The Life Expectancy Work Group identified the following priorities for action planning. Work group members engaged in discussions and review of best practices related to falls prevention, brain health and dementia, and radon. The Life Expectancy Work Group acknowledges that many factors have and will impact Life Expectancy as an indicator that are not addressed by these three policy areas. Some key factors include maternal and infant mortality, substance misuse, chronic disease prevention and management and the COVID-19 pandemic. The work group suggests using some related secondary population level indicators to measure whether North Carolinians are better off.

Falls Prevention

• Foster partnerships to increase awareness of fall risk factors
• Advance access to fall prevention interventions
• Cultivate strategic partnerships with traditional and nontraditional agencies and organizations addressing falls

Brain Health and Dementia Care

• Educate individuals, caregivers, and healthcare providers about cognitive decline risk factors, including potential hearing loss, screening, and evidence-based interventions to support brain health
• Increase use of screening and diagnostic assessment to identify early signs of cognitive decline risk factors and dementia to reduce risk, slow decline and manage symptoms
• Improve access to and use of clinical and community services for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD)

Radon Testing and Mitigation

• Support the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and other organizations by increasing grant funds to support the installation of radon mitigation systems among homeowners financially eligible
• Improve access to free radon test kits and education, particularly to historically marginalized populations
• Require public schools to test and mitigate for high levels of radon

Falls Prevention

• Priority: Foster partnerships to increase awareness of fall risk factors
  • Strategies:
    • Promote effective referral pathways to all health care providers, rehab care providers, evidence-based falls prevention programs
    • Ensure all counties have access to community-based falls prevention programs
    • Expansion of PACE to counties with high hospitalization, ED visits and deaths from falls
    • Expansion of Community Paramedic Programs in high falls risk counties in NC
• Priority: Advance access to fall prevention intervention
  • Strategies:
    • Universal Falls Screening: Implement a systematic and comprehensive falls screening program for all older adults to identify individuals at risk of falling. This can involve the use of standardized assessment tools and protocols.
    • Collaboration and Coordination: Foster collaboration and coordination among healthcare providers, community organizations, and caregivers involved in fall prevention. Encourage information sharing, referrals, and joint efforts to provide comprehensive care and support for older adults.
    • Adopt a multidisciplinary approach that involves healthcare professionals from different disciplines, such as geriatricians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, audiologist, pharmacists, and others. This ensures a holistic assessment and the implementation of appropriate interventions tailored to individual needs.
    • Education and Training: Provide education and training programs for healthcare providers, caregivers, community volunteers, and older adults themselves. These programs can include falls prevention strategies, home safety assessments, exercise programs, medication management, and balance training.
    • Accessible Interventions: Ensure that fall prevention interventions are accessible and available to older adults. Promote the integration of falls prevention services into primary care settings, community centers, senior housing facilities, and home care services.
• Priority: Cultivate strategic partnerships with traditional and nontraditional agencies and organizations addressing falls
  • ​​​​​​​Strategies:
    • ​​​​​​​Cultivate strategic partnerships with traditional and nontraditional agencies and organizations addressing falls

Brain Health and Dementia Care

• To be added.

Radon Testing and Mitigation

• ​​​​​​​To be added.

May 9, 2023, 10:00 to 12:00 pm, Work Group Meeting

Co-Leads: Heather Carter, Amy Lanou, and Martha Zimmerman

Attendees: Brandie Garner, Ellen Schneider, Jennifer Teague, Phillip Gibson

Presenters: Scott Herrick and Kathy Dowd

Discussion:

• Reviewed the purpose of the NC SHIP Community Council is to advance the policy agenda for the Healthy North Carolina 2030 (HNC 2030) population indicators. The Life Expectancy indicator result is “All people in North Carolina have long and healthy lives.”
• Reviewed updated policy recommendations:
  • Educate individuals, caregivers, and healthcare providers about cognitive decline risk factors, screening, and evidence-based interventions to support brain health.
  • Increase use of screening and diagnostic assessment to identify early signs of cognitive decline risk factors and dementia to stop or slow decline and manage symptoms.
  • Improve access to and use of clinical and community services for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).
• Received presentation on Alzheimer’s Disease from Scott Herrick, State Director of Public Policy, Alzheimer’s Association.
• Received presentation on Hearing Loss and Dementia from Kathy Dowd, AuD, Executive Director, The Audiology Project.
• Discussed  potential tasks for a strategy to educate and disseminate information on hearing assessments/ hearing loss.

February 27, 2023, 10:00 to 12:00 pm, Work Group Meeting

Co-Leads: Heather Carter, Amy Lanou, and Martha Zimmerman

Work Group Members Present: Divya Venkataganesan, Ellen Schneider, Heather Burkhardt, Jenni Danai, Mark Hensley

Presenter: Vicki Mercer

Discussion:

• Reviewed recommendations and action planning related to the radon policies discussed at the previous work group meeting.
  • Support North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and other organizations by increasing grant funds to support the installation of radon mitigation systems for community buildings and among homeowners financially eligible
  • Improve access to free radon test kits, particularly to historically marginalized populations
  • Additional policy for the work group’s consideration: Require public schools to test and mitigate for high levels of radon
• Received presentation on falls prevention from Dr. Vicki Mercer, PT, PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Discussed revisions to the policy recommendations from the NC SHIP for falls prevention and potential strategies for action planning.
  • Foster partnerships to increase awareness of fall risk factors
  • Advance access to fall prevention interventions
  • Cultivate strategic partnerships with traditional and nontraditional agencies and organizations addressing falls
• Reviewed the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 9, 2023, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. The focus will be on Dementia Care and Prevention.

November 8, 2022, 10:00 to 12:00 pm, Work Group Meeting

Co-Leads: Heather Carter, Amy Lanou, and Martha Zimmerman

Work Group Members Present: Brandie Garner, Divya Venkataganesan, Ellen Schneider, Jenni Danai, Jennifer Teague, Phillip Gibson, Heather Burkhardt

Discussion:

• Received presentation about radon from Phillip Gibson, NC Radon Program Coordinator with the Division of Health Service Regulation, with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
• Discussed revisions to the policy recommendations from the NC SHIP for radon.
• Decided to not prioritize the proposed policies related to data infrastructure and metrics. The work group’s priority areas include falls prevention, dementia care and brain health, and radon.
• Reviewed the next meeting discussion topics. The next meetings are scheduled for:
  • February 14, 2023, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm–Focus on Falls Prevention
  • May 9, 2023, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm– Focus on Dementia Care and Brain Health

August 16, 2022, 10:00 to 12:00 pm, Work Group Meeting

Co-Leads: Heather Carter, Amy Lanou, and Martha Zimmerman

Work Group Members Present: Ellen Schneider and Jeff Jones

Discussion:

• Prioritized policies from the NC SHIP for Indicator 21: Life Expectancy related to falls prevention, dementia care, and radon. Began revising the falls prevention and dementia care policies.
• Discussed decision-makers and key influencers that should be invited to join in the work group.
• Determined additional information was needed on the policies about radon and data infrastructure/ metrics. Planned to discuss both further at next work group meeting on November 8, 2022.