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Workforce development is about more than filling positions. It is about attracting people to a meaningful calling.
— Christie Hinrichs, LeadingAge Board Chair and President & CEO of Frasier

State Partner and Member Initiatives and Programs

Workforce challenges often require unique solutions that extend beyond individual providers. Kylee Childs, vice president of policy and workforce development at LeadingAge Kansas, helps bring together employers, legislators, and community leaders to identify workforce barriers and develop strategies to address them. Through annual roundtables, apprenticeship initiatives, and policy advocacy, the association is helping create new pathways into aging services careers.
Many college students have a limited view of what aging services looks like, often associating it only with nursing homes or end-of-life care. Sarah Hemming, director of member relations and education at LeadingAge Maryland, discusses her work introducing students to the full spectrum of career opportunities available across the field.
LeadingAge Pennsylvania’s Careers to Love initiative is helping connect employers and job seekers through an online Career Center and statewide social media campaign, but it’s also deeply personal for Erin McDermott, LeadingAge PA’s director of workforce solutions and member engagement. Inspired to pursue a role in aging services while still in college, McDermott has spent her career championing opportunities in the field and helping others discover the profession’s many pathways.
Four LeadingAge members in August 2024 launched Global Care Recruiters (GCR), a fast-growing virtual organization focused on senior care, that brings licensed registered nurses to the U.S. from Kenya. “It’s really kind of exploded,” said co-founder Traci Larson, of GCR’s rapid expansion.

Building a Tech-Savvy Workforce

As artificial intelligence (AI), automation and data become more embedded in aging services, organizations are recognizing that successful technology adoption depends as much on people as it does on the tools themselves. That means helping employees build the confidence, judgment, and skills to use technology effectively in their day-to-day work. Scott Code, of LeadingAge’s Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST), explores how LeadingAge members are approaching this challenge.

2026 Annual Meeting Workforce & Culture Sessions

Raising awareness of the aging services sector and its many career options is a must, say experts. Of the many pathways that can lead young adults to the field, which work well, and where are the gaps? And once hired, how can organizations retain employees—and help them thrive? More than 20 education sessions in Philadelphia will explore these questions and more.

LeadingAge

Hi, I’m Lisa!

Contact me with any questions or feedback.

lsanders@leadingage.org