CEO Blog

For those in need of an uplifting story, the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA) was signed into law this week after receiving bipartisan support in both houses of Congress. As a continuing advocate for OAA reauthorization, GSA applauded this news in a press release issued shortly after the signing.

This news is very timely. OAA-supported programs are provided to more than 11 million older adults and their caregivers annually. These programs are designed to prevent abuse and neglect, reduce social isolation, support caregivers, offer employment and community service opportunities, promote nutrition (through Meals on Wheels, as an example), and improve transportation options.

The COVID-19 pandemic will continue to disrupt all of our lives for months to come, with projections indicating the most difficult days are still ahead of us. We will manage through this extraordinary challenge the only way possible, by working together, doing our individual part to support the collective wellbeing of our families, communities, and institutions. We will be aided by the application of science, the tool that all of us apply daily to solve problems and to make sense of the unknown.

Here are three resources to help GSA members around the world as they navigate this pandemic.

When teaching individuals about the Reframing Aging Initiative, the GSA team always begins with what it takes to reframe an issue.

Step #1 is Map the Terrain, as shown in the multiple research projects undertaken to provide key insights. I encourage you to explore the research findings. Step #2 is Develop a Strategy to Navigate to Higher Ground, as shown in the Gaining Momentum communications toolkit. And Step #3 is Build a Caravan, Equip the Travelers and Start Moving, accomplished through workshops to prepare individuals to apply the evidence-supported framing interventions to their daily communications.

One of the most meaningful roles that a professional society plays is recognizing excellence in its field. And GSA has a wonderful mechanism for doing this: through March 31, we’re accepting nominations for more than two dozen prestigious awards for gerontological achievements.

I recently had the privilege of visiting the University of South Florida (USF) campus in Tampa, Florida, which is the home institution of GSA President Dr. Kathy Hyer. It was a rewarding day that provided rich opportunities to discuss key GSA initiatives and to learn about the exciting work underway at USF.

The faculty was intrigued to learn more about GSA’s work to advance the Reframing Aging Initiative and how this work intersects with the development of new scholarship. Following recent updates to the AMA and APA style guides, faculty who submit papers to journals following these formats will see new language recommendations (aligning with the Reframing Aging Initiative) for referring to older adults.