Tag: Senior Living

————-

The following is Part 2 of a two-part series (see part one here) exploring how pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing can help senior living communities navigate medication conversations and support more personalized care. The series is written by Dr. Troy Veale, CEO of PHD Laboratory, a healthcare innovator with more than 25 years of experience in behavioral health and over a decade in laboratory science focused on advancing precision medicine and improving patient outcomes.

————-

In Part 1, we explored why medication conversations matter in senior living environments. In Part 2, we turn to the clinical side of pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing, what it is, what it is not, and why it holds particular relevance for aging populations.

WHAT PGx TESTING ACTUALLY EVALUATES

Pharmacogenetic testing analyzes specific genes that influence how medications are metabolized. Using a non-invasive cheek swab, laboratories evaluate genetic markers related to drug-processing enzymes, particularly those that impact common prescriptions used in aging adults.

Results may indicate whether an individual is likely to:

• Metabolize a medication too quickly (reducing effectiveness)
• Metabolize it too slowly (increasing side effect risk)
• Process it as expected
• Benefit from alternative medication classes

The goal is not to dictate therapy but to provide additional data to support provider judgment.

WHY AGING POPULATIONS BENEFIT FROM PERSONALIZATION

Older adults are more susceptible to adverse drug reactions for several reasons:

• Decreased liver and kidney function
• Changes in body composition
• Multiple coexisting health conditions
• Polypharmacy (use of multiple medications)

Research consistently shows that adverse drug events are a leading cause of emergency department visits among older adults. Even when medications are appropriately prescribed, genetic variation can influence response.

PGx testing brings that variability into clearer focus.

ADDRESSING COMMON MYTHS

Myth 1: PGx testing is only for complex cases.
In reality, many commonly prescribed medications,  including those for cardiovascular health, depression, pain, and neurology — have pharmacogenetic considerations.

Myth 2: Stable patients don’t need this information.
Even stable residents may benefit from minimizing long-term risk or identifying lower-risk alternatives.

Myth 3: It replaces physician expertise.
PGx testing enhances decision-making. Providers interpret results within the context of medical history and clinical presentation.

Myth 4: It is invasive or risky.
The test requires only a simple cheek swab.

BENEFITS ACROSS STAKEHOLDERS

For providers:

• Additional prescribing insight
• Support for medication adjustments
• Alignment with evidence-informed care

For senior living teams:

• Stronger educational positioning
• Confidence in discussing holistic care
• Alignment with preventative models

For families:

• Greater transparency
• Reduced uncertainty
• Peace of mind

Medication conversations become proactive rather than reactive.

PRIVACY, COVERAGE AND NEXT STEPS

Your DNA is used only to analyze how your body processes medications. PHD Laboratory does not sell, share, or store your DNA for any other purpose. We are CLIA and COLA certified and fully compliant with HIPAA privacy laws, ensuring your genetic information is protected and confidential at all times.

PGx testing is covered by Medicare Part B for eligible patients and may also be paid for using FSA/HSA funds, CareCredit, or private pay options.

For questions, educational information, or to order a PGx test, please visit the PHD Laboratory website or email info@phdlaboratory.com.

Aging has long been framed as a story of decline. Slowing down, scaling back, preparing for what’s next. But that narrative is starting to shift, driven by research, changing expectations and a growing recognition that later life can be defined by strength, purpose and continued growth.

That shift was at the center of a recent conversation on Varsity’s weekly Roundtable, where we were joined by Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging, to discuss The Wellness Revolution: From Decline to Potential. Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from his discussion.

DECLINE WAS A STORY, NOT A DESTINY

For decades, aging was framed around managing decline, largely because of the gap between lifespan and healthspan. But emerging science is rewriting that narrative, showing that decline isn’t inevitable, it’s modifiable.

MINDSET IS A HEALTH INTERVENTION

How people think about aging directly impacts outcomes. A positive outlook, paired with healthy behaviors, can improve both longevity and quality of life, making mindset a critical (and often overlooked) part of wellness strategy.

