Scholarships | Next Generation Leaders Fellowship
Scholarships help cover program fees for fellows whose projects advance Age-Friendly Health Systems or improve access to care, supporting emerging leaders in driving meaningful change. See the details below for more information about each opportunity.
The John A. Hartford Foundation Age-Friendly Health Systems Scholarship
The United States is aging. The number of older adults, individuals ages 65 years and older, is growing rapidly. Health systems are working to find ways to meet the complex needs of the growing population of older adults. To address these challenges, in 2017, The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States, set a bold vision to build a social movement so that all care with older adults is age-friendly care, which:
- Follows an essential set of evidence-based practices;
- Reduce or prevent harms; and
- Aligns with What Matters to the older adult and their family caregivers.
Transforming Care for Older Adults
Lessons from AHA Next Generation Leaders Age-Friendly Fellows
Hear from AHA Next Generation Leaders Fellows, alumni who received scholarships from The John A. Hartford Foundation to advance care for older adults by consistently applying the 4Ms Framework, four evidence-based elements of high-quality age-friendly care, within their hospitals and health systems.
Becoming an Age-Friendly Health System entails reliably providing a set of four evidence-based elements of high-quality care, known as the “4Ms,” to all older adults in your system.
- What Matters: Know and align care with each older adult's specific health outcome goals and care preferences including, but not limited to, end-of-life care, and across settings of care.
- Medications: If medications are necessary, use age-friendly medications that do not interfere with What Matters, Mentation or Mobility.
- Mentation: Prevent, identify, treat and manage depression, dementia and delirium across settings of care.
- Mobility: Ensure that older adults move safely every day in order to maintain function and do What Matters.
When implemented together, the 4Ms represent a broad shift by health systems to focus on the needs of older adults.
The John A. Hartford Foundation is providing scholarships for a cohort of Age-Friendly Fellows who will participate in the Next Generation Leaders Fellowship. These applicants will be asked to implement the 4Ms Framework at their organization for their change project in the fellowship program. This scholarship covers fees for the program year: $13,995. However, it does not cover travel expenses and any other additional expenses incurred during the program. See FAQ for additional details
Richard J. Umbdenstock Scholarship
This scholarship honors President Emeritus Richard J. Umbdenstock of the American Hospital Association and his legacy of advancing health care leadership. It reflects his commitment to empowering future leaders who drive meaningful change in health care.
Scholarships are available to leaders from AHA member organizations or state hospital associations. Ideal candidates are those whose capstone projects focus on innovative solutions that improve access to care, aligning with the scholarship’s mission to strengthen health care delivery.
Scholarship Details
- Up to five scholarships are awarded
- Covers program fees for the fellowship year ($13,995)
- Does not cover travel or additional expenses incurred during the program
- See the Program FAQ for more details
About Richard J. Umbdenstock
Rich Umbdenstock served as President and CEO of the American Hospital Association from 2007 to 2015, following a distinguished career in health care leadership. During his tenure, he championed collaboration, governance excellence, and the advancement of next-generation leaders. His legacy reflects a lifelong commitment to strengthening health care delivery and supporting innovative solutions that improve access and quality.