Hawes receives award for lifetime achievement in long-term care reform

Regents Professor Catherine M. Hawes, Ph.D., of the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, received the 2013 Elma Holder Founder’s Award from the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care at their 37th Annual Conference and Meeting, October 26, 2013, in Crystal City, Virginia.

The Elma Holder Founder’s Award is a lifetime-achievement award to honor a person whose life work exemplifies leadership in the field of long-term care reform and is named in honor of the Consumer Voice’s founder. 

Dr. Hawes’ has spent her entire career in teaching, research, and activism in pursuit of person-centered quality in long-term services and supports. It is this continual dedication to the needs of vulnerable populations that earned her this prestigious award.  

The Consumer Voice, previously the National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (NCCNHR), is the foremost national authority for consumers of long-term services and support, whether in nursing homes, assisted living, or in their own homes. The Consumer Voice has worked for decades to ensure quality long-term care services and support, as well as to inform consumers of their options and their right to advocate for themselves and those for whom they care. It is comprised of 200 member organizations (AARP, the Alzheimer’s Association, etc.) and several thousand members.

Rachel Edwards, a doctoral student at the Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health who nominated Dr. Hawes for this award, made comments during the award presentation. Also, Darcy McMaughan, Ph.D., assistant professor at the school, presented at the annual conference on licensed and unlicensed assisted living facilities.