Tag: roundtable talk

As the co-founder of the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NIC) and founder of Nexus Insights, Bob Kramer has been called a “disruptive force” in the field, always challenging us to think differently about aging, housing and care.

In the newest episode of Roundtable Talk, Bob challenged the prevailing negative perceptions of aging, describing ageism as a prejudice against our future selves. He also highlighted the significant, yet overlooked, potential of older adults in the workforce and addresses the epidemic of loneliness.

The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS THAT AMERICANS HAVE ABOUT AGING?

I think first and foremost, and this has really come about sort of since World War II and really with the boomers, and that is aging is bad. Aging is something to be feared. Aging is something negative. I spend a lot of time teaching on college campuses, and I like to point out that ageism is prejudice against our future selves. I’ll have students write down what age they think they’ll live to, and then I show them that statistically, over half of them will live to 100. I tell them, if you don’t work to change these ageist stereotypes, you’ll be consigned to irrelevance for the last third of your lives.

WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN HOW SENIOR LIVING IS EVOLVING?

A lot of the trends we’re seeing now were accelerated by COVID. The pandemic pushed our field out of the 20th century into the digital age. Older adults and their families discovered on-demand services—healthcare, groceries, anything delivered where they live. Consumers today are more sophisticated and savvy. They’re not just asking how many years they’ll live—they’re asking if those will be thrive years. They want environments that add life to their years, not just years to their life.

HOW WILL TECHNOLOGY AND DATA SHAPE THE FUTURE OF AGING SERVICES?

Technology and data are absolutely transformative. Senior care will always be a high-touch field, but it also needs to be high-tech. The role of technology is to enable staff to work to the limits of their license instead of being buried in paperwork. AI and data can help identify which residents are most at risk each day, allowing caregivers to prioritize time and attention. That’s how we turn data into actionable care—predictive, preventative, and personalized.

WHY DO YOU TAKE ISSUE WITH THE TERM “SILVER TSUNAMI”?

Because it’s deeply ageist. Nobody ever thinks of a tsunami as a good thing—it’s an unmitigated disaster. So when we call the aging population a “silver tsunami,” we’re framing longevity as a problem instead of one of humanity’s greatest achievements. It turns the longevity bonus into a longevity curse. We should be asking, how do we make the most of increased longevity, both for individuals and society?

HOW WELL IS U.S. POLICY ALIGNED WITH THE NEEDS OF AN AGING POPULATION?

We’re not aligned at all. The public sector alone can’t meet the needs ahead. We need to incentivize private sector solutions and empower nonprofit and community organizations. Right now, both government programs and market dynamics are pushing people into what I call the “forgotten middle”—too rich to qualify for subsidies but too poor for private pay. That’s unsustainable, and the pressure on local and state governments will only grow over the next decade.

WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST HOPE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AGING IN AMERICA?

The value of the contributions older adults want to make—and the fact that society needs them. Whether it’s workforce participation, volunteering, or supporting preventative health, older adults will be central to addressing the challenges ahead. Necessity and opportunity are coming together, and that gives me real hope.

Want to hear more from Bob? 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.

What does it take to age well together? On Varsity’s Roundtable Talk, Barbara Sullivan, National Director of the Village to Village Network, shared how the growing “village movement” is helping older adults stay independent while staying connected, redefining what it means to age in place.

Derek and Barbara discussed how villages serve the “missing middle,” the vital role of volunteers, and creative partnerships with senior living, healthcare, and faith-based groups. Barbara also shared how villages combat social isolation and her vision to expand the movement.

The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE CORE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE VILLAGE MOVEMENT?

You know, the village model was created to serve that missing middle, the middle class. It started up in Boston about 25 years ago. It’s an alternative to aging at home — aging in your community — with practical, community-driven support services. Most of the villages are volunteer first, so it’s about neighbor helping neighbor, keeping people active, engaged, and independent.

WHAT INSPIRED THE FOUNDING OF THE VILLAGE TO VILLAGE NETWORK, AND HOW HAS IT EVOLVED SINCE THEN?

