Will aging seniors be forced out of Alexandria? What is the future of memory care, and how will a growing population of people with dementia live in the city? What are the challenges and opportunities for aging in place in Alexandria? These are some of the questions that will be on the table for Agenda Alexandria’s November meeting, which will be Nov. 25 at the Hermitage.
“The tendency now is to try and support older adults with services that will allow them to age in place and stay in their homes,” says Mary Lee Anderson, executive director of Senior Services of Alexandria. “In the past there was a lot of focus on assisted living and continuous care, but I think now there’s a realization that those are great options for people in certain circumstances, particularly if they have a lot of money.”
Until the 20th century, most people aged with extended families. But after World War II, the nursing home industry became an important part of how people approached aging. Now advances in science are allowing people to live longer than they ever have in previous generations, which is creating new challenges and opportunities for aging in place. It’s become a thriving industry in Alexandria and beyond.
“In the last five years, I’ve seen a huge growth of services providers,”says Vivek Sinha, medical director at Silverado Memory Care Community on King Street. “There are more imaging companies that are able to come out to the home and do X-rays and ultrasounds and echocardiograms. There are more blood draw companies that can come in and order lab work from their patients in their homes.”
From memory care to home care and everything in between, Agenda Alexandria will discuss the latest trends in the industry and explore that that might mean for the future. The panel discussion will explore trends in the industry as well as looking at recent advances in senior care.
“People are not taking advantage of assisted living sooner or soon enough,” says Tracey Johnson, director of sales at Sunrise Living of Alexandria. “We’re trying to get the word out that you don’t have to wait until you just absolutely can’t do anything for yourself.”
Panelists include:
 | Jane King Jane King is chairwoman of At-Home Alexandria, a nonprofit organization that provides practical, social and emotional support to Alexandria residents over the age of 55. She developed an interest in creating livable communities for the aging while working for the AARP. She is a former chairwoman of the Alexandria Commission on Aging, where she spearheaded the development and implementation of the Alexandria Strategic Plan for Aging. |
 | Mary Lee Anderson Mary Lee Anderson is executive director of Senior Services of Alexandria. A native of Doylestown, Pa., she was raised in Bucks County, Pa. She has a bachelor of arts in French from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa. She worked in international communications business for years, then launched a business as a money manager for older adults. She joined Senior Services of Alexandria in 2011, and she became executive director in 2013. |
 | Tracey Johnson Tracey Johnson is director of sales at at Sunrise Senior Living of Alexandria. A native of Pittsburg, Johnson moved to Northern Virginia in the early 1990s, first to Alexandria and later to Woodbridge. She has a bachelor of arts in communications from the University of Pittsburg and a master or arts in human resource management from the Keller Graduate School of Management. She worked as director of admissions at DeVry University Keller Graduate School of Management before working in the senior living industry. |
 | Vivek Sinha Vivek Sinha is medical director for the Silverado Memory Care Community. A native of St. Asaph in Wales, his family came to America when he was a child and he was raised on Long Island in New York. He went to college in Stony Brook University in New York and worked as a firefighter before going to medical school at Saba University School of Medicine in the Caribbean. In 2014, he opened his own medical practice in Alexandria, Belleview Medical Partners, which provides house calls for seniors who want to age in place. |
Where: Hermitage, 5000 Fairbanks Ave, Alexandria VA 22311
When: Monday, Nov. 25, 2019
Time: Reception starts at 6:30 pm, program starts at 7:15 pm
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