Partners Brings Back Geriatric Care Conference on Helping Older Adults

Partners Health Management recently shared crucial information about growing older at its Spring Geriatric Care Conference in Gastonia, N.C. The conference was an opportunity for healthcare professionals, community partners, caregivers, and advocates to explore pressing issues affecting older adults, with information curated by Partners’ geriatric support team.

As of early 2026, half of the U.S. population is older than 39.4, and projections estimate that by 2040, there will be 80 million older Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). With communities across North Carolina and the nation experiencing a growing elderly population, the conference offers an opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of the social, emotional and health-related challenges older adults face and to identify ways to support them.

This year’s conference focused on aging in a society that rewards youth over experience, combating isolation and loneliness, the connection between loneliness and substance use, and tools and techniques for coping with chronic stress.

Partners’ Health Education and Aging Resource Team (HEART), formerly the GAST team, had offered the conference regularly before the COVID-19 pandemic. The team paused the event for several years with the start of the pandemic. Now they are hoping to drum up renewed interest. A follow-up opportunity focused on dementia is already planned for Nov. 5, 2026.

“Supporting older adults requires a holistic approach that recognizes the emotional, social, and physical aspects of health,” said Stephanie Ingle, Geriatric Services Program Manager at Partners. “This conference provides an important space for professionals and community members to come together, learn from one another, and strengthen the resources available to our aging population.”

One of the most powerful discussions of the day centered on what it means to grow older in a culture that often places more value on youth than experience. Presenters explored how ageism can affect the way older adults are viewed, treated and included in everyday life. The session challenged attendees to think differently about aging—not as a limitation, but as a stage of life deserving respect, opportunity and meaningful connection.

The conference also addressed the growing concern of isolation and loneliness among aging adults. Social isolation can significantly impact both physical and mental health, making community connection an essential part of healthy aging. Attendees learned practical approaches to fostering social support networks, increasing community engagement and reducing barriers that can leave older adults disconnected from family and services.

Approximately 24% of Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and 43% of adults aged 60 and older report feeling lonely regularly, which can lead to a 45% increased risk of mortality, according to the NIH.

While there are challenges in measuring social isolation and loneliness precisely, there is strong evidence that many older adults are socially isolated or lonely in ways that put their health at risk. For example:

• Social isolation has been associated with a significantly increased risk of premature mortality from all causes.
• Social isolation has been associated with an approximately 50% increased risk of developing dementia.
• Loneliness among heart failure patients has been associated with a nearly four times increased risk of death, 68% risk of hospitalization, and 57% increased risk of emergency department visits.
• Poor social relationships (characterized by social isolation or loneliness) have been associated with a 29% increase in the risk of incident coronary heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke.

“Loneliness is more of a feeling, and then social isolation can be a lack of social contact or limited meaningful interaction,” said speaker Bethany Ramos, LCSW, the Lead Clinician with Partners’ HEART program. Addressing loneliness and social isolation is crucial to promoting good mental and physical health in seniors.

Ramos added that a woman she worked with in the past came to her for help because of loneliness. The woman was surrounded by family all the time, but still felt alone. “She wasn’t physically isolated from people, but didn’t have that meaningful connection,” Ramos said.

Other older adults may be isolated based on where they live, the death of loved ones or immobility. “Imagine not having anyone you could ask to do a favor for you,” Ramos said. “Even if you have really good support, maybe you don’t have anyone to say, ‘Hey, can you come and water my plants when I maybe have to go to the hospital, or I’m going out of town?’ How lonely or isolating would that feel?”

An important part of this conversation focused on the relationship between loneliness, aging and substance use. Presenters highlighted how social isolation, grief, chronic pain and major life transitions—such as retirement, the loss of loved ones, and declining health—can increase the risk of substance use among older adults. For some individuals, alcohol or prescription medications may become a way to cope with emotional distress, physical discomfort or prolonged feelings of disconnection. Conference sessions emphasized the importance of early identification, behavioral health support and strong community networks to address these risks and promote healthier coping strategies.

Another key topic was chronic stress management. Experts shared strategies to help providers, caregivers, and individuals better understand how chronic stress affects older adults and how evidence-based coping tools can improve well-being. Sessions highlighted techniques such as mindfulness, resilience-building, emotional regulation and trauma-informed support practices.

Chronic stress has been shown to increase an older adult’s risk of developing alzheimer’s, said speaker Christa Moore, a HEART Qualified Professional with Partners. “There’s a lot that goes on in the brain when it is exposed to chronic stress that really causes disorganized thinking,” Moore said.

Through initiatives like the Geriatric Care Conference, Partners remains committed to advancing whole-person care and improving quality of life for individuals across the communities it serves. Click here to learn more about our HEART program, which is focused on geriatric health.

For more information about Partners Health Management and its programs, visit the Partners website at www.partnersbhm.org.

ABOUT PARTNERS

Partners Health Management is a leading local management entity/managed care organization (LME/MCO), providing access to care for individuals in central and western North Carolina with the most complex health care needs. Partners manage Medicaid, state and local funding for mental health, substance use disorder, intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), and traumatic brain injury (MH/SUD/IDD/TBI) services in our covered areas. On July 1, 2024, Partners began administering one of North Carolina’s four Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plans and managing members’ physical health and pharmacy services in addition to their behavioral health, I/DD and TBI services.

Partners is one of four LME/MCOs that are the cornerstone of North Carolina’s public MH/SUD/IDD/TBI managed care system, which is designed to improve quality and timely access to care for individuals and families. Established by the General Assembly in 2011, the LME/MCOs are built on a 50-year legacy of county area programs with deep local, community roots. The LME/MCOs ensure access to high-quality provider networks, strong community collaboration to support a robust system of care, and budget predictability through the efficient and effective use of public funds and resources.