The founding was in Boston, when a group of homeowners in the Beacon Hill section said, “We love our homes and neighborhoods — how do we stay here?” Affordability was a factor, too. They opened in 2002, and by 2007, The New York Times wrote about the movement, and it exploded. You saw villages popping up everywhere — Washington, D.C., California, Chicago — all building on that same model of community and independence.

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED WITH THE VILLAGE MOVEMENT?

In 2007, I was an assisted living administrator in Northern Virginia when a group of homeowners approached me about starting a village. My company wasn’t thrilled — they wanted people to move into the community, not stay home — but I fell in love with the model. I joined their board, and by 2010, I was running the village. My passion for older adults really came from my father, who chaired the House Select Committee on Aging. I grew up visiting nursing homes with him — that’s where I caught the bug.

WHAT MAKES THE VILLAGE MODEL DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES?

Number one, people are living in their own homes — and more importantly, in their own communities. Villages help people stay independent and live on their own terms. Some people will still need to move into senior living, and that’s okay — we often partner with those communities. We share programs, sponsor events together, and build on each other’s strengths. It’s not competition — it’s collaboration.

WHAT DOES “THE MISSING MIDDLE” MEAN, AND WHY DOES THE VILLAGE MODEL MATTER FOR THAT GROUP?

The “missing middle” are people who can’t afford life-care communities but also don’t qualify for government services. They’re independent but might need small supports — like a ride, help around the house, or connection to community programs. Villages connect those dots. They help people find what’s already in their community and bring purpose back through engagement and volunteering.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE VILLAGE MOVEMENT?

In five years, I’d love to add 500 villages — a hundred a year. Realistically, that’s a stretch, but we can aim high. We already have about 150 villages that are more than ten years old, which shows the model works. I see more partnerships ahead — with healthcare systems, senior living, and organizations like LeadingAge. We’re here to stay, and the future is about scaling and sustainability through collaboration.

Want to hear more from Barbara? 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.

Recently on Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk, we sat down with Marvell Adams, Jr., a longtime leader in aging services and the founder of W. Lawson, a consulting firm focused on equity and inclusion. He also serves as CEO of Caregiver Action Network, supporting millions of unpaid family caregivers across the country.

Marvell shared how the Longevity and Inclusion Alliance Fellows Program helps leaders embed belonging into aging services. He also discussed the emotional realities of caregiving, the importance of succession planning, and why the future of senior living must be more inclusive, intergenerational, and community-connected.

The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

WHAT DOES THE LONGEVITY AND INCLUSION ALLIANCE FELLOWS PROGRAM DO AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE IT?

The mission is to provide leaders throughout our space the support, the courage, and the guidance to lead more inclusively. The Fellows Program is an immersive, all-virtual series of five sessions. Our objective is to provide a safe space for people to really not only be vulnerable, but to learn and grow about being more inclusive and how to really create communities of inclusion and belonging.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION AND WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE?

Inclusion is a feeling. You can’t just measure it. It comes from a safe space where people feel they can be their whole selves. Equity is about outcomes and being treated fairly and having the same access to benefits, to information, and to upward mobility. Diversity is a choice. Unless those in leadership make the courageous step to create it, diversity won’t show up.

WHAT ROLE DO FAMILY CAREGIVERS PLAY, AND WHAT ARE THEIR BIGGEST NEEDS?

There are over 105 million family caregivers in the U.S., and many don’t even identify themselves as such. What we try to do at Caregiver Action Network is meet them where they are, whether it’s someone supporting a loved one through cancer or just having a bad mental health day. But we always remind caregivers: you can’t pour from an empty cup.

HOW CAN SENIOR LIVING PROVIDERS BETTER SUPPORT CAREGIVERS—EVEN THOSE OUTSIDE THEIR COMMUNITIES?

Most communities have space, so invite caregivers in. Whether it’s a Zoom group for long-distance family or an in-person support group, we need to let caregivers know they are seen. That infrastructure of supporting caregivers is not just retention, it’s recruitment. People will say, “This community gets me.”

