Paul P. Falkowski, Ph.D., is the Founder and President of the National Association of Long-Term Care Volunteers (NALTCV), a nonprofit dedicated to increasing community engagement in long-term care through companion volunteering, training, and advocacy.
For Falkowski, volunteer engagement is rooted in fostering authentic relationships—those that bring joy, dignity, and a sense of belonging to people living in long-term care communities. He believes that well-prepared volunteers can help bridge the gap between care and community.
His journey began unexpectedly—as a professional musician who volunteered to direct a church choir. A single visit to a local nursing home to sing carols sparked a deep calling. Over time, he traded nightclubs for nursing homes, eventually performing and visiting hundreds of care communities.
Now, in his current role, Falkowski strategically equips long-term care communities with tools and training to create sustainable, person-centered volunteer programs. He’s led the development of interactive training that emphasizes emotional intelligence, diversity, and meaningful connection.
With over 30 years of experience in volunteer engagement, Falkowski has provided leadership, education, and research to elevate the role of volunteers across care settings. His work has been cited in the National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality of Care by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
He teaches gerontology and volunteer management at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and is the author of Creating the Volun-Cheer Force: Rethinking How We Use Volunteers in Nursing Homes.
Falkowski is passionate about building cross-sector collaborations and inspiring a national movement toward authentic, relationship-based volunteerism.
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