Happy Rosh Hashanah! In honor of the New Year, we are thrilled to spotlight the newest AgeWell Atlanta team member: Lauri Cohen!
A New Year means New Beginnings, but Lauri is no stranger to the Jewish aging adult community. She comes to AgeWell Atlanta with decades of experience in the realm of advocating for and empowering aging adults, and we are so grateful to have her!
More than 20 years ago, Lauri Cohen began working towards her mission to improve the lives of aging adults in the Jewish community. She started her career with her dream job: lobbying on a federal level for better care for aging adults in the Jewish community. For her, that meant fighting for better nursing home care, affordable prescription drugs, and making sure aging adults had their needs met with dignity and grace.
“I was fresh out of graduate school, having earned a Masters Degree in Gerontology, Jewish Communal Work, and Social/Economical Development,” Lauri explained. “In addition to lobbying on a federal level, I worked with local and state government and advocacy partners to help ensure they were getting access to services and funds to deliver the best services possible. I wanted to give them the tools to inspire and empower change.”
Throughout the years, she used her career to continue servicing different parts of the Jewish community, both across the country and in Atlanta. She worked in research, analysis, and development at The Jewish Federations of North America, managed volunteer fundraising at the Weinstein School at the MJCCA, and served as an overnight camp ambassador that connected families with the right Jewish overnight camp for their children.
And now, her career has come full circle as she joins the AgeWell Atlanta team.
As the new Information and Referral Concierge at AgeWell Atlanta, Lauri is continuing her legacy of empowering aging adults with the resources and tools they need to live their best lives.
“When I heard about this position being open, I jumped on it,” Lauri said. “I love my job and I love what I do, and I am always excited every day to see who is calling, what their story is, and how I can help them. My hope is that, when I hang up with them, they are a little better off than when they first called. I can’t solve all of their problems, but I can point them in the right direction by providing options and empowering them.”
In addition to her full time work providing resources for aging adults, Lauri and her family also engage in volunteer work when they can. They volunteer at nursing homes, deliver Passover meals, and other volunteer activities in the community.
Lauri said it’s important to her and her husband that their two teenage daughters develop a respect and understanding for the older adult community: “I want my daughters to understand that these are people who have done great things in the world, and who have helped pave the way for us to have what we have now.”
She began her career at AgeWell Atlanta six weeks ago, and fits right in with our mission to empower and support aging adults in metro Atlanta.
“This is me, this is what I want to do,” Lauri said. “When people call, their stories and experiences add to my story in a way. I am so grateful to live in a community where there are people like me, AgeWell Atlanta Manger Jennifer Curry, Aviv Older Adult Services, and all the other agencies and people that share a goal of helping aging adults become the best versions of themselves.”
Lauri and AgeWell Atlanta aim to empower the aging adult community by connecting callers with the right information they need, from active lifestyles to residential communities to counseling and family support. If you need guidance and resources for an older adult in your life, AgeWell Atlanta is here to help.
Please call 1.866.AGEWELL (243-9355) or email us today.
