TAYLOR’S TAKE....

TIME TO PIVOT
Greetings,

August ended sadly with the death of famed actor Chadwick Boseman, 43, from colon cancer. In the midst of continued demonstrations against racial inequities, we are reminded that Black Americans are disproportionately diagnosed with colorectal cancer and dying of it younger than people of other ethnic backgrounds.
 
Too often, the disease is being diagnosed at later stages. Early screenings are vital. As individuals, we need to empower ourselves to learn more about the lifestyle choices that can extend our lives. It’s time to pivot.
The month also ended with the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington when the I Have a Dream speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. became a rallying cry for equality across our country.   Long-time Detroiters remember another speech of Dr. King, two months earlier, on June 23. It was at Detroit’s Walk to Freedom, organized by the Detroit Council for Human Rights on the 20th anniversary of the Detroit race riot of 1943. The two speeches were similar, and both ended with the refrain of “I have a dream.”  

As history repeats itself, we instinctively know that national policy changes can make a difference. Yet maybe too few of us have taken the time to pivot and explore how we might use our own lives and our work to make a difference for others. Change does require action.
 
We are servant leaders at the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, and we see the need to pivot. We have always worked to improve the quality of life for older adults. In these uncertain times, we see an increased role in addressing the lifespan issues that have impeded equality and access to quality healthcare in our country.
Our agency is known for our research on the disproportionate numbers of premature deaths among people of color. And now, with the release of the 3rd edition of Dying Before Their Time, we want the general population to understand why a community-wide Call to Action is an imperative to eliminate the health disparities that have made the title of the report as daunting as it has been appropriate.
 
Similar to the search for a COVID-19 vaccine, it is time to harness the necessity, urgency and resolve to reduce and prevent premature deaths. 
 
In the short term, it means access and delivery of ambulatory and primary healthcare services; more integration and collaboration among health and human service providers; and access to quality hospital, nursing home and long-term care facilities. 
 
Over the long term, a more collaborative, coordinated, strategic and longitudinal approach will need to be taken by the entire health and human service provider community to make any meaningful impact on decreasing the high death rate. This includes addressing the many social factors known to influence the health and wellbeing of an individual and their surrounding community, such as appropriate nutrition, housing, access to appropriate healthcare and social services, water supply, income, education, mental health services, jobs, environmental justice issues, and overall neighborhood conditions.
 
For all of us to live long, strong, productive lives, every adult and every sector of our society must be invested in quality of life issues throughout the lifespan. All of us.
 
The latest edition of Dying Before Their Time is the catalyst for much of our work ahead. The initial research was commissioned by the Detroit Area Agency on Aging 19 years ago and led by Dr. Herbert Smitherman, Jr., M.D., and his team at the Wayne State University Medical School.  All three reports reflect the researchers’ commitment to detailing and addressing the health disparities that have become too common in our society.   A link to the report and some of our media coverage is below.
 
The Detroit Area Agency on Aging wants this region to be age-friendly for every generation. COVID-19 has altered how we work, but it has not changed what we do.
 
Look back at the highlights of our months before COVID-19. See how we are positioning ourselves for the future.
 
At the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, we are up for the challenge – and we are here to serve.
Ronald S. Taylor MBA, MA
President & CEO