New York (September 8, 2025) - The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) enthusiastically supports the introduction of the Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act (S. 2699), which was introduced in the Senate on September 3rd.
Spearheaded by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), members of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, this legislation would reauthorize funding for the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) and the Geriatrics Academic Career Awards (GACA).
As Americans live longer, our healthspans can vary significantly and many of us will be diagnosed with chronic diseases as we age. 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.
“The American Geriatrics Society commends Senators Collins and Kaine’s leadership in advancing quality care for older Americans. As our nation continues to face a severe shortage of both geriatrics healthcare providers and faculty with the expertise to train providers and caregivers, we must expand—not reduce—the number of educational and training opportunities in geriatrics and gerontology,” said Chief Executive Officer Nancy Lundebjerg, MPA.
The Geriatrics Workforce Improvement 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 Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act 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 Geriatrics Workforce Improvement 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.