In the fall of 2023, several UNC-Chapel Hill stakeholders gathered to discuss the idea for a new aging-focused initiative. Dubbed the Carolina Aging Network (CAN), the group officially launched on May 30, 2024. In that May gathering, CAN members set priorities and action steps for 2024-2025.
A Grassroots, Cross-Campus Collaborative
The CAN seeks to advance aging-related community partnerships, education, and research at UNC-Chapel Hill and in the community. Described as “a grassroots, cross-campus collaborative,” CAN has three primary focus areas: Community Partnerships, Education, and Research. Since the first discussions, the Center for Aging and Health has been one of the key organizers for the newly formed resource network.
CAH Director Dr Jan Busby-Whitehead says, “One of the goals of CAN is to promote cross-campus collaboration to advance aging-related community partnerships, education, and research.” Denisé Dews is also a member of the CAN Coordinating Team. Dews serves as the Associate Director of the Carolina Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (CGWEP) in the UNC Center for Aging and Health.
CAN Priorities and Action Steps
The CAN website lists “building organizational capacity, exploring financial sustainability, and creating a state-wide aging advisory board” as priorities. In addition, one of the CAN’s action steps includes developing a database of shared tools and resources. To that end, the newly launched Carolina Aging Network website has many aging-related resources. In addition, it also has a directory of aging-related initiatives and programs at UNC-Chapel Hill. Any individual, program, initiative, or center at UNC-CH who is interested in assisting in this effort can join the CAN Directory.
Successor to Previous Aging Initiatives
The Carolina Aging Network isn’t the first aging initiative at UNC. In fact, CAN is a successor to several previous initiatives. From the early 2000s until 2014, the UNC Institute on Aging housed educational, research, and community engagement initiatives focused on aging. Indeed, the Institution on Aging’s collaborative spirit is a great inspiration to the CAN.
Subsequently, the UNC-CH Office of the Provost established the Partnerships in Aging Program (PiAP) in 2016. The PiAP sought to build both cross campus and University-Community collaborations. That initiative ended in 2024. However during it’s lifespan, the PiAP started the first Partnerships in Aging Consortium Think Tank (PACTT) in 2019. This program brought together over 30 campus-community partners to discuss aging-related initiatives at UNC.
Learn more about the Carolina Aging Network.