How do you meet the needs of an older adult? You have to pay attention to what matters to them. You have to work with the wisdom and experience they bring to the table. You have to honor their life stories, paying attention to any losses or trauma they may have suffered. And you need a bit of flexibility and creativity in order to think outside the box when it comes to figuring out how they can be engaged in life.

Join me to listen to my conversation with Paul E. Griffin III as we share thoughts, as a provider, on how to best serve older adults.

The best approach for meeting the needs of an older adult is one that takes into account their emotional needs – those things that matter most to them like respect for their dignity; opportunities for social connection; feeling useful; having control over their lives; maintaining good health…and so much more!

Listen to part 1 of our interview here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/765170/8285352-paul-e-griffin-iii-is-your-mom-slowing-down-more-than-she-thinks-part-1-of-2

Timestamps:
[00:00] We can provide an environment, a setting to lend itself for that. But getting the folks to go along with it can be a challenge, especially if, they're experiencing the later part of dementia or have dementia at some point.
[01:36] Having activities for seniors is great, but at times seniors need a nudge to get involved, and this is a form of care itself. How do you make sure that your staff treats their job as that of a caregiver?
[04:00] They all have different temperaments. They came to the community with different life journeys.
[08:54] The thing is it takes another human being with a heart to sit slowly, understand and relate and commiserate, and really reach into their heart and understand.
[11:13] How do you get your staff to find ways of including families in the care plan? Is there a way to make rewards for bringing in families and creating, an enjoyable experience for them?
[12:48] Meals are a great time to come together.
[13:16] Architecture comes into play.
[15:41] We're in the housing, senior housing, we also need to consider we're in the caring business, plus we're in learning how to care best care for folks with dementia.
[18:07] You're making some great impact for young baby boomers, the baby boomers, the silent generation. So you have to keep doing what you're doing.
[20:25] Let's emphasize the caregiving side.
[24:23] 10,000 a day turning 65 for the next several decades.
[25:33] Wrap-up

Bio:
Paul E. Griffin III is the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Griffin Living. A fifth-generation builder with forty years of expertise in real estate development, Paul was inducted into the Forbes Real Estate Council in 2020. Before founding Griffin Living, Paul has overseen the development of projects, including residential homes, apartment complexes, retail centers, and commercial office space. In his career, Paul has created over $4 billion in value and received numerous awards and honors, including Habitat for Humanity's Builder of the Year (Hammer of Hope) and the Building Industry Association's Builder of the Year.

You can learn more about Paul on his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-griffin-iii/

We Believe In Technology's Ability To Take Data From Other Industries And Provide The Right Size Home Care. Why spend so much money on a caregiver when you don't need it? You can do activity monitoring or predictive analytics to see what times of day your loved one struggles with certain tasks. Then use the program's algorithm to predict which days are most likely for these difficulties based on past data before scheduling caregivers in those time slots.

Today I welcome Dr. Char Hu to the program. He’s currently CEO of The Helper Bees, partnering with insurance carriers and health plans to provide the tools for older adults to stay independent, healthy, and at home longer.

We discuss:

• Why Char founded the Helper Bees?
• Aging in America: The impact of a large population of boomers planning to age in place
• A mix of information on payer sources (Long Term Care Insurance & Medicare Advantage) and how they’re leading the charge of innovation in long term care
• The importance of education, resources, and support programs (i.e. Care Concierge)
• The role data plays in the future of Long-term care.

Timestamps:
[00:00] Pre-intro discussion
[01:20] Introduction
[01:53] What was the unmet need that you saw when founding the helper bees?
[03:52] You mentioned your grandmother who was living with Alzheimer was a motivating factor for you in founding helper bee can you talk a little bit, how has this personal experience with Alzheimer's impacted you or motivated you personally and professionally?
[05:55] Do you often keep your own grandmother in mind when working and helping families and their search for quality in-home care?
[10:27] Let's take a step back and talk about the state of American aging and what will the impact of this large population of boomers planning to age in place? What do you think that's going to happen?
[12:50] How does this look different from how previous generations have chosen to age? How do you think this demand shift will impact the senior living industry as a whole?
[14:26] How does having a mix of payer sources like long-term care insurance and Medicare Advantage lead the change in innovation in long-term care?
[16:45] How important is the role of education, resources, and support programs when choosing a long-term care option for yourself or for your loved one?
[18:02] What do you think the role data plays in the future of long-term care?
[19:59] Where are you on this journey?
[20:55] Walk me through, let's say I'm 80 years old living at home. Walk me through the process. How Helper Bees can help me stay at home longer or defer the time that I would have to move into assisted living?
[23:16] In general, where do you think the long-term care industry will go in the next 20 years?
[24:18] Do you have any other thoughts that you would like to share?
[26:14] Wrap-up

Bio:
Char Hu, PhD
CEO at The Helper Bees
After completing his doctorate at Baylor College of Medicine, Char translated his biomedical research experience into Alzheimer’s and dementia care, founding and directing a certified dementia community. He’s currently CEO of The Helper Bees.

