A New Home Blueprint for Wellness | Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki

Where we live could be the most important factor in how long and well we live. Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki, co-chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Wellness Communities Initiative, reveals how homes and neighborhoods influence 85% of our health outcomes—more than our genes. 

From pandemic-driven lifestyle shifts to multigenerational living, she shares how intentional design, walkable communities, and social spaces can keep us independent, active, and connected at any age. 

Discover the secrets behind wellness-focused communities and how your environment shapes your third chapter of life. 

 Additional video courtesy: Rancho Mission Viejo

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Transcript

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 0:00

We are a social being. We have spent more and more time of late on our screens. We are spending more time in our homes than ever before in the last five years, and I think we're more isolated than ever. And I think that's really the core of the issue. We need to create places that support connectivity.

Peter Bowes: 0:22

As we grow older. Where should we live? What kind of communities and homes will help us stay well and happy as we enter a new chapter in our lives? Perhaps crucially, at what age should we start thinking about this and making plans? Hello again. Welcome to the Live Long podcast. I'm Peter Bowes. This is where we explore the science and stories behind human longevity. Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki has spent decades studying the way we live, our homes and communities. She co-chairs the Global Wellness Institute's Wellness Communities Initiative and takes a special interest in how our living environment impacts us as we age. Teri - it's good to talk to you.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 1:08

Thank you Peter. It's an honor and a pleasure to be here.

Peter Bowes: 1:10

Yes, really fascinating subject. Just before we really dive into it, just give me a little bit of background in terms of what you do with the Institute and really, over the years, what's piqued your interest in this subject area?

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 1:24

Certainly. So I work at the intersection of marketing and community development, really, and I bring a sociologist perspective to new community creation and development, really understanding kind of two key questions. Peter. So who will live here and how do they want to live? And then my my work is really spent collaborating with design and development professionals to bring these communities to life in ways that hopefully make places better for people, create happier people, more socially connected places with choices for how they will live and age over time. As you mentioned, I also co-chair the GWI's Wellness Communities and Real Estate initiative. And during the global pandemic. One thing you also may not know is I spearheaded the American Home Study, which is now in its fourth wave and frankly, has more than almost 15,000 US responses, where we explored changes in consumer behavior with lasting impacts on both home and community design.

Peter Bowes: 2:15

And it's interesting, isn't it, how the pandemic has changed our views on so many things, and this in particular, just the very nature of where we live and how we live.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 2:25

It certainly has. It certainly has. And I feel an obligation, really, to bring the voice of the consumer to new development and to new home building, and to help create spaces and places that make the world healthier for people. So, you know, 85% of our health outcomes, most people don't realize are based on the built environment. So let me say that again, 85% of our health outcomes are based on the built environment. So that means only 15% of what happens to us is really genetic. So where we live exactly is their access to clean water. Are these places walkable? Do they encourage physical mobility. Do they encourage social connections? Do they give us the ability to get involved civically in the outcomes of our community? Do they do they stimulate us mentally? So it has a huge impact on our health and longevity. And honestly, you know, I think that if we don't study the physical environment while we talk about longevity and aging well, we're really missing the most important piece.

Peter Bowes: 3:20

I think that's probably worth just repeating again, because it is quite staggering. And to some people, unbelievable that 85% of of what we do, how we interact with our food, our environment, other people, the sunshine, the buildings around us, how that can impact the 15% of our genetics, the genes that I think probably a lot of people think is are mostly responsible for how we live our lives. But really it isn't. It's the environment.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 3:48

That's right. And, you know, think about things like, do we feel safe? Do we have opportunities? Do we have the chance to, you know, be educated? Do we have a chance to if we decide to raise a family, to raise a family, you know, healthily and with opportunity and options. So where we live, the school districts we live in, the access to support services and so on is just really, really critical to our overall health and to our longevity, of course, over time.

Peter Bowes: 4:13

So let's just start by breaking that down. And I think the decision making process that we all go through at different stages in our lives that determines where we live, we don't necessarily think of our longevity. We don't necessarily think of our health. We think of, as you just mentioned, maybe proximity to schools, how close we are to work or the the bus route to get to work. It's the practicalities of, of living that we tend to focus on and maybe not our long term health.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 4:42

That's correct. And I think that what's important to know is that today, more than ever, coming out of the global health pandemic, as you you referenced, Peter, that wellness, according to our research and our data, is truly the number one purchase motivator. So when we asked us consumers just in May and June of this year to choose certain features and things they wanted in their homes and communities, they told us what were important. And then when we said, well, why are those things important to you? 60% of them said to improve my health and well-being. That was the number one response, far surpassing even things like saving money or being better for the environment. And that was a significant increase over wave three of our study, which was only two years ago. So 60% of people for them, wellness is the number one reason they're making decisions to purchase things in their home and which communities to live in. It's very powerful.

