Hebrew SeniorLife Establishes Lunder CareForce Institute to Support Health Care Career Advancement
Lunder Foundation funding addresses growing shortage of frontline health care workers.
Hebrew SeniorLife has established the Lunder CareForce Institute, supported by a generous commitment from the Lunder Foundation. The Institute will address the growing shortage of frontline health care workers by offering comprehensive training and career advancement in health and aging-related programs at Hebrew SeniorLife. The Institute will also provide support for individuals who face language, technology, or financial obstacles to pursuing education.
The Lunder Foundation has been a generous supporter of Hebrew SeniorLife for many years, including through its support for the Anne Lunder Leland Fund, which primarily provides nursing scholarship programs at the nonprofit.
“We are excited and honored to deepen our relationship and partner with the Lunder Foundation to address an urgent and rapidly growing societal need,” said Hebrew SeniorLife President and CEO Louis J. Woolf. “I would like to thank the Lunder Foundation for its trust in our vision and shared commitment to supporting the development and growth of frontline health care workers.”
Hebrew SeniorLife’s chief nursing officer and vice president of Patient Care Services, Tammy Retalic, DNP, MS, RN, will step down from her current position in order to lead the Institute as its executive vice president. “The Lunder CareForce Institute will provide opportunities for rewarding careers in health care and will increase the number of skilled frontline workers who are desperately needed to serve our aging population,” said Dr. Retalic. “The Institute plans to be part of the solution to this nationwide health care shortage. Well-trained frontline staff are able to elevate the quality of care. We are looking forward to having a positive impact on the overall health care system.”
The Lunder CareForce Institute builds on the success of the nursing assistant training program, which was established in 2021 to help employees seeking to change their career paths and others attain their certifications.
The Lunder CareForce Institute will provide opportunities for nursing assistant training and other programs designed to advance career opportunities for frontline staff. The Institute aims to reduce barriers by providing financial support, English language and computer training, and academic and life coaching.
Initially, Hebrew SeniorLife will offer nursing assistant training at its Roslindale campus, with its professional development experts providing guidance on the program’s curriculum and design. Later, Hebrew SeniorLife will partner with other skilled nursing facilities to train more student groups using remote learning technology. The Institute will also partner with employers to guarantee job placement after students successfully complete training and certification.
Once the nursing assistant training program is established, Hebrew SeniorLife plans to start a licensed practical nurse training program and, ideally, programs for more advanced nursing degrees, creating even more career pathways for interested individuals.
Hebrew SeniorLife intends to use technology to expand the Institute’s reach across and beyond Massachusetts. Over the next ten years, Hebrew SeniorLife estimates it can reach more than 3,000 students in Massachusetts alone, including current employees, through a variety of training programs.
About Hebrew SeniorLife
Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging. Hebrew SeniorLife cares for more than 4,500 seniors a day across campuses throughout Greater Boston. Locations include: Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-Boston and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-NewBridge in Dedham; NewBridge on the Charles, Dedham; Orchard Cove, Canton; Simon C. Fireman Community, Randolph; Center Communities of Brookline, Brookline; Jack Satter House, Revere; and Leyland Community, Dorchester. Founded in 1903, Hebrew SeniorLife also conducts influential research into aging at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, which has a portfolio of more than $98 million, making it one of the largest gerontological research facilities in the U.S. in a clinical setting. It also trains more than 500 geriatric care providers each year. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn.