As a founder and director of Georgetown Living, a certified dementia communities, he is actively involved in supporting the needs of Central Texas’ older adult community.

Char spends his free time working with local nonprofits focused on issues related to aging, and serving on the boards of directors at AustinUp and Alzheimer’s Texas.

Learn more about Char and his company here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charhu/
The Helper Bees: https://www.thehelperbees.com/

On this episode of Boomer Living, I'll be speaking to Paul E. Griffin III. He is the founder, CEO, and President of Griffin Living, an award-winning development firm with a specialty in innovative senior living communities. With over 40 years in the industry, Paul has a wealth of experience and has received numerous awards and honors along the way, including the hammer of hope habitat for humanities builder of the year award.

We discuss his experience in homebuilding and how that informs his approach to senior living at Griffin Living, COVID protocols and safety measures, and outlook for investors in the senior living space.

Timestamps:
[00:00] Pre-intro discussion
[01:42] Introduction
[02:29] What does it feel like to be a Griffin?
[03:23] Paul's thoughts on real estate development.
[04:51] Tell us a story about how you found capital for your projects and how did it happen and what were the challenges along the way?
[06:20] What are the demographics of your residents and were you able to successfully address the needs and wants of your residents?
[10:53] Tell us about your family's real estate development legacy and what sets Griffin living apart?
[14:16] How has COVID forced these issues about resident care, both mentally and physically to the forefront of the mind, to the developers?
[17:49] You have RNs and MDs, do you also provide telemedicine?
[19:39] How would you suggest people figure out the level of care that they need and balance that with what they can afford?
[20:43] How can assisted living communities shake the stigma that those are places that people don't want to be in, and how do you make assisted living communities, a place where people look forward to and spending their later years? How do you design your communities and services to give the residents a thriving environment to spend with their families in their later years?
[24:46] In independent living, as long as your real estate in the rooms is very versatile. You can transform those rooms into whatever setting that will allow your resident to be imaginative that they're in a different country and just celebrate the living, the vibrance, the wellness of the community.
[27:00] What kind of benefits struggle balance, do you look for in people who make decisions, where you develop?
[29:47] How does competition in places that under-served seniors, help those who choose to live there?
[31:15] The oldest baby boomer turned 75 this year, and as they gradually move into assisted living, what kind of strain is that going to put on the industry over the next 10 to 20 years? Are the baby boomers going to require any specific kind of care different from the previous cohorts?
[39:03] We're all, at some point going to be a caregiver or a recipient of one.
[41:07] How do you manage the balance between running a profitable business and ensuring that your residents are getting the best care possible?

Listen to part 2 of our interview here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/765170/8312327-paul-e-griffin-iii-to-meet-the-needs-of-an-older-adult-is-one-that-takes-into-account-their-emotional-needs-part-2-of-2

Bio:
Paul E. Griffin III is the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Griffin Living. A fifth-generation builder with forty years of expertise in real estate development, Paul was inducted into the Forbes Real Estate Council in 2020. Before founding Griffin Living, Paul has overseen the development of projects, including residential homes, apartment complexes, retail centers, and commercial office space. In his career, Paul has created over $4 billion in value and received numerous awards and honors, including Habitat for Humanity's Builder of the Year (Hammer of Hope)

On this episode of Boomer Living, I'll be speaking to Michael Marley. His passion for helping families through difficult situations surrounding dementia long-term care has led him to counsel thousands of families. His goal is to help them come out of their crisis stronger and with the right next steps for their situation with over a thousand families seen.

