Tips From Trestle

🚨 Connecting Communities with AARP - Episode 410 Recap🚨 In the latest episode of Tips from Trestle, Rodney Harrell, PhD from AARP shared seven housing mega trends shaping the future of senior living. From demographic shifts to affordability challenges, Dr. Harrell offered actionable insights for operators to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape. Key takeaways include: 🏘️ Designing adaptable communities that evolve with residents' needs. 🤝 Building closer ties between senior living and local neighborhoods for better engagement and efficiency. 🗣️ Advocating for zoning flexibility to enable diverse housing models like ADUs and co-housing. As Dr. Harrell said, "We just can't keep doing the things we've always done and hope for success in the future." Check out the article and listen to the full episode (https://pod.fo/e/2c0f1d) for more insights on how these trends can transform senior living communities! 🌟 #SeniorLiving #HousingTrends #CommunityEngagement #TipsFromTrestle

Dementia is complex and deeply personal. As Alexis Baker explains, it’s not just memory loss—it’s a progressive, degenerative condition that can change how a person thinks, behaves, and experiences the world around them. There are dozens of types of dementia, and no two individuals experience it the same way. As their cognitive world narrows, many begin to retreat inward, becoming disengaged and disconnected from the people around them. That’s why the work of music therapists and care professionals is so critical—not to “fix,” but to reconnect, restore dignity, and provide a sense of self through meaningful, emotional engagement. 🎧 Tune in: https://pod.fo/e/2c44fb #TFT411 #DementiaCare #MusicTherapy #SeniorLiving

Music therapy offers a rare gift—the ability to reach people through memory, rhythm, and emotion when other forms of communication fade. It’s time to stop seeing it as extra—and start treating it as essential. 🎧 https://pod.fo/e/2c44fb #TFT411 #DementiaCare #MusicTherapy #SeniorLiving

Music isn’t just background noise—it’s a powerful therapeutic tool. 🎶 Aaron sits down with Alexis Baker, board-certified music therapist and founder of Bridgetown Music Therapy, to explore how music therapy is transforming senior living communities. From boosting cognitive function in dementia care to easing anxiety and encouraging social connection, Alexis shares how rhythm, melody, and memory intersect to create moments of healing and joy. Her virtual therapy programs, launched during the pandemic, are now helping communities nationwide bring purposeful music engagement into the lives of their residents—no matter the setting. 🎧 Tune in: https://pod.fo/e/2c44fb Connect with Alexis & Bridgetown Music Therapy: @bridgetownmusictherapy on IG/FB | @bridgetownmt on YouTube | LinkedIn bridgetownmt.com

Aaron reflects on how food and engagement efforts aim to bring people together—but it’s even more powerful when residents are part of a larger, living ecosystem. From transportation access to cross-generational programming, senior living communities need to blur the lines between “inside” and “outside.” 🎧 Listen here: https://pod.fo/e/2c0f1d #TFT410 #ResidentEngagement

Dr. Rodney Harrell shares how transportation and access impact everything from staff retention to resident well-being. Communities that are easier to reach tend to be more social, more visited, and more engaged. And when we ignore connection, we underestimate the true cost of isolation. 🎧 https://pod.fo/e/2c0f1d #TFT410 #SeniorLiving #TransportationMatters

Dr. Rodney Harrell of AARP breaks down 7 housing megatrends that are reshaping how we think about where and how we live. It’s a reminder that doing what’s “always worked” isn’t enough anymore. These trends help senior living leaders stay future-focused—and resident-centered. 🎧 Listen here: https://pod.fo/e/2c0f1d #TFT410 #FutureOfHousing #SeniorLiving

For centuries, the U.S. had more children than older adults. That’s shifting—and so should the way we think about housing. Dr. Rodney Harrell of AARP points out a key challenge: we build for one generation, one lifestyle, and one idea of aging. But today’s older adults are looking for options. They want connection, flexibility, and spaces that grow with them—not outdated assumptions. It’s time to think beyond one-size-fits-all. 🎧 Listen: https://pod.fo/e/2c0f1d #TFT410 #SeniorLiving #FutureOfHousing #AgingInPlace #LivableCommunities #ConnectedCommunities #UrbanPlanning

Aaron reflects on how senior living communities often prioritize having everything under one roof… but may unintentionally isolate residents from the broader community. In this episode, Dr. Rodney Harrell of AARP explores how local engagement, like visiting a library, volunteering at schools, or attending events—can be just as essential to well-being as on-site amenities. 🎧 Tune in: https://pod.fo/e/2c0f1d #TFT410 #SeniorLiving

“Every housing decision is a compromise—but what if we reduced the downsides?” Dr. Rodney Harrell of @AARP breaks down why more people 50+ want to stay where they are—and how better options can make that possible. 🎧 https://pod.fo/e/2c0f1d #TFT410 #AgingInPlace #FutureOfHousing