BALTIMORE, MD — The Hackerman Foundation has made a total of $4,000,000 in grants to the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and PHI to launch Neighborhood Care Pathways. This one-of-a-kind, trailblazing three-year initiative will seek to support healthy aging and independence for adults over 50 in three East Baltimore neighborhoods.
“Individuals should not have to give up their autonomy and ability to remain in their homes as they age, because of a lack of basic services and care.” said Nancy Hackerman, President of the Hackerman Foundation. “This program will enable older adults to get the health and social support they need to age in their communities with the neighbors, family and resources they love and trust.”
Starting this year, Neighborhood Care Pathways will launch as a comprehensive care navigation and support program for older adults living in three East Baltimore neighborhoods: Johnston Square, Greenmount West, and Oliver. Designed to incorporate best care practices and community input, this pilot program will offer 900 residents home-based health and social care screening, personalized action plans, health and wellness education, emotional support, care coordination and referrals, and some specialized programs. All services will be based on individuals’ strengths, goals, needs, and preferences of care—regardless of one’s current financial situation.
“Every older adult deserves to age with dignity in the community they call home,” said Sarah Szanton, Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. “The Hackerman Foundation’s investment in the Neighborhood Care Pathways could transform how America supports communities of older adults, especially those who have been historically underinvested.”
Over the next three years, Neighborhood Care Pathways will implement and test a personalized care navigation approach, reaching older adults in their own homes and communities—regardless of income, home ownership, or insurance status. Supported by an interprofessional team of clinical aging specialists, a specially trained community care team of registered nurses and community health workers will deliver services with compassion and cultural awareness. Together with local leaders, the teams will strengthen community partnerships, invest in workforce development, and expand access to evidence-based care programs, helping older adults live with dignity, connection, and support.
“The Hackerman gift is a rare opportunity to reimagine aging—one that allows us to meet people where they are, in their homes and communities, and that offers a whole-person, community-oriented approach to healthy aging supporting things that matter most—dignity, quality of life, and independence” said Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Faculty member, Quincy Samus, who leads the Neighborhood Care Pathways program.
PHI, the nation’s leading authority on the direct care workforce, will lead a critical part of this initiative by cultivating a highly capable and diverse home care workforce in Baltimore—one that reflects the community and meets the unique needs of its older adults. Despite growing demand, direct care workers face significant challenges, including average wages of just $16.38 per hour in 2023 and turnover rates nearing 80% in home care settings. In response, PHI will apply its evidence-based approach to workforce development to design a training program that equips workers with both foundational and specialized skills to deliver holistic, person-centered care. The training will also prepare workers to operate as full members of the integrated care team, strengthening care coordination and outcomes.
“The direct care workforce is foundational to our nation’s long-term care system, yet these workers often receive limited specialized training to meet the complex needs of those they serve,” said Jodi M. Sturgeon, President and CEO of PHI. “By building a strong, local workforce that understands and reflects the community, we’re not only ensuring older adults receive the individualized and culturally competent support they need but also sustaining a reliable pipeline of skilled workers to meet growing demand for care.”
Community leaders see this an opportunity to redefine aging not as a time of loss and isolation, but as an experience of connection, growth, and continuity. “We are thrilled to welcome the Neighborhood Care Pathways Program to Johnston Square. For years, we’ve worked to improve housing and green spaces, but access to health education, movement, and support for our older neighbors has remained a critical gap. This program brings a much-needed layer of care and connection, helping us continue building a community where every resident—especially our seniors—can thrive,” added Regina Hammond, long-term Johnston Square resident and executive director of the Rebuild Johnston Square Neighborhood Organization.
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About JHSON:
Located in Baltimore, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing is a globally-recognized leader in nursing education, research, and practice. In U.S. News & World Report rankings, the school is No. 1 nationally for its DNP program and No. 2 for its master’s. In addition, JHSON is ranked as the No. 3 nursing school in the world by QS World University. The school is a seven-time recipient of the INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award and a six-time Best School for Men in Nursing award recipient. For more information, visit www.nursing.jhu.edu.
About PHI
PHI (phinational.org) is a national organization committed to strengthening the direct care workforce by producing robust research and analysis, leading federal and state advocacy initiatives, and designing groundbreaking workforce interventions and models. For more than 30 years, we have brought a 360-degree perspective on the long-term care sector to our evidence-informed strategies. As the nation’s leading authority on the direct care workforce, PHI promotes quality direct care jobs as the foundation for quality care.