Tuesday, September 07, 2021
AgeGuide is taking advocacy to the next level.
This past legislative session saw the passage of impactful legislation around Alzheimer’s disease (SB 677), long-term care residents’ rights regarding communication with family and doctors (HB3147), and driver training for older adults (HB 2570). We know that the best advocacy campaigns combine building relationships with legislators and the transformative power of storytelling.
That’s why AgeGuide is starting a Podcast.
We’re going to harness the power of lived experiences to give voice to older adults and caregivers in our region. A podcast is an audio program, not unlike talk radio, where people subscribe on a smartphone and listen to it whenever they want, with headphones or in their car. Our podcast will provide an advocacy-focused listening experience around various aspects of the aging journey. Our first series of episodes will take an inside look at what it was like to live in long-term care facilities during COVID. We’ll examine a range of perspectives including residents, caregivers and loved ones, Ombudsman (long-term care advocates), and facility administrators. Next, we’ll delve into a new series of discussions on what it’s like to be a caregiver and what impact the Veterans Independence Program has on participants.
Podcasts have the power to bring about change.
Forty percent of Americans say they have listened to a Podcast, making this platform just a little less popular than radio in terms of audience. Podcasts have a well-documented track record of bringing about change in a variety of ways from challenging legal outcomes, to creating activism among listeners and impacting legislative debates. This is an intimate form of journalistic communication that can inspire a powerful reaction from people. AgeGuide is excited to build advocates by challenging assumptions with this simple storytelling platform.
Know anyone with a good story?
If you or someone you know is a good conversationalist, lived in long-term care during the pandemic, and would be willing to talk with us, please contact [email protected]. Everyone who submits an interviewee suggestion will be entered into a raffle to win a pair of wireless earbuds!
