Lincoln University’s 26th Annual Missouri Institute on Minority Aging Champions Aging With Dignity Through AI

Community lay leaders from St. Louis at the 26th MIMA conference. 

The Paula J. Carter Center on Minority Health and Aging (PJCCMHA) at Lincoln University’s (LU) Cooperative Extension hosted the 26th annual Missouri Institute on Minority Aging (MIMA) from August 26 to 28, 2024, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel. The event, themed “Building Bridges to a World with Artificial Intelligence (AI),” brought together community leaders aged 65 and older across Missouri to explore how AI can enhance daily life and improve overall health.

Mindy Ulstad, bureau chief of senior and disability services at the Department of Health and Senior Services, speaks about the Missouri Master Plan on Aging.

Mindy Ulstad, bureau chief of senior and disability services at the Department of Health and Senior Services, spoke on the Missouri Master Plan on Aging during her address. This comprehensive plan is designed to ensure that Missouri’s older population, people with disabilities and caregivers have access to the programs, services and policies they will need over the next decade. Understanding that aging is not a challenge for the elderly but a process that everyone shares, Ulstad stated, “We want everyone to be okay with aging. Aging is living. We all need to be prepared and working towards that process so that we all can age with dignity.”

Ulstad noted that by 2030, adults aged 60 and older will outnumber children in Missouri for the first time in history, comprising more than 25% of the state’s population. As this demographic shift continues, the Master Plan on Aging will address critical areas such as daily living and employment, housing, transportation, caregiver support, safety and security, long-term services and holistic health.

Marla Moore-Collins, regional coordinator for LU's St. Louis Urban Impact Center, and Callie Newsom, 4-H and positive youth development extension associate, lead a workshop on digital citizenship and leveraging AI tools.

In his keynote address, Dr. Donald Wunsch II, the Mary Finley Missouri Distinguished Professor and director of the Kummer Institute Center for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems at Missouri University of Science and Technology, discussed the benefits of AI, particularly for aging populations. He emphasized AI’s potential to solve complex medical challenges and improve diagnostics, including the use of AI-enabled medical devices. Wunsch also cautioned against the biases that can arise in AI systems, underscoring the importance of human oversight to ensure AI respects human privacy and maintains ethical standards.

The conference featured several concurrent sessions led by Lincoln University staff and an attorney from Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, focusing on topics such as digital citizenship, leveraging AI and avoiding common tech scams. These sessions offered practical insights into the everyday applications of AI. Marla Moore-Collins, regional coordinator for the LU St. Louis Urban Impact Center, and Callie Newsom, a 4-H and positive youth development extension associate, led a workshop on using AI tools like Alexa for managing tasks, smart home control and safety. Attendees also participated in an interactive online survey using QR codes, gaining hands-on experience with AI-driven tools.

Joshua Dunne, LU’s commercial kitchen manager, demonstrates how to use ChatGPT to create nutritious,
budget-friendly meals.

In another session, Joshua Dunne, LU’s commercial kitchen manager, demonstrated how AI, specifically ChatGPT, can be used to create nutritious, budget-friendly meals. Based on Dunne's request for a high-protein, high-fiber and nutritious meal under $20, ChatGPT created a three-course meal plan that included lentil soup, chicken and quinoa stir fry and peach crumble. Participants then sampled the meal Dunne and his assistant prepared, underscoring AI’s potential to enhance food security and nutrition for older adults.

Dr. Douglas LaVergne, LU’s professor, dean and vice president of land grant engagement of the College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences reinforced the conference’s theme in his closing remarks. “I encourage you not to be intimidated by AI,” LaVergne said. “It’s a powerful tool that will enable our aging population to age in place, reducing the need for assisted living and allowing individuals to maintain their independence.”

MIMA participants speak with exhibitors offering services to support the aging population.

The Paula J. Carter Center on Minority Health and Aging, the conference’s organizer, remains dedicated to improving the quality of life for Missouri’s aging minority population. By promoting health literacy and positive health behaviors, the Center works to reduce disparities and inequities in access to health-related care. Through education, research-based information, policy analysis and the strategic use of technology, the Center leads efforts to address the health, social and psychological needs of minority and underserved populations aged 50 and over in Missouri.