Birthdays mean something different to each of us. I always look forward to my birthday. Although not everyone shares my enthusiasm about growing older, I feel a sense of gratitude that I get to celebrate another year of life. It saddened me that my 98-year-old father was reluctant to admit his age, because as he put it, he disliked being treated like an “old man.” When I consider the work being undertaken by Div. 20 members to fight ageism, I am heartened by the possibility that fewer people in the years to come will share my father’s experiences of being treated as less than a vital member of our society.
I believe that Div. 20 members are uniquely qualified to spearhead a variety of initiatives to combat and eliminate ageism. I was pleased to learn that a key guiding principle included in the American Psychological Association’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Frameworks is that “APA is committed to disrupting structural injustices that cause inequities based on age, gender, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion and spirituality, sexual orientation, disability, language, socioeconomic status, and immigration status, and their various intersections.” To put this guiding principle in action, I want to encourage our members to support our Advancing Age-Inclusivity in Psychology initiative that will be continued next year under the leadership of our President-elect Joann Montepare, PhD.
Psychologists are in an excellent position to challenge demeaning and negative aging stereotypes. Those of us working or studying in academic settings have an opportunity to join the Age-Friendly University (AFU) movement. If your university is not part of the AFU initiative, I encourage you to visit the AFU websiteopens in new window for more details and to contact Joann Montepare by email to learn more about why and how you can join the AFU Global Network.
AFUs are needed more than ever because there is a severe shortage of professionals with aging knowledge and expertise. We need to educate and cultivate students and trainees who can address the needs of older adults, their families, and our communities. I was pleased to see a feature article, The growing demand for geropsychologists, in the career section of the June 2021 issue of the Monitor on Psychology. Along with a description of an array of professional opportunities that include educators, clinicians, and researchers, the article noted that this specialty offers “iron-clad job security as the demand for geropsychologists has long outpaced the supply.”
Shortly after I became Div. 20 president, I recognized that there were many opportunities to promote new and ongoing aging-focused initiatives and programming. I am pleased to report that the Aging Leadership Team and Geropsychology Specialty Council, established by the Office on Aging, has convened the APA Office on Aging, Committee on Aging (CONA), Div. 20 (Adult Development and Aging), Society of Clinical Geropsychology (Div. 12, Section 2), Council of Professional Geropsychology Training Programs (CoPGTP), Psychologists in Long Term Care (PLTC), and the American Board of Geropsychology (ABGERO). Broadly speaking, our intent is to communicate and collaborate more effectively with each other to support new and ongoing efforts to promote inclusion and knowledge of aging issues within our respective organizations and the community at large. Div. 20 is also striving to establish a stronger working relationship with the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). Historically, Div. 20’s midyear meeting is held during the GSA convention. I value my GSA membership because its multidisciplinary composition complements my Div. 20 endeavors and provides a venue where I can collaborate and learn from professionals in other disciplines who share my interest in aging research, education, and policy. For those of you who are interested in learning more about these groups and various leadership opportunities, I encourage you to look at their websites, the GeroCentral websiteopens in new window, as well as becoming involved with our mentoring program.
I am pleased to share that the Div. 20 Mentor Matching Program has successfully recruited 20 mentors who are now working with 48 mentees. The primary goal of this program is to expand the professional networks of students and early career psychologists by connecting them to more established professionals in aging who can provide career advice and guidance. Mentorship is one way we can work together as a division to build our workforce by fostering aging-focused training in graduate, internship, and postdoctoral programs. Next year, this committee hopes to recruit more mentors to meet the needs of a growing number of mentees.
I am deeply appreciative to have been able to serve as Div. 20 president last year. I want to thank the Executive Committee members who pivoted quickly to work virtually to keep our division vital and running smoothly during this tumultuous year. Although our battle against the virus is not over, there are signs that life is starting to return to normal. Challenging times also provide opportunities for positive change. After a difficult year that was often marked by restrictions and isolation, I find the sight of people going about their mundane daily routines both lovely and gratifying. Although it is disappointing that we will not be able to convene this year in San Diego for our annual convention, I remain optimistic that we will meet again next year for the 130th APA annual convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where we can celebrate Div. 20’s 75th birthday in person.