Archived webinar: Meeting the Needs of Our Diverse Clients: Why Culture Counts in Health Care

This webinar (now archived) from the National Council on Aging (NCOA) concerned the increasing diversity of America's older population and stressed the importance of providing culturally appropriate services.

It proved thought-provoking and was time well-spent. While it contains much information geared toward senior care organizations, it is not overly-specific and I think librarians can glean much of value.

My two main takeaway points are:

* Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate programs and services contributes to better engagement of diverse populations, better outcomes, more satisfied clients, and is cost-efficient.

* Office of Minority Health's 5-point Framework for 'Systems Approach.'

The speaker was Marcie Freeman, M.Ed., Director of Outreach and Recruitment for the Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and Chair of Boston’s Multicultural Coalition on Aging, a group of over 50 organizations serving culturally and linguistically diverse older adults.

Webinar content included:
* What's involved in understanding cultural diversity in the context of aging services and senior care – including the importance of moving from generalizations about “other” cultures to an appreciation for the complexity of every person’s life.
* The topic of “cultural competence” – reframing it from a “curiosity” to an activity that is now an essential part of successful health care practice.
* The implications today’s cultural diversity has for both professional practice and personal attitudes and behavior – and practical next steps organizations can take.

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Upcoming webinars sponsored by NCOA are:

Engaging Leadership Volunteers: Organizational Culture & Structure, Part 2
Learn best practices and tips on how to engage older adult leadership volunteers to increase the capacity of your nonprofit.
March 22, 2011, 3:00 PM ET - 3:30 PM ET.

Engaging Leadership Volunteers: Volunteer Recruitment
Learn best practices and tips on how to engage older adult leadership volunteers to increase the capacity of your nonprofit. Read More
April 19, 2011, 3:00 PM ET - 3:30 PM ET

Engaging Leadership Volunteers: Volunteer Retention
Learn best practices and tips on how to engage older adult leadership volunteers to increase the capacity of your nonprofit.
May 17, 2011, 3:00 PM ET - 3:30 PM ET