Jarmin Yeh, Institute for Health and Aging at University of California, San Francisco: Making the Future A Better Place to Grow Old

Eleven thousand people turn sixty-five every day in the US, a pace which is continuing to intensify the challenges of providing adequate care for seniors. On this episode of WorkforceRx we're going to learn what this means for the quality of life of the elderly population -- especially for those with dementia and their caregivers -- from Jarmin Yeh, associate professor in the Institute for Health and Aging in the School of Nursing at University of California, San Francisco. “There is a big gap between what people desire and what services and programs are available and accessible in two ways: physically accessible, but also accessible from the standpoint of language, being culturally inclusive, and accommodating to the different needs that an older adult may have,” she explains. Closing that gap, Yeh says, requires a collective approach that includes policy makers, municipal planners, caregivers, care recipients and community members at large, all focused on creating the age-friendly built environment and opportunities for social connection that seniors need to thrive. Join Futuro Health CEO Van Ton-Quinlivan for an in-depth look at those issues, plus promising workforce training programs for direct care workers, efforts to boost community-wide awareness of the signs of dementia, and small adaptations in the home that can enhance comfort and safety for seniors.