Dr. Linda Fried is a world-renowned geriatrician, public health expert, and Dean of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She was also a guest on Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk. A pioneer in the science of healthy aging and frailty, Dr. Fried has dedicated her career to understanding how we can build systems and communities that support longer, healthier, and more purposeful lives.

On the episode, Dr. Fried explored the medical realities of frailty, why physical activity is the best prevention strategy, and how public health systems must evolve to meet the needs of an aging population.

The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

HOW DO YOU DEFINE FRAILTY, AND HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM GENERAL AGING OR DISABILITY?

So what I learned both as a clinician and as a scientist is that there is a clinical and medical condition, which we call frailty, which generally starts with a decline in muscle mass and strength. Over time, what we see is a particular presentation that emerges with loss of muscle, loss of strength, loss of energy, slowing down physically, and in the later stages, unintentional weight loss. When you start seeing a critical mass of them, then you’re seeing somebody who has emerged with the condition of frailty.

HOW EARLY IN LIFE SHOULD WE BE THINKING ABOUT FRAILTY PREVENTION?

The most important thing to do is to make physical activity part of your life and find ways to enjoy it. In the second half of life, we start losing muscle mass, so it’s really important to maintain your strength and to do resistance exercises with some weightlifting. Not a lot. It doesn’t have to be a lot. Three times a week for 20 minutes or so.

CAN FRAILTY BE REVERSED? OR IS IT PRIMARILY ABOUT MANAGING DECLINE?

Until it’s very severe, it’s potentially reversible. But, of course, either preventing it in the first place or slowing down its development through exercise in particular and staying active and engaged in things you love is important.

YOU’VE WRITTEN ABOUT A “THIRD AGE,” A PERIOD OF PURPOSE AND CONTRIBUTION LATER IN LIFE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

It’s been very clear to me that many people retire with a goal of making a difference. We have this gift of an extra 30 years of life that we never had. People want roles that matter, they’re not necessarily and often not full-time roles. But they want to contribute in a way that has significance.

On Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Tom Kamber, founder of Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) and Senior Planet, about how he’s helping older adults thrive through digital connection, education, and empowerment.

He discussed the evolution of OATS, the power of community-centered tech education, and how tools like smart homes, AI, and telehealth are reshaping what it means to age well in the digital era.

The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE OLDER ADULTS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (OATS) AND SENIOR PLANET?

I started OATS 20 years ago, 21 years ago now. I’ve been a lifelong social activist. I got approached by an older woman who asked if I would help her learn the internet. And one thing led to another, she used to come to my office on Monday mornings with her breakfast and a napkin, and we would do an hour. I realized there’s kind of an open space here in the nonprofit world. So I started OATS.

WHAT’S THE MOST POPULAR PROGRAM YOU OFFER?

Our number one most popular class is a fitness class. The number one class by a mile is called Morning Stretch. Five days a week, gets like 500 or 600 people. The healthy aging part of this is the socialization of their physical activity, their communication around their health. It’s really unleashed an opportunity for people to think about their health in a social context.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MYTH ABOUT OLDER ADULTS AND TECHNOLOGY?

The biggest myth is that people can’t learn. Ageism is one of the last accepted prejudices. Learning technology is like a language, and if you are learning a new language, there’s a time where you’re learning the grammar and the words.  

WHAT POLICY BARRIERS STILL PREVENT OLDER ADULTS FROM GETTING ONLINE?

The big ones are clearly telecommunications reform. We know everybody needs internet. It’s not a luxury anymore. It should be like water and electricity. We also need to empower the service providers. Your veterans care, your library visit, your senior center—it should feel better because of the technology. And third is regulatory protection. Scams, AI misuse, insurance issues—people need protection and better policy.

