Tag: robyn stone

Recently on Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk, we sat down with Dr. Robyn Stone, 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 spent decades bridging the gap between policy, research, and real-world solutions to improve aging services.

Derek and Dr. Stone discussed the workforce crisis in long-term care, the challenges of educating consumers about aging services, and the role of technology in supporting caregivers. She also reflects on her decades in the field, offering insights on how change happens—slowly, but steadily. 

The conversation was filled with fresh perspectives. Below are just a few of them. 

YOU’VE SAID THAT SENIOR LIVING IS OFTEN AN “ACCIDENTAL CAREER”—A FIELD PEOPLE DON’T SEEK OUT BUT END UP LOVING. HOW CAN WE CHANGE THAT?

I’m actually an exception because I always knew I wanted to work with older adults. But over the years, I found that most people in aging services fell into these jobs by accident. Once they started, they realized they loved it. 

One of my primary focuses has been shifting this from an accidental profession to one that people intentionally pursue. We’ve made some strides, but we still struggle. If you look at the challenges in recruiting nurses, social workers, and even geriatric specialists, it’s clear that aging services is still undervalued. I think that’s tied to fundamental ageism in this country.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST GAPS IN EDUCATING CONSUMERS ABOUT LONG-TERM CARE?

There’s still so much misunderstanding. People don’t grasp what long-term services and supports (LTSS) actually are. It’s about helping people function independently for as long as possible, but it intersects with medical care because these individuals also have chronic conditions, acute episodes, and post-acute needs. 

Housing is also critical—if you don’t have a home that allows for mobility, your quality of life suffers. Most people still think Medicare pays for long-term care, which isn’t true. We’ve spent decades trying to educate people, but the reality is that most don’t think about it until they’re in crisis.

WHAT STRATEGIES DO YOU THINK ARE MOST EFFECTIVE FOR RETAINING WORKERS IN AGING SERVICES?

The best recruitment strategy is retention. If you retain staff, you don’t have to recruit as much. Retention is about creating a healthy workplace culture with both monetary and non-monetary investments. Higher wages matter—we still have 40% of this workforce on some form of public assistance, which is unacceptable. 

But it’s also about training, strong supervisory support, and career pathways. Not every aide wants to become an RN, but they might want to specialize in geriatric care, behavioral health, or medication management. High-performing organizations are figuring out ways to create these pathways, which leads to better retention and lower turnover.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED IN YOUR CAREER THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Change takes a long time. It’s a journey, not a destination. When I started in the federal government in the early ’70s, I was filled with hopes and dreams about making the world a better place. Over time, I’ve learned that progress is incremental. But you have to keep your eye on the prize. It’s easy to get discouraged in policy and advocacy work, but if you focus on long-term goals and stay committed, real change does happen—even if it takes longer than you’d like.

Want to hear more from Dr. Stone? Check out the full episode of Roundtable Talk for more fresh perspectives. Watch new episodes of Roundtable Talk on the Varsity website and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio.

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.