Members of the Aging for All Committee
The members have not been assigned yet. They will be assigned by Senator Eric Johnson's office. Please take a moment to send them a quick email to their office ask them to quickly assign this committee so work can begin with this very important issue.
Aging and Developmental Disabilities Coalition
During the 20th century, vast changes occurred for older persons with developmental disabilities. While in the first part of the 20th century many persons with a developmental disability were not expected to reach adulthood, their life expectancy now is approximating that of the general population. This reality has created new challenges.
The mission of the Aging and Developmental Disabilities Coalition is to work toward meeting these challenges for people with developmental disabilities, their families and caregivers. The mission of this coalition is to help create a seamless system that provides transition through the stages of life without disruption with appropriate funding and support, an educated medical community that comprehends and uses best practices in treating people with disabilities throughout the aging process, and a health care training system that teaches the future professionals in the health care industry how to treat people with disabilities as individuals who have medical needs. The accomplishments of this coalition have been impressive since its conception in 1999. If you are interested in joining our efforts, please send an email to dave@aadd.org with your name, organization name, address, phone number and email address.
During these years, this Coalition has accomplished a good deal.
Achieved Outcomes
- Developed / increased awareness of the both communities (aging interests and developmental disabilities interests) that aging is an issue for people with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families and caregivers.
- Begun building the foundations for bridges and in some case the bridges themselves between the aging provider/interests community and the DD community, e.g. the inclusion of the DD community in the aging community's Gateway or "One Stop" Project.
- Maintained a deliberate balance between the aging and DD communities in:
- Leadership of the Coalition
- Development and implementation of conferences
- Presentation of information both to and by the Coalition
- Improved the quality of service to the people that are served through the shared expertise continually brought to the table over the past 4 years.
- Directly impacted the development of the Elder Services Program database by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), which is one of the first of its kind nationally. ARC credits the Coalition with the birthing of the database concept.
- Created ongoing communications between both communities resulting in:
- Collaborative relationships that were non-existent prior to the Coalition
- Partnerships for projects and initiatives spawning new opportunities for Georgians with disabilities and without disabilities that have aging concerns.
- Conducted Annual workshops that have grown every year in both attendance as well as content with national speakers presenting.
- Provided scholarships to Coalition members as well as Direct Care Providers to enhance the information exchange and the quality of care given to the people that are served. Individuals attended both the Coalition's conferences as well as those conducted by nationally and state recognized organizations.
- Networked the aging Coalition to existing influential groups to extend the impact of the information that is gleaned and the recommendations that are made with regard to the people that are aging in Georgia.
Ultimately, however, we hope to contribute to a service delivery system that is supportive of a person's later-life choices to live with dignity and respect. Toward these goals, the work of the coalition will focus on five desired outcomes.
Desired Outcomes
- Expand information and assistance services to consumers, families, policymakers and professionals on issues related to aging and developmental disabilities so as to increase the support services opening their doors and including people who are aging with Developmental Disabilities.
- Penetrate health care training systems that create future professionals in the health care industry on issues related to treating people with disabilities as individuals who have medical needs.
- Conduct annual conferences that will draw providers, specialists, and interested representatives of the aging and developmental disability community.
- Expand marketing and public relations effort with media and professional publications to increase awareness of the issues surrounding aging and developmental disabilities.
- Work with CDC, Emory and like organizations to raise the issues surrounding aging and developmental disabilities. As well as to expand the Coalition membership to include more aging providers and agency representatives.
That this coalition is creating Collaborative relationships that were non-existent prior to the Coalition, while maintaining a deliberate balance of leadership from both networks, makes us uniquely qualified to achieve these outcomes. If you are interested in joining our efforts, please send an email to dave@aadd.org with your name, organization name, address, phone number and email address.
2004-2005 MEMBERS
Sue Burgess, Chairperson
Atlanta Regional Commission
Aging Division
Email: sburgess@atlantaregional.com
Allan Goldman
Department of Human Resources
Division of Aging
Email: abgoldman@dhr.state.ga.us
Camille Anders
Aldersgate Homes
Email: aldhomes@bellsouth.net
Jane Zanca
Parent
Email: bab00shka@computermart.com
Dr. Barbara Karcher
RTM Center for Leadership, Ethics, and Character
Caring Center
Email: bkarcher@kennesaw.edu
Catherine Ivy
Visiting Nurse Health System
Email: catherine_ivy@vnhs.org
Ira Cavallo
Parent
Email: cavallo1105@charter.net
Cathie Berger
Atlanta Regional Commission
Aging Division
Email: cberger@atlantaregional.com
Cori Sackin
Jewish Elder Access
Email: csackin@jfcs-atlanta.org
Cheryll Schramm
Georgia Council on Aging
Email: cschramm@atlantaregional.com
Doris Williams
Compeer Atlanta, Inc
Email: dwilliams@compeeratlanta.org
Eric Jacobson
Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Email: eejacobson@dhr.state.ga.us
Gary Maddix
Dekalb Communty Services Board
Email: garym@dekcsb.org
Janice Barrocas
Email: jbarroc3650@aol.com
Janet Deal
ResCare
Email: JDeal@rescare.com
Janice Nodvin
May South, Inc
Email: jnodvin@mayinstitute.org
Janice Rossi
The Arc of Georgia
Email: jrossi@arcga.org
Lisa Morgan
Jewish Family & Career Services
Email: lmorgan@jfcs-atlanta.org
Maryann Foley
Email: maryannfoley@msn.com
Maureen Kelly
Atlanta Regional Commission
Email: mkelly@atlantaregional.com
Robyn Berger
Dekalb DD Council
Email: Papanana@bellsouth.net
Renee Simoneaux
The Frazer Center
Email: r.simoneaux@thefrazercenter.org
Risa Leveovsky
Marcus Jewish Community Center
Email: rlevovsky@yahoo.com
Sandee Panchi
Email: sandee.panichi@cobbcounty.org
Sally Carter
Department of Human Resources
Division of MHDDAD
Email: scarter@dhr.state.ga.us
Sonia Kuniansky
Dekalb DD Council
Email: Sfkuniansky@cs.com
Sheila Cottingham
Parent to Parent
Email: Sheila@parenttoparentofga.org
Scott Landes
Georgia Baptist Developmental Disabilities, Inc.
Email: slandes@gbddm.org
Sue Joe
Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta
Email: suejoe@bellsouth.net
Susie Davidow
Marcus Jewish Community Center
Email: susie.davidow@atlantajcc.org
Tom Graf
Consultant
Email: tomdel@mindspring.com
Mary Yoder
Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities
Email: mary@aadd.org
Dave Blanchard
Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities
Email: dave@aadd.org
Walter Coffey
Georgia Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
Email: wcoffey@gahsa.org
