Episode 14:5 Esther Greenhouse on Helping Older Adults Thrive by Design

With degrees in design, gerontology, environmental psychology, and community planning, Esther Greenhouse brings a unique perspective to housing and communities. Learn about Silver to Gold’s Enabling Design Approach that eases the staffing crisis by creating environments that support independence and allow people of all ages to flourish.

About Esther

Esther Greenhouse, CEO of Silver to Gold Strategic Consulting, is a strategist and environmental gerontologist bringing a unique constellation of experience and expertise in design, gerontology, environmental psychology, and planning, to help organizations and communities excel at meeting the needs of those 50+ and enable them to THRIVE!

Her unique Enabling Design Approach informed AARP International’s Equity by Design initiative, as well as the design of the nation’s first elder-focused Emergency Room at the request of Dr. Bill Thomas. Esther co-authored the American Planning Association's Aging in Community Policy Guide, is an industry scholar for the Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures and served as the Strategic Director for one of the nation’s first Age-Friendly Centers for Excellence. The International Well Building Institute has appointed Esther to their newly formed Investing for Health Advisory.

For 10 years she was the primary caregiver for her mother.

Key Takeaways

• Environments impact the functioning and well-being of older adults, for better or worse. An optimal fit between the person and environment allows the highest level of independence.

• The greater the gap between a person’s abilities and what an environment demands, the more they are subjected to environmental press–when the person is pushed to an artificially lower level of functioning by design.

• Status quo environments are designed for a small subset of the population—the average height male between the ages of 20 and 40. We design for the highest physical cognitive and sensory abilities; everybody else has to adapt.

• In 2010 we had approximately seven potential caregivers for every older adult. By 2050, it will be less than three. Enabling Design leverages the built environment to reduce demand for long-term care.