Peter Bowes: 5:29

And I think the challenge is trying to balance that, that need, that I think understanding of our health and wellbeing and how it relates to where we are, but also the practicalities of living. And I know from the pandemic, we were all told that it's these underlying health conditions that were so bad for us that made us more susceptible to the the Covid infection. But I think a lot of people felt, well, I'm really not in control of my life. I am where I am because this is my lifestyle and this is the life that I have been dealt almost. And I think people feel sometimes a little helpless in terms of actually focusing on their health and well-being and putting that at the top of the list.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 6:15

Well, I love that challenge, and I'm taking it as a challenge because I think, if I may, I will lay out for you a framework through which I hope all of us and all of your listeners will think about wellness in the built environment. And so really it comes down to six dimensions. And I think, Peter, most of us think primarily about physical well-being. How well do I feel? Am I, you know, the proper weight? Am I getting enough sleep? Am I eating properly, those sorts of things? That's one of six really critical dimensions, you know, the other ones are mental and spiritual well-being. Do you have access to nature now? Pretty much all of us can do that, right? So you say, do I have agency? Do I feel in control my well-being? Will get outside. Take a deep breath. Look at the sun. Watch the sun set. Do you have access to solace and sleep? Places for spiritual traditions and engagement? And then social wellness is kind of the third opportunity. And that's really about pro-social design. You know, do we have diverse and integrated housing and spaces and third places where people can connect and socialize beyond just our tech based, screen driven creativity? And then really, the fourth, of course, is financial and economic. And in the US today, you know as well as I, we have a housing affordability crisis and housing equity crisis. We need to fix that. Fifth, of course, is environmental. And that's one of the more common ones as well. But building on technologies and materials that are better for the environment, regenerative design practices and earth friendly design as well. And then, of course, the final one is civic. And that goes down to what you said a moment ago. Agency do I have control over my destiny? Do I have respect for my local history? Do I have respect for my citizens and my neighbors around me? And really, it's that holistic view of wellness that's really, really important. And when we unpack it that way, we have more control than we realize.

Peter Bowes: 7:59

So I posed the question at the beginning, when do we begin to think about these things as we are growing older and moving into a different phase of our lives? And I think the expression downsizing is, is very familiar to a lot of people. And it's at that point, whether you're 40, 50, 60 or older, that you really begin to focus in on the impact of where you are going to live and what some people describe as as the third chapter of our lives. So where do you come down on that? How is it's never too soon to begin to think about that?

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 8:31

Yes. And I would submit to you, Peter, that when we're talking about wellness, real estate, it's actually foundational. And I would challenge us all to think about it as as infrastructure, just as we think about water and sewer and electricity and technology in the home. So we need to start from the ground up whenever we envision a new community or design a new home to think about those six dimensions of wellness right from the start. If we do that, and those dimensions of wellness are considered in our design process and what we bring to bear, then it's ageless, really, and the environment should create a healthy opportunity from cradle to grave and however long that out in the future, hopefully that grave is.

Peter Bowes: 9:12

But can an environment in terms of a building, a structure, a home be truly ageless? When as we grow older, we change physically and our needs are different as we grow older? And generally speaking, people are less mobile. There's a lot we can do to make sure we're as mobile as possible, but generally speaking, people are looking for an environment that suits their phase in life.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 9:35

Yes, and I think you may be addressing the notion of staying independent and connected through time. If I'm reading you right, and I think really, this is, again, where it's important to plug into all dimensions of wellness and integrate them in the design from the start. You know, people can stay independent and engaged longer. They can stay happy and active. They can feel safe and comfortable longer when the environment is designed for those different types of mobility to encourage movement. No matter what type of movement they're able to do at that stage of life, to encourage social connectivity to others. And that goes for not just how homes are sited within a neighborhood or a community or a building if it's a aging in place building. But how they connect with each other and what I call the spaces in between. So the amenities, the programing, the things that we offer to people to help them stay engaged and encourage mental and emotional well-being. And really, we have to look at the whole person, Peter. We can't just look at the physical body. We have to look at the whole person and how we age, how our environment, how our internal environment changes as we age and how that impacts our needs and wants over time.

