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What happens when you put two senior living residents, two baby monkeys, a baby kangaroo, and a tech CEO on stage together? You get a very honest (and entertaining) conversation about aging, purpose, and what senior living should really look like –plus some unforgettable moments that had the audience laughing and reaching for their phones.
This wasn't your typical conference panel. At the Senior Living Innovation Forum's Spring retreat, we created "From the Horse's Mouth," a talk show hosted by Jack York, Founder and Chief Storyteller of TaleGate. Jack has spent years traveling the nation creating videos that tell the real stories of senior living, interviewing thousands of residents to capture what truly matters to them. For this show, he brought together two remarkable residents for an unfiltered conversation about their experiences – with some unexpected exotic animal guests adding to the mix.
The Heart of the Matter: Verna and Julie's Stories
Verna Cavey, who resides in a community in Colorado run by Christian Living Communities, embodies what's possible when senior living gets it right. When a pre-med student asked her about "the best time in your life," expecting a nostalgic answer about her past, Verna's response stopped him cold: "This right now is the best time in my life. I'm loving it." The student laughed hysterically, unable to comprehend that an "old lady" could feel such joy.
"He had nothing in his education that helped him understand what I was trying to say," Verna explained. "That an old lady could feel that kind of joy... we have to change this."
Verna's transformation began when she moved from a restrictive provider-directed facility to Christian Living Communities' citizenship model. "When I went there, it was a little bit like the Wizard of Oz, where the film goes from black and white to Technicolor," she said. The difference? Instead of being told "you will sit here and you will sit next to this person," her new community asked: "Tell me about your gifts. Tell me how we can help you be the best that you can be? How would you like to contribute to our community?"
The results speak for themselves. Within a short time, Verna was teaching, initiating innovative programming, and traveling internationally to present with her team members. "Think about what that does to a human being – from 'You will sit there' to 'Go, girl, you're in Scotland!'"
Julie Templin, who resides in a community run by MBK Senior Living, proves that adventure doesn't have an expiration date. This self-described thrill-seeker has gone scuba diving with sharks, rock climbing, and skydiving – all in her senior years. Her secret? A community culture that embraces possibility rather than defaulting to fear.
Julie Templin diving with Sharks and skydiving
"The staff is so interested in us and about us and wants to help us," Julie explained about her community's approach. When she mentioned skydiving was on her bucket list, the response wasn't a legal review – it was "let's make it happen." When other residents were unable to participate in certain activities, the community found ways to modify them so that everyone could be included.
What Residents Really Value
Through thousands of resident interviews, host Jack York has discovered a consistent truth: content residents don't talk about amenities – they talk about relationships. "The content residents are not talking about your gym or whatever your new program is. They're saying, let me tell you about my friend Verna. Let me tell you about my friend Julie."
Verna's perspective on what draws people to her community reinforces this insight. When prospective residents visit, she explained, they can immediately sense the energy: "I walked in the door and that was it. People were running, laughing... People can see their minds are excited, their being is excited."
The Power of Saying "Yes"
Both women live in communities that understand a fundamental truth: dignity comes from empowerment, not protection. As Julie noted when asked why people stop taking risks as they age, "I don't know why they stop... I still take a risk walking across the street."
The contrast couldn't be starker. While some communities immediately involve legal teams when presented with anything beyond the ordinary, Verna and Julie's communities ask: "How can we make this happen safely?"
As Julie shared, when she mentioned wanting to see the Northern Lights from a hot tub, the conversation wasn't about liability – it was about making dreams happen. This approach creates an environment where residents continue to grow, explore, and find new adventures well into their senior years.
When Baby Animals Meet Big Ideas
Throughout the show, Mia the monkey and Maverick the kangaroo provided their own commentary – sometimes literally climbing on guests or demanding bottle breaks mid-conversation. Kelly, their handler, noted something particularly telling: "They choose the older ones over most of the children. They like the wiser ones." It was a fitting metaphor for a discussion about the wisdom and vitality that comes with age.
Julie Templin with Maverick the kangaroo, and Jack York with Mia the monkey.
The animals also reinforced the show's central theme about risk-taking. As Jack noted, about 20% of communities he approaches for his Vintage Voices project immediately run ideas "by their legal team" due to perceived risks. Yet here were exotic animals interacting safely with residents and industry leaders, proving that with the right approach, even the unexpected can be managed thoughtfully.
The Real Message
Yes, there were baby monkeys stealing the show, and even a surreal moment where LifeLoop CEO Rob Fisher discussed AI while bottle-feeding said kangaroo. But beneath all the entertainment, the real message was crystal clear: residents thrive when communities focus on their stories, their gifts, and their continued potential for growth.
Rob Fisher with Maverick the kangaroo.
As Verna put it: "You know their story, you know their life. You know what makes their face light up. You know the person, and that's the difference."
In an industry often focused on risk mitigation and compliance, these residents remind us what's possible when communities dare to ask "What do you want to do?". Their experiences prove that the best senior living isn't about managing decline – it's about enabling continued adventure, purpose, and joy.
Watch the full episode below...
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