LeadingAge debuted a stunning outdoor photo exhibit celebrating the professional caregivers of Atlanta–and beyond–during the Annual Meeting + EXPO, October 2021. The exhibit in Centennial Park featured professional caregivers and staff from Atlanta-area members A.G. Rhodes, Lenbrook, and Presbyterian Homes of Georgia, mission-driven, nonprofit organizations providing quality care and services to older adults.

The gorgeous portraits depicted the extraordinary women and men who are both the heart and backbone of aging services. They represent the dedicated care professionals who every day, in every community across the country, offer the loving support that helps older adults remain healthy, independent, and enjoying life to the fullest. The  caregivers report receiving as much as they give, through the bonds they form with those in their care. 

Deke Cateau, a member of the LeadingAge national Board of Directors and CEO of A.G. Rhodes in Atlanta, recognized their essential role. “Through images and words, this collection opens a door into our world and captures the exhilaration and the strength born from the act of giving care,” he said. “The themes from caregivers’ stories, of love and of family, convey a truth that we aim to share with a wider audience. This work is the heart and soul of aging services. It is both a job and a calling; it is a profession that must be understood and respected.” 

“I love people. And you get so attached,” says Lonette Martin, who has worked at Lenbrook for 35 years. “I tell a lot of the younger Certified Nursing Assistants—regardless of what they teach you in the books—it has to come from the heart. You have to really love what you do, and you have to have compassion.” 

LeadingAge offers its thanks to members A.G. Rhodes, Lenbrook, and Presbyterian Homes of Georgia and the caregiving professionals featured for opening your doors to showcase the joy of caregiving. 

LeadingAge also applauds our friend, photographer Heidi Wagner, for the stunning visual images in the exhibit. Photos are courtesy of Heidi Wagner Photography.