New York (July 3, 2025) - The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) enthusiastically supports yesterday’s introduction of the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act (H.R. 4262).
Spearheaded by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) the bill reauthorizes workforce training programs under Title VII of the Public Health Service Act. Among these initiatives are the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) and the Geriatrics Academic Career Awards (GACAs), both critical to the care all Americans need as our country continues to age.
As Americans live longer, our healthspans can vary significantly. Many of us will be diagnosed with chronic diseases as we age even as research supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) has extended our collective healthspan. Geriatrics health professionals are experts in preventing, delaying, and managing the chronic diseases that impact many Americans 65 and older. Yet, there are too few such practitioners in the U.S. to meet the needs of older Americans.
The GWEP and GACA Program are the only federal programs designed to address the geriatrics workforce gap through geriatrics training at the community-level (GWEP) and increase the number of faculty with geriatrics expertise across disciplines who can integrate geriatrics principles into health professional training (GACA). Administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the GWEP and GACA programs are building the geriatrics expertise we need in the primary care, paid caregiver, and family caregiver workforce.
“We commend Representative Schakowsky for her support of the geriatrics workforce training programs and for her ongoing efforts to improve care of older Americans,” said Chief Executive Officer Nancy Lundebjerg, MPA. “There is an urgent need to increase education and training in geriatrics and gerontology in the primary care and caregiver workforce and the GWEP and GACAs have a record of success in accomplishing this.”
The EMPOWER for Health Act draws considerable insights from the Eldercare Workforce Alliance (EWA), a collaborative comprised of more than 30 member organizations co-convened by the AGS. Like EWA itself, the EMPOWER for Health Act now reflects the diverse expertise of millions of health professionals who support older Americans.
“The future we’re working for at the AGS—a future when all older Americans have access to high-quality, person-centered care—begins by building the workforce to make that possible, and by ensuring that workforce can connect us to the tools and supports we need as we age,” concluded Lundebjerg. “We look forward to a very-near future when the EMPOWER for Health Act can make that possible when it becomes law.”
About the American Geriatrics Society
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Our 6,000+ members include geriatricians, geriatrics nurse practitioners, social workers, family practitioners, physician associates, pharmacists, and internists who are pioneers in serious illness care for older individuals, with a focus on championing interprofessional teams, eliciting personal care goals, and treating older people as whole persons. AGS is an anti-discriminatory organization. We believe in a society where we all are supported by and able to contribute to communities where ageism, ableism, classism, homophobia, racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other forms of bias and discrimination no longer impact healthcare access, quality, and outcomes for older adults and their caregivers. AGS advocates for policies and programs that support the health, independence, and quality of life of all of us as we age.