Blogs
Carol Cummings, RN, BSN, Expert on Aging Well
As Brookdale’s Senior Director of Optimum Life and Engagement, Carol believes senior living should empower residents to make choices that bring meaning and purpose to their lives.
Early in her nursing career, Carol developed a passion for working with older adults. After 15 years in hospital and home health settings, Carol took a position as the wellness director for a Brookdale community, a role she describes as her dream job. Her work in the community led to her current role where she supports the well-being of residents through program and service design and education related to Optimum Life, the foundation of how Brookdale approaches whole-person wellness.
Carol has been with Brookdale for 18 years, and during that time, she’s earned multiple awards for her programs, including the International Council on Active Aging Innovator Award and the Assisted Living Federation of America’s Best of the Best. As a Certified Wellness Coach and Certified Wellness Practitioner, Carol is an avid student and engaging teacher with a passion for challenging aging stereotypes and helping older adults continue to grow and live life with dignity and respect.
Continue Your Education with Brookdale
Did you know that Brookdale offers an Optimum Life Continuing Education series? Carol Cummings, Brookdale’s expert on aging, explains how healthcare professionals can attend classes for credit.
Four Tips for Combatting Loneliness in Older Adults
Loneliness can be just as harmful to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and research shows it is more prevalent among seniors. Carol Cummings, Brookdale’s expert on aging well, offers four tips for combatting feelings of loneliness.
More Than a Calendar of Activities: Three Tips for Resident Engagement
What activities are best for senior living? It’s a question Carol Cummings, Brookdale’s expert on aging, is asked a lot. In her latest blog, Carol explains why that question doesn’t have a simple answer, and why she believes there are three key components to successful resident engagement.
Surf the Net Safely: Six Tips for Avoiding Online Scams
It’s too easy to fall for internet scams, especially ones that target seniors. From fraudulent emails to sham websites, online scams can compromise your personal data or trick you into transferring funds for goods or services that you'll never receive. Carol Cummings, Brookdale’s expert on aging well, offers six tips for staying safe online.
How to Avoid Scams that Target Seniors: Three Red Flags to Watch For
Older adults lose an estimated $2.9 billion each year to financial scams, according to a report released by a Senate committee in January 2019. That’s why it’s important to know what red flags to watch out for. Carol Cummings, Brookdale’s expert on aging well, offers four tips for protecting yourself.
Three Tips for Creating an Inclusive Environment for LGBT Seniors
Carol Cummings, Brookdale's aging expert, explains what the senior living industry can do to better understand the unique needs of LGBT elders.
Are You Ageist? The Answer May Surprise You
The negative effects of ageism are well documented, but how do we change the behavior? Carol Cummings, Brookdale’s expert on aging, lays out twelve habits that are surprisingly ageist and challenges us all to take a stand for National Older Americans Month.
Three Tips for Supporting Emotional Well-Being
Being emotionally vulnerable and supportive sounds intimidating, but research shows that expressing emotions actually improves your health. Carol Cummings, Brookdale’s wellness expert, looks at three ways you can support emotional engagement. Click the link to read more.
Ageism is No Laughing Matter
Why is old age often the butt of a joke? Carol Cummings, Brookdale's expert on aging, examines the roots of ageism and how we can combat its negative effects. Click the link to read more.
What You Should Know About Older Adult Nutrition
Our relationship with food may change as we age, but it remains an important part of who we are and how we live. Brookdale experts offer tips to help ensure older adults are getting the calories and nutrients they need.