WELLNESS HAS A DEFINITION PROBLEM

Many communities claim to be “wellness-based,” but without a clear understanding of what wellness actually means, execution falls short. True wellness is active, intentional and rooted in whole-person outcomes, not just programming.

THE MODEL SHIFT IS FROM CARE TO POTENTIAL

Senior living is moving from a place that manages decline to one that unlocks potential. The communities leading the way are designing experiences around purpose, identity and continued growth, not just support.

THE FUTURE RESIDENT IS ALREADY DIFFERENT

Incoming generations are more health-focused, informed and expectation-driven. Communities waiting until residents “need” care risk missing the opportunity to engage them earlier through a wellness-first approach.

WELLNESS ISN’T A PROGRAM, IT’S A COMMITMENT

The communities doing this best aren’t looking for quick wins. They’re investing time, resources and energy into building cultures where wellness is fully integrated, measurable and continuously evolving.

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here. 

 

Dementia is often defined by what people lose, but a more helpful question is what abilities remain. In a recent episode of Varsity’s Roundtable Talk, Derek sat down with Teepa Snow, occupational therapist, educator and founder of Positive Approach to Care, one of the most influential voices in dementia care.

Their conversation explored why fear still shapes public perceptions of dementia, how communication must adapt as brain changes occur and why Snow prefers the term “care partner” over caregiver. She also discusses caregiver burnout and the importance of building stronger community support around people living with dementia. The following are some fresh perspectives from their conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TAKE A POSITIVE APPROACH TO DEMENTIA CARE?

Well, in my experience, I can’t use what you can’t do. It’s not possible. What I can do is engage with you and see what you have. And that’s where we can come into a relationship and I can work with you. I need to tune in to the reality of who you are now, not just who you were and what you’re capable of, because that’s what we have to work with and come together with.

WHY IS FEAR STILL THE DOMINANT EMOTION PEOPLE ASSOCIATE WITH DEMENTIA?

I think human beings, as a rule, like the predictable. They like once they master something, they don’t have to think about it so much. And I think what dementia does is rob us of our knowingness. It forces us back into a space of paying attention, being observant. The reality is dementia is ever changing. You don’t get to relax into routine. You have to stay alert, and maybe people don’t want to be on the job so much.

WHAT MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DEMENTIA DO THE MOST HARM?

The idea that everybody experiences the same kind of losses and changes in the same order. Alzheimer’s tends to take the front seat, but if I’m living with Lewy body or vascular dementia, my symptoms may be very different. It pays to get a pattern established of what I’m living with and how it’s going. And people also think it only happens to older adults and that it’s all about memory. Memory is just this much. There’s a whole lot more going on.

HOW EARLY SHOULD PEOPLE START LEARNING ABOUT BRAIN HEALTH AND CHANGE?

I would like us to learn more about brain health and wellness when we’re younger. Kids know their body parts, but they don’t know the brain parts, and those are super important. If I know how my brain’s supposed to work, then I can notice when it’s doing something unusual. We tend to wait until there’s so much evidence something isn’t going well, and by then we’re past screening and dealing with significant change.

WHY DO YOU PREFER THE TERM “CARE PARTNER” OVER “CAREGIVER”

I believe there is no care about me without me. It’s time to quit treating someone living with dementia like they’re a football and we’re passing them around. It’s their life, their care. I’ve got to figure out how to work with that human being. I can’t just give care because if I give it, you have to receive it. If you don’t want it, you don’t want it. So I have to partner with you.

WHAT ARE EARLY SIGNS OF CARE PARTNER BURNOUT?

If I were to ask you to tell me three things you’ve done today for yourself and you can’t, that’s a sign. If you can’t tell me something you feel good about in your relationship or something that brings you pleasure, it’s time to have a conversation. We don’t train people for this work. We drop them into it and they keep going until they drop. We need to build community around this, not expect one person to carry it all.

