By 2034, for the first time ever, the United States will be home to more older adults than children.

While advances in medicine and technology are yielding improved health and longer life for many, numerous barriers remain to ensure a high-quality system of care for our aging population.

There’s a nationwide shortage of workers to provide long-term care, both in people’s homes and in long-term care facilities. Low pay and lack of benefits are just some of the problems making it difficult to hire and retain workers for these roles. And approximately 48 million family caregivers provide care to older parents, spouses, partners, and friends, valued at $600 billion annually. But there are significant costs to caregiving – opportunity, financial, health and well-being – and family caregivers bear them all. What policy changes are needed to expand the critical long-term care workforce and provide needed support to family caregivers?

To help journalists cover the realities of providing long-term care and support for individuals and families, AARP and the National Press Foundation will offer an expenses-paid four-day fellowship Oct. 1-4, 2023 in Washington D.C.

Leading researchers, policymakers, experts and advocates will cover topics including:

• How COVID underscored and exacerbated the long-standing challenges that family caregivers and long-term care workers face.
• The National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, which stemmed from the RAISE Family Caregivers Act and includes around 500 actions that could be taken by federal, state and local governments.
• How Millennial and Generation Z caregivers are navigating intergenerational challenges.
• The staggering economic realities of providing quality long-term care.
• Addressing equity and access to long-term care and support.
• How technology and innovation are affecting long-term care.
• Providing mental health and financial support for caregivers.

Confirmed speakers include those listed below.

The application deadline has been extended to Aug. 27 at 11:59 p.m.

This competitive fellowship is open to U.S.-based reporters and editors working in print, television, radio or online media. We greatly value diversity in all our programs and applicants from across the nation are encouraged to apply. NPF will cover airfare, hotel, transportation to the airport and most meals.

This fellowship is sponsored by AARP. The National Press Foundation is solely responsible for programming and content.