Hello Friends,
Can you believe it’s September? This year is just flying by. If you’ve been following along with us, we’ve had a number of exciting opportunities and changes along the way, and we’re just getting started.
At Empowered Aging, one of our core values is something we like to call discovery, and the idea behind it is that we are very much a learning organization. We’re always looking for the cutting edge for our industry, and of course, what’s next. How can we better serve seniors and adults with disabilities? Not just locally, but everywhere. We have worked hard to foster a culture where we’re constantly learning and recognize that we are teachers in our own right as individuals.
I’m excited to share this newsletter because we are expanding upon this core value and sharing all the ways it’s touching our organization and how it’s reaching all of those that we serve. You’ll meet some new faces, hear about some new leadership transitions, follow some team members on their continuing education journey, and more. Another quick note, it’s important we stay in touch with you, so we will be expanding our direct mail output. If you know us by email and would also be on our mailing list, please fill out the short survey below and keep an eye out for Empowered Aging in a mailbox near you!
Thank you for all that you do. And as always, if you or someone you know needs help, our team is on standby. You can get in touch by calling 925.685.2070 or emailing info@empoweredaging.org.
Best wishes,
Nicole Howell
Executive Director
Healthcare Career Pathway is on the Move!
You may remember a few months ago we asked for letters of support for our Healthcare Career Pathway (HCP) program budget ask to expand the program throughout California. Healthcare Career Pathway is a collaborative initiative between Empowered Aging, Opportunity Junction, and Mt. Diablo Adult Education designed to provide opportunities for students with addressable barriers to enter the medical field. Focusing on these students who need help, the training program expands beyond the basic curriculum and includes supportive services such as transportation, food, and more. It truly has been a great success, including recognition in California’s Master Plan for Aging Local Playbook as a proven program for replication.
Well, your support helped immensely, and we are thrilled to share that the HCP expansion has been included in the Governor’s budget. Over the next five years, Healthcare Career Pathway will be expanding to six additional training sites across California. That means we will provide training to 630 CNAs, infusing the California economy with an estimated 23.5 million dollars, and help provide 1.3 million hours of direct resident care in their first year of work!
Many long-term care residents are labeled as “difficult” or “hard to handle” because of their past history or the struggles they have faced in life. We’re proud to continue to roll out a program that addresses the critical shortage of qualified staff and caregivers by training a truly unique group of individuals who have the skills, and in many cases, shared life experiences and personal challenges. Be on the lookout for Healthcare Career Pathway in a community near you!
