One in five Virginia business leaders feel the care of an aging relative or family member by employees currently affects absenteeism (19%) and productivity (17%). Source: 2008 Older Dominion Project Business Leaders' Study
Members/Partners
Member Profiles
Name: Rhonda Zingraff
Title: Associate Dean, College of Integrated Science and Technology, and Director, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services
Company/Organization: James Madison University
ODP Member Since: May 2008
ODP Committee Affiliation: Shared Database Research
Summarize your professional background relevant to Age Wave preparedness.
My deep background includes research on the social and psychological dimensions of aging and many years during which teaching the sociology of aging was an annual commitment of mine at a liberal arts college. Now at a public university, I support multiple academic degree programs that are preparing the future professionals in health and human services who will address the Age Wave, and I lead an Institute that houses several community outreach programs that provide aging-related services.
What expertise or other strengths do you bring to the Older Dominion Partnership?
My expertise is sociological, and that offers the ODP a blend of conceptual perspectives relevant to individual and community quality of life issues along with analytical perspectives useful for assessment and interpretation of the data at hand. More specifically, my areas of expertise include social stratification (class, race, gender, age, ethnicity) and criminology. One other strength is a year of work experience delivering library services to long term care facilities.
What do you believe are the most pressing issues in Age Wave-preparedness in Virginia today?
The most pressing issues are (1) preparing for how longevity into advanced age (the “old” old) will collide with the limits of individual and societal resources and (2) preparing for new roles in the workplace and in communities that both appeal to and meet the needs of older people (the “young” old).
What advice do you have for age wave planning in Virginia?
My advice is to (1) remain true to the data-driven emphasis already in place, (2) expand the scope to include the entire state as quickly as resources allow, and (3) explore opportunities to expose populations of students to the ODP findings as a means of encouraging more interest in careers that address all dimensions of the age wave.