What is the mission of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging?
The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is a 501(c)(3) membership association representing America’s national network of 622 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and providing a voice in the nation’s capital for the 256 Title VI Native American aging programs. Our primary mission is to build the capacity of our members so they can help older adults and people with disabilities live with dignity and choices in their homes and communities for as long as possible.
How does n4a work to support the eldercare workforce and older adults?
Our members, local aging agencies and Native American aging programs, work at the community level to develop, fund, coordinate and deliver a wide array of home and community-based and other aging services to millions of older adults and their unpaid caregivers. This means our members have a unique perspective on both the paid and unpaid elements of the caregiving workforce—they directly support unpaid family/friend caregivers, employ aging professionals in a range of roles, and supply or refer to in-home direct care workers for consumers. This is why n4a understands the urgent need to expand and improve our nation’s eldercare workforce given the realities today’s consumers face and the demographics that are driving tomorrow’s realities and policies.
How did you decide to work in the aging field?
The foundation for my interest was based on my close relationships with older adults in my own family and the gift of being a caregiver myself. In my work at the national and local level, I found that I always gravitated to and got the most satisfaction from my involvement with policies, programs and services that served the older adults and their caregivers.
Why is the training of the health care workforce to care for older adults so important?
Our members’ expertise in providing person-centered home and community-based services for decades informs our interest in preparing all workforces—HCBS but also health care—for the aging of our nation. This is not a demographic blip we are facing, but a profound shifting of resources and needs that must be addressed across a myriad of issues. No matter how good our intentions or policy models or program innovations are, if we don’t have a prepared, well-trained workforce to carry those out, older adults will not get what they need. Unmet need translates into needless human suffering and financial implications for taxpayers. Within that goal of a prepared and ample workforce, we want that workforce to have as much aging-specific training as possible, given the unique elements of aging’s impact on one’s health, independence and well-being.
What do you see as the future of the eldercare workforce?
We would hope that in the future, the eldercare workforce is more highly valued, trained, rewarded and visible than it is now. Family and friend caregivers should have the supports they need to provide those caregiving responsibilities; direct care workers should be valued for the incredibly intimate and important work they do; health care workers at all levels should have greater understanding of the cognitive, behavioral and health issues associated with normal aging; health care providers with a specialty in aging should be numerous and readily accessible to most consumers; and all workers supporting older adults, paid and unpaid, should be partners in better care coordination. This is why we have joined EWA—to do our share to reach this vision with others, as we believe doing so is an essential step to achieving n4a’s vision “to build a society that values and supports people as they age.”
What is the mission of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging?
The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is a 501(c)(3) membership association representing America’s national network of 622 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and providing a voice in the nation’s capital for the 256 Title VI Native American aging programs. Our primary mission is to build the capacity of our members so they can help older adults and people with disabilities live with dignity and choices in their homes and communities for as long as possible.
How does n4a work to support the eldercare workforce and older adults?
Our members, local aging agencies and Native American aging programs, work at the community level to develop, fund, coordinate and deliver a wide array of home and community-based and other aging services to millions of older adults and their unpaid caregivers. This means our members have a unique perspective on both the paid and unpaid elements of the caregiving workforce—they directly support unpaid family/friend caregivers, employ aging professionals in a range of roles, and supply or refer to in-home direct care workers for consumers. This is why n4a understands the urgent need to expand and improve our nation’s eldercare workforce given the realities today’s consumers face and the demographics that are driving tomorrow’s realities and policies.
How did you decide to work in the aging field?
The foundation for my interest was based on my close relationships with older adults in my own family and the gift of being a caregiver myself. In my work at the national and local level, I found that I always gravitated to and got the most satisfaction from my involvement with policies, programs and services that served the older adults and their caregivers.
Why is the training of the health care workforce to care for older adults so important?
Our members’ expertise in providing person-centered home and community-based services for decades informs our interest in preparing all workforces—HCBS but also health care—for the aging of our nation. This is not a demographic blip we are facing, but a profound shifting of resources and needs that must be addressed across a myriad of issues. No matter how good our intentions or policy models or program innovations are, if we don’t have a prepared, well-trained workforce to carry those out, older adults will not get what they need. Unmet need translates into needless human suffering and financial implications for taxpayers. Within that goal of a prepared and ample workforce, we want that workforce to have as much aging-specific training as possible, given the unique elements of aging’s impact on one’s health, independence and well-being.
What do you see as the future of the eldercare workforce?
We would hope that in the future, the eldercare workforce is more highly valued, trained, rewarded and visible than it is now. Family and friend caregivers should have the supports they need to provide those caregiving responsibilities; direct care workers should be valued for the incredibly intimate and important work they do; health care workers at all levels should have greater understanding of the cognitive, behavioral and health issues associated with normal aging; health care providers with a specialty in aging should be numerous and readily accessible to most consumers; and all workers supporting older adults, paid and unpaid, should be partners in better care coordination. This is why we have joined EWA—to do our share to reach this vision with others, as we believe doing so is an essential step to achieving n4a’s vision “to build a society that values and supports people as they age.”
About Sandy Markwood:
n4a Chief Executive Officer Sandy Markwood has more than 30 years’ experience in the development and delivery of aging, health, human services, housing and transportation programs in counties and cities across the nation. Prior to coming to n4a in January 2002, Sandy served as the Deputy Director of County Services at the National Association of Counties where she took a lead role in research, training, program development, and technical assistance to county elected and appointed officials. She also worked at the National League of Cities and in the County Executive’s Office in Albemarle County, Virginia.
As CEO, Sandy is responsible for n4a’s overall management. She sets strategic direction for the staff, oversees the implementation of all policy, grassroots advocacy, membership and program initiatives. She also leads n4a’s efforts to engage corporate sponsors to support critical initiatives, including an aging awards/best practices program and the Leadership Institute for Area Agency on Aging staff. Externally, Sandy forms strategic partnerships with federal agencies and organizations in aging, human services and health care arenas to enhance the role and recognition of Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI programs. Sandy holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Virginia.