Healthy aging: Former 10 Tampa broadcast journalist Kathryn Bursch supports seniors in need

​By NANETTE WISER, TBN Correspondent
Aug 29, 2025

Former 10 Tampa Bay Emmy-award winning broadcast journalist and Community Relations Manager Kathryn Bursch is passionate about her encore chapter as outreach manager at the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas which turned 50 in 2024. Founded in 1974, the nonprofit organization has served 63,593 seniors in 2024, and the need continues to grow.

AAAPP’s mission? Provide seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers with the resources and services needed to maintain independence, promote healthy aging and live an optimal quality of life. From balance to diabetes, mental health resources to disaster preparation as well as Savvy Caregiver training, the organization is a lifeline for many seniors.

Eight months into her new job, Bursch is in her happy place, attending Better Living for Seniors meetings, conducting workshops and manning event tables at Lealman and other locations around town.

"I've been using my TV skills to help make ‘Aging on the Suncoast’ TV shows that tell the story of AAAPP and talk about issues that matter to seniors, from fraud to falling," says Bursch, who is everywhere at community events and festivals providing information about services available for seniors. “You can find them on Pinellas County TV as well as AAAPP’s social media, website and YouTube.”

​With years of community reporting and partnering with nonprofits to do good at the station, Bursch was apprehensive about starting a new job after 24 years in journalism at age 65.

“Lots of people were not interested in hiring a senior. I had to up my game, learn new tech skills, improve my resume to pass the AI screening,” she recalls. “But this job really resonated with me as an older person who loves giving back to the community and being out around people to support our mission to help seniors live well and thrive. I think folks like to get information from someone nearer their age, so that’s rewarding too.”

What is she learning about the needs of seniors and caregivers around the counties?
“There are so many people from different walks of life with questions, and I get to tell them about resources that might be available for them. I do hear about difficulties such as abuse, neglect, and exploitation of seniors. It’s rewarding to help them know how to report and resolve these issues,” says Bursch.” The abuse hotline is just one of the many services provided by AAAPP. Some are run by the organization, some with partner agencies and there are 44 different programs in Pinellas and Pasco.”

What do seniors ask her at local events?
“Some need Meals on Wheels, some folks have a really hard time getting out now or illness is keeping them housebound. Some need help with housework and other services, showering because they are afraid of slipping and other safety issues for aging in place,” says Bursch. “AAAPP can help provide in some cases, we can have funds available to put grab bars up in a shower or make home modifications to make things safer for that senior.”

Bursch says the need for senior services is critical in both counties, from affordable housing to food insecurities as prices rise with a backlog of seniors.

“(There are) 2,000 on the waiting list for Meals on Wheels,” she says. “You've got people that are behind on their electric bills and they're sweltering in a trailer, or they are worried about their husband who needs electricity for his oxygen machine and they're being threatened with a cutoff. It’s a very sad, dire situation. We do have an Unmet Needs Fund, which can help seniors catch up on their electric bills.”

The golden years in the current economy can be daunting.

“Seniors can experience an avalanche of circumstances — their car broke down, a big health bill — and we look to provide services and resources to help them,” she says. “We just did a fun video on a class called ‘A Matter of Balance,’ which is a fall prevention class and it's a combination of discussion and workbook. We also have SMP Bingo, where people learn about Medicare fraud schemes. And we are in planning mode right now for a new senior facility providing low-cost housing in Pasco.”

In addition to AAAPP, Bursch’s encore chapter includes more time gardening in her Crescent Lake home, horseback riding, and playing violin and performing with the Suncoast Symphony Orchestra.
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Her advice for navigating employment as a senior?
“Use your seasoned and proven skills and emphasize how they are an excellent match for the position,” she suggests. “It is a senior-phobic job market, but don’t let it get you down. Research the experience and be open to learning new things.”

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