Listen to Jane Bavineau, vice president of Sheltering Arms Senior Services Division, BakerRipley, tell the story of her bumpy journey to understand the power of appreciative inquiry, and how it changed the narrative she believed, which depicted older people as sick, frail, and a burden.

Despite her protests, Jane and her colleagues from Sheltering Arms, which had recently merged with Baker Ripley, began using appreciative inquiry to learn more about aging and older adults. Instead of asking seniors about their needs and the challenges of growing old, they took an appreciative approach and asked questions like, “What brings you joy?” And according to Jane, the responses were eye opening!

Watch Jane’s humorous Snapshot presentation, which she gave at the 2018 Alliance National Conference, and learn how appreciative inquiry changed her perspective on aging and how this approach can be used to reframe any personal or community challenge. 

Visit the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities YouTube channel to see more.