Reimagining Assisted Living Through the Small House Model, with George Kutnerian

In this episode, AgingIN CEO Susan Ryan sits down with George Kutnerian, second-generation operator and co-founder of WellPointe, a California-based organization operating 67 licensed small house assisted living locations. George shares the remarkable story of how his parents pioneered the residential assisted living model in Fresno, Calif., in 1984 and how their vision has evolved into a scalable, person-centered approach to housing and care. Susan and George explore the operational realities behind the model, including adaptive reuse of single-family homes, co-located operations for efficiency, workforce strategies, and the importance of maintaining meaningful resident-staff relationships. Throughout the episode, George challenges listeners to rethink assumptions about aging, housing, and care—and to focus on the fundamental question of what "home" truly means. He offers a compelling vision for the future of eldercare: one where home, community, dignity, and choice are at the center of every decision. The small house model will be featured at the AgingINnovation 2026 annual conference this August. Learn more about it here: https://aginginnovationconference.org