I truly enjoy hearing stories about how people have made their way into the world of eldercare.  Many were inspired by experiences with older adults when they were young, and such is the case for me.

I just returned from spending two days in Columbus, OH at the Ohio Healthcare Association Conference with my AGE-u-cate colleague V'Ann Guiffre.   I now realize how much I have missed interacting in person with "my people."  There is just something about people that work in Aging Services!  I won't do justice in explaining what I mean, but you know, there is just something there.   

There will be a wonderful gathering of Aging Services professionals on Saturday, August 21 in Chicago to celebrate the life of our friend, colleague, and passionate advocate for dementia capable care, William Keane.  Bill is one of the many mentors who shaped my philosophies and personal mission in eldercare, and I am honored to be one who will share how Bill continued to teach me, even in the later stages of dementia. In Bill's honor, I would like to share a snippet, because it is a reminder to all of us that wisdom still lives inside a person with dementia.

In today’s evolving world of healthcare and human services, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: the next generation must be better equipped to care for an aging population. That preparation starts not in the clinic or at the bedside—but in the classroom.