As the large Baby Boomer generation ages over the coming decades, the number of Arkansans living in geriatric and long-term care settings – currently about 18,000, not counting those in assisted living or receiving home health or hospice services – stands to grow significantly. As our aging population increases, so too does our need for nurses and caregivers trained to provide for the unique needs of seniors.

Earlier this year, Arkansas Community Foundation received the second of two grants totaling $475,000 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Northwest Health Foundation to address our state’s geriatrics nursing shortage. Through the grant, UAMS’s Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence is partnering with ARCF and several other organizations to streamline the educational pipeline for nurses and encourage certified nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses and registered nurses to increase their education and develop specialized knowledge in the field of geriatrics.