Timestamps:
[00:00] Pre-intro discussion
[01:31] Introduction
[02:11] Walk us through why you made the shift in your career and where are you located right now?
[03:19] Do you feel that your past roles prepare you in any way for your current role?
[05:07] What are some of the biggest commonalities that you've seen with the kind of help that they're seeking?
[06:06] How do you tailor your advice for each family? Or each specific family situation? What kind of questions do you ask them to ensure they're getting the right solution for them?
[07:51] Do you ever find it hard to maintain a high level of let's say "empathy" for their specific situation?
[11:40] What are some of the top reasons why a potential resident may be hesitant to enter the senior living community? Do you have any other top reason why a potential resident may be hesitant to go into a senior living community?
[13:03] The emotional needs and commitment to each other are very hard to separate. What solutions can you explore to get around these roadblocks?
[14:30] You cannot give what you don't have.
[15:47] Designing communities that serve the older population.
[18:55] What do you think are the biggest misconceptions our society has around dementia? And why do you think all of these misconceptions exist?
[21:03] How would you know, what's the difference? Senility, cognitive decline, Dementia, Alzheimer. For someone that's outside of the industry, how are they to understand this?
[22:26] Stories of those with dementia: Storytelling, letter writing, family and friends abandoning and not visiting those with dementia. The importance of communication. Just because the person with dementia stops talking doesn't mean they are not listening.
[27:55] There is definitely more need to learn how to communicate, understand, and care in emotional ways with folks with dementia. Everybody needs to be certified to make sure that, but without a heart, it's not going to work.
[29:27] In the future, do you think there'll be more people like you? Who tries to have an understanding of the experiences of the families before trying to match their loved one with the right senior care home?
[30:38] How and when did you find that senior living senior care was your calling?
[32:52] Ultimately your loved one is the one that's going to make a decision and along the way of family members can navigate with them, but ultimately, it has to be what is best for your loved one?
[34:56] Do you have anything else that you would like to share?

Michael Marley's experiences in senior living care homes go back 11 years, all in the UK. In that time, He has had meetings with literally thousands of families, who've typically reached a crisis point with a parent (usually), who is still living at home.

Michael discovered that the commercial side of senior living was very focused on what it thought might look appealing to families, but there was little understanding of the trauma that families themselves go through when arriving at this point in their lives. This then became his area to develop, where very few others were paying that area too much attention.

Recently, Michael has started working on a book, that is specifically for the family, rather than focusing on the future care home resident.

Michael's Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-marley-29633313b/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GetBizults

In today's episode, I'm joined by Ravi Bala, Sandeep Pulim M.D., and Santosh Govindaraju in Clubhouse. This is an audio drop-in app and it's available in the Apple Mobile App Store. We discuss the topic of older adults, adaption of technology, its benefits, barriers, opportunities, and growth. The introductions are in the conversation. And I appreciate the opportunity for the discussion.

Timestamps:
[00:23] Introductions
[04:30] With regard to technology for older adults, are there any other benefits?
[06:57] For older adults, are there ways we can do a better job to design technology so that it can be accessible to all?
[09:01] What other considerations should health technology companies consider when producing technology aimed at serving the older population?
[10:48] Do you have examples of how older adults are using technology to stay healthy and remain independent longer?
[13:03] With one-third of our country now 65 or older. What problems from this may arise that technology can solve?
[15:45] What are the biggest barriers to the adoption of technology for older adults and how can we break down these barriers?
[18:52] How has COVID-19 affected the development of technology for older adults? Being able to readily communicate with their loved ones, for example. And how will this technology allow them to continue to live independently longer?
[20:48] What upcoming technology trends are forming as a result of COVID-19?
[24:57] Hanh's final thoughts: "Focus on making technology with purpose, people and possibilities in mind."
[25:33] Question, answer, and discussion period with the audience.
[49:49] Ravi Bala: "I want a mission to recast this notion of aging to engaged active living with purpose."
[50:05] Wrap-up

Learn more about each of the panel guests here:
Ravi Bala: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravibala/
Sandeep Pulim MD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spulim/
Santosh Govindaraju: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santosh-govindaraju-34650/

The pandemic has highlighted the resiliency of the human spirit across humanity. Particularly through serving older adults, has made many people slow down and give them the time to think about what's important in these crazy times, the genuine compassion, courage, heart, and knowledge of the frontline teams are incredible, especially given that they were entirely understaffed underprepared and under-protected.

It is the worst best case scenario. And there is tremendous pride in being part of a system that must keep going. Here are five of five conversations, and I hope that you will enjoy this recording of friends and industry experts share their silver linings.

Guest Speakers (Timestamps):
[01:02] Joe Anfuso
[06:19] Todd Andrews
[10:46] Nick Merritt
[14:36] Jake Rothstein
[17:09] Stel Valavanis
[21:28] Blair Quasnitschka
[24:15] Steve LaForte
[28:46] Michael Hartman
[33:36] Hanh Brown - Reflection, Summary, and Wrap-up

The pandemic has highlighted the resiliency of the human spirit across humanity. Particularly through serving older adults, has made many people slow down and give them the time to think about what's important in these crazy times, the genuine compassion, courage, heart, and knowledge of the frontline teams are incredible, especially given that they were entirely understaffed underprepared and under-protected.

