Using a potent combination of healthcare experience, a lifelong love of learning, and steely southern charm, Pat Hedrick is singularly focused on improving senior care.
And as Macon County’s Senior Tar Heel Legislature (STHL) delegate, she can open doors and move mountains.
How she does it, and her methods for success are as important and interesting as she is.
Learning from crisis, leading with love
Settling into a chair at the Crabtree General Store on a recent Friday morning, Hedrick talked about why she became such a passionate – and effective – advocate for seniors and their caregivers.
People ask me, “Pat, why are you doing this?” Hedrick said with a laugh as she recounted the disbelief she received for taking on this role late in life.
For many seniors, these “salad years” are a time to rest after decades of demanding work, raising families, running businesses, and making ends meet.
Hedrick tells them that while she too wanted to enjoy these later years in life, especially after working so hard to support her son’s education as a special needs student, a specific experience set her on this path.
“Nobody knows anything about this until you’ve faced it,” said Hedrick. “A crisis happens. Suddenly, you need to know everything.”
In Hedrick’s case, it was a health crisis affecting her mother, Marie Harrison.
“When mother first lost her independence, she was not safe living alone,” said Hedrick. Confronted with making decisions about care at home versus at a licensed facility, Hedrick jumped into the deep end of the pool that so many caregivers face as a loved one moves to a phase in life where they need more assistance.
“Mother was my driving force in dealing with the challenges of long-term care,” noted Hedrick. After working through experiences both good and bad to address her mother’s specific needs, Hedrick found ways to provide her with the appropriate level of support.
“To bring her home to live out her life with me,” meant the most to her, said Hedrick. She ensured her mother’s last days were surrounded, “In love and comfort.”
“You’ve experienced some things”
“North Carolina is undergoing a historic demographic shift,” states the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “For the first time, adults 60 and older outnumber children under 18, a reality now true in more than 88 counties” throughout the state, including Macon County.
As Hedrick quickly found out, her mother was part of the vanguard creating this new demographic push. Her experience assisting her mother, and learning about the deficiencies in assistance, pushed her to become more vocal.
The late Dot Crawford, a powerhouse in addressing senior citizen advocacy for Macon County, was an energizing force in pushing Hedrick to join the Senior Tar Heel Legislature.
“Pat, you really need to consider this,” recounted Hedrick, who said Crawford encouraged her to get active at a state level. The two had originally met when the dentist whom Hedrick worked for began providing mobile dental health care to Macon County. Familiar with Hedrick’s practical knowledge as a dental hygienist and her personal experience as the primary caregiver to her mother, Crawford told her she should move to the forefront.
For a brief period, Macon County did not have a delegate to the Senior Tar Heel Legislature after Crawford passed. But others knew that Crawford wanted Hedrick to take up the mantel.
Building resources for North Carolina’s aging population
“Today, there are over 1.9 million people over the age of 65. In the next 20 years, the number of North Carolinians aged 65 and older will increase by 48% to 2.8 million people, according to All Ages, All Stages NC: A Roadmap for Aging and Living Well
The North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature was created by the NC General Assembly in 1993. Designed as a non-partisan forum, the group acts a go-between for senior citizens and elected legislators, exchanging information, advocating on issues important to senior citizens, and ensuring a growing demographic has access to decision-making.
Local delegates from seven WNC counties work through the Southwestern Commission’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to develop work plans and coordinate representation of specific county interests. Hedrick has served as Macon County’s delegate for over four years.
Sarajane Melton, executive director of AAA, said Hedrick’s passion to advocate for those who cannot do so for themselves is a standout feature of her work.
Hedrick’s accomplishments are due to her willingness to educate herself so she could speak on issues noted Melton. Expertise is a good reason Hedrick is an effective representative.
Melton added that Hedrick’s ability to communicate complex issues to legislators helps solve problems not everyone is comfortable addressing. Hedrick is also a reliable communicator back to AAA.
The 2026-2027 agenda
The Senior Tar Heel Legislature meets in Raleigh three times a year, with October the next scheduled session. Hedrick regularly meets with local legislators to work on specific issues, such as housing, transportation, and long-term care access.
The Tar Heel Legislature decided that they needed to update goals this year to prepare for the upcoming long term in the General Assembly. Although the group has focused on 8 specific goals for the past few years, Hedrick noted, “It’s time to revisit and create new ones.” Hedrick is chairing the committee focused on health-related issues.
Hedrick lauded the coordination with State Senator Kevin Corbin on developing the new goals. Rather than “reinvent the wheel,” Corbin suggested the group look at existing legislation that has been introduced, help rewrite as necessary, and get it prioritized for the next session. “I’m appreciative of all he’s doing here at local level,” said Hedrick.
Among the specific legislation that Hedrick is currently looking at includes:
- Increase Oral Health Care Access (SB 805) – “What do you do when the majority of your population is on Medicaid, like in Swain County, and can’t find access to services?”
- Modernize Medicaid Primary Care Rates (SB 780) – “The idea is to get some parity on rates and keep people out of the ER” by ensuring they see local specialists before turning to expensive hospital care.
- Expand Project C.A.R.E. (HB 120) – “I’m really concerned about caregivers for the elderly. Burnout is so high.”
As she works on issues for this project, Hedrick said she thinks not just of Macon County seniors but those throughout North Carolina, noting the alliance she has set up with Fred Crawford in Swain County. However, she takes the role of delegate for Macon County as her highest priority.
“It’s my opportunity to represent Macon County. When it’s time to vote, to say of those things – they’re all important – I’ll still vote for what seems to be highest priority for us, not just get on bandwagon” with all the other delegates.
“What applies to you east of Asheville may not always apply to western North Carolina,” noted Hedrick.
Resources for Macon seniors and caregivers
Hedrick paused for a moment and reflected on improvements she would like to see specific to Macon County.
“I feel like we’re fragmented with our services. We need a one stop for all. We need a better way to help people navigate services for our senior population,” declared Hedrick. Hedrick would like to see the Senior Center move to a larger, more accessible location so that it can expand services for the growing senior population.
“We could do our seniors a huge favor to have intensive training on mental health issues,” noted Hedrick. She would like to see more intensive training for fire departments and emergency service personnel on how to address the specific needs of dementia patients when arriving at emergency sites.
Despite the need for these improvements, she quickly noted how much assistance is currently available and encouraged anyone in need of information, support, or resources to reach out the Senior Center and AAA.
Hedrick said she will not stop fighting for better care. “I have increased awareness of senior needs by serving as an advocate when you cannot speak for yourself.” If the past 4 years are any indication, Hedrick’s advocacy has just begun.
Macon County Senior Services and the Community Resource Center are located at 108 Wayah Street in Franklin, NC. Senior Services offers a variety of programs to help the older adult maintain his or her independent lifestyle.
The Community Resource Center is a point of access for information in regard to the full range of services offered in the community. Staffed Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. To contact the Resource Center call (828) 349-0211.
To find out if you are eligible to receive services, contact the office at (828) 349-2058 ext 0 and a staff person will take a referral and do an assessment.
