Honoring the Legacy of Kay Hind: A Champion for Georgia’s Older Adults

It is with deep respect and admiration that we remember the extraordinary life and legacy of Kay Hind, a trailblazing advocate for older Georgians who passed away earlier this month. Kay Hind’s impact on aging services in Georgia was—and continues to be—profound.

Kay Hind was a founding member of the Georgia Council on Aging (GCOA), serving from its inception in 1977 through 2021—an astonishing 44 years of dedicated service. Her long-term commitment to the council is a testament to her unwavering belief in the dignity, independence, and well-being of older adults. As many of you know, Kay’s influence extended well beyond GCOA. She spent more than four decades leading the SOWEGA Council on Aging, transforming it from a modest operation with one part-time employee into a regional powerhouse that served 14 counties with a $10 million annual budget.

One of Kay’s proudest accomplishments was the establishment of the Kay Hinds Senior Life Enrichment Center in Albany, Georgia. This center, which now bears her name, stands as a living testament to her vision and dedication to enhancing the lives of older adults through meaningful, engaging, and supportive services. Read more about the center here.

Photo courtesy of The Albany Herald

Over the course of her remarkable career, Kay represented Georgia as a delegate to four White House Conferences on Aging and received numerous accolades, including the Distinguished Older Georgian Award and the Elsie Alvis Award from the Georgia Gerontology Society. These honors reflect what so many of us know to be true: Kay Hind helped shape the very foundation of aging services in Georgia.

As The Albany Herald recently shared in their tribute article, Kay was a tireless and compassionate leader whose work earned her the respect and admiration of community members, colleagues, and policymakers alike. Her voice was one of advocacy, her hands were ones of service, and her heart was entirely devoted to the well-being of Georgia’s seniors.

Kay leaves behind a legacy not only of remarkable achievements but of deep compassion, innovation, and service. Her name will continue to be spoken with reverence by those who knew her, worked with her, and benefited from the structures she helped build. Her influence lives on in every meal served, every caregiver supported, and every older adult who finds dignity and joy through the services she helped champion.

A funeral service to celebrate Kay Hind’s life will be held today Thursday, April 24, 2024, at First Methodist Church in Albany. The burial will take place at Crown Hill Cemetery.

Please join us in holding her family, friends, and the entire aging network in your thoughts. We are currently preparing a full tribute to honor Kay across all of our communication channels. If you have stories, reflections, or memories of Kay you’d like to share, we encourage you to reach out to Dwayna Williams at dwayna.williams@dhs.ga.gov.

Kay’s memory will continue to inspire the work we do every day. May we strive to uphold the values she embodied: compassion, perseverance, and an unwavering belief in the power of community care.