Key Dates

  • Application opens: Aug. 3, 2026
  • Application deadline: Sept. 25, 2026 (12 p.m. CT)
  • Finalist site visits: March 2027
  • Award presentation: July 18-20, 2027, at the AHA Leadership Summit in San Diego

Award Focus Areas

Applications are evaluated on how effectively organizations deliver hospitalwide or systemwide, measurable impact in age-friendly care using the 4Ms framework.

  • Leadership Engagement and Organizational Alignment: 4Ms embedded in strategy, governance and operations.
  • Patient Safety and Clinical Quality: Reliable 4Ms care with measurable improvement in outcomes.
  • Community and Patient Partnerships: Care coordinated with patients, families and community partners.
  • Innovation and Technology: Solutions that advance and sustain age-friendly care.
  • Spread and Sustainability: Practices scaled across settings and sustained over time.