Pamela Toto, professor at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy, shares details on the Pitt Healthy Home Laboratory which develops and evaluates technologies and home services to help people live safely and independently at home. About Pam Pamela Toto, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, FGSA, is a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh and senior scientist in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Healthy Home Laboratory. She is also a Doctor of Clinical Science in Occupational Therapy Program at the University of Pittsburgh, an online post-professional clinical doctorate focused on strategies to implement best evidence in clinical practice. She is an occupational therapist, researcher and educator who is internationally recognized within her field for her expertise in gerontology. Board Certified in Gerontology and a Fellow of  the American Occupational Therapy Association and a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, Dr. Toto has over 30 years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist providing services for older adults in the community and in long term care settings. Dr. Toto’s clinical and research interests focus on the implementation of client-centered interventions in “real world” settings to promote independence, participation and healthy aging in older adults.  She is a national trainer and instructor for evidence-based programs including CarFit, Matter of Balance, and Skills2Care, and  has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and presentations, combined, on topics related to successful aging. Key Takeaways Healthy Home lab brings together professionals who help people age in place to educate students about challenges and develops solutions. Professionals include nurses, social workers, engineers, occupational and physical therapists, physicians, and physician assistants. Occupational therapists are trained to help people across the lifespan with activities of daily living and help people maximize their bodies and minds. The goal is helping older adults remain autonomous and independent as long as possible.  Housing stock in the United States is not ready for aging in place. Only 10% of homes are ready for people to age in place, and in the Northeast it is 6.8%. The dynamic between older adults and adult children is challenging. Older adults want autonomy and adult children choose safety over independence. Older adults are willing to accept some risk to maintain their dignity. It is important to have hard discussions when people are well rather than waiting for a crisis. We must figure out better ways to minimize the risk and find solutions for older adults. Eliminating a person’s chosen activity is not the solution. Young people have fewer natural opportunities to interact with older adults, so working with older adults is not their first impetus. Occupational therapy students are excited about the shift to a preventative model versus Medicare reimbursed “damage control.”