Propel gift empowers aging business management innovation

If people experiencing memory loss knew that up to 40% of dementia cases could be prevented, they probably would have done anything to improve their brain health while it was still possible.

Thanks to a new research initiative on healthy aging launched by the Washington State University Granger Cobb Institute for the Business of Aging, communities can now get a jump on managing cognitive risk factors, and future professionals are being prepared to navigate and lead advance care (ACP) planning conversations.

Backed by a $50,000 gift from Propel Insurance, the institute awarded two $10,000 grants supporting projects focusing on screenings for brain health and end-of-life care training for medical professionals - work that's being done in partnership with the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

"We're incredibly grateful to Propel Insurance for believing in the Granger Cobb Institute's emphasis on research, education, and industry engagement," said Nancy Swanger, the institutes' founding director. "This partnership elevates the institute's overall impact on healthy aging."

Supporting the Granger Cobb Institute means investing in practical solutions that improve care, train future leaders, and elevate the field.

Leaders at Propel said the investment reflects a broader effort to support innovation in senior care.

"Supporting the Granger Cobb Institute means investing in practical solutions that improve care, train future leaders, and elevate the field. We're proud to help make that vision a reality," said Jevyn Backman, national practice leader at Propel Senior Care.

Free community screenings empower brain health

The brain health project focuses on early detection of cognitive risk factors through a series of free health screening in eastern Washington and northern Idaho communities. The screenings assess key modifiable risk factors linked to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias including cardiovascular health, social-emotional well-being, nutrition, sleep, vision, and hearing loss.

Amy Kemp, WSU associate professor and licensed speech-language pathologist, is leading the project, which also serves as a training ground for future health care professionals.

"Our goal is to shift the model of aging from reactive to preventative," Kemp said. "If we can detect risks earlier, especially in midlife adults, we have a much greater opportunity to change the trajectory of someone's brain health over time."

Screenings will continue in Spokane in 2026, Kemp said.

Care and compassion training fortifies health and senior-living workforce

The end-of-life care training project brings together WSU students across health and aging disciplines to build a workforce prepared to lead ACP conversations in senior-living and health care settings. Students learn to facilitate discussions with residents, patients, families, and staff while gaining insight into how communication, decision-making, and care preferences shape both operations and the human experience in the senior-living industry.

Three WSU faculty researchers with expertise in human development and prevention science, Raven Weaver, Cory Bolkan, and Amanda Lamp, are leading the project.

"A central takeaway across the training is a shift toward understanding and honoring individuals' values, not simply focusing on end-of-life decisions but on what matters most throughout life," Weaver said.

The research team is refining the program and preparing to expand into community-based implementation, where students will lead events - including some in senior-living settings - to help normalize ACP conversations.

Propel support advances certificate program and other opportunities

In addition to research, the Propel gift supports growth in several other Granger Cobb Institute areas, including the development of the Aging Business Management Certificate.

The certificate serves a broad workforce, from operators and sales teams in the senior-living space to vendors, insurers, and industry partners. Propel's gift supported four new modules on ageism, resident loss, dining, and AI, while updating two others to better reflect needs in asset management, sales, and marketing.

"The influence the Granger Cobb Institute is able to create - from research insights to essential training that improves lives - would not reach as far without the support from benefactors such as Propel Insurance," Swanger said. "Together we're making a real difference in the lives of people when they need it most."