Sep 8, 2026
The Silver Tsunami
What does it mean for us?“The Silver Tsunami”…that term is just everywhere these days, isn’t it? That’s because the United States is undergoing one of the largest demographic shifts to date, and it is impossible to ignore. It refers to the seismic wave of adults turning 65 in record numbers, and the socioeconomic changes felt by its arrival. It’s a change that will have ripple effects until it reaches every sector of our lives from housing to medical care to infrastructure and everything in between. Recently, our President and CEO, Donald Lilly, sat down with both Newsweek and Reader’s Digest to talk about it, and what it means for adults like you, your friends, and your family. It’s not just a headline, it’s your hallway Here’s the number that gets everyone’s attention: roughly 12,000 Americans turn 65 every single day. By 2030, every baby boomer will have hit that mark. That’s not some far-off projection, it’s happening now, and you’re living right in the middle of it. You already know the demand for good communities is growing. Every month when Amanda reports that we are fully reserved, or every time your bridge group friend tells you they joined the waitlist and still haven’t had their number called, you can feel the way this scarcity is mounting. What you may not know is just how tight things are getting. Donald told Newsweek plainly: there’s about to be a real shortage of good places to live. But, you’re already here… We’re so glad you are! This shift will affect anyone and everyone in some roundabout way, but here’s the part that hits closest to home for you all: your friends who want to join you, or who keep putting off that tour, may have to wait. Communities like Still Hopes have multi-year waitlists, and Donald’s message is simple: don’t wait for a health scare to force the decision. Start looking sooner than feels necessary. He suggests exploring communities around age 70, so it feels like choosing, not settling. For many of you or your fellow residents, that’s their adult children. Have they had the conversation? Believe it or not, there is good news here. Communities that don’t continue to adapt and invest in its lifestyle and offerings will get left behind, regardless of the demand. The team here will not let us get left behind. It’s why we keep investing in the life you’re already living here: our wellness programs, our dining, the way we support both body and mind. Still Hopes’ philosophy is that senior living shouldn’t be the place where life gets smaller. It should be where you keep living fully, and that’s what we’re building toward, every day, for you. Your takeaway? You’re riding the wave with a community that’s keeping the future in mind. And while we all embrace this new societal reality together, we are doing our part to ensure older adults are as well equipped to enter this incredible stage of life as you all were. Read the full features:
“Senior Living Must Reinvent Itself Before Demand Surges Beyond Control”
As seen in Newsweek
Click to Read the Article
“Here’s Why Waiting to Plan May Be the Biggest Risk You Take With Your Retirement”
As seen in Reader's Digest
Click to Read the Article
Sep 8, 2026
Finding Joy
The Girl with Open ArmsEllen WilliamsI don’t want to call myself corrupt, but I will say some baklava was hand delivered to me personally in exchange for chasing down this story. In all honesty, I would have done it, sweet treats or not – Joy happens to be my favorite piece of art around campus, and I love paying her visits on lovely afternoons. Resident Nikki Fallis approached me about doing a piece on “Joy.” When her family was waiting to pick her up the other month, her little grandniece Penelope saw her standing proudly outside of building six and promptly ran and took her hand. Nikki’s family is Greek, and little Penelope couldn’t help but imitate Greek dancing with her new bronzed partner. That is the kind of thing this statue seems to invite. People don’t just look at her. They join her.
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Betty Allison poses with Joy in her new home in front of building 6.“I think it is beautiful — it makes me happy when I see it,” Nikki told me. I couldn’t agree more. Nikki pointed me in the direction of Ann and Elizabeth Allison, second-generation Still Hopes residents. Their father was a Day Program participant decades ago, and their mother, Betty Allison, lived in Evergreen and eventually Jane Bruce for almost 20 years following his passing. We have Betty to thank for “Joy,” as she was her gift to Still Hopes. She loved the look of “Joy,” and she was quite fond of her sculptor. Her son Robert, Ann and Elizabeth’s brother, was the artist! “I can still recall my mother always telling him to pick up his clay off the floor,” Ann remarks. That childhood passion turned into quite a prolific career. Robert’s work is now featured in several galleries, and in the famous Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado. I had a chance to ask Robert about how Joy came to be. “She came about as one of three figures that were commissioned for a fountain for the city of Orangeburg,” he told me. The model wasn’t one of his own children - he learned early in his career that if he sculpted one of his kids, the other would get their feelings hurt. So, he used a neighbor’s child instead, and out of that came Joy: a girl in motion, one of three figures now part of a fountain installed in Orangeburg, and, in a smaller edition of just five castings, a solitary figure who found her way to Still Hopes.
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“Mom really liked the sculpture and wanted one at Still Hopes [...] so she got one.”
— Robert Allison
I asked Robert whether he felt any particular connection to Still Hopes because of the statue standing here. I would imagine most artists pour so much of themselves into their work that it may feel like a piece of them existing externally in the world.“The answer is yes,” he said, “but I think I would feel a connection even if she was not there.” When he and his siblings visited their mother over the years, they stayed with her here, and those visits left him with what he called a lot of fond memories of her at Still Hopes. The statue didn’t create that bond. It’s simply where the bond happens to live now, out where anyone walking by can share in it.Betty Allison spent almost twenty years of her life here, and when she wanted to leave something behind, she chose joy itself. Two of her children now walk this campus today. And so does Joy — mid-step, smiling, waiting for whoever is running late to stop, and dance.Read more stories in our Connections magazine.
Connections Magazine
Sep 1, 2026
Resident Recipes: Chicken Scarpariello
Turn your home into a cozy Italian restaurant for a night when you make Chicken Scarpariello. Nicknamed “Shoemaker’s Chicken,” this rustic and hearty recipe is the perfect Italian-American dish. Scarpariello comes from the Italian word “scarparo” which means shoemaker and is often made with chicken and Italian sausage. The special thing about this recipe is the sautéed mushrooms, an antioxidant-rich ingredient that brings a new flavor to the dish. Chicken Scarpariello offers robust flavors–a warm, savory dish perfect for any weeknight. Make this dish your own by adding sweet or spicy peppers, onions, or Italian sausage. Additionally, you can substitute the white wine for apple cider vinegar or chicken broth if desired.High in protein, moist and flavorful, Chicken Scarpariello is the star of your next Italian night. Pair it on your favorite pasta or even on rice. This recipe is easy to make and follow and will impress any crowd. It only takes 30min to bring a little piece of Italy right into your kitchen. After you try it once, you’ll be sure to make it again and again!Thank you to Amy Webb for sharing her mother's delicious recipe with us.
