Milestones 4
July 2023
Pennsylvania has a new Secretary of Aging: Meet Jason Kavulich By Alicia M. Colombo
Pennsylvania’s older adults have a new aging representative in Harrisburg, as Jason P. Kavulich has been appointed by Gov. Josh Shapiro, and unanimously confirmed by the legislature, as the new Secretary of Aging. Secretary Kavulich is a 23-year veteran of the Lackawanna County Human Services Department, where he began his career in 1999 as a case worker and worked his way up to director of the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) in 2016. As Secretary of Aging, Kavulich will serve and advocate for Pennsylvania’s 3.4 million older adults, aged 60-plus, by supporting a 52-agency network covering 67 counties where services are delivered locally across diverse populations and geographies. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, “he is committed to leading and advocating for an aging network of quality, sustainable programs that support Pennsylvania’s growing older adult population to stay healthy and active, age in their home settings of choice, thrive in their older years with safety and dignity, and contribute to the economic, social and cultural vibrancy of our communities across the Commonwealth.” A Milestones reporter interviewed Kavulich about his plans for provid-
ing services to meet the needs of older that we’re delivering systems that truly Pennsylvanians. help them age in place. We need to have alternatives for when direct care workers are not able to be found, and make Tell us about your Master Plan sure that older adults can receive some for Older Adults. form of service that will keep them safe We are working with PCA and the in their homes. We need to make sure other 51 AAAs to build out a Master that senior centers continue to do what Plan for Older Adults. This will be a they’ve done for 50-plus years. We call 10-year strategic roadmap, designed by it “battling social isolation” right now, Pennsylvanians for Pennsylvania. The but it’s what we’ve always done. It’s the focus is aging in place. We want peo- connectivity. Senior centers remain reple to age in place in their communities sources to the communities they serve. with the dignity that they deserve. We People have their nutritional, physical want them to be able to live among their and behavioral health needs met. loved ones and friends with the services and supports needed to function at the highest level that they possibly can. We What priorities most affect will be conducting meetings in the 67 older Philadelphians? What Philadelphians want, like most counties across the state to determine which services, whether home-deliv- older Pennsylvanians, is to live in their ered meals or even senior centers, are homes forever. They don’t want to the most appropriate. It’s good to be worry about if they’re going to have a part of an effort that will unite all of direct care worker, if they’re going to us with one voice so that we can make show up or if they’re not going to be sure that the people we serve have the there for three days. They want to know that those services will be in place. best delivery system possible. The beauty of the aging system is that They don’t want to have to worry about there are 52 Area Agencies on Aging if their senior center is going to close with a variety of names and structures. or if they’re not going to get a meal. Each local Area Agency on Aging was I think those are the things that really designed with flexibility to meet its weigh on people’s minds. They worry own community’s unique needs. What about access to health care. Those very we need in the northeast is different basic needs are really what everyone’s than what we need in Philly. There’s no most concerned with. We want to make cookie-cutter method in which we can sure that people can rest easy knowing do this. No two counties are exactly the that we’re all there pulling for them same. This is a living document. This and making sure that those services is something that will evolve over time are available so they can stay in their because needs change. No one saw the homes and age in place. pandemic coming. If there’s ever another situation like that, we need to be able What is the greatest challenge to pivot and serve in a different way.
for aging Pennsylvanians?
How will you define success?
We’re all here for the people. This is a person-centered delivery system. We would define success by the improvement in our practice. We want to make it clear that we’re protecting and serving older adults. We want to make sure
know that they’re part of this. Three basic principles that the Department of Aging and the aging network should always be focused on are advocacy, sustainability and quality. If we continue to stay on this person-centered path, the hurdles that we face will fall before us because we’re working together to tackle them.
How has COVID-19 impacted older Pennsylvanians?
In some ways, it’s empowered some folks. And, it’s scared some folks. The economic challenges are there, as we fight inflation. For people trying to get by on really fixed incomes, having their SNAP (food assistance) benefits taken away is a huge challenge to an older adult. We have to have the resources and the team to pivot to help everybody. We have no other option but to work together to try to solve these issues.
What resources are available to help older Pennsylvanians?
Our traditional services have not been altered. The first place to start is with your local AAA. (In Philadelphia County, contact PCA at 215-765-9040 or go to pcaCares.org.) You can sit down with a staff member to talk about your needs or your family member’s needs. From there, you can determine if you’re going to be part of the Caregiver Support Program, a consumer reimbursement program, traditional agency-based personal care, home-delivered meals, PACE (medication and social services), senior centers – there are so many services available. It all starts with a phone call. There is staff there who have always been, and always will be, the most supportive advocates for older adults in any community. They can help you make a plan for that person, and that person’s family, to get them the help they truly need.
Pennsylvania is diverse in many ways, and we need to make sure that what we do represents all Pennsylvanians. That’s a hurdle that we will have challenges with. We want to make sure that we’re respectful in that space and that we give different avenues to different populations to make sure that they Continued on page 10