VCU Gerontology

10/16/2026

Housing insecurity among older adults is a growing challenge across Virginia, and here in the Richmond region. Rising housing costs, limited affordable and accessible housing, fixed incomes, and increasing rates of homelessness are making it more difficult for many older adults to age safely and with dignity in the communities they call home.

Join the Partnership for Positive Aging for a special screening of No Place to Grow Old, an award-winning documentary that follows older adults experiencing homelessness and explores the systemic factors contributing to this growing issue.

While the film tells stories from Portland, Oregon, this event will connect those experiences to Richmond's own housing landscape, highlighting local data, community initiatives, and opportunities to work together toward solutions.

Additionally, the VCU Gerontology and Virginia Center on Aging will exhibit photographs from Home is Where I Belong. Learn more about this course here: homestories.vcu.edu/course.

Register for the film screening by clicking this link: https://leadingagevirginia.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2075638&group=.

Watch the film trailer: https://youtu.be/RuNqn2cRhJg?si=L-KjpMGeroGedzUf.

10/15/2026

Dr. Trish Bonwell and Dr. Dan Bluestein of the Virginia Center on Aging led Brain Health Bingo, a program sponsored by the Virginia Memory Project (VMP) and the VGEC GWEP, at Randolph Place, in collaboration with the Better Housing Coalition. Participants learned a great deal and a good time had by all!

Learn more about the VMP by visiting our website: https://vcoa.chp.vcu.edu/initiatives/va-memory-project/.

10/14/2026

New Training Course: Holding the Whole Story: Older Adults, Homelessness, and the Work We Share!

Are you a…
☑️ Social worker?
☑️ Healthcare professional?
☑️ Housing or homelessness services provider?
☑️ Aging services professional?
☑️ Case manager or direct-service provider?
☑️ Community advocate?
☑️ Policymaker or community leader?
☑️ Student or future professional?
☑️ Researcher, educator, or trainer?

If you work with — or want to better understand — older adults experiencing homelessness, this training is for you.

You are invited to take our two-hour course "Holding the Whole Story: Older Adults, Homelessness, and the Work We Share" -- a no cost online training to gain knowledge and skills to support older adults experiencing homelessness and housing instability. Complete the course, including the pre- and post-surveys, to receive the VCU Digital Badge "Supporting Older Adults: Whole Story Practitioner."

Grounded in the lived experiences of older adults, this course offers practical tools and frameworks to help you provide more person-centered, trauma-informed and holistic support.

Watch this 90 second video to learn more: https://vcu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Course+trailer+for+Holding+the+Whole+Story/1_todebfsf.

Learn more and register for the course today by clicking this link: https://homestories.vcu.edu/course/.

New Training Course: Holding the Whole Story: Older Adults, Homelessness, and the Work We ShareAre you a…Social worker?Healthcare professional?Housing or homelessness services provider?Aging services professional?Case manager or direct-service provider?Community advocate?Policymaker or community l...

10/12/2026

Today we celebrate Indigenous People's Day by highlighting our collaborations with Virginia's tribal nations!

Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Health Professions has been expanding its educational and research activities across the state. One of the latest initiatives stems from the Virginia Center on Aging (VCoA), which is making connections with elders from local Native American tribes.

Lindsey Johnson, a community liaison specialist and a citizen of the Chickahominy Tribe, has been working at CHP since 2025. She previously served as a deputy tribal administrator for the Chichkahominy between 2019 and 2024. During this time, she assisted CHP in documenting stories from elders in her nation, and has since joined the VCoA as it expands its work with different tribes in the Commonwealth.

You can read more by clicking here: https://chp.vcu.edu/about/featured-news/articles/virginia-center-on-aging-focuses-on-collaborations-with-native-american-tribes.html.

10/12/2026

Geriatric Care Managers perform deeply meaningful work that requires a specific expertise, and there is an urgent, growing need for more of them. Join us Oct. 28 at 10:30 A.M. for a virtual zoom meeting to discuss how you can become a Geriatric Care Manager.

VCU's Master's in Gerontology program offers a concentration in geriatric care management. This 30-credit online program can be completed part-time or full-time, and includes a related practicum experience. Residency neutral tuition means you pay in-state tuition no matter where you live. Join us to learn more about this opportunity!

Register today: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/r99kVXqHRiah29TEy1rVeQ #/registration.

Learn more about our information sessions at https://gerontology.chp.vcu.edu/programs/information-sessions/.

10/09/2026

This Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), learn how we can break down barriers for older adults experiencing abuse and strengthen our community response. Here are two ways you can engage.

1) Read the National Clearinghouse for Abuse in Later Life (NCALL)’s DVAM 2026 blog post:
https://www.ncall.us/2026/09/28/dvam2026/

2) Share or join us for Adult Protective Services and Law Enforcement: Stronger Together a live online training for APS and LEOs. Participants will explore APS roles and limits, the investigation process, joint responses and the value of elder abuse multidisciplinary teams.

🗓️ Oct. 21, 2026 | 3:30–5:30 P.M.
💻 Live via Zoom
📋Approved for 2 career development PIC hours upon completion

Register using this Zoom link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-CroFXUlQcasQk37hsCjNw #/registration

10/07/2026

Families want to help. Volunteers want to contribute. Good intentions, however, do not automatically create meaningful roles.

How do you welcome families as genuine partners? How do you recruit and prepare volunteers, connect them with the right residents, and make certain everyone understands how they can contribute?

Join Sonya Barsness and Karen Stobbe on October 14 for the free live webinar Why Families and Volunteers Are Important.

We will explore practical ideas for involving families and volunteers in person-centered dementia care, improving communication, creating purposeful volunteer roles and connecting nursing homes with the larger community.

Wednesday, Oct. 14
1–3 P.M. ET | Live online

Learn more and register:
https://tictoolkit.vcu.edu/learning-center/dementia-care/

10/07/2026

Join us for a virtual training sessions designed especially for Virginia’s nursing home employees. In this training session, you will be challenged to think differently about what person-centered dementia care is and how you put it into practice in your nursing home.

Deepening Your Person-Centered, Dementia Care Practice: A Learning and Relearning Journey with national person-centered dementia care experts Sonya Barsness and Karen Stobbe -- Creating a Learning Community

In this session, we will explore how families and volunteers are key parts of person-centered dementia care and can help support both people with dementia and your team.

Live Webinar: Oct. 14, 2026, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. ET

Huddle-Up: Nov. 18, 2026, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. ET

(Registering for the webinar automatically registers you for the optional Huddle-Up)

Register here: https://form.jotform.com/260437597443162.

09/28/2026

Welcome to our newest cohort of CIRCAA Scholars! 🎉 As part of our Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) at VCU, these talented Scholars are stepping up to transform interprofessional care, leadership, and support for older adults across Virginia. We can't wait to see the impact they'll make! 🌟

09/25/2026

Thursday Oct. 1, 2026 | 10 A.M. - Noon | Spring Creek Baptist Church, 5130 Woolridge Rd, Moseley, VA 23120

Please join the Spring Creek Baptist Church Healthcare Ministry and the Virginia Geriatric Education Center for a new interactive workshop focusing on four areas that can help you think about your health: • What Matters to you in your life • Medication you may take • Your Mind and sense of well-being • Your Mobility.

Learn from experts about the evidence-based elements of Age-Friendly care as they guide you through My Health Checklist. This tool is designed to help adults and caregivers get the most out of their medical appointments. The checklist will help you think through all aspects of your health — what’s going well, what could be better and your questions or concerns. Being prepared means that you can make sure your appointment or health care conversations focus on the things that matter most to you.

Register today: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCBCworkshop