Episode Details

  • Guest: Dr. Robyn Stone
  • Title: Senior VP of Research at LeadingAge

QUOTES

“Most people fell into these occupations. And once they started working in them, they discovered that they loved them.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“If we don’t invest in people, we are not going to get to the quality outcomes that we talk about.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“The best recruitment strategy is to retain, because the more that you retain your staff, the less you have to recruit.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“Technology hasn’t yet had a meaningful impact on frontline workforce challenges. We need to be more intentional about how we use it to support, not replace, the people doing the work.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“Taking the keys away from an older adult is one of the most disempowering things you can do. If self-driving cars can provide mobility while ensuring safety, I’m all for it.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“We’ve made strides in gerontology, but ageism and structural inequities still make it hard to attract people to the field.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“We are a muddling-through society. We inch forward incrementally, but we do eventually get there.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“We still have most people who think that Medicare covers long-term care. After 50 years in this field, that misconception still persists.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“I believe in public-private partnerships. The federal government should play a role in financing long-term care, but we also need private sector innovation.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“I have learned that change takes a long time and that it is more of a journey than a destination.”  (Dr. Stone) 

“On my best days, I remind myself: keep your eye on the prize. It’s easy to get discouraged, but progress is always happening, even if slowly.”  (Dr. Stone) 

NOTES

Dr. Robyn Stone is a nationally recognized expert in aging policy and long-term care. As Senior Vice President of Research at LeadingAge and Co-Director of the LeadingAge LTSS Center, she has dedicated her career to improving services, research, and policy that support older adults, particularly those with lower incomes.

LeadingAge is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing policies, practices, and research that support aging services. Through the LTSS Center, LeadingAge bridges the gap between policy, research, and real-world implementation to improve care quality, workforce development, and access to affordable housing for older adults.

Dr. Stone has spent 50 years in the field of aging, working in federal policy, nonprofit leadership, and research. She served in the Clinton administration’s health care reform task force and was part of the Pepper Commission, which explored long-term care financing solutions in 1989.

Her expertise spans workforce challenges, age-friendly communities, policy reform, and applied research to improve care models for older adults.

Aging services is often an “accidental career,” but once people enter the field, they realize they love it. Dr. Stone has spent her career trying to make it a more intentional professional path rather than something people stumble into.

The long-term care workforce crisis is fueled by low wages, structural inequities, and a lack of investment. Many direct-care workers are underpaid and undervalued, despite making up 60-80% of hands-on care. Increasing wages, training, and career pathways is critical to retention.

Technology in aging services hasn’t yet had a major impact on workforce issues. While electronic health records and digital tools help, most technology hasn’t reached frontline caregivers. The real opportunity is designing tech that supports workers rather than replacing them.

Many people still believe Medicare covers long-term care—when it doesn’t. Public understanding of long-term services and supports (LTSS) remains poor, leaving families unprepared. Dr. Stone advocates for better consumer education and policies that make care more affordable.

Self-driving cars could be a game-changer for older adults. Losing the ability to drive is disempowering, and if autonomous vehicles can restore independence while ensuring safety, they could be transformational for aging populations.

The U.S. is still catching up to other countries in how it plans for aging populations. Countries like Singapore and Denmark integrate aging into urban planning, creating built environments that support aging in place. The U.S. has opportunities to learn from these models.

COVID revealed the essential role of long-term care workers but hasn’t led to enough lasting change. While pandemic funding led to temporary workforce investments, sustaining higher wages and better career paths will require long-term policy shifts.

Change in aging policy takes time—but it happens. Dr. Stone sees progress in workforce recognition, gerontology as a field, and culture change in residential care. While she calls herself a “pessimistic optimist,” she believes incremental change leads to lasting impact.