In this episode we interview Dr. Keren Brown Wilson, “grandmother of assisted living” in Oregon, and President, JFR Foundation.
Keren has over 30 years’ experience in long-term care and supportive housing. She was the principal architect of the Oregon model of assisted living and has worked to implement assisted living programs in other states. She founded three assisted living companies, working on over 200 around the nation with a focus on the poor and very poor.
She’s worked with numerous funding sources that include Medicaid, tax credit, state revenue bonds, HUD, and community re-development programs. Keren is a recognized expert on risk and liability management. She continues to work internationally for the Pan American Health Organization and the governments of Canada, and China. Keren currently runs the Jessie F Richardson Foundation, a charity that is working on housing s for very low income elders in the United States and in Central America.
We asked Dr. Wilson to discuss the following:
You’ve had a lifetime in working with the elderly. How did you get interested in this field?
You’ve been a big part of the aging network in the Portland area for longer than anyone we’ve encountered. What is that network, and how has it changed over the decades?
You are described as “the architect of the principal model of assisted living in Oregon.” What was the model that you created, and what is it today?
What are the solutions for housing the elderly that you’ve promoted for low-income population?
You’ve worked with all the major funding sources over the years---Medicaid, tax credit, state revenue bonds, HUD, and community re-development programs----What have been the best programs? What has the government done right?
You create the JFR Foundation. What does it do?
People say that Oregon is well-known for its variety of senior care options…Is this true?
The numbers of people over 65, and especially those over 85, is growing rapidly. Do we have systems in place to deal with the changes that are coming? What do we need to do to get ready?
How did you get started working with the Pan American Health Organization?
You’ve worked as an advisor in Canada and China. What was that like? Are those governments doint things that we should be doing here in the US?
You are working now in Nicaragua. What are you doing there?
You and your husband created a program called “Aging Matters.” Quoting your husband, “We need an ageless society where starting college at 45 is no different than starting at 20. We want Portland to be a place where old people go to unretire.” Have you been successful at making Portland a place to “unretire?”
In your experience, is Portland a good place to retire?
You’ve had an amazing career so far. What’s next for you?
- KBOO
- KBOO