Peter Bowes: 10:36

So what are the key decisions that you advise people to think about as they're moving into that third chapter phase? And you've covered broadly what some of the issues are. But I'm thinking some people will have a dilemma. Do I really want to move to one of these 55 plus age group communities, or do I want to stay more akin to what I'm used to throughout my life, living in a regular street, maybe close to my family? How do you make those big decisions? How do you decide what's going to be right for you?

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 11:09

Well, I do think it's an individual choice, and design never stops. I think that's the thing we need to remember that nothing is permanent. That change is really the only thing we know. So what I will tell you is that there are four of the dimensions of wellness that are really primary for all consumers today. And if I may, I'll give you kind of the level of satisfaction and then the gap, sorry, the level of importance and then the gap in terms of satisfaction in their lives, because I think that starts to give us a priority. And when your listeners and others and developers are trying to make those priority decisions, where should I focus my time? I really think it comes down to these top four. The first is financial. So 87% of Americans told us financial well-being is very important to them, but only 45% are satisfied with that level of wellness in their life. That's a 42% gap. Physical well-being. 80% said it's very important, but only 47% are satisfied. That's a 33% gap. And then one that's really important to me is emotional well-being. So 79% of people say it's very important. Only 57% are satisfied, 22% gap. So I think we start with the; how people feel. You know, we are an emotional being as much as we are physical being. And if we can feel better and feel respected and feel seen and heard, I think that's really the, you know, the real starting point to go from.

Peter Bowes: 12:28

And have you identified the reasons for that gap, especially the emotional well-being, that 20% plus gap between importance and actually considering how they feel now in terms of their emotional well-being, is is there a number one issue that's preventing people optimizing that aspect of their wellness.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 12:50

That's a great, great question. And I don't know that I can answer it with just one answer. But what I can tell you is there's data and research that's found that people who don't have access to what I'll call civic spaces, parks, places to walk, third places to go have a coffee with a neighbor to meet a new friend. Those people are three times less likely to say they have a close friend in their life, three times those who do live in neighborhoods or community environments that have access to those places. 32% of them say they have really close friends. The rest of the rest of us, it's like 9%. So it's a huge delta. So I really think it does come down to we are we are a social being. We have spent more and more time of late on our screens. We are spending more time in our homes than ever before in the last five years, and I think we're more isolated than ever. And I think that's really the core of the issue. We need to create places that that support connectivity.

Peter Bowes: 13:43

So communities that emphasize social connections. And we've talked on this podcast about loneliness being believe it or not, one of the biggest killers and the US Surgeon General has highlighted the importance of this issue. And thinking about that, and perhaps being open to recognizing that it could be a problem in your life. Because I think psychologically, some people don't always realize that it's an issue that's affecting them until perhaps it's it's pointed out.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 14:14

That's right. And I think also we have an obligation as community creators and developers to recognize that there isn't one size fits all. You know, some of us are more intrinsically motivated. And as you mentioned a second ago, they may not realize that they have issues with connectivity and mental and emotional well-being. Others are more externally motivated, more extrinsically motivated. So I think we need to create places that allow for people to connect and to experience life in ways that matter to them, and also change over time as their life changes, as their mobility perhaps changes. But being able to allow for things to evolve and change as life goes on, it's really critical.

Peter Bowes: 15:31

This is the Live Long podcast. Our guest is Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki from the Global Wellness Institute. And so how well are we doing? And when I say we let's just focus on the United States at the moment, we're both in California at the moment. I think you recognize what the issues are. I think I recognize what some of the potential problems are. But as a country, as a state, are we doing enough?

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 15:57

I will say no. I think we can always do more. And I think the best way to highlight this, if I may, is to actually talk about a specific community that's located here in Southern California that really has taken wellness to heart and has integrated into every stage of their land planning. And that's Rancho Mission Viejo. It's actually one of 13 communities globally that was recognized by the Global Wellness Institute. And they're build well to live well case studies this year. And the reason for that is because the ranch has really intentionally sited community amenities and home product for 55 plus adults throughout the villages that really to encourage social interaction. And as you mentioned a few moments ago, you know, these aren't homes that are behind a gate. They're not homes that are isolated. They're homes that are connected to others in the community. They have extensive programing and events that change over time and that they develop based on input and feedback from residents in the community, numerous indoor and outdoor spaces, parks, pavilions and so on that encourage connection. Restaurants, coffee houses, more than 60 resident led clubs, so not developer led clubs, but actually created from within the community itself. So what are the metrics? That all sounds great, right? What are the metrics? Well, every year the ranch does a study with their consumers, with their residents who live in the community, and 83% of them say that living in the ranch supports their well-being. Now, okay, that's the human side. What about the business case and the financial side. We did an analysis last year and looked at the resale values within the Orange County submarket, and discovered that Rancho Mission Viejo captures about a 5% resale premium to all other homes. So it's really critical, I think, that the the metrics are in place so that we can continue to prove the business case for the wellness case.

