By Shari Roeseler, Executive Director, Society for the Blind We hear on a near daily basis that employers are struggling to find qualified staff. No sector is unaffected, and that is certainly true for organizations and businesses serving older adults. Yet another truth exists alongside this paucity of qualified staff: there is a large group of Read More…
By Natasha Bryant, Managing Director/Senior Research Associate, LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMASS Boston The field of long-term services and supports (LTSS) is not immune from the racial inequities that have received well-deserved attention across our nation over the past year. On the contrary, the LTSS sector is a microcosm of the systemic racism that exists in Read More…
By Ryan Kawamoto, Regional Director for Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP In a recent evaluation when asked, “what did you like the most about today’s session?” one of our participants stated, “I was at home, in my pajamas, learning new things.” As Regional Director for Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) for AARP, I Read More…
“Back to Our Future” was an appropriate theme for LeadingAge California’s 2021 Annual Conference as we celebrated our 60th anniversary this year. For this issue of Engage, we chose to highlight the stories of three female leaders from diverse backgrounds in our field who spoke at this year’s Panel of Pundits session, as they address Read More…
By Brenda Klutz, Policy Consultant, LeadingAge California In the past few years, there has been renewed attention to the social justice mission of many nonprofits, associations, educational institutions, and businesses. This renewed attention is reflected in the principles and practices of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. (DEIA). The principles of DEIA are relevant regardless of Read More…
By Donna Berry Glass, Contributor, Institute on Aging The pandemic was tough on San Francisco’s senior population, but for those older adults with dementia and their families, it was especially harsh and isolating. Given that that individuals with dementia were predicted to be twice as likely to contract the virus, increased health risks made it Read More…
By Kevin Bradley, Associate Director of Online Learning, LeadingAge When I joined LeadingAge’s Knowledge and Learning team in 2007, it was one of the first times I can think of in my career when I felt safe to “come out” during the interview process and be open about the life I was building with my Read More…
Q&A with Darrick Lam, President and CEO of ACC Senior Services; member of the Equity in Aging Advisory Committee, part of California’s Master Plan for Aging LAC: What is the Equity in Aging Advisory Committee? DL: The Equity in Aging Advisory Committee is a result of the release of the Master Plan for California by Read More…
By Donna Murphy, Resident Services Manager, HumanGood; Chair, LeadingAge California Equity Cabinet Having spent over two decades in the aging services industry, I strongly believe there is no better time than the present to ensure that our field has diversity and inclusion, in all areas, be it on our boards or amongst our staff. So Read More…
By Jeannee Parker Martin, President and CEO, LeadingAge California Earlier this year, LeadingAge California launched its bold Equity Initiative, under the direction of Donna Murphy (HumanGood) and Jerry Brown (Covia/Front Porch), staffed by Meghan Rose, General Counsel and Director of Social Impact Initiatives and Housing Policy, and supported by grants from the Archstone Foundation, California Health Care Foundation and TELACU. At our virtual Annual Conference in Read More…