Episode Details

QUOTES

“The one thing 80-year-olds and 20-year-olds have in common is none of them have cars.” (Andrew)

“They do not want to live on what I call an elderly island. It doesn’t matter how nice it is.” (Andrew)

“Done right, it’s what I call a very rare triple win scenario. You don’t see this in business strategy where there are three parties and all of them can win.” (Andrew)

“We need to stop building what we want to build. We need to start building what our retirees actually want.” (Andrew)

“If one out of every 10 residents is wearing the sweatshirt and screaming at the TV in the pub on Saturdays, that’s going to bring the culture.” (Andrew)

“You can’t find a bigger odd couple than universities and senior living providers. They speak two completely different languages.” (Andrew)

“This is not something that just sounds like fun. It’s hard work, and you need to do your homework.” (Andrew)

“Look, we just want more than ‘it’s not a nursing home.’ That was actually fine when really the only other choice was a nursing home. And we had millions of seniors who lived in a nursing home who did not need to be there… but we need to take that next step now.” (Andrew) 

“This whole website is actually my retirement hobby. I started it the first day of my retirement.” (Andrew)

“If you’re not happy with the status quo, go to work for somebody who also isn’t happy with the status quo.” (Andrew)

“If you take them off an elderly island and put them in an intergenerational environment like a college campus, they’re going to be better.”

NOTES

Andrew Carle is a nationally recognized expert in senior living innovation and the founder of UniversityRetirementCommunities.com. He also developed the first academic concentration in senior living administration at George Mason University and now teaches at Georgetown University.

UniversityRetirementCommunities.com is the go-to resource for information on communities that blend lifelong learning with senior living. The site features nearly 90 communities nationwide and serves as a hub for universities, providers, and older adults exploring this innovative model.

Andrew has over three decades of experience as a senior living executive, educator, and consultant. He’s helped shape the university retirement community model, creating a five-point framework that many of today’s most successful communities follow. His retirement “hobby” is helping others launch URCs the right way—by fostering strategic partnerships and prioritizing campus integration.

The best university retirement communities (URCs) combine proximity to campus, structured intergenerational programming, full continuum of care, shared financial interest, and a strong alumni or cultural connection.

Proximity to campus is crucial to keep residents integrated into university life. Said Andrew, “The one thing 80-year-olds and 20-year-olds have in common is none of them have cars.” 

Organic beginnings often inspired URCs, but today they benefit from structured planning and dedicated leadership—like a “dean of residence” to manage university relationships.

“They want active, intellectually stimulating, and intergenerational retirement environments. I just described a college campus.” Boomers are seeking more than traditional senior living options.

Andrew believes URCs might not just promote better aging—they might actually reverse elements of aging by tapping into what he calls the “counterclockwise bump.”

“We invented 32 flavors of ice cream. We’re not going to settle for vanilla,” said Andrew. The industry must cater to diverse interests and identities within the boomer generation.

URCs are thriving because they’re giving retirees exactly what they want. “Howard Schultz said, you know what? People will pay $4 for a cup of coffee,” said Andrew. “You just have to stop making crappy coffee and give people what they want.” 

Successful URCs require university buy-in, but many institutions underestimate the complexity. Andrew stresses: “Educate the educators.”