It is the worst best case scenario. And there is tremendous pride in being part of a system that must keep going. So here are four of five conversations, and I hope that you will enjoy this recording of friends and industry experts share their silver linings.

Guest Speakers (Timestamps):
[01:01] Donika Schnell
[05:45] Stephanie Zeverino
[10:49] Aaron Blight
[13:57] Ravi Bala
[16:03] Michael Holtzclaw
[19:36] Michelle Olson
[21:58] Francis LeGasse Jr.
[24:18] Chris Tharp
[27:14] Destry

Today on Boomer Living we have a returning guest, Joe Anfuso, CFO of MG Properties Group, responsible for directing the financial management of company operations. He’s also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego, teaching classes in Commercial Real Estate Finance and Investment. We're excited to catch up and talk about how Big Data and AI data science are being put to use in real estate today, and how his company coped during this last year through the COVID-19 pandemic, and much more...

[00:00] Pre-intro dialogue
[01:59] Introduction
[02:56] How have you been since the last time that we talked around a year ago?
[04:43] What makes MG Properties group stand out from other similar companies in terms of technology use? Do you think MG is leveraging the technology more?
[06:38] How does MG Properties use predictive analytics to measure things like delinquency rates?
[11:15] How accurate are the types of estimations? How much can one trust them without scrutiny?
[12:30] How can big data be used to develop more accurate property valuations?
[13:48] You mentioned predictive analytics. Are you using forecasting and predictive analytics to forecast market trends?
[15:56] Before data science and AI, five years ago, what was the mode of operation at MG Properties?
[17:07] What sorts of trends are you predicting in the post-pandemic world for multifamily?
[18:19] To what extent is MG Properties using Big Data to predict consumer behavior in the real estate market?
[20:04] How do you make sure that you understand the latest and greatest technology and are able to leverage this knowledge, for the company?
[22:28] Are there limitations of AI, Big Data, and predictive analytics in the real estate space?
[23:56] How can you balance relying on these technologies while also looking at them critically to make sure that we're not putting blind faith in them?
[25:41] What has the pandemic taught you about leadership?
[28:14] Do you have anything else that you would like to add?
[31:22] Wrap-up

Joe Anfuso is a 2015 addition to MG Properties Group, responsible for directing the financial and fiscal management of company Operations, including budgeting, treasury, tax, accounting, information technology, risk management, and insurance. Prior to joining MG, Joe was the CFO and Director of Development with ColRich, a diversified privately held Real Estate company, specializing in Apartment investment, ownership, construction and management (9,400 units), land development, and home building in the Western U.S. Joe’s real estate experience also includes being the COO/CFO of Florsheim Homes, a Northern California based homebuilder/developer, with operations in CA and NV, from 2006 - 2011. Joe was also the CFO for Shea Homes San Diego from 2001-2006 and worked for the international firm Deloitte & Touche. Joe earned his BBA in Accounting and MBA from the University of San Diego. Joe is a Certified Public Accountant, in addition to possessing a California Real Estate Brokers and General Contractors License. Joe is the chairman of the Residential Real Estate Committee for Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate. Recognized as an industry expert, Joe has been a frequent contributor on CNBC television, discussing the housing and real estate markets.

You can listen to Joe's first interview appearance on the show (season1, episode3) here: Lessons Learned From Real Estate Operator And Educator Joe Anfuso

In this episode of Boomer Living, we have Dr. David C. Weisman, MD - Founder of the Clinical Trial Center at Abington Neurological Associates. He has become a leading AD trialist nationwide and has conducted numerous clinical trials in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, working with nearly every major sponsor and investigation to develop disease-modifying drugs in Alzheimer’s disease.

We discuss what Alzheimer's disease is (vs. memory loss, senility, dementia) and how it is diagnosed and is being diagnosed, whether there's hope for a cure for Alzheimer's, what research is being done on Alzheimer's, and how Dr. Weisman managed through the COVID-19 pandemic, and much more...

