Karen Bullock Appointed to NCIOM Task Force on Healthy Aging

Dr. Karen Bullock, Head of the School of Social Work at NC State, was recently appointed to the newly established North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) Task Force on Healthy Aging.

Announced in December of 2021, the Task Force on Healthy Aging focuses on policies and practices to support healthy aging in our state. Specifically, the new task force will identify policies and practices to support falls prevention, food and nutrition security, mobility, and social connections for older adults living in North Carolina. These efforts are supported by the Duke Endowment, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Divisions of Public Health and Aging and Adult Services, and AARP North Carolina. 

This planning and support will be vital for North Carolinians, as experts predict populations 65 and over are expected to grow more than 60% between 2017 and 2037. According to Dr. Bullock, “the fact that a representative of NC State has a “seat at the table” with experts statewide in aging, public health, and community services representative, to develop strategies for healthy aging in North Carolina is an honor and privilege because we get to be the voice of reason in a collaborative initiative to help strengthen our state and local networks and systems to provide health and supportive aging across the State of North Carolina.

The task force meetings have begun and continue to take place from April 2022 through December 2022. The next phase of the NCIOM Task Force will be followed by the publication of a final report of actionable recommendations to inform policies.