Nonprofit CICOA to host discussion Thursday on improving health equity

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A central Indiana nonprofit group is on a mission to improve health equity, especially for the elderly and people with disabilities.

CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions, an agency that helps seniors and people with disabilities remain safely at home and out of care facilities, will host an in-person and online discussion with Dr. Jerome Adams, WISH-TV Medical Expert and former U.S. Surgeon General, on Thursday afternoon.

Dr. Jasmine D. Gonzalvo, a professor at Purdue’s college of pharmacy and the director of the school’s Center of Health Equity and Innovation, will also be in attendance.

Erica Seabaugh, CICOA’s flourish care management director, stopped by Daybreak on Thursday to talk about the topic of health equity and preview the event.

Health equity is a “pretty all-encompassing” topic, according to Seabaugh, and it has a lot of components.

“The topic of health care happens outside of the four walls of the hospital or the doctor’s office, in many cases. So, we talk about health equity. talk about what are the social and environmental factors that have an impact on somebody’s overall health status and health care — things like transportation and access to healthy foods. We talk a lot about food deserts…whether people can get to the pharmacy, get to the doctor’s office. All of those factors that impact, you know, how successful someone maybe at managing their health care on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.”

The “Health Equity for Individuals with Disabilities and the Aging Community” event begins at 1 p.m. The event is free and open to all. Register at the CICOA website.