April 7, 2026 • 27 mins
We talk with Ted Teele about why brain health is now the biggest aging concern and why that reality is reshaping what people expect from senior living. We break down Brain Boosters, a science-informed cognitive wellness club that uses assessment, personalization, and social accountability to help residents stay sharp and help operators stand out.
• brain health as the top driver of senior living choice
• scientific wellness vs traditional wellness programming
• the four Ps predict prevent personalize participation
• evidence from the U.S. POINTER Study and why structure matters
• Brain Boosters as a practical first step toward longevity communities
• multivariable assessment using cognitive testing lifestyle inputs and biomarkers
• BrainHQ adaptive brain training and why it differs from puzzles
• VR pilots like MindGlow as an emerging tool
• gamification and team accountability to improve adherence
• operator upside through differentiation occupancy and longer length of stay
Ted Teele
CEO, BrainBoosters of America
BrainBoostersofAmerica.com
CEO, Longevity Community Consultants
LongevityCommunityConsultants.com
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_00 (00:02):
Welcome to the Senior Housing Investors
Podcast.
If you are an owner, operator,investor, developer, or buyer of
Senior Housing, you've come tothe right place.
The best way to stay connectedwith us is to sign up for our
weekly newsletter at havenSenior Investors.com.
This podcast doesn't existwithout you and our community.
(00:25):
Thank you for listening andreach out to us at any time.
Welcome back to the SeniorHousing Investors Podcast.
I'm your host, John Haubert.
Today's guest is someone many ofour listeners already know.
Ted Till is the CEO of BrainBoosters of America and the CEO
(00:48):
of Longevity CommunityConsultants.
Earlier in his career, Ted wasthe CEO of Touchdown, a resident
engagement technology companynow used in over 3,000 senior
living communities.
Prior to that, he had a long andsuccessful career as a CEO and
(01:12):
is the is a graduate of HarvardCollege and Harvard Business
School.
Ted's interest in longevityscience became personal in 2019
when he underwent quintuplebypass surgery.
That experience led him toimmerse himself in the science
of longevity and aging.
And since then, he's beenworking with providers across
(01:35):
the country on a new modelcalled longevity communities.
Ted, your prior episodes wereour most downloaded ever.
Welcome back.
Thanks, John.
SPEAKER_01 (01:48):
It's great to be back.
I really enjoy theseconversations.
It's always fun connecting withsomeone who shares such a strong
interest in longevity science.
SPEAKER_00 (02:01):
Well, last time we talked about longevity
communities and how seniorliving needs to evolve to
attract baby boomers.
Today, I want us to focus onsomething very practical that
you're building.
Before we dive in, what is BrainBoosters?
SPEAKER_01 (02:22):
Great question, John.
Brain Boosters is ascience-informed cognitive
wellness club designed forsenior living communities.
The goal is to make it easierand more enjoyable for older
adults to enhance theircognitive skills and support
(02:42):
long-term brain health.
And we're building it using theframework of scientific wellness
with an emphasis onpersonalization, participation,
and measurement.
SPEAKER_00 (02:57):
Okay, Ted, let's step back for a moment.
Why is brain health such a bigfocus right now?
SPEAKER_01 (03:04):
It's huge and it's backed by data.
A study by Love and Company, whosurveyed about 1,600 people last
year who were interested inseeing your living, found that
brain health was the number oneconcern related to aging.
They gave them eight concernsand they asked them to rank them
in brain health, essentiallyAlzheimer's, dementia, and
(03:28):
cognitive decline was the numberone concern they expressed.
And even more striking, 94% saidthat a strong brain health
program would positivelyinfluence their decision to move
into a community.
Now, not all of them were saidhighly influenced, but it spread
between that 94%.
(03:49):
But all those people said thatif they looked at a community
with a strong brain healthprogram, they'd be more likely
to move in.
And this is where I think one ofthe big insights comes in.
Brain health has become thenumber one concern for older
adults, and communities that areinterested will have a major
(04:12):
competitive advantage.
SPEAKER_00 (04:15):
Well, Ted, that brings up a you know more of a
personal side of my life, andthat is my father had dementia.
He started having brain issueswhen started probably when he
was 76.
And ultimately he succumbed uhto older age and and had
dementia.
(04:35):
Uh, but also um my mom's husbandhad had uh dementia, like Bruce
Willis's dementia, and and weput him into a memory care
community, and they didn't havethis type of brain enhancements.
And so what you just said interms of brain health has become
(04:55):
the number one concern for olderadults.
