I'm still buzzing a bit from a recent third three-day session of the Leadership Academy in Aging - a remarkable development series for deans and directors of social work programs, organized by the New York Academy of Medicine, aimed at readying leaders for the social tsunami of aging in America and the world.
Among the typical post-meeting welter of thoughts and impressions crowding my brain, three stand out:
First, the utter gorgeousness of the Tiburon peninsula, across the bay from San Francisco, where the meeting was held. The lush beauty of the area is stunning, the air intoxicating, and it's easy to see why many might sell their soul to live there. The problem is that the cost of living is so astoundingly high (even in a down economy, modest bungalows price at $1 million-plus), just selling your soul might not get you there!
Second (and a tad more substantively), is recognition of the potency of a sustained effort with a small group of motivated leaders. Relationships of reciprocity and trust develop over the course of multiple gatherings. As guardedness diminishes, real talents emerge and the creative juices flow. (Of course, it doesn't hurt to have outstanding facilitators to move the process along.)
Third, and by far the most important "take away," are the tremendous challenges and opportunities that the field of aging offers, not only for social work, but for the entire College of Health. No doubt our launch of a center on aging (application materials are on the way to provost Lyman), with the support of Dr. Kamali, director of Centers and Institutes, is timely. Look for a stream of new center-based "products" running the gamut of instruction, research, and service. The first will almost certainly be a revamped gerontology certificate program; work in this area is already well along, under the guidance of Drs. Susan Hubble-Burchell and Susan Hrostowski.