Want to hear more from Teepa? 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

“I can’t use what you can’t do. What I can do is engage with you and see what you have. That’s where we can come into a relationship and work together.” (Teepa)

“When you’ve lost something, your brain doesn’t give up. Your brain picks something else to use.” (Teepa)

“Dementia robs us of our knowingness. It forces us back into paying attention and being observant because it’s always changing.” (Teepa)

“I need to tune in to the reality of who you are now, not just who you were and what you used to be capable of.” (Teepa)

“People think dementia is all about memory, but memory is this much. There’s all this other stuff going on.” (Teepa)

“The relationship is going to change dramatically. Living with brain change is hard whether you’re on the inside of it or the outside observing it.” (Teepa)

“My job is not to decide that someone is suffering. My job is to figure out how to support you through what you’re going through.” (Teepa)

“I believe there is no care about me without me. It’s their life and their care, and I have to figure out how to partner with them in it.” (Teepa)

“The reality is they’re not less, they’re different. Their brain works differently, but they’re still living life.” (Teepa)

“Eighty percent or more of this work is done by unpaid people like family and friends, and we don’t train them. We just drop them into it and they keep going until they drop.” (Teepa)

“We need at least three people, maybe five or more. We need to build community around this condition.” (Teepa)

NOTES

Teepa Snow is an occupational therapist, educator and one of the most recognized voices in dementia care. She is known for helping families, care partners and senior living professionals better understand brain change and build more meaningful connections with people living with dementia.

Snow is the founder of Positive Approach to Care, an organization focused on improving dementia care through training, education and practical support strategies. The organization works with families, senior living providers and healthcare professionals around the world to build skills and confidence in supporting people experiencing brain change.

Through Positive Approach to Care and the Snow Approach Foundation, Teepa and her team provide training programs, professional education and community-based demonstrations designed to improve dementia care practices. Her work emphasizes practical communication techniques, recognizing remaining abilities and building supportive communities around people living with dementia. Her programs now reach professionals and families across the United States, Canada and more than two dozen countries.

A positive approach to dementia care focuses on what abilities remain rather than what has been lost, meeting people where they are and building connection through observation, tone, body language and supportive communication.

Fear often dominates public perceptions of dementia because the condition disrupts routines and predictability, forcing family members and care partners to stay attentive and adapt constantly as abilities change.

Dementia is often misunderstood as primarily a memory problem affecting older adults, but brain change can involve many other cognitive functions and can also appear earlier in life depending on the type of dementia.

Communication challenges arise because people living with dementia may struggle to retain new information, making it important for care partners to simplify questions, provide visual cues and offer structured choices rather than open-ended requests.

Care partners often experience burnout because most dementia support is provided by unpaid family members who receive little training or preparation for the emotional and practical demands of caregiving.

Snow encourages replacing the term “caregiver” with “care partner,” emphasizing that the person living with dementia remains the central decision-maker in their own life and that support should be collaborative rather than controlling.

Effective dementia care requires broader community support systems, with multiple people sharing responsibility rather than placing the entire burden on a single family member.

Senior living organizations can improve dementia support by training staff to recognize individual histories, preferences and abilities, allowing residents to continue experiencing purpose, independence and meaningful engagement even as cognitive abilities change.

————-

The following is Part 1 of a two-part series exploring how pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing can help senior living communities navigate medication conversations and support more personalized care. The series is written by Dr. Troy Veale, CEO of PHD Laboratory, a healthcare innovator with more than 25 years of experience in behavioral health and over a decade in laboratory science focused on advancing precision medicine and improving patient outcomes.

————-
In senior living, some of the most important conversations don’t happen on a tour, they happen around medications.

Families ask questions quietly:

• Why is Mom more tired lately?
• Is this medication causing confusion?
• Why does this prescription work for one resident but not another?

Medication management is often treated as a clinical back-office issue. But in reality, it directly affects resident satisfaction, outcomes, staff confidence, and family trust.

For senior living sales teams, executive directors, nurses, and caregivers, medication conversations present both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is complexity. The opportunity is education.

One emerging tool helping shift these discussions is pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing, not as a sales pitch, and not as a replacement for physician oversight, but as a framework for clearer conversations.

