UAMS Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative Partners in Disaster Preparedness Event for Older Adults
| LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) is collaborating with UAMS Health ARConnectNow, the American Red Cross, Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, The Alzheimer’s Association, Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) and Edward Jones to present a community event on “Disaster Preparedness for Older Adults.”
The event will be held from 9:30 a.m, to noon on May 6 at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church’s Wesley Hall, 4823 Woodlawn Drive in Little Rock. Free parking will be available off Lee Avenue.
“Informing older adults about disaster preparedness, and the various resources available, is essential to “aging-in-place” efforts.,” said Laura Spradley, M.S., outreach coordinator for AGEC. “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.”
Attendees can receive free blood sugar and blood pressure screenings from members of the Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services. Karen Konarski-Hart, D.C., EMT, will provide training on utilizing Narcan kits, which can reduce the effects of an opioid overdose, and the Red Cross will offer hands-only CPR training and information about their smoke detector program.
The AGEC, Konarski-Hart, Shaun Greening of Edward Jones and Jill Thompson with the Alzheimer’s Association will assist in teaching participants how to prepare a disaster kit and organize paperwork, as well as how to prepare for a disaster if your loved one has a dementia. ARConnectNow will discuss virtual mental health resources available from UAMS for coping with disasters.
The Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative is funded by a $3.7 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program.
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 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 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.###