Laura Latham 
Image © Gensler/ Ryan Gobuty
“As a society, we tend to believe that each generation is an insular one, and that the interests of each are unique and separate from those of others. But now more than ever, people young and old must join forces to address problems that affect both of their communities.” Michael Eisner
Image Jeff Sheldon, unsplash.com
According to AgingCare.com, 43 percent of senior citizens today are lonely and, therefore, significantly more likely to suffer health problems and die at a younger age. This illuminating and overlooked statistic illustrates how shortsighted the current paradigm for retirement communities is and why we must change how we think about senior living.
JLABS @ TMC, part of a network of life science incubators meant to catalyze discovery in the field. Photo: Shau Lin Hon, Slyworks Photography .
This post is part of a blog series related to Dialogue 30, "The Livability Issue.”
Bonny Slater 
Image © Gensler
This post is part of a series related to Uniting Healthcare + Community.
If you are a healthcare provider, you know it is no longer good enough to simply provide excellent medical care. The rapid growth and expansion of outpatient health care services have created a fiercely competitive market where patients (finally) have a choice. Hospital systems are becoming health systems with primary care networks; community clinics are expanding to vie for the growing insured populations; and disruptive retail and telehealth providers are filling the gaps with on-demand care. Add to this the rise of high-deductible health plans and patients not only have a choice in where they seek care—they are financially motivated to make informed decisions that maximize value. Patients have become consumers, and only the healthcare providers who understand what their patients really want will win their loyalty.
The Healthcare and Paradigm Shift, Image © Gensler
This post is part of a series related to Uniting Healthcare + Community.
Amid the hustle and bustle of the hospital lobby at University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), a healthy man spends many of his days with strangers-made-friends—the security guard, the little lady that runs the gift shop, and the customers at his favorite cookie stand. He’s there not out of obligation or necessity—he’s neither sick nor a hospital employee. He’s there for community. A few years back his wife had passed; he came back to the hospital to feel a connection to her. In doing so, he created community, through an unconventional way and in an unexpected place.
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