Why Medication Conversations Feel Overwhelming

Older adults frequently manage multiple chronic conditions, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, neurological disorders. It is not uncommon for residents to take five, ten, or even more medications daily.

With aging comes physiological changes that affect how the body absorbs, metabolizes, and eliminates drugs. These changes can increase the risk of:

• Adverse drug reactions
• Falls and dizziness
• Increased confusion
• Medication non-adherence due to side effects
• Avoidable hospitalizations

Families often assume these risks are simply “part of aging.” Teams sometimes assume side effects are unavoidable. Providers do their best with the information available.

But what if medication conversations didn’t have to start from a place of guesswork?

A Shift Toward Personalization

PGx testing evaluates how a person’s genetics may influence the way certain medications are processed in the body. It doesn’t diagnose disease. It doesn’t predict future illness. It provides insight into how medications may interact with an individual’s metabolic profile.

For senior living professionals, the most powerful part of PGx testing isn’t the lab result, it’s the conversation it opens.

It creates space to ask:

• Is this medication optimal for this individual?
• Could side effects be reduced?
• Are there alternatives that may align better?
• How can we support safer prescribing conversations?

These are not clinical determinations made by sales staff or caregivers. They are informed discussions that support provider evaluation and collaborative care planning. 

Trust Is Built Through Transparency

Senior living is built on trust. Families are not just choosing a community; they are choosing partners in care.

When medication conversations are proactive rather than reactive, families feel:

• Heard
• Educated
• Involved
• Reassured

Communities that introduce the idea of personalized medication discussions demonstrate alignment with preventative and value-based care models.

Sales teams are uniquely positioned here. They can frame PGx testing as a supportive educational resource, one that enhances provider decision-making and resident well-being.

Rather than saying, “We offer genetic testing,” the conversation becomes:

“We believe in helping families feel confident in every aspect of care — including medications.”

Removing Barriers, Not Adding Complexity

One concern often raised is whether introducing PGx testing adds another layer of complexity to an already overwhelming process. The opposite can be true.

By helping providers evaluate medication suitability earlier rather than later, PGx testing may reduce future medication adjustments, side effects, or avoidable emergency visits. It simplifies long-term decision-making by introducing clearer data into the process.

For caregivers and daughters like Michele, who recently navigated placing her own mother into senior living, clarity around medications is deeply personal. Families want assurance that their loved one is not simply “trying medications”, but receiving informed, thoughtful care.

PGx testing supports that reassurance.

A New Category of Conversation

Senior living has evolved to include partnerships in move management, downsizing, care coordination, and wellness programming. Medication personalization is a natural extension of holistic senior care.

This isn’t about replacing physicians. It isn’t about overstepping clinical boundaries. It’s about strengthening education, transparency, and collaboration.

In Part 2, we will explore the clinical foundation behind PGx testing, how it works, common myths, and why it continues gaining traction in aging populations.

Privacy, Coverage, and Next Steps

Your DNA is used only to analyze how your body processes medications. PHD Laboratory does not sell, share, or store your DNA for any other purpose. We are CLIA and COLA certified and fully compliant with HIPAA privacy laws, ensuring your genetic information is protected and confidential at all times.

PGx testing is covered by Medicare Part B for eligible patients and may also be paid for using FSA/HSA funds, CareCredit, or private pay options.

For questions, educational information, or to order a PGx test, please visit the PHD Laboratory website or email info@phdlaboratory.com.

Occupancy is rising, development remains constrained and the first wave of baby boomers is turning 80 — forces that are quietly redefining senior living’s trajectory. The real story isn’t just momentum, it’s what the data reveals about where the market is headed next. 

On Varsity’s weekly Roundtable, Lisa McCracken, Head of Research & Analytics at the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC), translated NIC’s latest research into clear signals for operators and marketers. Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from her discussion.

DEMAND FOR SENIOR LIVING OUTPACING SUPPLY GROWTH – Occupancy isn’t rising because we suddenly cracked the marketing code. It’s rising because inventory growth is at historic lows while the 80+ population accelerates. The supply-demand gap is doing heavy lifting.

