Hopeful Aging

09/16/2026

📚 Happy National Read a Book Day!

Reading can be about so much more than the words on the page.

Sometimes the most meaningful moments happen between the pages — when a story sparks a memory, a question, a laugh, an opinion, or a conversation we didn’t expect.

Today, we’re sharing our Popular Festivals story from CONNECT — a fun way to explore familiar celebrations, traditions, and experiences together.

At Hopeful Aging, we love the way a simple story can open the door to something more — a new perspective or a moment of connection.

💛 There’s no right way to experience a story together. Pause when something catches your attention, talk about what feels familiar, and let the conversation unfold naturally.

📖 Celebrate National Read a Book Day by exploring our featured Popular Festivals story by clicking here: https://tr.ee/9yjo4M

09/10/2026

CONNECT has been nominated for a 2026 SHN Product of the Year Award in the Resident Engagement Experience/Lifestyle Technology category!

This recognition means so much to us because CONNECT was built around something we believe deeply at Hopeful Aging: creating more opportunities for meaningful engagement, connection, and quality of life for people living with dementia.

If CONNECT has inspired you, your team, or your community, we’d be so grateful for your vote. 💛

🗳️ Vote for CONNECT here:
https://poyawards.seniorhousingnews.com/vote

Voting is open through September 30, 2026.

09/09/2026

The ideas behind CONNECT are part of a much larger conversation about how we see and support people living with dementia.

Dr. John Zeisel, President of Hopeful Aging, has spent decades advancing a more hopeful, person-centered understanding of dementia—one that recognizes each person’s strengths, abilities, and capacity for meaningful connection.

That same philosophy is at the heart of CONNECT.

John will soon be speaking at the GIA Conference on redefining dementia innovation, continuing an important conversation about how we can move beyond outdated assumptions and create better experiences for people living with dementia and those who support them.
We’re proud to see this work continuing to shape the future of dementia care, engagement, and innovation.

👉 Read more about John’s upcoming presentation through the I’m Still Here Foundation: https://www.imstillhere.org/post/i-m-still-here-foundation-leaders-to-present-at-the-gia-conference-on-redefining-dementia-innovation

09/08/2026

💬 The best conversations don’t always begin with a question.
Sometimes, they begin with a photograph that catches your eye.

A song you recognize.
A story that makes you smile.
A familiar topic that sparks an opinion.
Or simply something interesting enough to make you want to say, “Look at this.”

Meaningful engagement doesn’t have to feel like an interview or a test of what someone remembers. When we offer something interesting to see, hear, read, or experience together, conversation can unfold naturally.

That’s an important part of the thinking behind CONNECT—creating opportunities for people living with dementia to participate, share, respond, and connect in ways that feel comfortable and meaningful in the moment.

Because sometimes the best way to start a conversation is simply to give it somewhere to begin. 💛

✨ Learn more about CONNECT: https://www.theconnectapp.com/

09/07/2026

Labor Day is more than the unofficial end of summer.

Its roots go back to the late 1800s, when workers across the country were advocating for safer working conditions, fairer hours, and greater recognition of the people whose labor helped build America.

The first Labor Day celebration was held in New York City in 1882, and in 1894, Labor Day became a national holiday.

At Hopeful Aging, we love the idea of taking a moment to recognize a lifetime of contribution.

The people we serve have been teachers, parents, caregivers, builders, business owners, nurses, artists, volunteers, neighbors, and so much more. Those roles and experiences are part of their stories — and they continue to matter.

This Labor Day, we celebrate the work people have done, the communities they’ve helped shape, and the purpose and value they continue to bring at every age.
Happy Labor Day from Hopeful Aging. 💛

09/03/2026

We’re honored that CONNECT has been nominated for a 2026 SHN Product of the Year Award in the Resident Engagement Experience/Lifestyle Technology category. 🎉💛

This recognition means so much to us because CONNECT is built on more than 15 years of NIH-funded dementia research and was designed to make meaningful engagement more accessible for people at every stage of dementia.

More than passive entertainment, CONNECT encourages active participation, helps spark conversation, supports social connection, and creates opportunities for people to engage in meaningful ways.

Whether used in a group, one-on-one with a care professional, or at home with family, CONNECT is designed to make it easier for people living with memory challenges to participate, connect, and experience a greater sense of belonging.

If CONNECT has made a difference for you, your residents, your team, or your community, we would be so grateful for your support.

🗳️ Vote for CONNECT for the 2026 SHN Product of the Year Award:
https://poyawards.seniorhousingnews.com/vote

Voting closes September 30, 2026.

Thank you for supporting meaningful engagement and a more hopeful approach to dementia care. 💛

09/01/2026

Hello, September! 🍂💛

A new month means new opportunities for connection, conversation, and meaningful moments at Hopeful Aging.

Throughout September, we’ll be sharing:

📚 Meaningful stories inspired by reading, gratitude, positive thinking, and even a good cup of coffee
💬 More ways to use CONNECT to spark conversation and engagement
🎥 New Tip Clips from our research team with practical ideas you can use
💛 Updates and stories from the Hopeful Aging community
🗳️ And an important opportunity to support CONNECT!

CONNECT has been nominated for a 2026 SHN Product of the Year Award in the Resident Engagement Experience/Lifestyle Technology category, and voting is open through September 30.

If CONNECT has inspired you, your team, or your community, we would be so grateful for your vote.

🗳️ Vote here:
https://poyawards.seniorhousingnews.com/vote

Follow along throughout September as we continue sharing simple ways to create more connection, engagement, and joy for people living with dementia and those who support them.

08/28/2026

Celebrating the Gift of Reading

Among her many remarkable accomplishments, Dolly Parton has long championed the importance of literacy and the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the joy of reading. Through her beloved Imagination Library, she has helped put books into the hands of millions of children and inspired a lifelong love of reading.

At Hopeful Aging, we share the belief that the joy of reading should remain accessible throughout our lives—including for people experiencing cognitive change. For more than 25 years, our research team has worked to develop adapted reading materials that make reading enjoyable and accessible for people at different stages of their dementia journey.

In celebration of Dolly’s extraordinary commitment to literacy, we are pleased to share an example from our CONNECT Reading Library. Viva Stories are specially adapted to support readers in the middle stages of dementia.

We hope you will share and enjoy this story with the people you serve—and join us in celebrating Dolly Parton’s extraordinary legacy of helping ensure that the gift of reading can be enjoyed by everyone.

Click Here to Download your Story: https://tr.ee/A5xTKYpM1S

Learn more about the CONNECT Reading Library Here: https://www.theconnectapp.com/connect-reading-library

08/26/2026