AgingIN On the Road… Advancing Innovation Wherever We Go
Let’s connect in Philadelphia!
AgingIN is headed to the LeadingAge Annual Meeting, October 25-28. If you’ll be there, stop by our exhibit to meet the team, exchange ideas, and talk about what’s next for person-directed living and aging services. AgingIN CEO, Susan Ryan, and Project Coach, Zoie Garza, will be there and look forward to connecting with you!
Connect with AgingIn
Education Opportunities.
Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep moving person-directed living forward with upcoming virtual education from AgingIN.
Empowered Nursing
Strengthen nurses as leaders of person-directed practice.
Through interactive learning and real-world application, participants build skills as Influencers, Partners, Advocates, and Gerontological Clinicians while strengthening resident well-being and interdisciplinary relationships.
Leading Small House Living
Bring the philosophy of small house living to life.
Learn how to balance quality, accountability, and performance while building the autonomy, relationships, and ownership that allow person-directed small house teams to thrive.
Morningside Ministries Celebrates Grand Opening of New Green House Homes.
A significant Green House milestone was celebrated on September 16 as Morningside Ministries officially opened Morningside Homes at The Meadows in San Antonio, Texas.
Developed in partnership with AgingIN and The Green House Project, the new neighborhood includes four Green House homes, each designed for 12 residents. The homes offer private bedrooms and bathrooms, family-style dining, welcoming living spaces, and kitchens where meals are prepared daily—all within an environment designed to support choice, independence, meaningful relationships, and a true sense of home.
The grand opening represents an especially exciting milestone: Morningside Homes are the first Green House homes in South Texas, expanding access to an innovative alternative to traditional long-term care in the region.
AgingIN is proud to have supported Morningside Ministries throughout its Green House journey. AgingIN CEO, Susan Ryan joined Morningside’s CEO, Patrick Crump to celebrate with its leaders, team members, residents, families, and community as the doors officially open.
Congratulations to the entire Morningside Ministries team—and welcome to the Green House community!
Growing the Green House Community: Welcome Advocates for Aging Care.
AgingIN is pleased to welcome Advocates for Aging Care (AAC) as the newest organization beginning its journey to develop a Green House community.
Founded in 2023, AAC was created in response to a critical shortage of skilled nursing beds in Champaign County, Illinois. Working alongside government and health officials, community organizations, and local residents, AAC has been focused on a long-term solution that will allow older adults and their families to access high-quality care closer to home. Today, the charitable organization is working to bring an innovative, person-centered skilled nursing community to Champaign County.
That vision makes the Green House model a natural fit.
Green House communities are designed around a fundamentally different vision for long-term care—one where older adults live with dignity, autonomy, meaningful relationships, and a true sense of home. Just as importantly, the model creates an organizational culture that empowers the people closest to residents and supports person-directed living every day.
As AAC moves from vision to development, AgingIN will bring decades of Green House experience to the partnership, providing guidance, education, and support to help translate Green House principles into the design, operations, workforce practices, and culture of the future community.
We are proud to welcome Advocates for Aging Care to the Green House community and look forward to supporting their work to create a new option for older adults and families in Champaign County.
Could Green House Be Part of Your Organization’s Future?
Whether you are just beginning to explore an idea, evaluating the feasibility of a new development, or ready to move a project forward, AgingIN can help. Our team supports organizations throughout the Green House and small house development journey—from early exploration and planning through design, operations, workforce preparation, education, implementation, and long-term sustainability.
Reach out to AgingIN to start the conversation about what Green House or small house living could look like in your community.
New Episodes Now Live: Elevate Eldercare Podcast.
Catch up on the last few weeks of powerful, thought-provoking conversations with host, Susan Ryan, AgingIN™ CEO. Tune in every Wednesday for bold insights, honest dialogue, and fresh perspectives on transforming eldercare through the AgingIN model.
Maggie Calkins- 9/2/26
How can the places we build transform the experience of aging? In this inspiring episode of Elevate Elder Care, Trailblazer Award recipient, Maggie Calkins, shares how decades of research have reshaped dementia care through thoughtful, person-directed design. From pioneering memory care environments to advocating for homes—not institutions—Maggie reminds us that great design begins by asking one simple question: Would I want to live here?
Lynn Katzman – 9/9/26
What does independence really mean as we age? In this inspiring episode of Aging Today, Juniper Founder and CEO, Lynn Katzman, shares how a lifetime of innovation—and lessons learned from her Holocaust survivor parents and entrepreneurial grandmother—shaped her vision for senior living. Discover how value-based care, technology, wellness, and a simple but powerful idea—that independence is the presence of choice, not the absence of support—can transform the future of aging.