90% IS THE NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL MILE MARKER

With national occupancy nearing 90 percent and record occupied units for 13–14 straight quarters, the industry is regaining confidence. Crossing that threshold signals strength — even if 91.7 percent remains the ultimate benchmark.

PENETRATION IS COMPLEX, NOT DEMOGRAPHIC

Age and income alone don’t determine market success. Cultural norms, policy, labor dynamics, ADLs and local economics all influence penetration. A one percent gain nationally would be massive — but it requires nuance, not shortcuts.

VALUE MUST BE PROVEN, NOT PRESUMED

Feeling impactful isn’t enough. Claims-based research shows residents live longer, have lower mortality and fewer hospitalizations than peers — data that strengthens positioning with payers and prospects alike.

ER VISITS TELL A STORY

Senior housing residents visit the emergency department more often, but are hospitalized less. That tension reveals both opportunity and operational blind spots — and points to the next frontier of improvement.

DEVELOPMENT IS A SLOW SWITCH

Even if capital loosens and construction starts rebound in 15–18 months, extended development timelines mean new supply won’t arrive quickly. Today’s drought could shape market dynamics for years.

DATA IS THE BRIDGE

From value-based care toolkits to expanded market coverage, NIC’s role isn’t just reporting numbers, it’s connecting silos, informing strategy and helping a small but essential sector prepare for a very big future.

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here. 

QUOTES

“Man, it is never about the stuff. It’s always about the people and the memories attached to the stuff.” (Matt)

“It’s not about the dining room table. It’s about the people that sat at the dining room table. Or more importantly, the people that don’t sit at the table anymore.” (Matt)

“It’s proof that we existed. It’s proof that we mattered. It’s proof that they mattered.” (Matt)

“My advice is always don’t talk about the mess if you can see the mess.” (Matt)

“You first start off with, hey, we love you. You have to really, really stress the love.” (Matt)

“It’s all caused by trauma and loss of people that matter. And we’re trying to fill that hole with stuff.” (Matt)

“Dude, it’s an archeological deal. That’s why I love my job every day. It is an archaeological dig. I get to find out when grandma was the coolest person in the world.” (Matt)

“This is the most fascinating week of your life. It could be the most interesting week, and the most productive, and generationally changing week of your life.” (Matt)

“I can’t tell you how many families I’ve seen just breaking up, totally break up over stuff. Because of a sofa? Really? Because of a guitar?” (Matt)

“Let me summarize 300,000 hours for you. It’s never about the stuff and you can’t take it with you. And it’s all about time.” (Matt)

“You’re 80, dude. You’re borrowed time. Do we really want to spend the next three years going through pictures of you going to Acapulco in 1980 with your wife? Or do we just want to go to Acapulco one more time with your wife? Let’s go make some new memories.” (Matt)

“Just have the oldest person in the room point out one item and say, tell me a story about that item. One item, one story, it’ll change your life forever.” (Matt)

NOTES

Matt Paxton is a nationally recognized expert on downsizing, decluttering and guiding families through major life transitions. Known for his 15 years on A&E’s Hoarders and appearances on Filthy Fortunes and Legacy List, he blends compassion, storytelling and practical strategy to help families navigate change.

Paxton is founder of Clutter Cleaner, a national company specializing in estate cleanouts, downsizing and hoarding situations. The organization supports families through emotional and logistical challenges, with a growing franchise model designed to serve communities across the country.

Originally trained as an economist for the Federal Reserve, Paxton built his career after personally cleaning out family homes following multiple losses in his twenties. He has spent more than 300,000 hours in hoarded houses and plans to retire after helping one million families. His work emphasizes donation, reuse and reducing family conflict over possessions.

Clutter is never about the stuff; it represents people, memories and unresolved grief.

Letting go becomes harder with age because possessions feel like proof that we existed and proof that the people we loved mattered.

Families should approach difficult conversations with compassion, leading with love rather than criticism and aligning around a clear “finish line” such as a move to senior living.

