2021 Milestones

Our staff and grantees made tremendous strides last year in improving care for older adults.
Scan our milestones month by month.

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January

  1. Health Affairs publishes “Actualizing Better Health and Health Care for Older Adults” detailing key priorities to improve the care of older adults in 2021 by JAHF’s Terry Fulmer.
  2. The Healthcare Association of New York State begins its second Age-Friendly Health Systems Action Community.
  3. The Center for Health Care Strategies announces the selection of eight states­–IN, IA, MI, MN, NY, TN, TX and WA–to join the Helping States Support Families Caring for an Aging America Initiative.
  4. A Health Affairs Forefront article explains how the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative incorporates key health equity principles.
  5. The Journal of the American Medical Association publishes a JAHF-funded study evaluating how information is shared when patients transition from hospitals to skilled nursing facilities.
  6. PHI shares an extensive examination of today’s direct care workforce providing eight recommendations for policy and practice.
  7. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on the Quality of Care in Nursing Homes holds its first in a series of public webinars to inform its final report.
  8. The Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative holds a webinar on best practices to improve the care of older adults with COVID-19 in emergency rooms.
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February

  1. Next Avenue publishes an article by JAHF’s Terry Fulmer exploring the relationship between COVID-19 and age-friendly health care.
  2. National Home-Based Primary Care Learning Network announces 10 new practices joining the network.
  3. The National Academy for State Health Policy releases In Their Own Words – Family Caregivers from Across the Country Share their Priorities and Recommendations.
  4. The American Hospital Association creates Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative resources, including a Value Initiative Issue Brief and case studies from participant sites.
  5. Justice in Aging produces an updated guide giving nursing home residents, family members and other advocates tools to resolve common problems.
  6. The RAND Corporation publishes a perspective detailing why and how family caregivers should be integrated into health care teams informed by JAHF’s OpenNotes grant with Johns Hopkins.
  7. The National Academy for State Health Policy creates an interactive map tracking state palliative care legislative and budget initiatives.
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March

  1. JAHF announces nearly 2,000 sites have joined the nationwide Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative.
  2. The Reframing Aging Initiative launches a website with resources and information on countering ageism by changing the way society talks about aging.
  3. The PBS documentary Fast-Forward airs.
  4. The Diverse Elders Coalition releases a toolkit for providers with guidance on meeting the needs of diverse family caregivers.
  5. AARP and JAHF host a webinar with health care leaders on how hospitals can support family caregivers through care transitions featuring JAHF’s Rani Snyder.
  6. The Journal of Aging and Health publishes a paper co-authored by JAHF’s Terry Fulmer and Amy Berman examining how the 4Ms of age-friendly care improve outcomes across the care continuum.
  7. The Urban Institute shares a brief from 31 long-term care experts, including JAHF’s Terry Fulmer, demonstrating how the U.S. can improve long-term care in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  8. JAMA Network publishes study results demonstrating that hospitals with Geriatric Emergency Department interventions experience strong financial savings.
  9. The JAHF Board of Trustees approves more than $1.6 million in grants.
  10. The American College of Surgeons announces the first hospital to meet the Geriatric Surgery Verification program quality standards.
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April

    1. Trust for America’s Health holds a series of discussions on improving access to the COVID-19 vaccine for homebound older adults.
    2. The podcast series This is Getting Old posts an episode and blog on age-friendly ecosystems, featuring JAHF’s Terry Fulmer and Amy Berman.
    3. Trust for America’s Health unveils the Age-Friendly Public Health Systems initiative online resource portal.
    4. The American College of Surgeons launches an Implementation Course to guide hospitals through its Geriatric Surgery Verification program.
    5. “Live Your Best Life With Age-Friendly Care” airs on NBC Universal and Telemundo featuring JAHF’s Terry Fulmer and Marcus Escobedo, bringing information about age-friendly care directly to consumers.
    6. The Milken Institute publishes a report examining health and economic disparities in dementia for African Americans and Latinos.
    7. The Center for Medicare Advocacy writes an issue brief examining how the reality of home health coverage sometimes conflicts with the law.
    8. Grantmakers in Aging and the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care conduct a webinar highlighting the role of faith leaders in connecting people to health-related resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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    May

    1. Duke University’s Margolis Center for Health Policy shares an issue brief on value-based payment and skilled nursing facilities.
    2. Community Catalyst and UMass Boston write a report detailing what family caregivers say they need based on several listening sessions.
    3. Health Affairs publishes three papers as part of its Age-Friendly Health Series.
    4. Five states–IA, LA, MD, MA and NJ–participate in the eight-month State Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Action Network.
    5. The RAND Corporation releases findings from its initial evaluation of the Weinberg Center for Elder Justice Shelter Model for Elder Abuse and Mistreatment.
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    June

    1. JAHF presents Donald M. Berwick with The 2021 John A. Hartford Foundation Trustees Award.
    2. The Hospital at Home Users Group kicks off a webinar series for hospital and system leaders interested in learning about opportunities and challenges associated with a CMS waiver supporting Acute Hospital Care at Home.
    3. The Better Care Playbook posts a blog by JAHF’s Jane Carmody on public health’s role in vaccinating people who are homebound.
    4. The JAHF Board of Trustees approves six grants, totaling more than $5.8M.
    5. The American College of Physicians’ ACP Internist publishes an article about Patient Priorities Care, a decision-making approach for older adults with multiple chronic conditions.
    6. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement shares a blog post about a safety net hospital’s expansion of the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms framework to meet the food security needs of patients.
    7. Health Affairs Forefront publishes an article exploring the role of family caregivers in Hospital At Home programs, co-authored by JAHF’s Rani Snyder.
    8. Global Health Care hosts a National Health Equity Summit, featuring a panel on eradicating ageism with JAHF’s Terry Fulmer.
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    July

