To celebrate ASA members by featuring those who represent the depth and breadth of what we do, we are asking members to answer 5 questions. This series was started during the 2025 Membership Celebration.
5 Questions for Joie Glenn
Joie Glenn is 79 and retired from the New Mexico Association for Home and Hospice Care (NMAHC) in 2016 after 25 years. NMAHC contracted with her to serve in the capacity of Government Relations, and she continued in that position until December 2020 and then re-retired, as they say, and moved to Colorado to be closer to her son and his family. While in New Mexico she served on the Next50 Foundation Board for 7 years and continued after moving to Colorado. She served as Chair for 3 years and termed off in December 2024. Glenn is now a commissioner on the Colorado Commission on Aging and found herself as chair this past October. She also serves as secretary on the AgeWise Colorado board of directors. She joined ASA during her service on the Next50 board and has continued her membership in retirement.
1. What inspired you to work in the aging field?
Throughout my studies as a diploma nurse, I found myself drawn to the units with older patients and wanted to spend more time getting to know them. That was a time when patients’ stays were long, and one had a chance to interact with patients and families. After graduating and spending more time in hospital nursing, I truly knew I preferred the home-care setting and taking care of the “whole person,” not just the diagnosis or disease. As I continued in home health and then into home health and hospice, I was grateful to serve in leadership positions and continue to advocate for older adults and their well-being. I believe throughout my career there was always a longevity thread, and now that I’m 79, I’m truly grateful for my experiences, my desire for continuous learning, and my never-ending passion for improvement.
2. What are you most proud of in your work in aging?
I am most proud of my service and volunteerism in so many aging spaces. I spent a career advancing and advocating for the well-being of the older population. I responded with a “yes” to every opportunity to serve on boards, committees and gatherings where the focus, mission and work was dedicated to the topic of aging.
3. What have you learned from the people you’ve met through ASA?
I have been so fortunate to expand my network through ASA. I have always been grateful for the opportunities at ASA conferences to learn about solutions and successes across the country. I enhanced my relationships with fellow Coloradans at ASA conferences, reconnected with my colleagues in New Mexico, and always walked away with new friends and colleagues from across the country. My interactions with leadership at ASA have enabled me to learn about and accept the responsibility that we all must continue to work toward an appreciation of aging and the aging process.
4. What do you think is most needed in the aging field right now?
I am on a quest to advance intergenerational work into all initiatives and missions. I believe the best way to rid the world of ageism is through bringing all ages together. Learning and listening with intention is a way to start to identify our common beliefs and values and opens us up to tackling challenges we experience.
5. What’s one question you love to ask your peers?
Tell me what you are working on that you are excited to share. I really enjoy getting to know people and learning from them. I find that when I start with that, I am reminded again that it is a small world, and we are always able to connect on some level. It can be work-related or personal. One never knows and that is the thrill of it—connection!