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The UAMS Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) and community partners will present “Disaster Preparedness for Older Adults,” on May 7.
| LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) and community partners will present “Disaster Preparedness for Older Adults,” on May 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Patrick Hays Senior Citizens Center, 401 W. Pershing, in North Little Rock.
Partnering with AGEC are the Patrick Henry Hays Senior Citizens Center, UAMS Health AR ConnectNow, UAMS Trauma Prevention, the American Red Cross, the Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services (MEMS), the Arkansas Naloxone Education Training Program (ANET) and the Central Arkansas VA Health System Suicide Prevention & Community Engagement program.
The event is free, but registration is required by calling 501-975-4297 by noon, Friday, May 2.
“Informing older adults about disaster preparedness, and the various resources available, is essential to “aging-in-place” efforts. Education and events such as this assist older adults who may or may not live alone or have health conditions to be more adequately prepared for any type of disaster,” said Laura Spradley, M.S., outreach manager for AGEC.
Attendees can receive free blood sugar and blood pressure screenings from MEMS. Jordan Ford with ANET will provide training on utilizing Narcan, which can assist in reducing opioid-related overdose deaths, and the Red Cross will offer hands-only CPR training and information about their free smoke alarm installation program.
Kelly Urban, RN, with the UAMS Trauma Prevention team will provide “Stop the Bleed” training, and Priscilla Buffington with Central AR VA Suicide Prevention program will speak about gun safety and suicide prevention. Victoria Spradley with UAMS Health AR ConnectNow will discuss virtual mental health resources available from UAMS for coping with disasters. Laura Spradley with the AGEC will teach participants how to prepare a disaster kit, organize paperwork, and how to prepare for a disaster if your loved one has a dementia.
The Patrick Henry Hays Senior Citizens Center offers exercise programs, educational and entertainment programs for senior adults throughout the year.
The American Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters each year, and most of them are residential fires. To help prevent fire-related deaths and injuries, the Red Cross educates communities on fire safety and prevention, installs free smoke alarms in homes that need them and responds to fires and disasters.
The Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative is funded by a $5 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program.
Arkansas Naloxone Education Training Program (ANET) is a SAMHSA-funded train-the-trainer program with goals of delivering naloxone education to community members, reducing opioid-related overdose deaths, and increasing access to treatment services.
The Central Arkansas Veterans Health System Suicide Prevention Team exists to support veterans at a high risk for suicide, as well as to support staff members providing direct care to those individuals with increased risks and needs.
UAMS Health AR ConnectNow is a virtual, comprehensive behavioral health treatment program created to provide care to all Arkansans dealing with a variety of mental health issues including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and other concerns.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,485 students, 915 medical residents and fellows, and seven dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.
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