History & Accomplishments

2025

• Provided 20 community presentations on topics from advocacy, tips for success in long-term care, and navigating in long-term care.

• Assisted over 50 family members, residents, and community members with questions and support in long-term care.

• Met with legislators, state leaders, and other advocates to advance our 2025 Public Policy Priorities. We were able to get several bills introduced this year too!

• Helped host Aging Advocacy Day on May 7, 2025.

• Celebrated the best of long-term care at our annual Fall Gala where we presented the Sharon Wilder Advocacy Award to two outstanding advocates, Alice Hedt and Kim Johnson.

2024

• Supported residents in long-term care who were impacted by Hurricane Helene through advocacy and by sending over 500 holiday cards to residents. Land of Sky Regional Council coordinated the card distribution!

• Hosted our annual Fall Gala with keynote speaker Teepa Snow. We also presented two awards at our event; the 2024 Facility Best Practice Award was given to The Bridges of Hendricks Creek and the 2024 Sharon Wilder Long-Term Care Advocacy Award was given to national advocate Irma Rapport. 

• Assisted the North Carolina Attorney General's office in creating a new resource card and website aimed at helping individuals with long-term care needs. 

• Helped create and finalize the state's All Ages, All Stages Multi Sector Plan on Aging which was released in September 2024 and prioritizes long-term care services and supports as part of the plan.

2023

• Hired a new Executive Director, Kay Castillo.

• FOR participated in the signing of Executive Order 280 to establish a Multi-Sector Plan on Aging. Past President Bill Lamb was appointed to the Steering Committee. Executive Director Kay Castillo and board members Steve Hahn and Chris Fink served on various subcommittees to develop the plan.

• Advocated and achieved the personal needs allowance increase for nursing home residents. The North Carolina General Assembly made this a policy priority in their 2023 budget that was made law. An increase of $30 a month to $70 a month was implemented in January 2024.

• Friends honored Representative Larry Potts, Long Term Care Ombudsman Hillary Kaylor, and Black Mountain Neuro-Medical Treatment Center at our online Fall Gala.

2022

• Successfully advocated for an increase in the Personal Needs Allowance for assisted living home residents from $46 a month to $70 a month.

• Friends honored Representative Donny Lambeth, Pat Weaver, and Ames Alexander at our virtual Fall Gala.

2021

• Friends continues to advocate for residents in facilities as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

• Friends honors Senator Joyce Krawiec, Springview Assisted Living, Trinity Grove, and Cindy Deporter at our virtual Fall Gala.

• Received a NC CMP grant with NC State University entitled Promoting Resident Well-Being in NC Nursing Home Resident Councils. The multi-year grant allowed us to create a Resident Council Manual and training videos to enhance the operation of nursing home Resident Councils in North Carolina.

2020

• FOR rebrands with a new logo!

• Hired a new Executive Director, Lauren Zingraff

• Successfully advocated for facilities to allow visitation after doors were closed to visitors and families due to COVID-19. See more about visitation here.

• Moved the Annual Fall Gala Fundraiser online!

2019

• Hosted Fall Fiesta for Quality Care at Cantina 18 in Raleigh with 75 participants and live music from Island Sound.

• FOR honors Tommy Goldsmith and NC Health News with a media award; Representative Donna White as Legislator of the Year Award; and Denise Rogers with the Sharon Wilder Advocacy Award.

• FOR honors Mitchell House in Spruce Pine with the Assisted Living Best Practice Award and Piedmont Crossing in Thomasville with the Nursing Home Best Practice Award.

• Friends of Bill Lamb raises $10,000 for FOR.

2017

• Friends is instrumental in getting HB248 enacted which brings North Carolina’s Community Advisory Committees into compliance with federal rules associated with volunteer ombudsmen programs.

• Bill Lamb and Bob Konrad present findings drawn from the Borchard Foundation Grant at the annual meeting of the Southern Gerontological Society in Asheville.

• Friends honors Rep Donna White, Carolina Public Press, Kathryn Lanier, United Church Homes and Services and Oak Hill Living Center at our fall event.

2016

• Friends initiated a Lawyer Referral Services program to provide access to legal support in cases of severe neglect or exploitation of residents in long term care settings.

• Victor Orija is granted the 2016 Sharon Wilder Advocacy Award

• Bill Lamb assumes responsibility as our Executive Director.