After beginning my career at the International Longevity Center, an aging research, education and advocacy think tank in New York, I knew that I had to get direct-care experience in order to better advocate for seniors and their caregivers in anticipation of the projected demographic shifts.
Breaking out of my comfort zone, I sought an opportunity to run a nonprofit agency's elder-services program that provided a wide range of services to individuals in the community. That desire led to my becoming director of elder services at Child & Family Services of Newport County.
Five years of working directly with seniors, caregivers and providers here in Rhode Island, combined with my national experience in government affairs, provided me with intimate knowledge of the field of aging. Having work experience in different facets of the industry better equips me to represent our members' interests as well as possible. The goal is advocacy from a position of strength.
It is especially important in an advocacy role like mine to understand the issues that practitioners face every day. Your credibility as an advocate depends on it. Thus, when you suggest new approaches to solve problems, your voice is taken seriously. Without my immersion in the details of the work, my role would be not be as effective.
Our providers are doing incredible work. But if I want to help them deliver high-quality, balanced, long-term care to individuals that need it, I have to make sure I hold up my end of the bargain. •