Cleaning out a home should be treated like an archaeological dig, uncovering stories that can reshape how younger generations see their parents and grandparents.

Too many families fracture over possessions, even though “you can’t take it with you” and time is the true currency.

Instead of spending years sorting old memories, Paxton urges older adults to create new ones while they still can.

Younger generations are shifting toward experiences, reuse and secondhand goods, signaling long-term cultural change around consumption.

Senior living communities should position themselves as true hubs for storytelling and intergenerational connection, inviting younger generations in to experience the community long before a move is necessary.

Grief is woven into the aging journey, yet in senior living it’s often the quiet undercurrent few talk about openly. Beyond the loss of a loved one, residents may be grieving a move, a change in mobility, a shift in identity or the gradual loss of independence. When those transitions go unacknowledged, they can surface in unexpected ways, from withdrawal and isolation to frustration or agitation. On Varsity’s weekly Roundtable, we explored how creative expression can offer a powerful, compassionate response to that reality.

Alison Schroeder, Creative Arts Coordinator at Goodwin Living, joined Varsity’s weekly Roundtable for an insightful conversation on how art-based programming creates space for emotion, connection and resilience. Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from her discussion.

GRIEF ISN’T JUST ABOUT DEATH, IT’S BUILT INTO THE AGING JOURNEY

From losing a spouse to losing a driver’s license, identity or mobility, grief shows up everywhere in senior living. Communities that acknowledge those quieter losses — not just bereavement — create space for deeper healing.

ART IS THE ANTIDOTE TO LOSS

Grief is about losing. Art is about creating. That shift from absence to expression restores agency, purpose and momentum, especially when so much else feels out of control.

RITUALS EXIST FOR DEATH, NOT FOR TRANSITIONS

We have funerals for loved ones, but no ceremony for stopping driving or moving to assisted living. Creative programming can become the missing ritual that helps residents process life’s unmarked transitions.

PROCESS MATTERS MORE THAN PRODUCT

In memory care and skilled nursing especially, the goal isn’t a perfect painting, it’s engagement. Like exercise, creative practice builds emotional strength even if there’s no masterpiece at the end.

CELEBRATION IS A FORM OF THERAPY

Art shows, books, talks and festivals don’t just showcase talent, they validate identity. Publicly honoring residents’ creative work transforms private struggle into shared pride.

SUPPORT CREATES BREAKTHROUGHS

Creative transformation rarely happens alone. Whether it’s interns, therapists, fellow residents or staff, community collaboration amplifies impact and turns individual expression into collective healing.

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here. 

 

The senior living industry is at an inflection point, shaped by rising demand, shifting expectations and rapid change across care, workforce and media. Recently on Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk, Derek welcomed Kimberly Bonvissuto, content editor at McKnight’s Senior Living.  

During the discussion, Kimberly unpacks the arrival of the “silver wave,” the growing gap between senior living supply and demand and assisted living’s evolution into a more healthcare-driven model. The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

MCKNIGHT SENIOR LIVING IS ONE OF THE INDUSTRY’S MOST RESPECTED PUBLICATIONS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT SENIOR LIVING TODAY, WHAT STORYLINES FEEL MOST IMPORTANT FOR OUR INDUSTRY?

I’d say the silver wave is finally here. The industry needs to find a way to address the discrepancy between supply and demand. There’s just not enough supply right now. According to NIC MAP, development rates are meeting only 25% of the pace necessary to sustain demand. Assisted living is also becoming more of a healthcare setting, and the increasing use of technology and AI is another hot topic.

WHAT’S A TREND THAT YOU THINK THE INDUSTRY IS OVERREACTING TO, AND ONE THAT’S NOT GETTING ENOUGH ATTENTION?

Going back to AI, it’s a hot topic right now, but providers need to be careful that the tech they adopt will solve the issues they’re facing. They shouldn’t be tempted by the shiny object. Not paying enough attention? Solo agers and the middle market. If providers don’t address the middle market, they’re leaving a big opportunity and money on the table.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MORE DRAMATIC CHANGES YOU’VE SEEN IN MEDIA ACROSS YOUR CAREER?

