Future Age – March/April 2010 - 5

from	the	editor
Reimagineers
b y G e ne Mitchell

A

s	we	developed	this	issue,	we	encouraged	members	to	tell	us	 how	they	have	rethought,	reconfigured	and	rejuvenated	the	 way	they	operate,	the	services	they	offer,	and	even	their	business	 models.	I	expected	a	robust	response	and	was	not	disappointed.	 Providers	are	forming	partnerships,	looking	for	new	revenue	 sources	and	positioning	themselves	to	thrive	as	we	slowly	dig	out	 of	the	recession,	and	in	the	face	of	ongoing	uncertainty	about	the	 economic	and	regulatory	environment	of	years	to	come. In	the	first	two	features	of	this	issue	you’ll	read	the	stories	of	a	 dozen	AAHSA	members	who	have	proactively	reimagined	their	 work,	but	we	have	heard	from	many	more	members	with	their	 own	stories	to	tell.	FutureAge	will	continue	to	chronicle	the	best	 innovations	of	these	members	in	future	issues. Those	first	two	features,	“New	Ways	to	Thrive”	(p.	6)	and	“Sustainable	Partnerships	Broaden	Missions	and	Goals”	(p.	14),	tell	of	 a	variety	of	strategies:	developing	new	revenue	sources,	partnering	to	improve	services	(or	in	a	couple	of	cases,	partnering	to	 survive),	and	changing	an	organizational	profile	to	help	historically	underserved	populations. Part	of	rethinking	business	models	ought	to	be,	I	think,	helping	consumers	do	some	rethinking	of	their	own;	to	help	them	 better	understand	the	aging	services	“system,”	how	its	many	parts	 work	together,	and	the	value	of	mission-driven	providers.	(I	put	 “system”	in	quotes	because	of	some	of	my	own	family	experiences	 in	which	it	did	not	look	very	seamless	or	systematic	to	people	 suddenly	trying	to	cope	with	a	loved	one’s	health	crisis	and	all	its	 consequences.)	See	“Helping	Consumers	Navigate	Aging-Services	 Options”	(p.	22)	to	learn	what	some	providers,	individually	and/ or	collectively,	are	doing	to	be	the	trusted	sources	of	information	 and	practical	help	for	consumers. One	model	we’ll	be	talking	about	and	fine-tuning	constantly	in	 years	to	come	is	housing	plus	services—a	practical	approach	that	 is	popular	with	consumers	and	is	being	continually	improved	by	 providers.	“Housing	+	Services	=	Independence”	(p.	26)	is	a	look	 at	what	providers	are	doing,	and	why	AAHSA’s	Institute	for	the	 Future	of	Aging	Services	has	made	it	a	research	priority. For	a	look	at	the	consequences	of	a	difficult	and	changing	 economy	and	how	it	affects	consumers,	see	“Financial	Grief	and	 Senior	Consumers”	(p.	32)	and	“Tougher	Times,	Sharper	Thinking	(p.	34).”	The	former	offers	insight	into	the	attitudes	of	seniors,	 and	the	latter	is	the	result	of	interviews	we	did	with	a	group	of	 business	leaders	who	serve	the	aging-services	field.	You’ll	find	 their	comments	on	how	providers	are	surviving	and	thriving	in	 recessionary	times	very	interesting. Fostering	international	cooperation	may	sound	like	a	daunting	task,	but	maybe	it’s	not	so	complicated	after	all.	“The	Power	 of	Hello”	(p.	40)	demonstrates	that	point	with	a	positive	story	of	 how	a	random	encounter	led	to	exchange	programs	that	are	now	 helping	providers	almost	7,000	miles	apart. Closer	to	home,	readers	who	like	stories	of	adventure	and	 determination	might	enjoy	“Honoring	Real—and	Rare—Courage”	(p.	48),	in	which	a	small	stand	for	principle	illustrates	a	 larger	truth.	
futureAge	| January/February 2010

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Future Age – March/April 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Future Age – March/April 2010
