Bexar Aging Director Honored as Outstanding Professional in Aging
written by Deborah Billa, Alamo Area Agency on Aging Director

 

AACOG is proud to announce that Bexar Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Director Carol Zernial was recently awarded the 2008 Texas Conference on Aging Outstanding Professional in Aging Award.   Carol is a shining example of a forward thinking AAA Director and has worked tirelessly to bring evidence based programming to not only her own Bexar County region but to the State of Texas as well. 

 

Carol began her work in evidenced based health promotion activities for older adults with the successful award of an Administration on Aging (AoA) grant and subsequent development and implementation of Project SIEN in San Antonio. This program targets older adults at risk of diabetes and involves them in a continuing program of nutrition education and management, physical activity, and development of self management skills.  Project SIEN was awarded a 2007 Innovation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO). 

Carol has also brought the Chronic Disease Self Management Program to the Bexar County area with the award of another grant application.  This program, developed at Stanford University, works with older adults with chronic disease to improve their self management skills. 

In addition to these successful programs, Zernial wrote a successful grant application to the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) that brought A Matter of Balance, an evidence based falls prevention program, to 17 AAA’s participating in this grant across the state.  This project will serve as a springboard for further implementation of evidence-based projects across the state.

In December 2006, Zernial was asked to speak at the Choices for Independence Conference in Washington DC at the request of Assistant Secretary Josefina Carbonell.  Since then, Zernial has made many presentations in other states to share her extensive knowledge and profound belief in the efficacy of evidence based programming for older adults.   

Carol is richly deserving of the honor of being named as the Outstanding Professional in Aging at the 2008 Texas Conference on Aging and we are very proud of her recognition.