Community Advisory Council

Adults age 65 and older, family caregivers of an older adult, and their advocates are encouraged to apply.  Advocates can be people 18+ or from any profession who are familiar with health care issues facing older adults, including, but not limited to, ombudsmen, educators, healthcare professionals, community volunteers, and students.

Please note the following requirements:

• Advisors work with our education team and give feedback based on their experiences as an older adult, family caregiver, or advocate or older adults and/or caregivers.
• The initial term of office is for one year (12 months). Based on the activity level and commitment, advisors may be invited to serve another one-year term up to two consecutive years of service
• Meetings will be held at 10am on the second Friday of February, April, September, and November. Meeting times and dates may change per the Community Advisory Council group input.
• Advisors can attend in-person at the HSC Campus or virtually online through Zoom.
• Advisors must complete a 1-hour orientation training, sign a Participant Considerations Letter that includes advisor responsibilities and a confidentiality statement, and complete an information sheet.

Please complete the online application to be considered for the 2025 Community Advisory Council.  The deadline to be considered in January 3, 2025.

What is the Community Advisory Council?

The Community Advisory Council is a group of community volunteers who share their perspectives, ideas, and recommendations to the HSC Center for Older Adults on how education and training programs for the health professions can positively impact healthcare and health outcomes for older adults, family caregivers, and communities.

The goal of the HSC Center for Older Adults Community Advisory Council is to promote collaboration among community stakeholders in professional education as well as in the delivery of care.

Who are community advisors?

Community advisors include older adults, family caregivers, and champions of better healthcare for older adults. A community advisor is someone who:

• Helps improve the experience and quality of care for adults age 65 and older and their caregivers.
• Gives feedback based on his or her own experiences with older adults’ healthcare needs.
• Works with the HSC Center for Older Adults team as a member of the Community Advisory Council by volunteering his or her time.

What do advisors do?

• Talk about your experiences with the team at HSC Center for Older Adults and other advisors at Community Advisory Council meetings.
• Review or help create educational or informational materials to make them easier for all older adults and family members to understand and use.
• Discuss what programs or resources could be offered to help support older adults and families.
• Attend regularly scheduled meetings of the Community Advisory Council with Center for Older Adults team members and other older adults, caregivers, and their advocates.

Who can be a community advisor?

You do not need any special qualifications to be an advisor. What is most important is your perspective and experience as someone who regularly interacts with older adults. We will provide you with any other training you need.

Why should you become a community advisor?

Community advisors provide a voice that advocates for providing health care services centered on older adult- and family-identified needs. Do you think there are things that could be done better in health care? Do you have ideas about how to make sure other older adults and families get the best care possible? If yes, we are looking for older adults and family advisors like you to give us feedback and ideas to help us improve the quality of care for older adults.

Would you make a good community advisor?

Being a community advisor may be a good match with your skills and experiences if you can:

• Speak up and share suggestions and to help improve health care quality.
• Talk about your experiences as a patient or family caregiver—but also think beyond your own personal experiences.
• Talk about both positive and negative care experiences and share your thoughts on what went well and how things could have been done differently.
• Work with people who may be different from you.
• Listen to and think about what others say, even when you disagree.
• Bring a positive attitude to discussions.
• Keep any information you may hear as an advisor private and confidential.

Where can I get more information about being a community advisor?

Contact Lisa Buck, Senior Program Coordinator, 817-735-5851, or Jennifer Severance, Director of Education and Research Programs, 817-735-0469.

For more information, please contact Lisa Buck, Senior Program Coordinator, 817-735-5851, or Jennifer Severance, Director of Education and Research Programs, 817-735-0469.