Visit the current activities page of the initiative website for complete details on each work group.

Access to Health Care Work Group

Co-chaired by Paul Ippel and Teresa Branson, the Access to Health Care work group will launch on September 29. The group will address the issue of unmet mental and physical health needs, use of screening and basic medical care, and financial issues related to medications, in order to ensure elders are healthy and their quality of life is enhanced. Click here for more information.

Community Based Services Work Group

The Community Based Services work group is expected to complete its work by mid-September. The work group is lead by co-chairs Andy Zylstra, Department of Human Services, and Tom Czerwinski, AAAWM. Click here for more information.

Physical Activity and Nutrition Work Group

The Physical Activity and Nutrition work group will address the issue of health and wellness, the benefits of illness prevention, access to healthy food choices, and the need for programs and policies to support choices and activities that ensure elders remain healthy and active as long as possible. The work group will be co-chaired by Margaret Biersack and Tom Oosterbaan with the first meeting scheduled for September 22 at 9:00 am. Click here for more information.

The Michigan 2006 Budget Debate: Michigan Voters Nix Proposed Cuts to Aging in Place Supports

As the Michigan legislature and Governor debate up to $9.7 million cuts in MiChoice funding, a recent AARP poll indicates that Michigan voters age 45 and older overwhelmingly favor increased funding for the kind of home-based care MiChoice provides ö even if it means paying more taxes. Locally, our CCFL/AdvantAge Initiative survey results provide insights into these votersâ concerns. Click here for full story.

CCFL Meeting Dates

For a complete listing of all upcoming CCFL meeting dates click here.

Learning Opportunities

Click here for a listing of upcoming forums and conferences throughout the region.

Abigail Trafford: CCFL Community Forum Speaker an Influential Force in Revolutionizing Retirement

Thanks to the longevity revolution, more and more people are waking up at retirement age to the reality that they may have 30 good, vigorous years ahead of them ö and no idea what they want to do with the time. ãNo one told you that you have to write a new script for this Îextraâ period,ä says author and columnist Abigail Trafford, the featured speaker at CCFLâs October 7 Community Forum.

From the lives and experiences of scores of people who have pioneered this ãextraä period, Trafford has crafted a framework for understanding its psychological, emotional, spiritual and physical dynamics. Her insights inspire individuals to reinvent their lives and challenge community organizations to invent new models and tools for serving them. Click here for the full story.

Nearly one-third of todayâs Baby Boomers say they plan to work past ãretirementä because of the need for money, according to a recent poll by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. And the workplace will be a better place for it, says BusinessWeek in its June 27 cover story, ãOld. Smart. Productive.ä Click here for the full story.