[00:00] Pre-intro dialogue
[01:15] Introduction
[01:49] Distinguishing between Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive impairments, like memory loss, senility, and dementia.
[03:21] How is Alzheimer's disease diagnosed and then has this method of diagnosis changed at all over the last several years?
[05:30] Details of the Philadelphia Cognitive Exam, the computerized screening system to diagnose and detect dementia that Dr. Weisman invented and validated. What impact has it made on people with dementia?
[07:42] What research are you currently working on, surrounding Alzheimer's?
[09:30] How did you manage doing clinical trials during the pandemic? Did you have to put your research on pause or simply change how it was done?
[12:53] What are the biggest findings that you've uncovered in your Alzheimer's research?
[13:18] What about your research makes you most optimistic about the future of Alzheimer's diagnosis or treatment?
[13:56] You founded a research center and now you conduct research outside an academic center. Explain the difference between the two and why did you do it that way?
[15:38] Would you recommend the COVID-19 vaccines to people with Alzheimer's dementia or other cognitive impairment and are there special side-effects that we should keep an eye on?
[17:58] What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself? Someone who's interested in doing research?
[19:47] What do you think is your biggest strength that enables you to have a unique, impactful effect on older adults or adults with dementia?
[20:41] Wrap-up

David Weisman, M.D., received a BA in philosophy from Franklin and Marshall College, then an MD from Pennsylvania State College of Medicine. After an internship at St. Mary’s Hospital in San Francisco, he completed neurology residency at Yale, where he served as Chief resident. He then went to University California, San Diego for fellowship training in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

You can learn more about Dr. Weisman and his work at: https://www.abingtonneurology.com/providers/weisman/

You can listen to Joe's first appearance on the show (season1, episode8) here: Caring For A Loved One With Dementia with Dr. David C. Weisman MD

In this episode of Boomer Living, we have Jon Warner - Startup Growth Strategy, Digital Health, and Aging Tech Expert, Entrepreneur, and Author.

We discuss the Aging category (demographically and psychographically). Population health data about the aging sector, Innovation and Technology best practices in health for older adults, Innovation, and Technology best practices in areas other than health for older adults, Gaps in the space, and where entrepreneurs/startups should focus their time and energy, and much more...

[00:00] Pre-intro dialogue
[01:41] Introduction
[02:18] Since you've had pretty much every role imaginable, how do you think this benefits you and what you're doing today at Silver Moonshots?
[03:13] What is unique about the aging category, both demographically and psychographically?
[04:12] There are many cohorts within new that age span. How would you break it up, 50 plus to 65? What are the good breaking points?
[06:40] How does population health data help the aging sector move forward?
[07:46] Has this data always been available? What's the history? Has it always been there?
[08:47] How is the way that we're learning about health from a population level changing in the last few years?
[10:16] What are some of the best practices for health innovation in technology for older adults that you've seen?
[11:20] What do you think, or how do you ensure that the solutions are accessible to older adults who may not be as tech literate?
[12:48] Outside of the realm of health, what are the best practices for innovation and technology solutions aimed at older adults?
[14:18] How can entrepreneurs or startups identify gaps in this space and learn where to prioritize our time and resources?
[17:42] Can you tell us why having a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship is so essential?
[18:59] How can other senior-focused companies develop this culture? Do you have any tips for them?
[20:22] What do you see as the future of digital health and aging tech?
[21:23] We can't lump cohorts together
[22:59] On a personal level, what do you think is your biggest strength that enables you to have a unique, impactful effect on digital health and aging tech?
[24:21] You worked with a wide gamut of age span; startups, perhaps millennials and the customers, 50 plus. Do you think working closely with this wide group of people has changed you in any way?
[25:25] Do you have any other thoughts that you would like to share?
[26:08] Wrap-up

5-time company CEO, Jon Warner is a widely respected entrepreneurship expert having founded and led 3 startups (with 2 successful exits).

Warner manages the deal flow into a Los Angeles-based Healthcare investment fund-Adaptive Health Capital and is CEO of Silver Moonshots-a research organization and “virtual incubator” for startups focused on health technology and innovation aimed at the 50+ population. He is also a prolific author having published 40 books, all concerning business, leadership, innovation, and technology-his latest –‘SLAM’ is a question guide for entrepreneurs.

Warner is LA Chapter Ambassador for Aging 2.0 and is Co-chair of the annual “Aging into the Future” conference in LA. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Redlands University where he teaches entrepreneurship.

CEO Jon Warner - Silver Moonshots: http://silvermoonshots.org/

Reference's in the interview:

Steve Blank - Professor of Entrepreneurship at Stanford Engineering: https://ecorner.stanford.edu/contributor/steve-blank/

Joseph F. Coughlin - Director, MIT AgeLab: https://agelab.mit.edu/people/joseph-f-coughlin
AgeLab: https://a