U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine recently announced a $1 million grant to enhance training for primary care and supportive care workforces, focusing on providing age-friendly and dementia-friendly care to older Americans.

The funding, provided through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), is part of the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding bill, which Warner and Kaine supported.

The GWEP was made permanent under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which both senators voted for.

“All Americans deserve to age with dignity, and we should make it easier for older adults to get the care they need in their communities,” said Warner and Kaine in a joint statement. “We’re glad this funding is supporting training for more health care professionals to provide care to older Americans and address health care workforce shortages.”

The $1 million grant will be directed to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond to implement the training programs. The initiative aims to ensure that health care workers are better equipped to meet the specific needs of an aging population.

Both senators have been active in efforts to expand access to care for older Americans. Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, is working to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA), which supports nutritional services, family caregiver support, and long-term care programs. In March, he introduced two Virginia witnesses during a HELP Committee hearing on the OAA. Additionally, Kaine has introduced legislation aimed at revitalizing the long-term care workforce.

Warner, as co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, has led initiatives to address and prevent Alzheimer’s disease, including the National Alzheimer’s Project. Kaine’s bipartisan BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Reauthorization Act, which aims to fund public health initiatives to combat

Alzheimer’s and preserve brain health, recently passed out of the Senate HELP Committee.

The funding for VCU is expected to significantly impact the quality of care available to older Americans, addressing both immediate needs and long-term challenges in the health care workforce.