We're keeping busy and we'd love to see you!

Records Fall as Outreach Reaches Further

Continuing education training at the IOG celebrates another banner year with 203 programs to audiences of 33,741 professionals and older adults. Virtual trainings have been a boon to the IOG, as participants log in from multiple states and even countries. The listserv of professionals requesting information on our trainings now tops 6,500. Our list of older adults and community members subscribing to our news and events is 3,432, and both lists grow by about 3% each month.

Comments after a "Trauma & Resilience" training . . .

This was probably the best training I've had in the past 3-5 years, and one of the best and more pertinent ones I've had in my 25 years with the State of Michigan. Having done CPS, Foster Care, Licensing, Prevention, Delinquency, and now Adult Services, I feel this information could be applied to all of the above. I wish all our state employees could have this training, plus a more enhanced version of this, when they start their careers. It would benefit them and their clients, as well as improving lives and preventing burnout.

Again, an excellent job with excellent materials!

Lynn Brewer, LSW

Donna MacDonald, the IOG's director of outreach, continues to build new partnerships with various organizations that share our mission. BrightStar Care of Maryland now offers an IOG CE program each month and coordinates quarterly trainings for the staff of Johns Hopkins University. "We currently have 19 partners at various levels of commitment," Donna said. Platinum partners are Heart-to-Heart Hospice, BrightStar Care, and Waltonwood Senior Living. Waltonwood's statistics give the partnership high marks: Within two weeks of each IOG CE program that Waltonwood sponsors, they field 35-40 calls inquiring about housing, and two new residents move in.

A few members of the Art of Aging Successfully committee finally get to meet in person. From left: Susan McEwan, Donna MacDonald, Gloria Myers, Carol Edwards.

"We also have strong relationships with non-profits and community organizations dedicated to helping older adults -- Hannan Center in Detroit, the Alzheimer's Association, and Baldwin Society Supporting Older Adults to name a few." Donna works hard to maintain a balance between programming for professionals who work with older adults and events for older adults themselves. This year's Issues in Aging Conference (via Zoom) reached 366 people and 320 folks registered for the Caregiving Conference. "That balance is what makes the IOG's outreach so unique and impactful," she said.