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Long before society woke up to the phenomenon of the aging boomers, Live Oak Institute saw the creation of a new role for elders as a key engine of the cultural paradigm shift through which we are all living. In 1977, elders in nursing homes, regardless of background or ethnicity, were amongst the most disempowered and victimized people in society. Thus, the first Live Oak Project began in a nursing home on the front lines of the civil rights movement to liberate people who lived there from the isolation, disconnection, and lack of meaning that has disempowered them individually and as a group. Some highlights follow of Live Oak’s 30-year history as a pioneer in the creation of a transformative culture of aging: |
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In 1979, Live Oak introduced the concept of culture change as the key to nursing home transformation in an invitational conference convened by the president of the University of California. Eighteen years later this concept defined the Pioneer movement for deep systems change. |
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In 1983 Gulf + Western Corporation chose Live Oak Institute to receive major funding in the largest open competition ever held in aging by a corporate philanthropy. G+W’s goal was to capitalize three successful innovators with demonstrated potential to transform the direction of the aging field in America. |
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In 1986, the institute spun off the Live Oak Living Center as a pioneering learning and development incubator which was widely acknowledged as as a legendary icon of culture change. It was a loving, joyful, hopeful, empowering environment that succeeded within the often counter-effective payment and regulatory parameters of the healthcare system. |
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Identified as one of the four original groups of pioneers in changing the culture of nursing homes, in 1997, Live Oak Institute put movement building before narrow self interest, and put its scant resources into building the national culture change movement for nursing homes. It has been one of the leading architects of the Pioneer Network, which began with 35 people and today drives a unifying vision of institutional transformation.. |
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In 2004, Live Oak co-founder Barry Barkan was elected to an Ashoka Fellowship for leading social entrepreneurs around the world. His big idea: harness the energies of those of us who will be the elders of the 21st century and create the Elders Guild organization to transform the culture of aging in America. |
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| “Culture is a binding force that holds a people or an organization together and gives meaning to life.” | |||
| We Said That (WST) | |||
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Design by Sleeping Dog Productions |
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