I’ve been waiting to officially announce this news…and today’s the day! I was selected to be a 2024 Care Fellow by Caring Across Generations, a national organization working to transform the way we care in this country.
Ever since my grandmother passed away in June 2023, I knew that I wanted to continue advocating for better care for caregivers and those they care for. But I wasn’t sure what that would look like now as a former family caregiver. While grieving this past year, I’ve taken a step back from my patient advocate role, but I began to think about all of the changes that need to happen to ensure that we, as a society, can take care of the members that make up our most vulnerable population. There was so much I wish I had known when I stepped into the role of a millennial caregiver. And now, as a result of the current caregiving crisis in the United States, more family members are entering the role, just as I did.
When I reflected on what I saw as a caregiver and where my skillset could make the most impact, legislative policy work came to mind. Having graduated from The American University in Washington, DC, I have many a policy class under my belt, and I’ve been eager to put my political science degree to good use.
I first learned about Caring Across Generations during my caregiving days, and I was impressed by their impactful social media campaigns. I began to follow them and quickly discovered that they were working to build a thoughtful care system by transforming cultural norms and narratives about aging, disability, and care. I knew then that they were an organization I wanted to be a part of and one where I could use my lived experience to benefit our shared mission.
When I saw in the spring that applications were open for their 2024 Care Fellowship, a leadership development program that helps grow and nurture the advocacy and communications skills of people who give and receive care, I knew it was the right time for me to get involved with the policy side of caregiving.
For the next six months, I’ll be working alongside Care Fellows from California, Michigan, Georgia, Illinois, and New York, as we come together to change the way care is seen, valued, and supported in the United States.
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