What if nursing homes felt more like real homes and actually improved lives?

In this episode, we talk with Susan Ryan, CEO of the Center for Innovation, about reimagining eldercare through person-directed living and human-centered design.

Susan brings decades of experience in nursing and eldercare transformation. She was instrumental in scaling the Green House Project, a nonprofit that replaces institutional nursing homes with small, self-contained homes that foster dignity, choice, and connection.

She walks us through the mission of the Center for Innovation and how their work alongside the Pioneer Network is shifting the culture of long-term care nationwide.

Susan also shares how their “beliefs, behaviors, and systems” framework helps redesign care environments and empower caregivers in ways that improve well-being for everyone involved.

🎧 Tune in to hear how The Center for Innovation in Eldercare is changing the game in eldercare and what leaders across healthcare can learn from their model.

Key Takeaways

Introduction (00:00 )

Susan Ryan’s career journey (03:38 )

The Center for Innovation's mission (08:47 )

Impact of Greenhouse Project on elder care (11:23 )

Beliefs, behaviors, and systems framework (15:44 )

Challenges and opportunities in elder care (18:59 )

Advice for patient experience and quality leaders (24:54 )

Questions and insights (27:08 )

Favorite quotes and closing remarks (34:05 )

Additional Resources

Susan Ryan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanryan2018/

The Green House Project: https://thegreenhouseproject.org/

Pioneer Network: https://www.pioneernetwork.org/

Compassionomics by Stephen Trzeciak and Anthony Mazzarelli: https://www.compassionomics.com/

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Fidelum Health LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fidelum-health/

Planetree LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetree/

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Unlock the power of our HUMAN Brand™ insights model for enhanced patient, team member, and care provider experiences: https://fidelumhealth.com/

Learn how Planetree can help your organization deliver person-centered care at: https://www.planetree.org/