Paul & Deanna Stroud – 9/16/26
Living with Parkinson’s has meant profound change for Paul and Deanna Stroud, from giving up beloved outdoor activities to navigating the emotional realities of illness and caregiving. In this moving episode of Elevate Elder Care, they join Susan Ryan to share how an unexpected connection to the Second Verse Choir helped Paul rediscover something Parkinson’s had not taken away: his lifelong love of music. What began with one rehearsal became a powerful source of community, purpose, belonging, and joy—and even inspired Paul and Deanna to begin embracing more of life together again. Their story is a beautiful reminder that meaningful engagement isn’t simply about staying busy; it’s about helping people reconnect with who they are, what they love, and what gives them a reason to look forward to tomorrow.
Kimberly Green – 9/23/26
How do we transform elder care? Kimberly Green believes it starts by seeing care through the eyes of the person receiving it. After surviving a life-changing accident and traumatic brain injury, Green dedicated herself to creating a truly integrated model of care that combines clinical excellence with dignity, purpose, wellness, and home. In this inspiring episode of Elevate Elder Care, she shares why collaboration, innovation, and a willingness to “dream without boundaries” can reshape the future of aging.
James Balda – 9/30/26
The demographic shift we’ve been anticipating is here—and James Balda, President and CEO of Argentum, sees an opportunity to build a better future for aging. In this episode of Elevate Elder Care, James joins Susan Ryan to explore some of the most pressing issues facing senior living, including workforce shortages, housing supply, affordability for the “forgotten middle,” memory care, technology, and our fragmented long-term care system. Throughout the conversation, one principle remains central: older adults deserve choice, dignity, connection, and a place they can truly call home. James also shares why changing perceptions of senior living starts with something all of us can do—tell the stories of residents, families, and caregivers and use those voices to advocate for a more accessible and sustainable future.
Culinary Corner.
Is Your Kitchen Holiday-Ready?
October is the perfect time to get ahead of the busy holiday season. Before November and December bring special meals, celebrations, family gatherings, and increased food production, take a few minutes to look at your culinary operations with fresh eyes.
Start with the basics. Are refrigerators and freezers organized, clean, and maintaining proper temperatures? Is dry storage areas free of expired or unnecessary items? Is equipment functioning properly? Are thermometers available, calibrated, and being used consistently? Are cleaning schedules current—and, more importantly, are they being followed?
This is also a great time to check inventory. Holiday menus often require ingredients and equipment that aren’t part of everyday operations. Reviewing needs now can prevent last-minute substitutions, rushed orders, or discovering that a piece of equipment isn’t working when you need it most.
Don’t forget your team. Take time to refresh expectations around safe food handling, proper cooling and reheating, cross-contamination, sanitation, and allergen awareness. A quick kitchen huddle or hands-on refresher can be far more effective than waiting until an issue occurs.
Finally, look at your holiday plans early. Coordinate menus, staffing, purchasing, special events, and kitchen production so the culinary team isn’t trying to manage everything at the last minute.
A little preparation in October can make for a safer, smoother, and much more enjoyable holiday season—for everyone.
Culinary Corner Challenge
Take 15 minutes this month and walk through your kitchen as if you were seeing it for the first time. Identify three things you can clean, organize, repair, replace, or improve before the holiday rush begins.
Living the Model…Real World Experiences from GREEN HOUSE® Adopters.
Sages: Trusted Mentors Helping Shahbazim Thrive
When a new Green House home opens, there is a lot to learn—not only for the Elders and families, but also for the Shahbazim who are building a new way of working together. Across Green House homes, Sages bring their wisdom, experience, and encouragement to support and mentor Shahbazim as they grow into their roles on a self-managed work team. These community volunteers bring wisdom, experience, and an open heart to an important role: serving as a coach, advisor, and mentor to the Shahbazim, the self-managed work team.
A Sage develops trusted relationships with the Shahbazim and provides a sounding board as they navigate the opportunities and challenges of working as a self-managed team. They encourage team members to build their problem-solving and decision-making skills, offer support when someone needs additional guidance, and help Shahbazim grow in confidence as they take ownership of their roles. Just as importantly, Sages listen, ask questions, encourage reflection, and celebrate successes—teaching rather than telling and supporting rather than taking over.