For the next 20 years, the population of adults 65+ will increase at a rate of 2.3% a year ... the number of family members available to care for them will only increase at a rate of 0.8%. Source: National Family Caregivers Association
Members/Partners
Member Profiles
Name: Carolyn Edmunds Thomas, MD
Title: Past President; Advisory Board Chair
Company/Organization: Richmond Academy of Medicine; Access Now
ODP Member Since: December 2007
ODP Committee Affiliation: Health & Long-term Care
Summarize your professional background relevant to Age Wave preparedness.
Past President of Richmond Academy of Medicine, a 1,800-member physician organization, the membership of which comes from the Richmond area and surrounding counties. I retired from Commonwealth Laboratory Consultants, an active pathology practice, as of January, 2007.
What expertise or other strengths do you bring to the Older Dominion Partnership?
Past experience includes working with hospital staff in discharge planning and post hospital placement of Medicare patients. On a personal note, have long juggled care for elderly relatives with professional life and young children. Strengths include strong organizational and administrative skills as well as ability to help people with diverse backgrounds come together to solve problems.
What do you believe are the most pressing issues in Age Wave-preparedness in Virginia today?
These include aging workforce, particularly in all areas of healthcare; urban/suburban communities not designed well for “aging in place,” poor financial planning for care of elderly, fragility of safety net systems.
What advice do you have for age wave planning in Virginia?
Age Wave Planning needs to be a continuing process. I suspect in the long run, it needs to be embedded in all types of business, institutions and communities and not performed from the top down. Guidelines with scorecards for helping communities address these needs should be helpful.