A series of six virtual summits is underway to spur national conversation on the future of healthy aging research with Villages. Each summit engages Villages in different geographic regions of the country to explore critical questions facing Villages as they seek to demonstrate their outcomes, cultivate partnerships with researchers, and grow the movement in the years to come.
Over 200 people have participated in the first three summits. Participants have included Village officers, professionals, members, volunteers, and regional leaders, as well as research partners, funders, and other interested parties. Three additional virtual summits are scheduled for the remainder of July, 2024. (For a full list of summit dates and times, as well as to register for an upcoming summit, click here.)
"There has been a great deal of interest in the topics raised at the Summits,” said Bill Kincaid, Board President of Village to Village Network. “The input on the future of the Village Movement from so many people at the grassroots level bodes well for our efforts as partners in research and advocacy.”
Each of the 90-minute virtual events includes the following:
Brief presentations from researchers: Speakers from RAND and Rutgers University Hub for Aging Collaboration highlight key findings from a recent report titled, “Insights on Developing Research Capacity for Healthy Aging with Villages.”
Commentary from members of the Villages Healthy Aging Research Ambassadors group: Village leaders from each of the summit’s focal geography share in their own voices what they view as promising directions for research for their Village and the movement more broadly.
Remarks from Village to Village Network: National leaders present their vision for how healthy aging research can help strengthen Villages as part of the future of aging in the United States.
Facilitated breakout room discussions: Through small-group breakout rooms, participants share their perspectives on what they perceive as the greatest benefits of Villages for members, how Villages interface with health systems, what would motivate Villages to participate in research partnerships, and more.
Information from across the summits will be analyzed and presented in a forthcoming report. Insights will help to guide the design of future collaborative projects for Villages, researchers, and other partners. Recordings of key parts of the summits also will be made available through the project website later this summer.
We encourage all connected with Villages in any capacity to register for an upcoming summit if they have not yet participated.
Northeast Plus, July 16 at 10-11:30 AM ET. Register here.
Designed for people in: Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey
Multi-Region Summit, July 11 at AM-12:30 PM CT. Register here.
Designed for people in: Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, Arizona, Australia, Ontario
Southeast Plus, July 31 at 2-3:30 PM ET. Register here.
Designed for people in: Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Mississippi
For more information, visit villagesresearch.org. To sign up for project updates, click here.