The Bold Ideas Behind University Retirement Communities

As we continue to replay the most popular episodes of 2025, this week's features an insightful interview by AgingIN CEO Susan Ryan as she sits down with senior living innovator Andy Carle, consultant and founder of UniversityRetirementCommunities.com. Andy shares his personal journey into eldercare and the bold moves he's made to elevate the field, from founding a 70-community company to creating the first university-level curriculum for senior living executives. Andy also dives into the concept of "nana technology"—his term for tech that supports aging with dignity—and explores the rise of University Retirement Communities (URCs), a model that merges lifelong learning with purposeful aging. He outlines the five essential criteria for certification and shares how URCs foster mutual benefit for both older adults and students through intergenerational connection, shared resources, and collaborative programming. This episode takes a deep dive into what's possible when we stop settling for outdated models and start designing for a future that values older adults as engaged, capable, and vital members of society. More information about URCs here: universityretirementcommunities.com