Chatham County Aging Services Director Ashlyn Martin shares how her team supports older adults through Meals on Wheels, home repairs and more
Ashlyn Martin has served as the director of Chatham County Aging Services for four years, tirelessly working to ensure that older adults receive the quality services they need to remain active and independent. She was born and raised in Hickory and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in social work from UNC Greensboro in 2013 and her master’s degree in social work from NC A&T in 2014. Prior to her role in Chatham, she worked for Senior Resources of Guilford, a nonprofit in Guilford County, serving in a few different roles before finishing her time there as assistant director. In addition to her role with Chatham County Aging Services, she serves on the board of trustees for UNC Health Chatham and the board of directors for Chatham Transit Network, and volunteers with Meals on Wheels North Carolina. Ashlyn lives just one county over, in Burlington, with her high school sweetheart, Preston Martin, their 7-month-old son, Oliver Martin, and their pet turtle, Patrick. She enjoys traveling and has visited Japan, Iceland, Italy, France, England, Ireland, Scotland and Switzerland with her husband, in addition to numerous U.S. cities. Her goal is to visit all 50 states and all of the national parks. She also enjoys crocheting, a new skill she recently learned from one of her participants at the Siler City Center for Active Living.
What inspired you to work with aging and older adults?
I was blessed with two wonderful grandmothers and a grandmother-in-law who were all very special to me. I also have a great aunt, Faye, who is 86 years old [and] continues to work, drive and live independently. She inspires me each and every day. I hope that I can be just like her when I get older! When I was working on my bachelor’s degree in social work at UNC Greensboro, I completed an internship at the Greensboro Housing Authority in one of the communities for individuals 55 and older. From there, I went on to complete my graduate level internship at the W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury. I had the opportunity to visit and work with older veterans. Both experiences helped me to realize that my passion is in working with older adults.
How would you describe your role as director of Chatham County Aging Services? What does a typical day or week look like?
No two days are ever the same. Most of my work involves administrative tasks that help keep the department moving forward. I do get to interact with participants at both the Pittsboro and Siler City centers for active living. I have been able to lead crafts and exercise classes at the centers, help with various events and have also helped with some of the day trips. One of the things I love about my position is, whether I’m working in the office or I’m out in the center interacting with participants, I know the work I complete each day makes a difference.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
Hearing stories from our clients on how our services have impacted their lives for the better is so rewarding. I’ve seen how our Meals on Wheels program has helped homebound older adults to have a hot, nutritious meal during the week. Our exercise classes have helped participants improve their health and mobility. I’ve also seen our minor home repair program make homes safer and more accessible. Our incontinence supply and durable medical equipment programs have provided supplies that might otherwise be a financial burden for recipients on a fixed income. We also provide counseling on the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), which helps individuals explore their Medicare options and ultimately save money on their medications and other medical expenses. And, our Family Caregiver Support Program has helped provide family caregivers with support, resources and a much-needed break. At the end of each day, I know the work we have done has helped make Chatham an even better place to live for older adults. I also consider it a privilege to get to work with such a dedicated team. The Aging Services team is so passionate about wanting to improve the lives of the individuals we serve. They are truly committed to meeting the needs of the older adults in our community.
What do you find most challenging about your work? How do you address that challenge?
We work constantly to break down some of the stigmas associated with aging. Many times, people see a senior center and have a preconceived notion of what that means or who might attend programming at that facility. In Chatham, we changed the names of centers from the Eastern Chatham Senior Center and the Western Chatham Senior Center to the Pittsboro Center for Active Living and Siler City Center for Active Living, respectively. Our goal is that individuals will see the centers as a place where they can come to have fun, meet and socialize with others, learn, improve their physical and mental health, and challenge themselves to try new things.
What are some of the most common needs among Chatham County’s older adults right now?
Socialization is huge. Many of the older adults we serve live alone or have little to no interaction with their family or friends each day. The Pittsboro and Siler City centers play a major role in our community in helping to provide a safe environment in which older adults can thrive. This involves interacting with others, participating in activities, attending educational programming and improving their health through our popular exercise classes. For those older adults that are homebound or are unable to come to the centers, our volunteers help reach them through our Meals on Wheels and minor home
repair programs.
What do your community outreach efforts look like?
The Aging Services team attends various community events such as the Pittsboro Street Fair, Goldston Old Fashion Day, Hispanic Heritage Fiesta and the Spring Chicken Festival. Our staff members also go out into the community to present to church groups, civic groups and housing communities upon request. We have a newsletter that is distributed every other month, both electronically and in print format. Our social media pages and website also help to keep the community informed of our upcoming events, activities and services provided.
What is your favorite part about serving your community?
I enjoy getting to know so many wonderful people, hearing their stories, supporting them along their journey and being a listening ear and friend for those in need. The work may not always be easy, but it’s always rewarding.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Who gave it to you?
“Gratitude is the key to seeing beauty in the smallest things.” My mom once shared this with me, and I feel it is so important in everyday life.
What’s next for you in your role?
I’m excited about the future of Aging Services in Chatham County. We are finalizing the next Master Aging Plan that will help to guide our work over the next five years. This plan is a collaborative effort between Aging Services, the County Manager’s Office and several other organizations and community members who served on our steering committee. Through the completion of this plan and the work that will be done once it is in place, we hope to achieve the AARP Age-Friendly Community designation so that Chatham can continue to be a great place for people of all ages to live, work and play.
– as told to Alison Grau
