In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, host Nancy Griffin interviews Jeff Gray, founder and CEO of AgeTech Connect. They discuss Gray's personal journey into the AgeTech space, innovative technologies that are making a difference, the challenges of funding startups in this sector, and the importance of addressing ageism in entrepreneurship. They also highlight the upcoming AgeTech Connect Summit and the resources available for those interested in AgeTech.

About Jeff

Jeffrey Gray is the Founder & CEO of AgeTech Connect, the fastest-growing ecosystem of AgeTech innovators worldwide. By convening startups, investors, healthcare leaders, and caregivers, Jeff is positioning Atlanta as the global center for excellence and innovation in AgeTech, while also making it best place for older adults and their loved onesto call home. Originally founded as AgeTech Atlanta the organization has grown to include innovation hubs in twelve cities throughout the US and Canada.

A serial entrepreneur, Jeff moved to Atlanta after selling his first tech venture to RealEstate.com and has since advised and mentored numerous startups in healthcare and technology. He has also held key leadership roles with nonprofit organizations such as City of Refuge, Points of Light, and Open Hand Atlanta—bridging technology, community health, and life sciences to create meaningful impact.

Key Takeaways

• AgeTech is any technology or tech-enabled service that improves the experience of aging. The AgeTech ecosystem encompasses a wide range of technologies beyond healthcare and home care, including travel and tourism, transportation, housing, retail, media and fintech.
• AgeTech Connect has volunteer-led virtual communities in 12 US cities throughout the US and Canada: Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, New York City, Washington DC, Boston, Toronto, Nashville, and Atlanta, hosting 45 - 50 in-person networking events a year.
• The largest segment of AgeTech is caregiving solutions. In the United States, more employees are balancing responsibilities for elder care than for childcare—and this challenge affects people at much younger ages than many realize.
• A story-led motivation based on personal experiences can be an inspiration for developing an AgeTech product, but must include a thoughtful go-to-market strategy. AgeTech founders need to understand the problem they are solving.

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, host NancyGriffin interviews Susie Ellis, Chair, CEO, and Co-Founder of the Global Wellness Summit and the Global Wellness Institute. They discuss the evolution of wellness, the importance of healthspan over lifespan, and the role of research in defining wellness. Susie shares insights on the history of the Global Wellness Summit's, the nonprofit initiatives, and the significance of social connections in wellness. The conversation also touches on biohackingtrends, self-care for aging well, and the future of wellness and longevity.

About Susie

Susie Ellis is the chair and CEO of the nonprofit Global Wellness Institute, considered the industry’s leading global research and educational resource. She is also chair and CEO of the Global Wellness Summit, an organization at the heart of the multi-trillion-dollar global wellness economy focused on facilitating collaboration amongst industry thought leaders.

Recognized as a leading authority on wellness trends, shesits on numerous academic and industry boards, including the EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, and was also a member of the World Economic Forum’s “Accelerating Health and Well-being Initiative.” She holds an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Key Takeaways

• The Global Wellness Institute provides wellness research at no cost. Research is crucial for defining and understanding wellness and longevity.
• The Global Wellness Institute defines 11 sectors of the $6.3 trillion dollar wellness economy: Wellness Real Estate; Physical Activity; Healthy Eating, Nutrition and Weight Loss; Public Health, Prevention, and Personalized Medicine; Traditional and Complementary Medicine; Personal Care andBeauty; Wellness Tourism; Spa Economy; Thermal and Mineral Springs; Workplace Wellness; Mental Wellness.
• The medical community is more interested in wellness post COVID. There is more research and science showing valuable steps that people can take to improve their health.
• Wellness modalities are the cornerstone of longevity. What contributes to wellness also contributes to longevity.

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, Nancy Griffininterviews Harry R. Moody, a distinguished professor and author, about his journey into activism in climate change, and the concept of legacy. Dr. Moody shares insights from his life, emphasizing the importance of hope, action, andintergenerational dialogue in addressing climate issues.

About Dr. Moody

Harry R. Moody is a graduate of Yale University and received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Columbia University. He has taught philosophy at Columbia University, Hunter College, New York University, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. He is the retired Vice President and Director of Academic Affairs for AARP in Washington, DC. He is currently Visiting Professor at Tohoku University in Japan, and Distinguished Visiting Professor at Fielding Graduate University’s Creativity and Wisdom Program.

Dr. Moody previously served as Executive Director of theBrookdale Center on Aging at Hunter College and Chairman of the Board of Elderhostel (now Road Scholar). Moody is the author of over 100 scholarly articles, as well as a number of books including: Abundance of Life: Human Development Policies for an Aging Society (Columbia University Press, 1988) and Ethics in an Aging Society (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992).

His most recent book, Climate Change in an Aging Society,is the first book fully devoted to the impact of climate change on those who are old today―and those who will be old in decades to come. He is the editor of the Climate Change in an Aging Society and Human Values in Aging newsletters. In 2011 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society on Aging and in 2008 he was named by Utne Reader Magazine as one of “50 Visionaries Who AreChanging Your World.”

Key Takeaways

• Dr. Moody encourages action and hope, emphasizing that change requires collective effort.
• Hope is not the expectation of a better future but thebelief in doing what's right. “Hope is a verb with sleeves rolled up.” - David Orr, environmental educator and author.
• The concepts of aging and climate change are both perfect candidates for denial. We can overcome denial by facing up to things and doing what's possible.
• The “Four Horseman of the Climate Apocalypse” defined in Climate Change for an Aging Society are fire, flood, drought and heat wave.
• A Life Review asks, what have you done in your life isworth remembering, that is worth sharing with younger generations?
• Lasting change happens when generations come together. Older adults pass on their knowledge, wisdom, and experience to younger people. Theproblem with elders communicating with young people can be that elders think they know it all.

Email HRMoody@yahoo.com to subscribe to the free newsletters Climate Change in an Aging Society and Human Values in Aging.