That's a powerful statement.
Why do you think this is so topof mind?
SPEAKER_01 (05:02):
By the way, I'm very sorry about your family
situation, and I have somethingin my family as well, yeah, and
most people can tell you astory, and it's sad.
The fact is that you knowdementia is virtually an
epidemic over once people getover 80.
But because cognitive declineaffects independence, identity,
(05:26):
and quality of life in a veryprofound way, it means that
brain health is top of mind forpeople that are at the age for a
senior living.
And I think there's also agrowing awareness that lifestyle
matters, that what we do everyday can influence how we age
(05:47):
cognitively, which leadsdirectly into the subject of
scientific wellness.
SPEAKER_00 (05:55):
All right, so let's go there.
What is scientific wellness andhow is it different from
traditional wellnessprogramming?
SPEAKER_01 (06:05):
Another great question.
Traditional wellness programmingtends to focus on activities,
fitness classes, social events,educational sessions.
Those are all valuable, butthey're generally not measured
or personalized in a rigorousway.
(06:25):
Scientific wellness approach,it's based on the work of two
brilliant scientists, Dr.
Leroy Hood and Dr.
Nathan Price, at the BuckInstitute for Research on Aging,
and it's built around fourprinciples.
The first one, and they're allfour P's, predict disease before
(06:48):
it becomes clinicallyidentifiable.
Once you can predict it, thesecond P is to prevent the
disease before it ever occurs.
And nowadays you can see a lotof these diseases, like
Alzheimer's, coming years inadvance if you're looking for
it.
The third P is personalized,personalized recommendations
(07:12):
based on each person's uniquebiology and lifestyle.
And the fourth is participation,which is what each of us needs
to do for our own health.
So the key shift is this the bigshift is moving from general
wellness programming tomeasurable, personalized health
(07:35):
improvement based on scientificwellness.
We're now able to use data,including biomarkers, cognitive
testing, and lifestyle inputs tobetter understand risk and track
changes over time.
SPEAKER_00 (07:52):
So, Ted, this is really about bringing science
and data into wellnessgenerally, and cognitive health
specifically.
SPEAKER_01 (08:04):
Exactly.
And we need to be thoughtfulhere.
There are no guarantees when itcomes to cognitive health, but
there is growing evidence thatstructured lifestyle programs
can help support cognitivefunction.
SPEAKER_00 (08:21):
So is that where the I think it's called the U.S.
Pointer Study comes in?
SPEAKER_01 (08:29):
That's correct.
There was a similar study a fewyears earlier in Finland called
the Finger Study.
So they they created a study inthe U.S.
called the Pointer Study, sofinger pointer, and that's a key
piece of evidence.
The U.S.
Pointer Study, which waspublished in the Journal of the
American Medical Association in2025, followed over 2,000 older
(08:54):
adults for two years at risk forcognitive decline.
It compared a structuredmulti-domain program, including
coaching on exercise diet,cognitive training, and social
engagement with a self-guidedapproach.
The structured program showed,on average, greater cognitive
(09:15):
benefit.
Now, again, we should be carefulnot to overstate this, but it's
encouraging and it supports theidea that structured
science-informed lifestyleprogram difference.
SPEAKER_00 (09:30):
So you've actually brought someone onto your team
who worked on that study.
Is that correct?
SPEAKER_01 (09:37):
Yes, and we're very excited about it.
Farma Benavides, who's now partof the Brain Boosters team, was
a coach in the U.S.
Pointer study for five years.
She worked with directly withmore than 100 participants to
help them change their habitsand stay engaged with the
program.
(09:57):
So she brings real-worldexpertise in turning theory into
sustained behavioral change.
Carmen is our director of brainhealth navigation.
SPEAKER_00 (10:09):
Okay, so when you when you say in our audience,
are you going to want to hearthis right away because you just
said uh that she works withparticipants to help them change
their habits.
What what are those habits?
What would what what would whatis she trying to change?
SPEAKER_01 (10:26):
Well, it's diet, exercise, you know, education,
you know, so it's it's a a lotof different things, but diet
and exercise is very important.
They also did brain games, andlike we can talk about that a
little later.
SPEAKER_00 (10:45):
So let's connect this back to senior living.
If I'm an operator listening tothis, what's the practical first
step?
SPEAKER_01 (10:55):
Well, John, this is where brain boosters comes in.
What I'd call low-hanging fruit.
Over the last couple of years,many providers have asked me,
how do we start moving towardsscientific wellness-based
longevity communities without amassive and expensive
transformation?
