Jason Kavulich, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, stepped onto the national stage in Washington, D.C. to join a crucial conversation about transforming our views on aging. At the National Center to Reframe Aging's Summit 2024, leaders in the aging network congregated to share strategies and innovations, according to a recent announcement from Pennsylvania's Department of Aging.
The summit, with a mission to universally alter the language and approach to aging, attracted participants from across the nation and beyond. Secretary Kavulich shared how Pennsylvania is strategically moving to reshape the narrative around aging. "It was truly an honor to represent our Commonwealth in that space and on a national level to discuss how we are changing the narrative about aging while learning what is being done in other states," Kavulich said, as reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.
In a panel titled "Reshaping Discourage on Aging: State and Local Models for Change," Kavulich highlighted Pennsylvania's proactive tactics. Foreseeing an upcoming strategic plan, Aging Our Way, PA, the state aims to alter service delivery and foster an environment deserving for its senior residents. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging incorporated insights from the National Center to Reframe Aging in crafting the plan which avoids negatively connoted terms like ‘vulnerable’, intentionally using more positive language.
Pennsylvania’s approach involves comprehensive community engagement, as Kavulich underscored. "We are all getting older, and we will all need help at some point during our life journey. Keeping that in mind helped us, our stakeholders, and our sister agencies create a vision and a roadmap to help better serve older Pennsylvanians," he explained, per the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. Beyond the summit’s proceedings, over 20,000 state residents voiced their opinions to shape the forthcoming plan.
To ensure a detailed and inclusive strategy, the Department of Aging initiated over 200 sessions to gather stakeholder input. Furthermore, the community was invited to weigh in through a range of communication channels. As the blueprint for senior care in Pennsylvania takes shape, the Department is proactively requesting substantial funding to begin implementation. All eyes are now on Governor Shapiro's 2024-2025 proposed budget, which figures an $11.7 million allocation to kickstart the visionary plan for the state's aging population.
More information on the Department of Aging's efforts and the transformative discussions at the national summit can be found at Pennsylvania's Department of Aging website.
