On April 24, the Adelphi University Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences hosted the Leadership Forum on Successful Aging and Longevity from the Institute of Lifelong Well-Being and Longevity as an inaugural event at Adelphi’s Angello Alumni House, bringing together international and national leaders from healthcare, brain health, stroke prevention, business, policy and organizational leadership.
The day opened with welcoming remarks from Xiao-lei Wang, PhD, dean of the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences, and Christopher Storm, PhD, provost and senior executive vice president of academic affairs, who emphasized the relevance of the conversation for the Adelphi community and beyond. The forum was organized and moderated by both Hariklia Proios, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Craig Anderson, PhD, professor of neurology and epidemiology at UNSW Sydney, director of the brain health program at and president-elect of the .
Defining What “Aging Well” Means
Invited participants were asked to think beyond longevity as simply the number of years a person lives or the physical strength of one’s body. The conversation focused on the quality of those years and whether people can remain healthy, independent, connected and supported as they age. The morning began with a brief audience reflection, where participants were asked to write one word that captured what “aging well” meant to them. Some of the participant responses included “independence,” “health,” “family,” “support,” “energy,” “happiness,” “quality” and “fulfillment.” The activity offered an early reminder that aging well means different things to different people, while also revealing common themes around health, connection and quality of life.
Keynote: Brain Health and the Whole Life Course
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Anderson, who spoke from his experience as an internationally recognized leader in stroke and brain health. His presentation focused on brain health, longevity and the importance of protecting brain health across the whole life course.
After the keynote session, the forum moved from evidence to implementation through an expert dialogue moderated by Chris Macey, director of advocacy and patient support at the . The panel brought together Socrates Kakoulides, MD, cardiologist and chief imaging officer at in Miami, Florida; Nicola Anderson, business leader at ; Jan van der Merwe, global project lead of the and co-founder of; and Alan Cooper, PhD ’95, clinical associate professor of management at Adelphi. Together, the speakers examined why, even when much is already known about prevention and brain health, large-scale implementation remains difficult. Their discussion highlighted that successful aging should not be addressed by medicine alone, but depends on how clinicians, institutions, policymakers, business leaders, communities and individuals work together.
A central part of the day was the Sense-Making Workshop, led by Dr. Proios and doctoral candidate Myrto Pyrrou. The workshop discussions pointed to several practical concerns that participants felt were shaping the experience of aging. In the health systems group, participants emphasized the need for better care pathways, continuity of care and more integrated services, especially in a healthcare system that can often feel disconnected. The prevention group raised issues such as access to healthy food, sedentary lifestyles and the need to make prevention more realistic in everyday life. The business and policy group focused on incentives, socioeconomic gaps, community knowledge and the challenge of building a stronger culture of prevention across sectors.
Leadership Workshop: Creating the Biggest Possibility
In the afternoon, the forum shifted from diagnosis to possibility through a leadership workshop titled “Creating the Biggest Possibility.” Participants were invited to think about the future they want to create, the leadership required to make it real and the milestones that could move this vision forward. Reflections from the session touched on stronger community ties, more accessible health and wellness services, reduced loneliness and a greater recognition of older adults’ knowledge and contribution.
Feedback collected from participants was all positive and attendees expressed appreciation for both the content of the day and the opportunity to take part in meaningful, cross-sector dialogue. Special thanks were extended to Adelphi University staff members Stacey Barbato, director of operations; Barbara Clemens, administrative assistant; Kerry Scalere, administrative assistant; and Jessica Mannhaupt, coordinator of communications and outreach, as well as to the panelists, all participants and volunteers Liz Bethlio and Taylor Slicklein.
Looking Ahead
Successful aging is not only a health issue, but also a leadership challenge. Supporting longer, healthier and more connected lives will require collaboration across disciplines, institutions and generations. Each participant left with a certificate of completion for promoting brain health and longevity.