✨ Ageism in Managed Senior Communities

I'll post this on the Ageism forum as well. It cuts across several concerns we all have: costs, ageism, and continuum of care issues.

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"Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living: A Mindshift" by Jill Vitale-Aussem challenges traditional approaches to senior living by addressing societal biases such as ageism, paternalism, and ableism. Drawing from her extensive experience in managing senior living communities, Vitale-Aussem critiques the prevalent hospitality model, arguing that it can inadvertently diminish residents' sense of purpose and independence. She advocates for creating environments that promote autonomy, self-efficacy, and meaningful engagement for older adults.

HealthPro Press

The book has received positive reviews:

• Amazon: Readers commend the book for its insightful critique of current senior living practices and its call for transformative change.
• Amazon
• Goodreads: Users appreciate the author's perspective on fostering vibrant, purpose-driven communities for elders.
• Goodreads
• Midwest Book Review: The publication describes the book as "exceptionally well written, organized and presented," recommending it for personal reading and academic collections.
• HealthPro Press

These reviews highlight the book's impact in encouraging a reevaluation of senior living paradigms to better support the well-being and growth of older adults.

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Richmond Shreve

NaCCRA Board Member

Forum Moderator

I agree with Kay Roberts in recommending Jill Vitale-Austin's book. Here's what I wrote about the book last year in these forums:

"I highly recommend to any NaCCRA member a very engaging book called "Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living".

If you wonder what's the appeal of the book for us in NaCCRA...

It's a call for action to transition CCRCs from the old institutional "hospitality" mindset to vibrant communities. It's a call to CCRCs to enliven their residents by engaging and empowering us as welcome collaborators in the building of our own communities. It's a shout out to CCRC managements and staff -- and to residents!! -- to transform the culture from a brainless resort for the aged to a campus of possibilities, active engagement and growth.

This 2019 book calls for an end to agism and paternalism. And it calls for a radical new emphasis on empowering residents to collaborate in solving the problems and creating thesolutions that will make their communities stronger, more enlivening, more social, less isolating and more resilient.

You might say that the book sounds like it was written by a NaCCRA activist. But it was actually authored by a woman who is now the CEO of the management company for a group of CCRCs in Colorado -- Jill Vitale-Aussem of the Christian Living / Cappella group of 9 CCRCs. During her lifelong career leading senior living facilities of several kinds, she has become fired up by the insights of innovative culture-change nonprofits like the Eden Alternative.

This 180-page quick and inspiring read is available in paperback and Kindle here: https://www.amazon.com/Disrupting-Status-Quo-Senior-Living-ebook/dp/B07WHDQLYP/ref=sr_1_1

-Barry Peters

I agree with all the folks who have praised the book "Disrupting the Status Quo". A small group of us here at Applewood (in Massachusetts) used the book for a series of gatherings of residents to talk about enhancing the life in our community. It resulted in a number of ad hoc committees that made recommendations for our "cluster" or neighborhood groups, for our active residents' association, for changes in staffing and changes in a number of policies. It was very successful - the administration was a part of many of the discussions and very supportive of our efforts..

The Amazon Prime link that is provided shows a cost of $56 for the 180 page paperback. I was prepared to order the book but the price seems way out of line. Can anyone explain this?

This book is in high demand.

This book, "Disrupting the Status Quo", is available at Health Professions Press for $31.99.

Also on Thriftbooks.com and a couple of other online sellers.

It is vitally important for retirees to get a grasp on the effects of ageism on our daily lives! Our health, happiness, and longevity depends on it. Studies abound on how elders who receive better regard do better and live longer, and that's a fact.

The attitudes that drive ageism, and the other discriminatory "isms," are so deeply ingrained in our attitudinal systems as to function out of sight.

Jill Vitali-Aussem's book is a milestone work of benefit to providers and retirees alike. It is the first giant step toward more equitable retirement living. This book is well worth the investment. Every retirement community would benefit from having a copy in the library, or a few to loan about.

Many providers operate out of an attitudinal system called the medical-model by which elders are considered to "have something wrong with them." Then, the provider's job becomes "how to fix it," and the provider acts as the expert. That sets up a power differential that is not good for the recipient. Growth and well-being does not emanate from merely fixing what is wrong.

The book demonstrates a strengths-model system in which persons talents, assets, experience, expertise, desires, and hopes are integrated into mutually collaborative interactions to enhance the strengths. Different huh? Strength model thinking is enriching for provider and recipient alike, it is forward looking and growth producing.

Let's start sharing the insights we each glean from this enlightening book, to see what we come up with.