Peter Bowes: 17:38

What about people who have a fear of change and everything you say sounds sounds great in terms of emphasizing the community aspect of these new developments. But some people, perhaps as they get older, are even more afraid of of change because it's stepping into the unknown.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 17:57

Yeah. And I think that goes back to what I mentioned a moment ago, which is that there isn't one size fits all. Some people won't be attracted to the resident clubs. They may be more internally motivated, maybe more introverted. There's also a large group of people that say they want to age in place, right? So how do we help support technologies, product innovations, service innovations to allow people to live in their homes? You know, the baby boomer population has a lot of home equity built up and may not want to move. But are they living in homes that can support their aging? So I think that again, it's not one size fits all. We have to listen actively. We have to be curious and understand where people are and then find ways to meet them, where they are.

Peter Bowes: 18:37

And how important is. I know a lot of these communities. I'm not so sure about the one that you mentioned, but they are focused on a certain age group. So 55 plus is quite common but multigenerational living. There's a lot of research going into showing that older people living alongside younger people. And to give the example of a university or college accommodation that actually caters for older people and students living side by side. And there's a kind of synergy in terms of the lifestyle with with one age group looking after the other, the younger person perhaps benefiting from the wisdom of of the older person. That seems to me to be a positive way forward because it kind of mimics the family environment.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 19:21

It does exactly. And, you know, when the large majority of the American population today is living in one and two person households at all ages, that's also critical for our wellness across all generations. And I will say, just to clarify, Rancho Mission Viejo is actually a multigenerational community. It's envisioned to be 14,000 homes. 6000 of them are age-qualified in what they call a Gavilon village product. But those homes are mixed within the neighborhoods overall. While those 55 plus residents certainly have access to their own amenities, some of the most important ones are fitness and pools, where you don't want a bunch of kids screaming around while you're doing your workout. But there is a really beautiful kind of mingling that goes on with residents of all ages in that community, and that's really becoming the norm, I think, for the older boomer population. And by that I'll say 75 plus. That's the group that's probably most accustomed to the conventional age. target age restricted behind the gates model. But you know, I'm a Gen Xer, I'm not far from 60 and I don't want to live with those people. Right. Most of us don't. You don't feel young. You want to connect with people that are active and engaging and may have things to share and things to teach us. So I think it's really important that multigenerational living becomes the core.

Peter Bowes: 20:34

And as we're thinking of moving into a new home environment, how is technology changing the way that we can live in new places and to use technology? We're hearing so much about AI at the moment. How does that aspect of modern day living potentially help us?

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 20:52

I think it gives us more flexibility. I think in the sort of longevity space. There's certainly health monitoring, right? There's certainly there's a ton of apps that are being created. I saw a couple of demonstrations last week at an event from two of them that are being created to monitor when somebody falls or to be able to, you know, connect with people when they need to if you're living alone. So I think it it provides more independence. I think that it can also provide more safety, more comfort, more security. Certainly, I think technology is a big part of it, and I think it's the really the sweet spot is going to be figuring out how to marry technology with the human side of things, so that it really does work for all of us.

Peter Bowes: 21:31

Yeah, I think that's a sweet spot, and I think it's perhaps one of the most challenging spots as, as well, to have that line between being overly dependent on technology. And I know AI, for example, is being put to good use in terms of companionship with people. But for some people that is technology too far and that they still want human connections. So I think, I mean, my personal thought, we need to be kind of careful in terms of how we involve older people with with technology. I think there are many benefits, but that human to human touch is the ultimately the most important.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 22:08

I couldn't agree more. That is absolutely my bias as well. I think that there's a lot of evidence, you know, Jonathan Haidt and others have written about the damage that our screen culture has done to our younger generations, you know, and those are grandchildren for people who are aging today. And I think there's a lot of evidence and a lot of real sad life examples of people not being able to converse and talk with each other and share the human analog experience. And at the end of the day, biologically, we're all analog beings. So so I agree with you. I think technology is both a benefit, and I think it's also very scary.