Social media has had a major impact on journalism, good and bad. What I find surprising is how quickly people will believe whatever they read online if it fits into their belief system. The rise of AI is also impacting journalism. But the bigger problem is the dramatic drop in trust and negative attention to mainstream media, which I find shocking and concerning.

HOW MUCH OF YOUR COVERAGE COMES FROM PITCHES VERSUS YOUR OWN IDEAS?

I would actually say it’s pretty equal. A good part of my morning every day is spent reading through email pitches and combing through websites for today’s news and going to associations. So it’s kind of a toss up.

WHAT MAKES A PITCH STAND OUT?

We have to write three stories a day, five days a week. I don’t have time to read through a long, drawn out pitch before I get to what you’re actually pitching. Get to the point right away. I prefer a quick email with a couple sentences and bullet points. And sometimes I get pitched one thing, but I take the story in a completely different direction.

WHAT DO YOU WISH PR TEAMS INCLUDED UPFRONT?

If you’re going to send me something under embargo, have someone available to talk about it immediately. Don’t tell me you’ll get back to me in a week or two. I’m either going to run with what you sent me or I’m going to move on. If you’re not ready, don’t send it.

HOW CAN PROVIDERS BUILD REAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH REPORTERS?

Be responsive. Virtually everyone is going to have an incident that draws negative attention. It’s okay to say you can’t comment, especially on pending litigation. Even better, talk about initiating an internal investigation. Create a statement you can share widely. If I know I can trust you to give me background, I can determine whether it’s truly worth pursuing.

Want to hear more from Kimberly? 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.

The biggest growth opportunity in senior living isn’t at the luxury end of the market — it’s in the middle. As affordability pressures rise and expectations evolve, more older adults are looking for options that feel intentional, flexible and human, without the price tag or tradeoffs of traditional models. Yet much of the industry still isn’t designed to meet them where they are.

That tension was the focus of a recent conversation on Varsity’s weekly Roundtable, where we welcomed Matt Thornhill of Cozy Home Community for a thoughtful discussion on rethinking senior living for the middle market. Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from his discussion.

PEOPLE DON’T WANT “SENIOR LIVING,” THEY WANT A BETTER NEXT CHAPTER

Most older adults delay moving because today’s options feel like a concession, not a choice. Communities that position themselves as proactive lifestyle upgrades — not reactive care solutions — unlock demand years earlier.

CONTROL BEATS INDEPENDENCE EVERY TIME

Boomers aren’t clinging to independence, they’re protecting agency. Rigid schedules, programmed fun, and institutional rhythms erode appeal. The future belongs to models that let residents pilot their own day while still offering support.

THE ‘FORGOTTEN MIDDLE’ IS A DESIGN PROBLEM, NOT JUST A FINANCIAL ONE 

Middle-market senior living doesn’t fail because of demand — it fails because it’s designed like scaled-down luxury or dressed-up affordability. Right-sized homes, shared resources, and smarter delivery models solve more than subsidies ever will.

COMMUNITY DOESN’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT, IT HAS TO BE ENGINEERED

Porches that face inward, smaller clusters, shared pavilions, and intentional onboarding tools all do the heavy lifting. If connection is left to chance, isolation wins. Design is the first community manager.

OWNERSHIP ISN’T THE GOAL, FLEXIBILITY IS

Whether rental or ownership, what matters is removing friction and risk. Nonprofit-owned, rental-first models lower the barrier to entry while still delivering stability, dignity, and real “home” energy.

SERVICES SCALE WHEN PEOPLE CLUSTER

Aggregating residents makes care coordination, wellness services, and even meals more affordable and efficient. Senior living delivered as a service, not a destination, flips the cost equation and expands access.

THE NEXT WAVE OF SENIOR LIVING WILL BORROW FROM EVERYWHERE ELSE

Universities, churches, municipalities, and healthcare systems aren’t competitors — they’re partners. Adaptive reuse, shared land, and co-branded ecosystems will drive growth faster than standalone campuses ever could.

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here.