QUOTES

“So much of this work is nonlinear. You start out with a plan and then if you’re keeping your eyes open, the road starts to curve pretty fast.” (Dr. Kamber)

“We’re really about using technology to change the way we age because the longevity revolution in America is this slow-moving demographic shift, but it’s changing everything.” (Dr. Kamber)

“We’ve got 700 sites where people are teaching our programs around the country. It’s really become a labor of love.” (Dr. Kamber)

“Outreach is so important to really recruiting people. Even giving away a world-class program for free, you have to get out there and ask people to come.” (Dr. Kamber)

“People are full of this intense potential. And we forget that there’s no change in that as we get older.” (Dr. Kamber)

“Technology is such a tiny piece of it, but it is a little bit like taking the cork out of the bottle sometimes.” (Dr. Kamber)

“The biggest myth is that people can’t learn… that somehow there’s something wrong when in fact, it’s just that your kid is acting like a jerk.” (Dr. Kamber)

“We paid extra to have nice millwork made with teak on the walls. It’s like a social club for cool people. It just happens to be free.” (Dr. Kamber)

“Great design is an antidote to ageism.” (Dr. Kamber)

“The healthy aging part of this is the socialization of their physical activity… It’s really unleashed an opportunity for people to think about their health in a social context.” (Dr. Kamber)

“If you’re patient and you’re persistent and you’re a person with integrity… you’re gonna end up in a good place.” (Dr. Kamber)

NOTES

Dr. Tom Kamber is a national leader in aging and technology, and the founder of Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) and Senior Planet. He’s a lifelong social activist dedicated to empowering older adults through digital literacy and inclusion.

OATS, a nonprofit affiliate of AARP, provides technology education and support to older adults through its Senior Planet programs. With a presence in 700 locations across 35 states, OATS combines tech training, wellness, and social connection to help people thrive in the digital age.

OATS began after a woman asked Tom for internet help post-9/11; that simple moment sparked a national movement.

Senior Planet offers programs focused on five impact areas: financial security, social engagement, health and wellness, creative expression, and civic participation.

The most popular offering? Fitness classes like “Morning Stretch,” which regularly attracts 500–600 participants.

OATS doesn’t charge for classes to remove financial barriers and ensure inclusivity.

Their model includes licensing curriculum to local organizations for broader reach and sustainability.

The biggest myth about older adults and tech is that they can’t learn. It’s more about opportunity than ability.

Social connection is often the top reason people join Senior Planet, with digital tools helping them stay in touch.

OATS’s design philosophy includes building beautiful, functional spaces that reflect the dignity and potential of older adults.

AI and smart home tech are reshaping how older adults live and age, but safety, access, and education are key challenges.

Dr. Louise Aronson is a nationally recognized geriatrician, educator, and the bestselling author of Elderhood. As a professor of medicine at UCSF and a leading voice in aging and eldercare, Dr. Aronson challenges cultural and medical assumptions about growing older and advocates for a more nuanced, inclusive view of elderhood.

Recently on Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk, host Derek Dunham and Dr. Aronson discussed why aging should be seen as a diverse, decades-long life stage. She highlighted the impact of ageism in healthcare, the value of intergenerational programs, and the need for better training and broader reforms to help older adults live fully.

The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE ELDERHOOD?

I wrote it in my 50s. I had had a good couple plus decades of career of seeing all the things that happened to older people, you know, for better and worse. I had aging parents. I had reached the stage of life where it occurred to me that this was going to happen to me as well. I didn’t see anything out there that quite had the empathy or the breadth I was going for. Then I came up with this notion of elderhood as a sort of equivalence to childhood and adulthood. And I thought that was a reframe that might be helpful for us both as individuals and as a society.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST DAMAGING CULTURAL NARRATIVES ABOUT AGING THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD REWRITE?

That old people don’t count or that we’re all the same after age 65. There’s some sort of primal fear that we’re not dealing with. I think when we equate old age with frailty and when we say being frail is inherently bad, we harm anyone who’s frail at any age. The people I know who live best in old age and die best in old age are ones who recognize their changes, adapt to those changes, and learn how to thrive within them.

