Jewish Family Services Richmond is proud to welcome its very first gerontology intern, Morgan Carr, a 23-year-old Richmond native and graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Through a partnership with the VCU School of Gerontology, Carr brings hands-on experience and a genuine passion for working with older adults to her new role at JFS and traces her interest in gerontology back to her childhood.
“I spent a lot of time growing up with my grandparents and volunteering with older people in nursing homes,” Carr said. “That really set me on the path to study health science and psychology in undergrad.”
Morgan Carr
While pursuing her bachelor’s degree, Carr joined a research group that worked closely with residents in a retirement community. Those experiences confirmed her desire to build a career in aging services. Since then, she has explored the field from many angles including partnering with the Chickahominy Tribe to support tribal elders, conducting oral histories with centenarians and contributing to research projects that highlight the needs and strengths of older adults.
“It’s been so delightful learning about JFS and everything the organization does,” she said.
At JFS, Carr is taking on meaningful projects that touch many aspects of the agency’s services. One of her main responsibilities will be developing trainings for volunteers and staff on topics such as person-centered and trauma-informed care, dementia awareness and elder abuse prevention.
These subjects, she acknowledges, can be difficult to face, but that’s part of what motivates her.
“I know these aren’t easy conversations to have, but they’re incredibly important,” Carr said. “I’m good at having the scary, not-fun conversations, and I want to help others feel equipped to have them too.”
For JFS, welcoming its first gerontology intern is both a milestone and a reflection of its mission. By mentoring students like Carr, the agency is investing not only in her future but also in the future of aging services across the community.
Please join us in welcoming Morgan Carr to JFS. We are thrilled to celebrate this “first” together and look forward to all she will accomplish during her time here.
Melissa W. Ferrell says
Welcome, Morgan! I graduated in 1993 from VCU in 1993 with a master of social work and a certificate in aging studies. The courses I enjoyed the most were in the gerontology program. I sought the certificate after a field placement at Beth Sholom nursing facility, where Deidre Arnowitz was head of social work. She is not a volunteer at JFS. She took me to the Russell Senate Office Bldg in DC to a Hasting Center’s conference on New Directions in Nursing Home Ethics. I was sparked! I came back and enrolled in the graduate gerontology program. I wish you all the best – it appears you already “sparked” – I hope that continues! I look forward to meeting you, Melissa W. Ferrell, retired LCSW (nursing facilities, dialysis centers, Palliative Medicine at Bon Secours hospitals, and hospice). Palliative Medicine was my calling.