year. Applications for 5th annual Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging the 2011 are due July 11, 2011. For more information, read more...

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V. Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

DEA Second Take- Back Event Collects 188 tons of Unused Medications
Americans participating in the United States Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA's) second National Prescription Drug Take-Back event on April 30th turned in more than 376,593 pounds (188 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,361 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states. This is 55 percent more than the 242,000 pounds (121 tons) the public brought in during last September's event.

Four days after last fall's Take-Back Day, Congress passed legislation amending the Controlled Substances Act to allow the DEA to develop a process for people to safely dispose of their prescription drugs. DEA immediately began developing this process after President Obama signed the Safe and Secure Drug Disposal Act of 2010 on October 12.

"The amount of prescription drugs turned in by the American public during the first two Take-Back events is simply staggering-309 tons-and represents a clear need for a convenient way to rid homes of unwanted or expired prescription drugs," said DEA Administrator Leonhart. "DEA is hard at work establishing a drug disposal process and will continue to offer take-back opportunities until the proper regulations are in place.

"Responding to our Nation's prescription drug abuse epidemic requires a sustained effort from government, the private sector, the medical community, as well as families and individuals," said Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy. "The unprecedented amount of prescription drugs turned in by citizens last week will keep dangerous, addictive drugs from being abused. I commend the DEA for its successful nationwide prescription drug take-back day and for their work to make it easier for communities to stay healthy, while safeguarding the environment."

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high-more Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin combined, according to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Studies show that teens who abuse prescription drugs often obtain them from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away - both potential safety and health hazards.

National Take Back Initiative Press Release.

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VI. Intergenerational Activities

2011 Rachel Carson Poetry, Essay, Photography and Dance Contest

If you are interested in embarking on a unique journey to transform the future of intergenerational programming, practice, and policy across the world you won't want to miss the Generations United conference this year. Not your typical conference, all presenters and participants will have the opportunity to rethink and revitalize the future of intergenerational connections becoming part of something greater for the field. The conference will take place next month in Washington DC, from July 27-29th.

Generations United's 16th International Conference: Rethinking and Revitalizing Intergenerational Connections  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

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VII. EPA Funding Opportunities

Request for Proposals: 2011 Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal Grant Program for Tribes
EPA Region 10 anticipates awarding approximately five cooperative agreements to eligible applicants to design, manage, and implement Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal Programs. Applicants should address how its proposed project enhances human health and the environment and builds capacity for sustainable, long term household hazardous waste management. Final results and findings from each proposal must be presented in a transferable format for the benefit of tribal communities at large.
Deadline: June 17, 2011. Read more...

Environmental Impact and Mitigation of Oil Spills
As part of the federal government's response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the U.S. EPA received a $2 million Congressional appropriation for a grant or grants for "a study on the potential human and environmental risks and impacts of the release of crude oil and the application of dispersants, surface washing agents, bioremediation agents, and other mitigation measures listed in the National Contingency Plan Product List."
Deadline: June 22, 2011. Read more...

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VIII. Other Funding Opportunities

Translational Research to Help Older Adults Maintain their Health and Independence in the Community (R01)
Deadline: Standard Dates Apply. Read more...

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Senior Fellows (Parent F33)
Deadline: See Application. Read more...

DOE: Clean Cities Community Readiness and Planning for Plug-In Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure
Deadline: June 13, 2011. Read more...

Lifespan Respite Care Program Competing Program Expansion Supplements
Deadline: June 15, 2011. Read more...

Strengthen and Improve the Nation's Environmental Public Health Capacity through National, Non-Profit, Professional Public Health Organizations to Incorporate Health in All Policies
Letters of intent deadline: May 17, 2011
Deadline: June 16, 2011. Read more...

Grants to Support the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Health Services
Deadline: June 21, 2011. Read more...

Grants to Support the Hispanic Health Services Research Grant Program
Deadline: June 23, 2011. Read more...

HUD Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities
Deadline: June 23, 2011. Read more...

Community Health Projects Related to Contamination at Land Reuse and Brownfield Sites
Deadline: June 27, 2011. Read more...

HUD - Lead Technical Studies
Deadline: June 30, 2011. Read more...

Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program
Deadline: July 1, 2011. Read more...

Using Systems Science Methodologies to Protect and Improve Population Health
NIH solicits applications to apply one or more system science methodologies to public health and health care system problems and contribute knowledge that will enhance effective decision making.
Deadline: September 7, 2011. Read more...

Translational Research at the Aging/Cancer Interface (TRACI) (R01)
The National Institute on Aging, encourages research grant applications from institutions/organizations that propose translational research in the overlapping areas of human aging and cancer.
Deadline: September 7, 2011. Read more...

CDC: Grants for Injury Control Research Centers
Letter of Intent Deadline: September 13, 2011
Application Deadline: October 28, 2011. Read more...

 

IX. 2011 Calendar of Events & Meetings

June 2011

Great Outdoors Month
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-great-outdoors-month

Congress for New Urbanisim
June 1-4, 2011
Madison, WI
http://www.cnu.org/congresses  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

River Rally Network: Call for Workshops River Rally 2011
June 3-6, 2011
Charleston, South Carolina
http://www.rivernetwork.org/rally/call-for-workshops  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

Festival of International Conferences on Caregiving, Disability, Aging & Technology
Toronto, Canada
June 5-8, 2011
https://www.confmanager.com/main.cfm?cid=1559&nid=13257  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

World Oceans Day
June 8, 2011
http://www.squidoo.com/world-oceans-day  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

CSTE Annual Conference
Pittsburgh, PA
June 12-16, 2011
http://www.cste.org/conference/CallForTopics/tabid/375/Default.aspx  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

National Environmental Health Association
Columbus, Ohio
June 18-20, 2011
http://neha2011aec.org/motivation_and_inspiration.html  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

APHA Midyear Meeting
Chicago, Illinois
June 23-25, 2011
http://www.apha.org/midyear  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

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July 2011

National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services (NANASP) Annual Conference
July 7-8, 2011
Washington, DC
www.nanasp.org  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) Annual Conference
July 16-20
Washington, DC
http://www.n4a.org/training-events/annual-conference/?fa=schedule-events  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

Generations United 16th International Conference
July 27-29, 2011
Washington, D.C.
http://www.gu.org/RESOURCES/Conference.aspx  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

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September 2011

Protect Your Groundwater Day
September 13 2011
http://www.ngwa.org/public/PYGD/pygd.aspx  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

Active Aging Week
September 25-October 1
http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/blog/post/Active-Aging-Week-2011.aspx

International Conference on Age-Friendly Cities
September 28-30, 2011
Dublin, Ireland
http://afc-internationalconference.ie/  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

October 2011

National Community Planning Month
http://www.planning.org/ncpm/  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

APHA Annual Meeting 2011
Oct 29- Nov 2nd, 2011
Washington, DC (139th Meeting)
http://www.apha.org/meetings/pastfuture/  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

November 2011

Gerontological society of America (GSA) annual meeting
November 18-22, 2011
Boston, MA
http://www.geron.org/  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

X. Call for Abstracts

Call for Abstracts Association of Gerontology in Higher Education
Deadline June 15, 2012

2012 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference
Deadline: June 30, 2012
http://www.newpartners.org  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

American Society on Aging Conference
Deadline: June 30, 2012
http://www.agingconference.org/AiA12/index.cfm  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

International Federation on Ageing 11th Global Conference on Ageing
Prague Czech Republic May 28- June 1, 2012.
Deadline: December, 2011.
http://www.ifa2012.com/abstracts/call-for-abstracts  Link to EPA's External Link Disclaimer

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