Peter Bowes: 22:44

Another aspect of this, and I don't think either of us have mentioned the R word retirement so far yet. Maybe we have. I'm not so sure. But for for some people, retirement is not what they want to do. Yet clearly these kinds of communities have the image of being somewhere that you go when you you stop working. And you, as I say, enter this new phase that involves retirement. But so many people who are in their 70s 80s even and are fit and agile physically and mentally and actually still want to work. So I think an element of making it possible to work, maybe in a new kind of environment for people is still crucially important.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 23:25

I agree, and I think that the retirement notion, if you will again, might be more relevant to the older baby boomer generation, the 75 plus group. But even that, I think with caution. You've used the term earlier and it's a beautiful term. The third chapter. Right? What's my third chapter? And we're living longer. My third chapter might be 30 years of my life, not five years after retirement. It might be 30 more years. So again, that has impacts around all dimensions of well-being. I mean, are my finances set up in such a manner that I can live where I want to live, in a place that feels comfortable and supportive of me? Can I do things with my family if I don't have family? Can I do other things that engage me and keep my brain active? So I agree with you. We're just not seeing we're seeing the working age stretch longer than ever. We're also seeing people become entrepreneurs later in life. Create home based businesses. You know, more than half of Americans today work from home, some or all of the time. And a lot of those people are in the later years of life. It's critical.

Peter Bowes: 24:23

And the ability to, if you want to, to effectively go back to school to start your education again or perhaps enter a new path, maybe something that you've always wanted to do, perhaps that career that you decided not to embark upon when you were in your 20s, but in your 60s and 70s. Maybe you can give it a go.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 24:42

Well, and I think that's actually one area where technology is becoming a real benefit. There are a lot of incredible online courses and online opportunities to to share your life's experience with younger generations, but also to take courses of interest to you online from anywhere in the world. So yes, I think that that's really an important factor that is is taking a lot of getting a lot of movement behind it these days, for sure.

Peter Bowes: 25:07

Teri, if I may ask you a more sort of personal question based on your research and delving deep dives into this subject over the years and seeing how ideas and technology has changed and how it can benefit us these days. How have you changed your attitude towards your life and your way of living based on what you know?

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 25:30

I love that question and I really appreciate it. I will say that I think over the last five years, I've become increasingly more aware of physical changes in my body as I age and how important it is that, you know, getting 30 minutes a day of good hard cardio on my exercise bike upstairs or a nice long walk is what's what's between me and a visit to the hospital. Right. And the way that my body and my mind feels if I don't invest in that time for me, is not as good as when I do. And if that means I travel a lot with clients all across the United States and all time zones, and if that means getting up at 430 in the morning, and if there's not a safe place to walk walking around the outside of a hotel. That's what I will do. And the difference I feel is, is monumental. It's very measurable.

Peter Bowes: 26:17

Interesting. And I couldn't agree more with you. I have a daily walk every day. It's one of the most important hours of my day and the other aspects that certainly I'm very similar age to you. I'm kind of one of the younger end of the baby boomer generation, but apart from exercise and the obvious diet and and sleep, we've touched on this a lot. Social connections are so valuable as you grow older. And it's not just maintaining the older social connections, it's it's making new ones. And we're coming full circle here to the environment that we live in that allows you allows us to easily do that.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 26:52

Right. And I think that if there was a silver lining from the the horrible pandemic that we all lived through five years ago, I think that's one of them,

you know, the stories. And we lived this way of meeting at the end of the driveway at 7: 26:59

00 at night and talking with your neighbors. And in my neighborhood, I had a retired teacher and her partner who lived across the street. I had an older 75 year old couple next door. I had a retired scientist two doors up, and we got to know our neighbors better than we ever had before. And when our older neighbors couldn't find something at the grocery store, you know, one of us went and shopped for them and, and took care of it and left it on their front porch. And we stayed, you know, distant as we needed to at that point in time, knowing what we knew at the time. But I do think that's really critical. And, you know, from the American Home Study, one of the behaviors you might find interesting, Peter, that has stuck because you referred to food a moment ago, is we are cooking and baking more at home now than we ever have. And that's gone up over the last four waves of our study every year over the last five years. So I think that's a really good example, too, of really caring for each other in ways that nourish our body and soul.

