Promoting Aging Possibilities: Advocacy and Resources in Kansas
Lindsay Huddlestun is currently in the advanced standing Master of Social Welfare program at the University of Kansas. Lindsay was selected as a Sigler Family Scholar this year. Lindsay is currently employed by the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging as an Eligibility and Options Specialist. Lindsay has five years of working experience in the aging field. Lindsay is passionate about the aging population and has created an initiative in Johnson County aimed to make the community more Dementia Friendly.
Lindsay will be presenting on Dementia Friendly Johnson County. This is an initiative she started in Johnson County this year to educate, bring awareness, and foster a dementia friendly community. She will discuss the importance of dementia friendly communities and how she got started in her own community.
Libby Hastings is the Communication and Public Relations Coordinator for Kansas Advocates for Better Care. Originally from El Dorado, Kansas, she graduated with a B.A. from Knox College in Illinois. After graduation, she fostered a passion for advocacy work by serving as a Nursing Home Transitions Coordinator at a Center for Independent Living in Boulder, Colorado.
Libby will be sharing how Kansas Advocates for Better Care is dedicated to improving the quality of long-term care for older Kansans, at home and in residential care settings. The presentation will provide an update on KABC’s legislative advocacy efforts and an overview of our comprehensive collection of resources.
Gianna Hochstetler is an AmeriCorps volunteer and MSW student at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare who will graduate in Spring 2023. Her current internship at Kansas Advocates for Better Care has provided her with the opportunity to learn about issues older adults in Kansas are facing and how to address their needs through legislative action. Her AmeriCorps program is focused on tailoring resources for survivors of intimate partner violence across diverse populations.
Gianna will present information and resources from an AmeriCorps public health initiative to help practitioners and nonprofit organizations support survivors of intimate partner violence more effectively. Her presentation will focus on the unique barriers older adults face to receiving support as well as resources available to them in the greater Kansas area.
