Age-Friendly Health Systems • Family Caregiving • Serious Illness & End of Life

A Message From Our Leadership

In our collective pursuit to improve the care of older adults, 2023 was a particularly pivotal year. We saw a pronounced shift from our pushing the concept of age-friendly care out into the world, toward a new dynamic where clinicians, caregivers and advocates are pulling it into every facet of their work. 

This change did not happen overnight. It emerged from the hard work of our grantees and partners and was the result of numerous pivotal moments that transformed care for older adults. We saw innovations in policy and the delivery of evidence-based practices that support older adults and reinforce age-friendly care. We’re reflecting on some of those pivotal moments in this annual report. 

Moving from inertia to action

Our commitment to increasing access to age-friendly care hit a milestone this past year. More health systems, nursing homes, retail clinics and other points of care across America offer age-friendly care than ever before. Today, more than 3,900 sites—including all MinuteClinics in CVS pharmacies and the entire U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system—have joined the movement.

Using the expertise of partners, we made the innovative age-friendly approach easier for health systems and partners to adopt. This expanded our cadre of champions who recognize the importance of providing equitable, evidence-based care to older adults. Now, we’re focused on an ongoing shift in providers’ mindsets, from not only treating an older adult’s diseases, but also addressing their function. 

As more people live longer, our goal must be to help older adults live their most fulfilling lives by focusing on what matters to them. Care that helps older adults live, think, move and engage in their environment is essential for the well-being of society. 

Building partnerships to optimize policy

In 2023, we saw an increase in the volume and depth of our work with federal agencies. Recognizing that influencing policy includes more than influencing legislation, we continued to strengthen relationships with our colleagues at federal agencies, such as the Administration for Community Living, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the VA and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

We believe good practice shapes smart policy, and we have showcased to federal policymakers how our evidence-based practices can inform policies that improve the lives and care of older adults. In 2022, building on years of work with our grantees, we hosted a roundtable and developed recommendations related to payment for comprehensive dementia care models. In 2023, the fruit of our collective labor was realized as CMS announced the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model to test an alternative payment for comprehensive care for people living with dementia and their family caregivers. We are pleased that the partnerships we have forged are purposeful and productive, and built to withstand any shifts in politics. 

Laying the groundwork for the future 

While we are pleased with the massive momentum we’ve achieved, we know our work is far from done. New challenges, and others not yet solved, require us to continue to pivot, especially as we examine our work through the lens of health equity. This means that our incredibly dedicated and expert staff are always looking for ways to further increase access to age-friendly care for all older adults, regardless of who they are, where they live or their economic status. 

We have begun exploring ways to address the effects of social isolation and loneliness on the health and well-being of older adults, and we have exciting new work with partners to ensure older people and caregivers in rural communities can access the supports and services they need. These efforts will continue to be grounded in the need to counter ageism and promote safe, equitable aging for all.

Our ability to identify and address the most pressing needs of older adults and those who provide care is a testament to the commitment of our Trustees. Their leadership has allowed us to be flexible and take advantage of time-sensitive opportunities. The Board continues to evolve and grow, and last year, we welcomed new members Ginna Baik, leader of Senior Living Alexa Smart Properties for Amazon, and Phyllis D. Meadows, PhD, MSN, RN, senior fellow with the Detroit Program at The Kresge Foundation.

Our Trustees and staff have our deep gratitude, as do our fearless partners and grantees who inspire us to think boldly and dream bigger. Thank you all for your willingness to work alongside us to improve the lives and care of older adults. We could not succeed without you.

Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN President

John R. Mach, Jr., MD Chair