WHAT DOES A MORE EMPOWERING AND INCLUSIVE VISION OF ELDERHOOD LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

It looks like an acknowledgement that it’s a many decades long, highly varied phase of life. I also think we need to empower people to embrace the difference instead of apologizing for the difference. It’s the only stage of life where people apologize all the time for existing, for not being able to do things.

WHAT ARE COMMON EXAMPLES OF AGEISM IN MEDICAL PRACTICE?

There’s people talking, using elder speak. Things like, “Oh dear. Let me help you with that, sweetheart,” which is just shocking and insulting and condescending. And then when the person doesn’t do well, they say they failed the treatment or they couldn’t tolerate the treatment.  Perhaps the most frequent one is either saying, “We’re not going to give you this because you’re 84,” or giving something dangerous to someone too frail to handle it.

QUOTES

“I realized that I really enjoyed taking care of older people for a series of reasons. One was you couldn’t really take care of the part without thinking about the whole.” (Dr. Aronson)

“I came up with this notion of elderhood as a sort of equivalence to childhood and adulthood. And I thought that was a reframe that might be helpful for us both as individuals and as a society.” (Dr. Aronson)

“It’s insulting. And when you see this in scientific studies, it absolutely lacks rigor, any evidence of truthfulness, and yet people do it all the time.” (Dr. Aronson)

“We harm our future selves because we create a self-creating, self-perpetuating fear.” (Dr. Aronson)

“It’s the only stage of life where people apologize all the time for existing, for not being able to do things.” (Dr. Aronson)

“Traits we all should have, but not all of us are lucky enough to get it. A sense of humor helps. So really basic things, because it’s very interesting.” (Dr. Aronson)

“There is just a baked-in bias that the people who need the services most are least important.” (Dr. Aronson)

“They blame old age for what was a failure to incorporate aging pharmacology and physiology into their treatment plan.” (Dr. Aronson)

“Training for all health professionals would be proportional to the amount of time they will be spending caring for that population.” (Dr. Aronson)

“Our system doesn’t give us what we want and needs to be totally restructured to prioritize health.” (Dr. Aronson)

NOTES

Dr. Louise Aronson is a geriatrician, educator, and bestselling author of Elderhood. A leading voice in redefining how we view aging, she brings decades of medical practice, personal insight, and cultural critique to her advocacy for older adults.

 Dr. Aronson is a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she also directs the campus-wide Health Humanities Initiative. Her work integrates clinical care, education, and the humanities to advance eldercare.

Her book Elderhood reframes aging as a vital, complex life stage deserving the same recognition and nuance we give childhood and adulthood. She’s a thought leader on ageism in medicine and society, and frequently collaborates on innovations in intergenerational programs, healthcare reform, and policy.

Most people don’t plan to work with older adults—but it’s meaningful, intellectually rich, and deeply needed work.

The term “elderhood” positions aging as a legitimate, diverse, and multi-decade stage of life, much like childhood or adulthood.

Society often equates aging with decline, but many older adults thrive by adapting, staying engaged, and embracing their phase of life.

There’s a dangerous tendency to treat everyone over 65 as a monolith, despite the vast range of capabilities and needs.

Health care training devotes years to children and adults, but often just hours to older adults—despite them being the largest group needing care.

Ageism in medicine shows up in subtle and overt ways—from dismissive language to inappropriate treatments based solely on age.

Culture needs to stop writing off older adults; their stories, capabilities, and lives matter and should be reflected in how we design systems and spaces.

Dr. Aronson sees hope in younger generations and entrepreneurs bringing compassion and innovation into the “elder space,” as well as boomers advocating for their own aging experience.

On a recent episode of Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk, we sat down with Andrew Carle, a nationally recognized expert in senior living and the founder of UniversityRetirementCommunities.com. With more than three decades in the field, Andrew has served as a senior living executive, educator, and consultant. Today, he continues to lead innovation as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

In his conversation with Roundtable Talk host Derek Dunham, Andrew shared how university retirement communities (URCs) are reshaping the future of aging. He also shared his five-point framework for successful URCs and his theory that URCs could even slow or reverse aspects of aging by tapping into powerful college-era memories.

