The Nation’s Leading Organization Representing Hospitals and Health Systems Recognized for Advancing Age-Friendly Care
New York, NY (June 4, 2026)—The trustees of The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF) announced the American Hospital Association (AHA) as the recipient of The John A. Hartford Foundation Trustees Award for 2026 in recognition of its extraordinary leadership and partnership in advancing age-friendly care for older adults across the United States.
The JAHF Trustees Award is given every two years to an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions to improving care for older adults through excellence in clinical practice, education, research or policy. This year marks the first time the award has been presented to an organization, reflecting the AHA’s unparalleled impact in spreading and sustaining age-friendly care nationwide.
AHA is a leading partner in the Age-Friendly Health Systems (AHFS) movement with JAHF and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. AFHS was founded in 2017 with a bold vision of creating safe, high-quality care for older adults nationwide, guided by the 4Ms Framework: What Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility.
To date, nearly 6,000 hospitals, practices, nursing homes and other sites have committed to age-friendly care and received Age-Friendly Health Systems recognition, thanks in large part to the AHA’s leadership in reaching its extensive network of hospitals and health systems.
AHA has accelerated the adoption of age-friendly care through education, programming and field-building initiatives, including convening Action Communities, supporting Next Generation Leadership Fellows and developing resources that demonstrate the value of age-friendly care.
“Through its leadership and national reach, the American Hospital Association has helped transform how health systems care for older adults,” said John R. Mach, Jr., chair of The John A. Hartford Foundation Board of Trustees. “By bringing the 4Ms Framework into everyday practice, AHA has strengthened care delivery to focus on what matters most to older people and their families.”
“The American Hospital Association has helped make age-friendly care a national priority,” said Rani E. Snyder, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation. “Its commitment to safety, person-centered care and leadership development has ensured that more health systems are equipped to meet the complex needs of an aging population.”
In honor of the award, The John A. Hartford Foundation will contribute $20,000 in AHA’s name to Bolivar Hospital, part of West Tennessee Health Care and an Age-Friendly Health System advancing care in rural communities.
“The AHA is deeply grateful for this honor from The John A. Hartford Foundation and its trustees in recognition of our deep and lasting commitment to improve care for older adults,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the AHA. “The partnership between the foundation, the AHA and others exemplifies what it means to pair vision with action, so that we can rapidly advance the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement and transform care for the future.”
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Media Contact: Kiri Oliver, kiri.oliver@johnahartford.org, 212-324-7484
About The John A. Hartford Foundation
The John A. Hartford Foundation, based in New York City, is a private, nonpartisan, national philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults. For more than three decades, the organization has been the leader in building a field of experts in aging and testing and replicating innovative approaches to care. The foundation has three priority areas: creating age-friendly health systems, supporting family caregivers and improving serious illness and end-of-life care. Working with its grantees and partners, the foundation strives to change the status quo and create a society where older adults can continue their vital contributions.