Jodi Waterhouse: When I arrived at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus my top priorities were to build awareness for the Center work. The Center has been in operation for more than twenty years however, most people did not know of the wonderful work that was being produced by the team. As a result, a fourth pillar for Outreach and Engagement was added, to the other pillars: Research, Clinical Care and Education. In expanding the Outreach and Engagement for the Center it was important that we build awareness with stakeholders in government, industry, community and across the University of Colorado system.

One of our exciting top priorities was the creation of Senate Bill 20-022 “Loan Forgiveness for Geriatric Trained Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants to Work in Rural or Underserved Colorado,” which was sponsored by Senator Jessie Danielson (D). The bill made its way to the Senate Floor the day we got shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic and then was sidelined until 2021.

We are hopeful that it will have the same support next year from our legislators. The need for geriatric trained clinicians is desperate, especially for rural and underserved Colorado. Although we were disappointed to not have SB 20-022 make it further in the General Assembly we quickly changed gears when we realized that COVID-19 was greatly impacting older adults. For example, information that was initially shared about COVID-19 with older adults was confusing and overwhelming and we wanted to make sure they were receiving information that included facts from clinicians.

In the months of April and May we did extensive virtual COVID-19 related education outreach with a number of community partners, plus a plethora of media interviews that appeared in print, TV, and radio so we could share facts about COVID-19, how to take care of older adults during this difficult time, and the importance of staying connected when we are asked to physical distance.

Jodi:  I’m a naturally curious person, so even before I arrived I was scanning the internet for information about the Colorado aging landscape. Once I arrived I literally hit the ground running.  I spent the first three months doing informational interviews both on and off campus with stakeholders, community leaders and campus administrators. It was important for me to meet with folks that knew a lot about the Center, but even more importantly, those that did not know much about it. It gave me an opportunity to highlight the work and draw connections between their work and that of the Center. It was beneficial both ways as I was gathering a lot of information about the Colorado business landscape and specifically the industry focused on aging.

For those not sure how to get started and build a network, you have to dive in.  You do your research, gather a long list of folks/organizations that you want to meet and learn more about their work. People LOVE talking about what they do and their organizations and are very willing to share their stories. You take the information from these stories and start connecting the dots within your own work and create opportunities to work closer together, build programs, work on initiatives, and take the lead. Don’t sit back, you have to create your own opportunities!

Jodi: Wow, where do I start!  We have already done so much this year and there are so many exciting opportunities on the horizon.  I was elected to the board for the Colorado Senior Lobby and am really looking forward to diving into more advocacy and lobbying work at the State Capitol for older adults. We are collaborating with Denver Public Library where we are offering a Health and Wellness series which are always fun for people to participate.

The last in the series will be on Thursday, August 20, 2 p.m. and will be on (details and to register).

We thoroughly enjoy our partnership with AARP Colorado where we teamed up to provide health and wellness presentations during a time when understanding our health and the best way to take care of ourselves as we age is very important.  A variety of relevant topics such as Understanding COVID-19, Emotional Health as We Age, Advanced Care Planning and many others have been delivered over the past few months both at a state and national level. These health and wellness presentations are provided by clinical experts and provide up-to-date facts and research about ways to stay healthy, active, and mentally fit as we grow older. We are looking forward to expanding educational opportunities across the nation with AARP.

We are also building with UC Colorado Springs, an Emotional and Mental Health Series that addresses social isolation, loneliness and emotional health, and will launch in September. Finally, we continue the good work in the CU Anschutz Elder Abuse Task Force which is building a multidisciplinary team to better triage and treat patients that present with abuse issues in emergency rooms and clinics.

Jodi: The work in ageism is so important.  COVID-19 has exposed the use of age as a criterion for triaging scarce resources, staying at home, “blaming” older adults for communities having to wear masks, physical distance - and the resulting lack of social connection.  It has been awful some of the references that we have heard. It is an optimum time to change a cultural mindset and to understand the value of older adults and the knowledge and experiences that they contribute every day to our state and communities.

We all start aging the day we are born, however, our society groups people into these generational age groups.  We don’t blink an eye when kids have dependence on us for their care, yet when older adults need the same type of dependence, it becomes a burden and drain on society.  How do we build compassion for humanity regardless of our age group? This needs to be the focus of society, and not our chronological age.