A Place for Mom Announces Winners Of First Annual College Scholarship Contest

SEATTLE, Oct. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A Place for Mom® (APFM), the nation's largest senior living referral service, has announced the winners of its first annual college scholarship contest, a program launched in June 2013 to support the training and education of potential future senior living leaders. Five winners were selected from a pool of nearly 500 applicants to receive a $1,000 scholarship toward their studies. The winners include: Jennifer Heston (Miami University), Katherine Kitchen (University of Wyoming), Peter Kim (Northwestern University), William Weber (Northwestern University) and Emma Breault (Regis College).

Created because of the impending need for qualified gerontological experts, the scholarship was open to any U.S. student currently pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree, or graduate-level studies in the fields of gerontology, medicine, nursing, social work, sociology or a related field. Applicants provided a letter of introduction stating their reasons for seeking a degree and why they were a good candidate to receive the scholarship, as well as a written essay that answered the question, "How do we prepare for the 'Silver Tsunami?'" The question was inspired to generate ideas around the exponential increase of aging Americans. According to the Administration on Aging, nearly a quarter of Americans will be age 65 or older by 2050, creating a substantial need for qualified workers in the senior care and living industry.

"In each essay, the winning applicants positively addressed solutions for the challenges America will face as our population ages," said Dan Willis, Senior Vice President of Partner Services at APFM. "While we had a difficult time choosing the finalists from so many impressive essays, we are proud to recognize the work and commitment of the winners and support them in their studies towards the industry."

Additional information on the five 2013 scholarship winners, including bios and essays, can be found on the APFM blog at http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/2013-9-26-scholarship-finalists/.

2014 Scholarship Announced

In continuation of the scholarship program, APFM has announced its 2014 contest, offering college students an opportunity to receive the APFM Senior Care Innovation Scholarship, a $1,000 scholarship towards studies in gerontology, social work, medicine, nursing or sociology. Entries will be due April 30, 2014. More information on the scholarship and details on the contest can be found on the APFM blog at http://www.aplaceformom.com/scholarship.

About A Place for Mom
A Place for Mom, Inc. (APFM) is the nation's largest senior living referral service providing resources and personalized assistance in finding senior living services. Using its nationwide network of more than 18,000 providers, APFM helps families find options based on a loved one's stated needs, preferences and budget. This may include independent senior housing, home care, residential care homes, assisted living communities and specialized Alzheimer's memory care. The service is offered at no charge to families as providers pay a fee to APFM. For more information, visit www.aplaceformom.com, call 1-877-311-6099 or visit one of APFM's social networks at Twitter, Facebook, Google +, Senior Living Blog and Pinterest. 

SOURCE A Place for Mom