The Kentucky Elder Readiness Initiative (KERI) Public Forum was held at the Barren River Area Development District Conference Center on August 17, 2006 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  This public forum was held to initiate discussion and obtain data to help plan and prepare for the Baby Boomers and the impact this generation will have on the Barren River Area Development District.  

The KERI public forums were held in partnership with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Division of Aging Services, the University of Kentucky Graduate Center on Gerontology and the Kentucky Area Agencies on Aging.  Among the 75 citizens, public officials, service agencies, churches, housing, transportation, health care providers, caregiver, and elderly participants, Health and Family Services Cabinet Secretary Mark Birdwhistell spoke about developing a plan that will prepare Kentucky for the increase in the Baby Boomer population that is expected to grow by 20% by the year 2030.   Holly Sands, graduate assistant at the gerontology center facilitated the discussion exploring four major topics including Community Resources, Health and Safety, Quality of Life and Community Involvement.  Plans are to compile and send out surveys utilizing the information gathered at the forums later on this year.  Results of the discussions and surveys will be compiled and presented in 2007 to serve as the basis for ongoing action plans to help communities address issues of importance in the BRADD region. 

In addition to the public forum, two small focus groups were held at the BRADD office to obtain input from the ten counties’ community leaders and agencies.  These groups discussed the impact the baby boomers will have within our communities.