USC Leonard Davis Communications

After a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology professor emeritus David A. Peterson died on Thursday, October 4, 2012.

Peterson was an expert on lifelong learning who served as director of the USC Leonard Davis School from 1978 to 2003. He was appointed the first holder of the Edward and Rita Polusky Chair in Education and Aging in 1999 and, in 2007, saw the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education create an award in his name.

“He was an early leader in the field of gerontology,” said James Birren, founding dean of the USC Leonard Davis School and widely considered the father of gerontology. “His background was in education, but he soon embraced more aspects of human life and aging.”

Peterson also served as associate dean of the USC Leonard Davis School from 1985 to 2003. He was responsible for the school’s instructional programs, including the development of the bachelor of science, master of science and the PhD degrees in gerontology as well as dual-degree programs with 10 other USC schools and departments.

“Our son was with me when David died. It has been a long difficult passage for David and for those who love him, but now he is at rest,” said his wife Ellen Peterson in email. “I do thank you for your appreciation of David as your colleague and friend. Thank you for your support of me as well.”

A date has not yet been set for the memorial service, but according to faculty, staff and students of the USC Leonard Davis School, Peterson and his accomplishments will never be forgotten.

“I speak for everyone associated with the USC Leonard Davis School when I say what an amazing mind and spirit David A. Peterson had, and what an enormous impact he had on the field,” said dean Pinchas Cohen, MD “It is with great sadness that we say goodbye, but we are proud to honor his exceptional life and legacy.”

UPDATE: Memorial Service: Saturday, October 27, 11:00 A.M., First United Methodist Church Chapel, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 91101. There will be a reception following.

Memorials can be given in the form of contributions to the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology: David A. Peterson Scholarship OR David A. Peterson Fellowship. (USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, 3715 McClintock Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089)

“United we stand, divided we fall” isn’t just a patriotic slogan – it’s also the rallying cry of Californians who joined forces with USC’s Fall Prevention Center of Excellence to celebrate the fifth annual Fall Prevention Awareness Week.

Standing united the first week of autumn (September 22-28, 2012), California’s fall prevention coalitions, health care providers, and senior service agencies held presentations, health fairs, screenings and workshops to raise awareness about the seriousness of falls and ways to reduce fall risk.

It’s always a good time to prevent falls, however, and USC’s Fall Prevention Center of Excellence has many resources and tips to help.

• View The Falling Monologues, a series of humorous and educational performances about common fall risks and ways to reduce them, written and directed by Marilyn Faber and performed by older actors.

• To request a fall prevention presentation within Los Angeles County, contact the Los Angeles County Public Health Department Speakers Bureau.

For older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths, unintentional injuries, and hospital admissions for trauma. Most falls among older adults happen in and around the home, but there are some simple and inexpensive ways to eliminate hazards:

•  Remove throw rugs: Throw rugs are a common trip hazard and should be removed. If you can move a rug with your foot, you could trip over it, too. Secure all rugs to the floor with rug grippers, which can be found at a home improvement store.
•  Keep pathways clear: Make sure there are clear walking pathways by picking up clutter and relocating to storage areas, coiling up and securing electric cords to the floor or wall and rearranging furniture if necessary.
• Light the way: Make sure all rooms, hallways and stairways are well lit. Put a lamp in an easy-to-reach place by the bed and use nightlights to illuminate the path between your bedroom and bathroom. Be aware of uneven surfaces such as thresholds in doorways or when there are changes in flooring such as between carpeting and linoleum.

Los Angeles metro ranks 30th overall in new successful aging index.

On July 31, The Milken Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank based out of Santa Monica, California, released Best Cities for Successful Aging, described as a “first-of-its kind, data-driven index, which measures and ranks the performance of 359 U.S. metropolitan areas in promoting and enabling successful aging” according to a press release on the organization’s website.

“This report represents a critical component of the policy and advocacy strategy that needs to be undertaken to ensure that seniors nationwide have access to all of the fundamental services that they require,” said Pinchas Cohen, MD, dean of the USC Leonard Davis School. “It also sets the stage for future efforts to allow personalization of senior services according to individual needs. The Milken Institute should be commended for its commitment to the concept of successful aging.”

Unlike other lists that generally rely on household surveys to rank “best cities to retire,” Best Cities for Successful Aging is an index based on public data and utilizes 78 indicators that determine the overall quality of life for seniors to determine which cities are meeting the needs of older adult populations.

Although warm, sunny weather has long been synonymous with older adult communities, the index shows that health care, employment, living arrangements and financial factors are even more important when creating communities that enable successful aging.

“Seniors want to remain active and engaged and healthy and connected to their communities. Many want to continue to work throughout life,” said Paul Irving, Milken Institute’s senior managing director and chief operating officer, in an article from CNN.com. “They want and deserve great health systems. They want to have a voice.”

Additionally the study separates out two sub-populations, the 65-79 age group and the 80+ age group, noting that the needs of older Americans are not uniform and what may be important to a person 80+ years of age may not be important to a 70-year-old and vice versa. Thus, cities in the index receive three scores: an overall score and then separate scores for the 65-79 and 80+ age categories.

Los Angeles, California, which included nearby Long Beach and Santa Ana communities as part of the overall metro area, ranked 30th overall among the 100 large metro areas. It came in 27th for the 65-79 age group and 15th for the 80+ age group. Readers can visit the ranking calculator to see where their metro is falling short and how improvements in the indicators can improve a metro’s ranking. Currently, LA’s three lowest indicators are transportation at 69.12, health care at 62, and living arrangements at 51.31 points. If LA were able to raise each of these scores to 75 points respectively, its overall ranking would jump from 30th to 6th overall among large metro areas.

“We hope the findings spark national discussion,” said Irving, “and, at the local level, generate virtuous competition among cities to galvanize improvement in the social structures that serve seniors.”

The Milken Institute plans to update the index every two years. Where will your community rank?

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Individuals can learn more about the Best Cities for Successful Aging and visit the “Ranking Calculator” at succesfulaging.milkeninstitute.org