About Us

The Culture Change Network of Georgia was founded in 2008.

Our mission is:
To promote and foster culture change to improve the quality of life for older Georgians and those closest to them in all settings where aging services are delivered.

(Including nursing homes, assisted living, adult day, home health, hospice, HUD/affordable housing, and the DD community ~ In the place they call home…)

We will be working to define culture change; increase awareness; educate; share ideas; highlight programs and promising practices that can be replicated throughout the state.

As the clearinghouse of organizations and providers working on person-centered, long-term care in multiple care settings, we will build common knowledge, support, commitment and relationships among those represented, and coordinate with other existing groups that have similar goals and interests.

The Culture Change Network of Georgia is generouslly supported by the Georgia Institute on Aging and Healthcare Research, Inc.  For the last several years, Aging Services of Georgia (formerly gahsa) has been gearing up to organize such a group, with a focused effort around the goal of person-centered care.

History of the Culture Change Network of Georgia

Significant Activities in 2008

• In 2008 we started building our group of advisory partners comprised of representatives from aging services providers including nursing homes, assisted living, HUD/affordable housing, HCBS, hospice, adult day, and CCRCs.  Others advisory partners included staff from government agencies including CMS, DCH, ORS, DAS, Ombudsman, Georgia Council on Aging, AAAs; organizations including gmcf, Alzheimer’s Association, GHCA; higher education including GSU, UGA, the Rosalynn Carter Institute; as well as gerontologists and other leaders outside the state of Georgia. 

• The Culture Change Network of Georgia website was developed and went “live” (www.culturechangega.org). 

• Two issues of the newsletter Transformations: Celebrating Culture Change were developed and disseminated. 

• In September 2008 we held our 1st Annual CCNG Summit, “Many Paths to Person-Centered Care”, featuring Carmen Bowman (national culture change leader) and Peter Notarstefano (Director of Home and Community Based Services, AAHSA). 

• In October 2008 we held the “Person Centered Dementia Care Conference,” featuring Karen Love (Managing Director, Center for Excellence in Assisted Living) and Richard Taylor, Ph.D. (Alzheimer’s advocate and author).

2008 ~ Specifics

Significant Activities in 2009

• In 2009 we continued building our advisory partners and holding meetings. 

• We continued to participate in the national Pioneer Network state coalition calls. We led a call about the importance of expanding culture change into the continuum of care, and led a call on the critical needs to reach out to consumers. 

• We continued to introduce culture change into all realms of the continuum (affordable housing and adult day services are examples of our current areas of focus). 

• We hosted a “group listening” event for the three-part Pioneer Network Small House webinar series. 

• On April 29th, with Linda Kluge and Kim McRae, we presented the nationally known “Tale of Transformation” workshop which we expanded to be applicable to the continuum of aging services. 

• On April 30th, culture change and person-centered dementia care were the focus of the afternoon session of the Assisted Living Symposium “Exemplars of Excellence” with Karen Love and Kim McRae. 

• The participants of AgingServicesNEXT (leadership development program) received a culture change presentation in May. 

• On June 9th, we co-sponsored a presentation by Richard Taylor, Ph.D. on “Maintaining Your Life’s Purpose” with The Center for Positive Aging. 

• We held the 2nd Annual Culture Change Summit on October 15th.  National presenters Steve Shields, Alice Truluck and Karen Stobbe provided a meaningful and fulfilling day with 170 attendees.  The Governor proclaimed October 15th Culture Change Day in Georgia.

• A pre-summit Thought Leaders Gathering, “Preparing for Georgia’s Aging Population” was held at the Capitol.

• Georgia was chosen as one of three states to participate in the national “Creating Home: Advocating for Change in How and Where We Age” grant project spearheaded by the Pioneer Network in collaboration with other national organizations.

2009 ~ Specifics

Additional CC Activities IN 2009

• PHI Coaching Supervision

• Nancy Kriseman Webinar

• Tie In with Consumer ~ Center for Positive Aging

• Attempting to Tie In CC into AL Legislation

• Monthly PN Coalition Calls (we have led several of these)

• Picker Project – PILOT

• CCAL – Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living

• National Assisted Living Disclosure Collaborative

• Person-Centered Care in Assisted Living – Paper and Gathering

• Focus on CC in The CONTINUUM

• “Helping a Loved One with Dementia” presentations with PV

• (all had CC component for consumers)

2010 So Far…

Upcoming in 2010