Peter Bowes: 27:53

And I think that's good for a couple of reasons. You're exercising the brain. There's a physicality in terms of of cooking. But I think depending on what you're cooking, of course, you tend to make healthier food than if you're eating fast food or maybe dining out too often at a restaurant.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 28:08

Right.

Peter Bowes: 28:09

Let me ask you, in closing your view and your aspirations for the future, is there something that you are particularly looking forward to? This is a rapidly evolving and fascinating field that you're in, but what are you looking forward to in the future?

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 28:24

My ultimate dream would be for everyone and anyone who's involved in creating places for people to to understand that wellness, design and wellness real estate doesn't actually cost more or need to be more difficult to do than just really good design. It just needs to be more intentional. And I think my goal would be, and this is how I work with all of my clients across the country, is really reminding us to start from the foundation of the human, you know, who are we building these places for? How do they want to live? What's important to them from a wellness perspective in their lives, and then really roll up our sleeves and get honest about it? Are we just going to build a clubhouse because we've always done that. When it's number 22 on the list of important amenities, are we going to invest in that small entrepreneur to put that really great coffee shop in our community where somebody can walk and meet new friends, right. So I think it's really listening to people and just making sure that wellness isn't just a bow on a package or seen as a nice to have, it is foundational. And to people today, Peter, it's become it's become the infrastructure. And as important as the roads we walk and drive on.

Peter Bowes: 29:35

You mentioned the clubhouse just out of interest. What are the top 3 or 4 amenities that people say that they want?

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 29:41

Very clear. First one is access to nature and outdoor space. The second one is walkability to a coffee shop or a casual restaurant, and the third one is trails. And trails don't need to mean sidewalks. They can mean multimodal trails that are designed at different widths that can support somebody pushing a baby with a walking a dog and somebody in a wheelchair with a cane or a walking stick and everything in between.

Peter Bowes: 30:02

That's fascinating to me. And yes, and I'm pleasantly surprised that those are the are the top three because it it certainly reflects what I would hope to be the kind of environment I would hope to be moving into.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 30:13

That's great. It's exciting. And it is really, again, all about wellness. So I think we need to get serious about it and and think about it from the from the inside out, from the human perspective into the world that we're creating.

Peter Bowes: 30:25

And it's I like the fact that you say it's exciting because some people are kind of daunted by the prospect of change and finding a new community, perhaps potentially their final community, to make it exciting, I think is important. I think we probably all remember the excitement of buying or even renting our own first home away from the family home, from the home that we were brought up in. There's a certain element of that that if you could just recreate it older in life, it would bring a new excitement to you.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 30:59

It's very true. And, you know, I say all the time, it's a very difficult industry to work in. And I have great respect for people who have literally hundreds of millions of dollars of capital invested in creating these communities and building the infrastructure. But it is also, I think, one of the most noble professions they've ever chosen to get into, because they're creating places where families bring the baby home from the hospital for the first time, you know, and where when somebody passes on, the family gathers to remember that person's life, where they celebrate every milestone and moment. And I think it's really critical that we we think about the people for whom we're creating these spaces, and we take it as a really huge, outsized responsibility to make them as healthy and as well as they can be.

Peter Bowes: 31:42

Teri, this is a really fascinating area. Thank you so much for your insight. If anyone wants to just read a little bit more about what you've been doing with your work and perhaps the community that you mention, where should they go?

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 31:54

Certainly they can. For Rancho Mission Viejo, they can go to RanchoMissionViejo.com and they'll find everything out about that fantastic, great case study, and I encourage everyone to do that and also to visit it in person. And then for anyone who's interested in the insights from the American Home Study, the URL is very simply AmericaatHome.com and you'll see a lot of infographics and data and insights around wellness and what matters to people in home and community today. And then, of course, for the Global Wellness Institute, very simple GlobalWellnessInstitute.org and you'll see our work on the initiative and the team that we've assembled from around the globe who are taking this on, on, on the nose every day.

Peter Bowes: 32:31

Very, really good to talk to you. Thank you so much.

Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki: 32:33

Thank you so much, Peter. It was a pleasure.

Peter Bowes: 32:35

The Livelong Podcast is a healthspan media production. I'm Peter Bowes. You can contact me through our website, livelongpodcast.com where you'll also find show notes for this episode.

DISCLAIMER: 32:46

This podcast is for informational, educational and entertainment purposes only. We do not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should first consult your doctor.