DAS Employee Spotlight

A childhood admiration led to a career helping the elderly and disabled for Ajené Hall. At just 7 years old, she already knew she wanted to be a social worker in the aging field.

“My great grandmother was in a nursing home and I saw how the social worker helped calm the family during times of stress,” Hall said.

Hall started with the Georgia Department of Human Services in 2019 as an investigator with Adult Protective Services (APS). She then moved to a nursing home transition specialist position with the Division of Aging Services, where she assists with transitioning people out of nursing homes back into the community. This includes seniors who had to move into a nursing home for physical therapy following an injury. Once they have completed physical therapy, Hall works to help them move back into their community, which allows the seniors the ability to stay in their homes and remain independent.

A typical day for Hall includes reviewing transition data, conducting audits on files, and answering policy questions regarding nursing home transitions and Money Follows the Person - a program that allows people at in-patient facilities (i.e., hospitals, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, nursing homes or other long-term care facilities) to move out and receive services to live in their own homes and communities.

Hall said her favorite part of her job is learning about the data behind her work and being able to see her impact and contributions.

“Previously, I worked hands-on in the community and nursing home setting, so I was physically able to see the impact happening,” she said.

Hall received her bachelor’s degree from Bowie State University and her master’s degree from Fordham University. Throughout her career, she has worked as a social work coordinator, social service director and APS investigator. Her passion for helping seniors and disabled adults as well as the people she works with keeps her engaged in her work.

Two sayings she stands by are: “providing service to all mankind”; and Socrates’ “an unexamined life is not worth living.”