Georgia DHS among ‘best employers for workers over 50’

The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) was recently named among the Best Employers for Workers Over 50 by AARP. The agency demonstrated exemplary practices for recruiting, retaining and promoting older workers.

“We are extremely honored to receive an award which speaks to the core of our agency – our employees,” said B.J. Walker, DHS commissioner. “More than thirty-five percent of our employees are over the age of 50 and have an average tenure of more than 13 years. We take pride in their work ethics and all they have given to this agency and the people we serve.”

According to AARP, DHS has created and fostered a workplace that is supportive of the contributions older workers offer to the business community. DHS uses the Senior Community Service Employment Program to help train and place workers who are 55 years and older. The agency also works with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to attract and recruit mature workers.

DHS offers an array of development opportunities for employees, including in-house classroom training, online training and certification classes. Last year, all DHS employees took part in at least one training opportunity, with the average employee receiving 52 hours of instruction. DHS also enables staff to participate in team projects, a formal mentoring program and extensive training.

DHS also incorporates employee opinion surveys into the decision-making process and has made changes, such as greater work flexibility. Full-time employees are eligible for a host of individual and family health and financial benefits, including long-term care and retirement planning. DHS also offers paid time off, unpaid time off and long-term leaves of absence for those employees with caregiving responsibilities.

More than 200 employers applied for the 2009 Best Employers for Workers Over 50 honors, the highest total in the nine-year history of the program designed to highlight exemplary policies toward employees over 50.

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Georgia seniors enter nursing homes later in life thanks to nutritional wellness program

Results from a study on the impact of a Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Aging Services (DAS) nutritional wellness program reveals older Georgians are staying in their own homes longer before having to enter a nursing home.

Since state fiscal year 2007, nursing home placements for older adults involved in DAS nutrition programs have been increasingly delayed. In state fiscal year 2008, for example, older adults avoided nursing home placement an average of three years longer than older adults not involved in the program.

“What this really means is that good nutrition is a major factor in keeping older Georgians healthy and more independent,” said Maria Greene, director of DAS. “Our nutrition programs provide healthy meals to thousands of seniors across the state. Since there is a direct link between poor nutrition and chronic health problems, providing older adults access to fresh produce and healthy foods can seriously improve their quality of life.”

The results of the study are part of the Performance Outcomes Measurement Project (POMP), a federal initiative that measures the effectiveness of Title III services, including nutrition programs, for older Americans. The study measured the level of “food insecurity” experienced by participating older Georgians. Food insecurity refers to the limited or uncertain availability of safe, nutritious foods.

The POMP study found that 11.5% of participants in Georgia were experiencing food insecurity. The Division of Aging Services provides a variety of services to older adults to address this issue, including nutrition screening, prepared meals, nutrition education and a Farmer’s Market program that makes fresh, locally grown produce available to seniors.

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