The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN UNIVERSITY RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES (URCS)?

Well, it goes back a ways, but 25 years ago, I had joined George Mason University to create what was then the first academic program for senior living administrators in the country. I found out that there were a couple of universities that had retirement communities. I visited the ones that existed, came back and I realized this could reinvent everything. I created a five criteria model around which I thought they should be structured. I published that in 2006. And in the last 20 years or so, most of them have kind of been built to that model.

WHAT ARE THE MUST-HAVES THAT DIFFERENTIATE A GREAT URC FROM A MEDIOCRE ONE?

Foundationally do this: if you are close to the university, that’s number one. Number two, do you formalize programming between the community and the university? Do you offer the full continuum of care? Then the financial commitment. Both sides financially incentivized for the long-term success. And then the fifth element: you need to have at least 10% of the residents who have some connection with the school. That’s going to bring the culture.

HOW CLOSE DOES A COMMUNITY NEED TO BE TO BE CONSIDERED A URC?

The one thing 80-year-olds and 20-year-olds have in common is none of them have cars. Once you got outside of about a mile of that campus, once you got outside that bubble, you didn’t feel like you were part of the campus. I like to see them within a mile. Once you get past three, four, five miles, what do you really have to do with that campus?

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES UNIVERSITIES FACE IN ESTABLISHING A URC?

You can’t find a bigger odd couple than universities and fast paced investor and driven senior living providers. They speak two completely different languages. You need to have the senior living providers who understand how to access the university without being driven nuts by all the bureaucracy.

Larry Carlson is the retired president and CEO of United Methodist Communities. With over 45 years of experience in senior living, Larry is known for pioneering person-directed care, integrating cutting-edge technology, and reimagining dementia care.

On Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk, Larry explored the evolution of senior living, how AI and tech tools have transformed operations and improved staff workflows and why the industry must embrace innovation or risk falling behind.

The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU SAW OVER 45 YEARS IN SENIOR LIVING?

Early in my career, senior living pretty much was a watered-down version of a hospital. Nobody had a choice as to when they get up or what they eat or when they were going to get a bath. The biggest change has been around person-directed care. In the early days, people would move in, they would give all their assets, and then the place would take care of them for the rest of their life. And now you have all kinds of financial arrangements and pretty high-end operations and very sophisticated operators too. It’s really respecting the person—who they were, who they want to be, and how they want to spend their time.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES TO TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION AT UMC, AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?

When I arrived at UMC, we didn’t even own a server, so we really did start from the ground up. One example I can give you is we found a product called VST Alert, which was a falls management device. The staff realized how powerful this tool was going to be. They came back and said, we need more of these. And then they became owners and advocates.

WHAT IS THE HOGEWEYK MODEL AND HOW DID IT INSPIRE AVENDEL?

TheHogeweyk model is really about normalizing life for people who have a dementia diagnosis. And it’s not just for the person who has dementia, but for their families and for the caregivers as well. That means living on more of a family scale. Six or seven people in a household, where you can come together as a family and sit. We became very intent on figuring out what’s the stress that’s causing symptoms, not just treating symptoms. Pain is the number one thing that is underdiagnosed in people with dementia.

WHAT ROLE DOES AIR QUALITY PLAY IN SENIOR LIVING?

Before the pandemic, everybody overlooked it. During the pandemic, we had these reverse HEPA filters that were trying to keep the air separate from room to room so that we weren’t spreading disease. When you really think about it, you’ve got a large population of people in a somewhat small area. So you need to look at your air circulation, how many air changes you’re making, and your filtration and humidity control.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU WANT READERS TO TAKE FROM YOUR BOOK, “AVENDEL: REIMAGINING THE DEMENTIA EXPERIENCE”?

That dealing with dementia is not a hopeless situation. That there can be joy in it, and that you can live the life you love, whether that be the family member or the person with the diagnosis.