This week, "Elevate Eldercare" has the true honor of welcoming former U.S. surgeon general and current Green House Project board member Dr. Joycelyn Elders for a discussion of her trailblazing life and career.

Dr. Elders's drive and talents took her from a childhood in poverty to the heights of federal influence, serving as the first Black surgeon general in American history – while also powerfully living her mother's advice to always speak out and tell the truth, no matter the personal cost.

With humor and refreshing honesty, Dr. Elders shares her perspectives on racism, sexism, and all the other -isms that continue to shape the way health care is provided in the United States. As an elder herself, she also provides insights into what she might want out of the U.S. eldercare landscape, and how supports and services might fit into her still-busy life as a widely sought-after and admired public health expert.

In keeping with Dr. Elders's mantra of speaking out, be advised that this episode contains some frank language during discussions of racism and sexual health.

Show notes/call to action: Learn more about The Green House Project: www.thegreenhouseproject.org

Read more about Dr. Elders's book, "From Sharecropper's Daughter to Surgeon General of the United States of America" https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-688-14722-8

Explore Dr. Elders's full biography: https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_98.html