Argentum President and CEO James Balda appeared on the Elevate Eldercare podcast to discuss what senior living should look like in the decades ahead. The conversation touched on some of the biggest challenges facing the industry as the U.S. enters an unprecedented demographic shift and must begin treating housing, care, workforce development, and healthy aging as interconnected issues rather than separate policy debates.
The podcast episode covered the issues of workforce shortages, housing supply, affordability, and the growing needs of middle-income older adults, or the “forgotten middle” who have too many assets to qualify for Medicaid but struggle to afford private-pay senior living, as one of the defining challenges of aging policy.
The conversation explored how senior living has evolved beyond traditional perceptions, along with the growing role of technology and artificial intelligence, and the need to strengthen human relationships rather than replace them. The discussion also touched on the need to rethink how Americans talk about aging and senior living, with many families only encountering senior living during a crisis, and therefore the importance of proactively helping residents, families, and caregivers tell the industry’s story and highlight the role senior living plays in promoting purpose, connection, and well-being.
Listen here: The Case for a New Kind of Senior Living • Elevate Eldercare