Volunteer Opportunity Details

APTA Geriatrics has State Advocates working locally in 50 states and DC, advocating for older adults, promoting geriatric-related issues, courses, meetings, Geriatric Special Interest Groups (SIGs), and serving as liaisons between APTA Geriatrics and state chapters. We are looking for volunteers who would like to be their State Advocate (see below for locations). It is a two-year commitment, for 2+ hours/month. Some of the responsibilities of a State Advocate are:

• Provide two-way communication between APTA Geriatrics and the State chapter.
• Communicate with APTA Geriatrics members in your state when there are geriatric-related issues, courses, meetings, etc. in your chapter
• Hold at least two activities each year to promote increased awareness and knowledge of PT for the aging adult in your chapter.

Examples:

• APTA Geriatrics can send promotional materials, and signage items to you for display at your chapter meeting.
• Facilitate one of your chapter's courses (at a meeting, regionally, etc.) to be a geriatric topic.
• Organize a study group for the GCS exam.
• Hold an awareness/consumer education event at a LTC facility, senior center, mall, etc. Could be osteoporosis seminar, balance and falls awareness fair, exercise for Senior's event, etc. (Support resources for these types of events available through the APTA Geriatrics or APTA)
• Contact three community health fairs that are already occurring and get a local PT to attend and participate.
• Through personal contact, get 20 people who would identify as having a Geriatric practice focus to sign up for APTA's "Find a PT" database.
• In concert with your chapter, hold a fitness screening for aging adults
• Develop a relationship with a state agency that handles geriatric issues
• Start a Geriatric Special Interest Group within your chapter, if it doesn't already exist (counts as two activities!)
• Come up with your own ideas to promote PT for the aging adult in your state!