Area Agency on Aging’s (AAA) ongoing work to strengthen the local direct care workforce gained additional support last week thanks to a grant from the Corewell Health Foundation’s Community Wellness Endowment. “This investment gives us an important opportunity to strengthen the direct care workforce that older adults and people with disabilities rely on every day. Direct care workers provide essential hands-on personal care and daily living assistance to older adults and people with disabilities. The Direct Care Workforce Training Center, housed at the Campus for Creative Aging, 2920 Lakeview Ave., St. Joseph, will offer an innovative, community-based workforce development model that builds on existing training and competency standards. Designed around the realities of direct care work, the program provides accessible, locally-delivered, hands-on training focused on person-centered care, geriatric care, and relationship-building.