This report summarizes recommendations of a national invitational colloquium on aging and cerebral palsy held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of UCPA, Inc., in Alexandria, VA, in April, 1993. It details some of the changes in physical functioning that people with CP are experiencing, age-related changes that seemed to occur earlier in them than in their friends without disabilities.

Recommendations include: establishing a National Task Force to oversee the implementation of colloquium recommendations; designing and promoting the implementation of a health and wellness agenda that describes means to assure full access to existing programs and emphasizes independent living, self-advocacy and optimal functioning; stimulating gender- specific research; promote best practice guidelines for prevention and intervention methods; researching lifelong impact of early childhood intervention strategies; establishing a nation-wide information and referral network; developing and disseminate educational materials for people with CP as well as health providers; advocating for public policy changes; establishing linkages among organizations and stimulate them to address the needs of older persons with CP; refining the definition of CP to include the concept that age associated changes may affect the functional status of people who have CP.

Although focused on people with cerebral palsy, many parts of the report are relevant to cross-disability issues.