(11:15):
And a cognitive wellness club isa practical, high-impact entry
point.
I frame it this way (11:21):
senior living today doesn't just have a
branding problem, it has aproduct problem that needs to be
addressed.
When roughly 90% of seniors saythey don't want to move into
senior living, according to astudy by a place for mom, that's
not just perception.
(11:42):
It reflects a mismatch betweenthe current senior living
offering and what older adultsreally value for the last years
of their lives.
And if senior living doesn'taddress that, it's going to get
worse because the baby boomersare now coming into that age
group.
(12:03):
So brain health is somethingthey deeply care about, and
brain boosters directlyaddresses that.
SPEAKER_00 (12:12):
Okay, so how does brain boosters actually work?
Let's get down to that.
SPEAKER_01 (12:18):
So there are a few core components.
Before we even get tointerventions, brain boosters
starts with something morefoundational.
What we call multivariableassessment.
The idea is simple and powerful.
If you want to improve cognitivehealth, you need to understand
what's actually driving it foreach individual.
(12:38):
So rather than a one-size-all,look across multiple domains,
cognitive performance, lifestylefactors, and biomarkers to
create a more complete picture.
To support that, we'repartnering with Centered Care's
Medical Practice, where RockySamuel serves as chief medical
(12:59):
officer.
Rocky is the only person I knowwho has graduated from both
Harvard Medical School andHarvard Business School.
And he spent his career workingat the intersection of clinical
care, data, and system designwith a strong focus on more
personalized outcomes drivinghealth care.
(13:22):
And he has a lot of seniorliving experience.
So really excited to be workingwith him.
So this isn't just programming,this isn't just activities.
It's about building a foundationfor measuring, understanding,
and improving cognitive healthover time.
SPEAKER_00 (13:41):
Well, that makes a lot of sense.
Starting with assessment beforejumping into solutions.
So once you have that baseline,what are some of the key
interventions you'reintroducing?
SPEAKER_01 (13:54):
One of the core interventions is brain training
using brain HQ.
Brain HQ is grounded in whatthey call neuroplasticity, the
brain's ability to reorganizeand strengthen itself through
targeted challenges even laterin life.
Which I do brain HQ every day,first thing in the morning for
(14:16):
10 minutes, and it's amazing.
Brain HQ uses adaptive,evidence-based exercises that
continuously adjust difficultyto keep each person in that
optimal zone of challenge whiletargeting key functions like
processing speed, attention,memory precision, and executive
(14:37):
control.
And that adjustment is reallyimportant because, for example,
if you do crossword puzzles,they don't adjust based on how
well you're doing.
Whereas if you're with brain HQ,if you get questions wrong, they
make it easier.
If you get questions right, theymake it harder to get you in
that optimal zone of challengefor where your brain is on any
(14:59):
given day.
And there's a great real-worldexample that brings this to
life.
Tom Brady won four Super Bowlsearly in his career.
And then most people don'tremember this, but he went 10
years without winning a fifthSuper Bowl.
As he got older, he becameconcerned that his processing
speed, cognitive processingspeed, which is so critical for
(15:23):
a quarterback, might bedeclining.
So he started using brain HQevery day as part of his
routine.
He mentions that in his book.
He went on to win three moreSuper Bowls, including one at
the age of 43, making him theoldest quarterback ever by five
years.
(15:43):
And when he retired, hisphysical abilities were not
where they once were.
I went to his last game.
But he felt his mental abilitieswere as good as they were in his
entire career.
And brain HQ had a big part ofthat.
Now, obviously, our residentsare trying to win championships,
(16:03):
but they are trying to staysharp, make good decisions, and
maintain independence for aslong as possible.
And importantly, the brain HQapproach is supported by
substantial research, hundredsof studies, including the
Pointer study, which uh used it.
And then there was theNIH-funded active trial, which
(16:25):
showed that this type oftraining can lead to durable
improvements in cognitiveperformance and everyday
function, which is what it's allabout.
So again, this isn't aboutgames, it's about systematically
strengthening the brain in waysthat matter in real life.
SPEAKER_00 (16:47):
So, Ted, I understand that you are also
looking at VR, virtual reality,as part of your brain training.
Uh, explain that to ouraudience.
SPEAKER_01 (16:58):
Well, we're also partnering, uh piloting, excuse
me, a new virtual realityproduct called Mind Glow as
another way to potentiallystimulate cognitive health.
