For the last six months, I’ve had the opportunity to be a program intern at Archstone Foundation. I was excited to work in the office one day a week so I could get to know my new colleagues and see how they worked together. They were welcoming and generous with their time, inviting me to join a variety of projects from research to outreach.
I first became aware of Archstone Foundation during my time at USC’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Several classes covered programs the Foundation has supported including the Master Plan for Aging – California’s cross-sector, state-led strategic planning process addressing the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers. I was familiar with the grant writing process, but only from one side - that of the applicant. I was excited to see what the other side of the grantmaking process entailed and gain a different perspective on what makes successful proposals and outcomes. I was also interested to learn about the role that grantmakers play in supporting older adults and their caregivers, and how implementing a strategic plan can amplify an organization’s impact.
Applying the Interdisciplinary Perspective
The classes I took as a social work and gerontology student provided insight into the relevance of taking an interdisciplinary perspective when addressing the complex needs of older adults. However, it was not until my internship at Archstone Foundation that I came to fully understand the challenges of coordinating care between disciplines. According to Christopher A. Langston, PhD, Archstone Foundation’s President and CEO, “The biggest issue [within healthcare, social services, and long-term care] is the lack of connectivity among existing resources and a very disorganized system. This denies people the quality of care that they deserve and puts them at an undue risk of adverse consequences.” I was impressed with how the Foundation worked with organizations from a wide range of disciplines to improve care coordination and provide the best care possible for older adults and their caregivers, especially in diverse communities.
Appreciating Multidisciplinary Staff
Through staff meetings and one on one interviews, I learned that, in addition to philanthropy, Foundation staff is also experienced in research, public health, technology, communications, family caregiving, elder abuse, hospitality, customer service, and accounting. Because the challenges of an aging population cross many disciplines, I came to see how important it is to have a team that understands different sectors and can foster cooperation between them.
Building on this variety of experience, Vice President of Grant Operations and Planning Tanisha Davis and Program Officer Jasmine Lacsamana have been participating in a number of learning and leadership development programs to better understand the interconnectedness between different sectors of the community. By interviewing Tanisha and Jasmine for a blog about their experiences, I learned about the importance of transparency for developing equity within and among organizations and the value of building interdisciplinary partnerships within the community.
Understanding the Power of Strategic Planning
To get up to speed, I attended Archstone Foundation’s recent webinar about its strategic plan, the Three Ts: Teams, Training, and Technology. I loved the idea of focusing on cross-cutting themes to connect the silos of healthcare and social services. The Foundation’s systems-wide approach to developing partnerships between direct care organizations and funding entities demonstrated how taking an interdisciplinary perspective can improve care coordination and the overall wellbeing of older adults and their caregivers.
Engaging in Research, Analysis and Program Evaluation
I wanted to gain experience in macro work through my internship at Archstone Foundation and I was excited to learn how to create PivotTables in Excel to wrangle large datasets. The dataset in which we were interested is made available by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and contains every fee for service (FFS) claim made each year. I conducted a literature review of previous analyses of this dataset and then narrowed down factors to evaluate the use of preventative care services that are particularly relevant to older adults. This analysis is a first step toward better understanding the low use of these services and identifying possible solutions.
Through research and social media outreach, I learned and shared about the Foundation's support of an innovative volunteer matching program, Catchafire. Catchafire matches skilled professional volunteers with nonprofits to help them increase their capacity and achieve their missions. This collaboration allows Archstone to extend the reach of its funding by enabling grantees and declined applicants to access Catchafire’s platform and utilize skilled volunteers.
I also learned about the Foundation’s efforts to interweave diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout their work. I conducted research to evaluate the prevalence of primarily diverse-led and diverse-serving organizations within the latest Catchafire cohort to assess the current demographics and identify areas for growth. Cultivating transparency and setting benchmarks are some of the ways the Foundation is working towards its intention to reduce health disparities and advance racial equity.
Attending a Field-wide Gathering
The most memorable part of my internship was preparing for and attending the reception honoring the service of three board members and Vice President Mary Ellen Kullman’s 27 years with Archstone Foundation. This event was the first time many of the attendees had gathered since before the pandemic, and it was inspiring to see representatives from across the field of aging reunite. My table alone included professionals from finance, health care, business, and education. Looking around the room, I could see how the challenges and opportunities associated with our aging population bring together forward-thinking individuals from a wide array of disciplines. This dynamic group will be at the forefront of efforts to anticipate and navigate the coming demographic changes to best support older adults and the population as a whole.
Consolidating Lessons
Throughout my internship, I observed the orchestrated efforts between organizations and individuals, and I can attest to the effectiveness of interdisciplinary collaboration and its particular relevance to the field of aging.
I have such gratitude for everyone at Archstone Foundation for welcoming me into their workplace and sharing their experience and knowledge. This incredible internship experience has broadened my understanding of the field and I look forward to incorporating it into my future work supporting older adults.
