News
Archive January 2024
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National Rural Age-Friendly Initiative Call for Submissions
- By: USAging
- On: 01/26/2024 09:19:51
- In: Program Update
If your agency has programs, models or policies aimed at enhancing the quality of aging in rural communities, please complete this submission form to be included in NRHA’s rural-healthy-aging best practices compendium. The deadline for submissions is February 8.
#USAgingHere4You: Mary Ek
- By: USAging
- On: 01/19/2024 10:37:02
- In: Program Update
Prior to joining USAging, Mary spent 20 years in the field of education. During that time, she worked in special education, English as a second language (ESL) and elementary education as a high school director, education consultant and school workplace culture consultant. After working in education, she was asked to serve as the project manager for ACT on Alzheimer’s, a Minnesota statewide dementia friendly initiative from which Dementia Friendly America was born.
“I’m so glad I said, ‘Yes!’ back in 2011 and am even more thrilled to be part of USAging and Dementia Friendly America. It’s so exciting to see how DFA has grown and to now be part of this amazing network!”
What Mary loves most about working at USAging is her colleagues. She says USAging has a great staff that is incredibly committed to supporting older adults and people with disabilities and thinks it is a privilege to work here. In addition, she hopes she can make a difference in the Aging Network by supporting DFA in realizing its vision of an America where individuals living with dementia and their care partners can live, engage and thrive in community no matter where they live.
“DFA has great resources and a growing network of individuals, communities and organizations committed to this work. If I don’t have an answer, I can almost always connect folks with someone in the network who does!”
In addition to working at USAging, Mary is a birth and postpartum doula. Her favorite TV series is Call the Midwife, and her favorite books are Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl and Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.
To learn more about Dementia Friendly America, Dementia Friends and Community Care Corps, visit USAging’s website, email info@dfamerica.org and info@communitycarecorps.org, or consider contacting Mary and her team.
USAging’s Dementia Friendly America, Dementia Friends and Community Care Corps Team
- Mary Ek, Director, mek@usaging.org
- Darya Rahbar, Program Manager, drahbar@usaging.org
- Aleiah Mann, Senior Program Associate, amann@usaging.org
New Year, Same Problems: Government Shutdown, CR or Full-Year Budget?
- By: USAging
- On: 01/11/2024 11:23:44
- In: Policy & Advocacy
Currently, the government is funded by an unusual Continuing Resolution (CR) with two deadlines, January 19 and February 2. Without a funding solution by February 2, funding for Labor/HHS and the rest of the government will lapse.
Talks are still ongoing and three outcomes remain: a full or partial government shutdown, another CR or, the best-case scenario, a final budget. Congress is likely to pass another short-term CR to buy more time to draft the final funding bills, with bipartisan support from the Senate. However, House Republicans are more inclined to pass either an appropriations bill or a year-long CR. The latter is not a good option, as it would trigger a one percent across-the-board cut, thanks to last May’s debt ceiling deal.
#USAgingHere4You: Meredith Hanley
- By: USAging
- On: 01/02/2024 13:35:33
- In: Program Update
Prior to joining USAging, Meredith worked for the Aging and Disability Services Division of Arlington County, VA, where she oversaw program performance metrics and quality improvement for the Division and worked on a variety of special projects. She has also served as the Co-Director of the Gero-Ed Center at the Council on Social Work and worked as a contractor for the Administration on Aging’s Alzheimer’s disease demonstration grant program through RTI International.
“I grew up with older neighbors, who were my first babysitters (and social outlets too!), in addition to my grandparents. Then in fifth and sixth grade, I volunteered in a nursing home with an “adopted grandparent” program. In high school, I volunteered at a local Continuing Care Retirement Community. By that time some of my older neighbors had moved there, and I was able to re-connect with them. I think these initial opportunities for connection with older adults outside of my family helped to forge my later education and career path.”
Most of Meredith’s work has involved identifying best practices and emerging trends and packaging that information up in new and unique ways and sharing it with the Aging Network to support AAAs and Title VI programs across the country. “I’m always looking for new ideas to bring to our work, and sharing information in the most helpful way possible and ultimately making sure what we produce is useful and impactful in the field.”
“I appreciate the continued evolution and growth of the network. As times evolve, so does the work of AAAs and Title VI programs. Innovation is the lifeline of our work. Everyone is continually striving to improve how we better prepare for, and address community needs, and I find that so inspiring!
Meredith would love to connect with members on a variety of topics! Her current project areas are social engagement and kinship care. She previously worked on Dementia Friendly America, Community Care Corps and the Information and Planning research project. So, discussing intersectional areas is always of interest to her.
To learn more about engAGED, Commit to Connect and the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network visit USAging’s website or contact Meredith and her team.
- Meredith Hanley, Director, mhanley@usaging.org
- Rebecca Levine, Senior Program Manager, engAGED: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults, rlevine@usaging.org
- Leland Kiang, Program Manager, Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center, lkiang@usaging.org
- Clairedine Senat, Program Manager, Commit to Connect, csenat@usaging.org
- Ali Fehlhaber, Program Associate, Commit to Connect and engAGED: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults, afehlhaber@usaging.org