    1. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shares a report detailing an agenda for the next 10 years of dementia research.
    2. CVS Health publishes an article and infographic discussing its commitment to age-friendly care, supported by Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing.
    3. USAging (formerly n4a) awards The John A. Hartford Foundation 2021 Business Innovation Award to Hebrew SeniorLife for its Right Care, Right Place, Right Time program.
    4. Trust for America’s Health posts a blog exploring the connections between family caregivers and public health.
    5. Medical Care publishes a commentary by JAHF’s Amy Berman on addressing shortcomings in care transitions.
    6. Trust for America’s Health recognizes the NY State Department of Health as the first state health department to complete the 10 action steps for Age-Friendly Public Health Systems recognition.
    7. The CATCH-ON Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program at Rush University releases videos for older adults and family caregivers about the 4Ms of age-friendly care.
    8. Second Wave Michigan shares an article on the state’s plan to pursue “age-friendly everything.”
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    August

    1. JAHF’s Nancy Wexler authors a blog on what we have learned about person-driven outcome measures.
    2. The American Academy of Home Care Medicine unveils an online directory connecting patients and their families with local home health providers.
    3. The American Journal of Health Promotion publishes an editorial co-authored by JAHF’s Scott Bane on ways employers and states can better support family caregivers.
    4. The Health and Aging Policy Fellows program announces a new class of fellows.
    5. AARP produces a series of how-to videos and resources for family caregivers on what to expect before, during and after a hospital stay.
    6. The American Geriatrics Society releases virtual educational modules with the American Medical Association on how surgical and related medical sub-specialists can best care for older adults.
    7. The Aging and Disability Business Institute provides a toolkit to help organizations communicate clearly and effectively.

     

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    September

    1. The National Academy of Medicine announces the recipients of the 2021 Healthy Longevity Catalyst Awards.
    2. The Administration for Community Living releases the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council’s initial report, including recommendations on how the government and businesses can better support family caregivers.
    3. The Department of Veterans Affairs launches its Geriatric Emergency Department Initiative for older veterans
    4. The JAHF Board of Trustees approves two grants totaling $3.6 million.
    5. The U.S. HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion hosts the 2021 Healthy Aging Symposium and reports on a yearlong series of regional workshops featuring the Age-Friendly Health Systems and Age-Friendly Public Health Systems initiatives.
    6. The Convergence Center for Policy Resolution issues a framing paper on reimagining care for older adults in nursing homes and the range of settings they call home.
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    October
    1. The American Academy of Nursing recognizes JAHF’s Terry Fulmer and Jane Carmody for their contributions to the field of nursing.
    2. The Center to Advance Palliative Care announces the winners of the JAHF Tipping Point Challenge.
    3. The Gerontological Society of America selects 17 fellows for its Journalists in Aging Fellows Program.
    4. The Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care shares research finding collaboration between clinicians, patients and families is key to improving serious illness care and health equity.
    5. Kaiser Health News and JAHF host a webinar about confronting ageism.
    6. The Administration for Community Living introduces the caregivers featured in the RAISE Act initial Report to Congress.
    7. JAMA Network publishes an article and podcast episode featuring JAHF’s Terry Fulmer discussing nursing home innovations.
    8. A Journal of the American Geriatrics Society paper finds the Geriatric Surgery Verification program reduces postoperative lengths of stay.
    9. ADvancing States announces seven states to receive technical assistance in using federal COVID-19 relief funds to strengthen home and community-based services.
    10. The Better Care Playbook posts a collection of resources focusing on home-and community-based palliative care.
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    November
    1. The National Alliance for Caregiving releases an analysis on incentivizing medical providers to include caregivers as part of an older adult’s care team.
    2. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society publishes an article coauthored by JAHF’s Terry Fulmer and Marcus Escobedo examining clinician knowledge and behaviors related to the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative 4Ms framework.
    3. The Hospital at Home Users Group creates a technical assistance center.
    4. The Diverse Elders Coalition, in partnership with the National Alliance for Caregiving and JAHF, hosts a congressional briefing on addressing the needs of diverse family caregivers.
    5. The National Academy for State Health Policy offers guidance on financial and workplace security for family caregivers as part of their RAISE Act State Policy Roadmap for Family Caregivers.
    6. The Family Caregiver Alliance shares a series of blogs and infographics on dementia caregiving programs in the online repository Best Practice Caregiving.
    7. The CDC invites a taskforce of volunteers, convened by JAHF, to advise on ways to facilitate the disbursement of federal COVID-19 relief funds to nursing home and long-term care facilities.
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    December

    1. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement disseminates a guide for clinicians on how to effectively ask and act on what matters to older adults in their care.
    2. Route Fifty publishes an op-ed authored by JAHF’s Rani E. Snyder discussing how states can support family caregivers.
    3. The JAHF Board of Trustees approves six grants totaling more than $4.5 million.
    4. JAHF releases findings from its Age-Friendly Insights poll showing widespread public support for transforming nursing home care.
    5. The Home Centered Care Institute debuts a video on rethinking modern medicine and home-based primary care.
    6. The UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program creates training curricula for dementia care specialists in partnership with the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association.
    7. Next Avenue posts a special report on the future of elder care.
    Inside the Annual Report

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