Working remotely throughout my summer internship with Archstone Foundation has been challenging at times. However, the experience I gained has been invaluable.
From my training through the Master’s in Science in Gerontology program at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and the different internships I’ve had previously at Council on Aging, Southern California; Pathways Volunteer Hospice; and USC + LAC Geriatric Clinic, I got first-hand experience with the range and pervasiveness of the challenges that older adults face in their daily lives. But I knew little about the world of grantmaking and its impact.
During my 12-week internship, I got a window into the world of philanthropy and the role that a foundation can play in the development of new programs and policies that can greatly improve the lives of older adults. I witnessed the high level of rapport that staff members built with members of the aging field and the willingness and dedication that staff put into supporting these organizations as they become leading forces for change.
What I Learned
The unpredictable times we are living in have been trying in many ways. From the stay-at-home order that took effect in March, to the rapidly developing health and inequality issues endangering our most vulnerable populations, to budget proposals that threatened to cut two of the most vital services to older adults in California, the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus has exposed gaps that have long existed in our health care system. These include social isolation, food insecurity, institutionalization, racial inequities, and a lack of comprehensive health care.
Rather than being discouraged by what could seem like a daily barrage of grim news reports about older adults during the pandemic, working at Archstone Foundation gave me the opportunity to see the great work being done by community-based organizations to address these problems. That includes being able to interview grantees to find out more about the work the Foundation supported through its COVID-19 Emergency Response Grants.
I learned about LeadingAge California’s efforts to ensure the health and safety of health care workers and the older adults they care for in Skilled Nursing Facilities. I heard how Archstone Foundation’s grant funded Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies (e.g., hand sanitizer and face masks) and how the quality of life for both residents and staff shifted instrumentally because they felt safer.
Additionally, top leaders at Alliance for Leadership and Education (ALE) explained how their grant from Archstone Foundation helped Adult Day Services (ADS) sites quickly transition to remote operations when the pandemic struck. I learned how ALE provided guidance that helped ADS sites remotely provide their participants with vital services such as health information, caregiver counseling, meal delivery, supplies, activity programs, and telehealth check-ups. ALE also created a COVID-19 Participant Wellness Check and Risk Assessment to support ADS providers in delivering services to their participants and caregivers weekly by phone
And I learned how both organizations played a leading role in successfully advocating against the proposed May budget cuts that would have included two key day programs that help keep older adults out of unnecessary or unwanted institutionalization.
One of my other responsibilities at the Foundation was to find news regarding policies and changes that affect older adults. I learned how current grantees and other leading organizations are working together to address food insecurity and are continuing to advocate for better services for older adults. I saw organizations transform their work through telehealth communications and develop new webinars and trainings that target best practices for older adults. And I’ve seen new developments in infection control, better resources for caregivers, and different means to combat social isolation.
‘Figuring It Out’
So, as Archstone Foundation President & CEO Chris Langston, PhD, said to me on my first day: “Nobody tells anyone what will help older adults. It’s a matter of figuring it out.” The Foundation supports organizations that are dedicated to figuring out what will help meet the needs of older Californians.
From the interviews I’ve done and from reading through grant proposals, I’ve seen the necessary dedication, expertise, and innovation that has inspired me to demonstrate the same determination to “figure it out” and move forward toward a brighter future for older adults and their loved ones.
I want to thank the entire staff of Archstone Foundation, who not only gave me the opportunity to complete an internship online, but also to make it feel as if I was there in person. It was more than I could have ever imagined from a remote internship in the middle of a global pandemic.
