
Update on the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living
Greetings from the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living. I’m excited to share some of the impact the institute has made in the last year in our core areas of education, data analytics, and partnerships. As the senior living industry continues to rebuild after the oppression of COVID-19, we are focused on growing enrollment and developing a strong future workforce prepared to disrupt and drive positive change.
In the last academic year, 42 students from various WSU degree programs enrolled in HBM 375 Exploring the Business of Aging, bringing the total number of WSU students introduced to this industry to nearly 1,000 since we offered the first elective in senior living (now aging business management) in 2011. We are working with the Faculty Senate to gain a diversity designation in the university core (UCORE) for the course beginning fall 2025. Our goal is to have 50 students or more enrolled each semester.
To better align with a demographic shift when millions of baby boomers will turn 80 in 2026 and require some form of care, we have renamed our major from senior living to aging business management. To continue building our program, we launched an enrollment campaign in collaboration with industry members who are helping us maintain curricular relevance and offering access to real-world operations.
Immersive learning experiences are vital to future industry professionals. We are grateful to our partners who have provided an inside look at the exciting career opportunities available. Recently, Aljoya Mercer Island, Murano, and Aegis of Laurelhurst—top-tier Seattle senior-living communities known for their innovative approaches to senior care and resident engagement—facilitated educational tours for three of our students Karin Yoshida, Hadley Franklin, and Julie Baljo. The students also attended a steering committee meeting, gaining insight into leadership and decision-making in the industry. This trip not only expanded their industry knowledge but also provided valuable networking opportunities. If you would like to be involved in offering experiential learning experiences, please contact ccb.development@wsu.edu.
A major highlight of the year was celebrating our very first graduate of the aging business management major: Lilia Gahard. She is the resident engagement director at Brookdale Chatsworth in California, managing events, programming, and transportation. In a recent interview she said, “I’m excited about the opportunity to innovate senior-living care through artificial intelligence and technology through virtual reality headsets that help Alzheimer’s and dementia residents.” To read a feature article on her WSU experience, see page 26 of Dividend Magazine.
To finally have the first graduate of our program—a semester early and from the Global Campus, makes my heart so happy.
Other Carson Coug alums are showing the world how a hospitality business management degree can create significant value in the senior living industry.
Hanna Healy (’03 Hosp. Busi. Mgmt.) is the residence services coordinator for Merrill Gardens, a role she was offered after completing an internship there. Lydia Terjeson (’17 Hosp. Busi. Mgmt., ’20 MBA) is the memory care administrator for Touchmark. She says she loves helping families problem-solve and find a place they need to care for their loved ones.
Serving as a source for research and data analytics that will improve operations and lives for all of our stakeholders is a core focus area of the institute.
Some WSU faculty in other colleges are dedicated to addressing the evolving needs of the aging population. Current research topics include enhancing death literacy, AI conversation tools, grocery shopping tools for senior adults, and improving residents’ well-being in residential care homes and nursing care homes. Researchers involved with the institute have presented their work at conferences across the world, deepening the societal impact and service efforts of the institute and WSU.
I hope everyone who is reading this can help spread the word about our unique program that is shaping the future leaders of senior living. We are at a turning point to revolutionize the business of aging and set the stage for a vibrant era of improving the lives of older adults.
Go Cougs!
Nancy Swanger, Director
Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living