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Katryna Gould Award
This award is named in honor of Katryna Gould, who served on the NADSA Board of Directors as a consumer advocate. This award was created in 2006 to recognize a consumer of Adult Day Services who, through advocacy efforts, has increased the visibility and recognition of Adult Day Services as a viable community-based long-term care option. 
Collin Tong, Seattle | 
| | Collin Tong, seen here with his wife, Linda, who developed Young Onset Dementia.
_________________ | | When news of Washington state's budget deficit began to surface, and talk of adult day health funding being deeply cut or eliminated as the biennium budget was being prepared, Collin Tong was on top of outreach, awareness building, and rallying his media, business, and personal friends in support of saving Adult Day Health (ADH). Collin's reach is wide. As former senior communications director for Washington State University, Collin has established contacts nationally and internationally. His missives reached contacts beyond Washington state, as the adult day health issue is a nationwide concern. What motivated Collin to initiate this full-court press? His wife, Linda. Linda was diagnosed in 2005 with Young Onset Dementia. Her decline has been rapid, and she currently lives in an adult family home. But since 2006, Linda has participated in and benefited from adult day health services at ElderHealth Northwest's Ravenna site in Seattle. Collin knows from firsthand experience the positive affect adult day health has on Linda and others who participate. Through Collin's outreach, awareness about the "What, How and Why" of adult day health emerged in concert with others beating the drum, such as ElderHealth Northwest, WADSA and the Alzheimer's Association. What can be attributed to Collin’s efforts to save adult day health? Wider media coverage which resulted in heightened consumer awareness and involvement. Adult Day Health became part of the social safety net discussion on a popular Sunday morning television program, Up Front on KING 5, as a result of Collin's efforts. Up Front delivers in-depth coverage on issues facing the Pacific Northwest and a place for debate on the important issues of the day, reaching a broad audience throughout the Northwest. Collin's op-ed piece in the Seattle Times brought the issue to readers who might not otherwise has been aware of the existence and societal benefits of adult day health services, and he alerted others to the threat of budget cuts. His relationship with reporters and editors in print, radio and television helped push the issue forward in news broadcasts and newspaper coverage. Here are just a few examples of Collin's work and the work he influenced: - "Many Losing Adult Day Health Services," King5, Tuesday, June 30, 2009
- "Saving the Social Safety Net," KING5, March 22, 2009
- "State Must Not Stop Funding Adult Day Health Centers," Seattle Times, January 23, 2009
Collin is also a tireless advocate in outreach, sending informative, engaging emails to his broad and deep network, encouraging recipients to pick up the phone, contact legislators, and give a voice to those who benefit from adult day health services. This outreach effort garnered the attention of many who might not have otherwise been a part of the cause. It also made a lot of noise in Olympia, our state capital, alerting elected officials and their staff, once again, to the support their constituents give to the important issue of adult day health. Collin's persuasive energy helped preserve, in part, some state funding for adult day health. But we believe that his efforts will be much more long-lasting than just this budget cycle. He brought new advocates to the cause by educating people about its purpose and need, and that this is more than an issue about frail elders—it also touches those with traumatic brain injuries as well as the developmentally disabled, not to mention caregiver respite issues. Collin's work didn't end with the budget fight; today, he continues to give voice and support to ADH.
—Written by Keri Pollock
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