The idea is to create immersiveexperiences that engage multiple
brain systems at once, kind ofexercising the neurons in your
(17:19):
brain, including attention,memory, and spatial processing
in a way that's novel, engaging,and potentially, hopefully,
beneficial.
Now we're approaching this pilotuh with appropriate humility
because it is new, but we'reexcited about the potential of
VR as another tool in thecognitive health toolkit.
SPEAKER_00 (17:43):
So, as you know, a lot of wellness programs sound
good in theory, but adherence isthe hard part.
How are you making brainboosters fun and social enough
that people actually want tostick with it?
SPEAKER_01 (17:58):
Well, that's a great question because if you don't
make it fun and enjoyable,people aren't going to want to
do it.
Right?
So, uh, and that's one of thethings that makes brain boosters
different.
A core differentiator is our useof gamification and team-based
accountability to transformcognitive health from a solitary
(18:20):
task into a motivating, sociallyrich experience.
One way I like to describe it isyou get imagine the different
teams, the wise owls and theneuroneerds competing for the
coveted Neurostar Cup.
That simple idea captures a lotof what we're trying to do.
Members are part of small teamsthat meet regularly, creating a
(18:45):
rhythm of friendly competition,shared goals, and mutual
encouragement.
Instead of doing this alone,they're part of a group that's
rooting and having fun along theway.
Teams are on points acrossmultiple dimensions.
Cognitive training like brainHQ, participation in VR
(19:06):
sessions, lifestyleimprovements, attendance, and
engagement in broader communityactivities.
All of those are measures ofactivity rather than actual
brain improvement.
That structure becomes apowerful behavioral engine.
People stay more consistent,they push a little harder, and
they celebrate progresstogether.
(19:28):
And just as importantly, itdrives real social connection.
Members bond through learning,problem solving, humor, and
shared success.
And that sense of camaraderiereduces isolation and reinforces
well-being, which, as we know,is itself a critical component
of brain health.
(19:49):
So brain boosters isn'tsomething residents do, it's
something they belong to.
So where does education fit in?
Brain health education is vital.
So we help members understandthings like the importance of
(20:10):
sleep, and you asked thisquestion earlier, and nutrition
and exercise and stress, and howthey all may influence brain
health.
SPEAKER_00 (20:22):
So, you know, I've been in the business in senior
living for 11 years in manydifferent areas, and one thing
that stands out in senior livingseems uniquely positioned to
deliver this.
So ethics, so senior living isthe key to delivering your
programs, correct?
(20:42):
So that's the beauty of it,right?
SPEAKER_01 (20:44):
So now you have a situation where 90% of
consumers, seniors, say theynever want to live in senior
living.
But the community structure isso valuable because they already
have built-in social networks,structured environment, they
have wellness programs that canbe adapted into this uh
(21:06):
framework and support systems.
So when you layer in astructured, science-informed,
measurable program, you couldpotentially achieve much higher
participation and adherence.
And again, the goal would be todo much better than the pointer
study because those were peoplethat were living in the
community.
(21:26):
So they would have a coach, butthey wouldn't be have anywhere
near the support structure thatthey would get at a senior
living community.
SPEAKER_00 (21:36):
So, Ted, who are these programs designed for?
SPEAKER_01 (21:41):
Right now, our pilot programs, we have pilot programs
under development that arefocused on independent living
residents in life plancommunities, or CCRCs, but also
living residents that areinvolved that live in AL slash.
Memory care communities.
(22:02):
But we absolutely hope todevelop versions for memory care
residents as well.
So a different version of brainboosters depending on the level
of acuity somebody has.
That's an important part of thelong-term vision.
But those programs do need to bedesigned very carefully.
So we're starting with IL andAL, learning from those pilots
(22:24):
and evolving from there.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
So let's talk about the business impact.
Why should operators care aboutthis?
SPEAKER_01 (22:35):
That's an important question.
And there are three big reasons.
The first one, everybody inSenior Living that I know really
cares about the residents.
We want to do a good job forresidents.
So resident outcomes is onereason why you should care.
The goal is higher engagement,stronger social connection,
(22:58):
improved quality of life.
But second, and this is alsovital, is market
differentiation.
If somebody is looking at fourassisted living communities in
one day, and you have the BrainBoosters program, and you can
talk about that, you go showthem the Brain Boosters Club,
(23:18):
Club Room.
That is something that reallystands out.
And third is growth andoccupancy.
Programs like Brain Boosters canimprove the number of inquiries,
it can improve inquiry to tourconversion, it can encourage
move-ins, so a younger averageage of admission and increase
(23:40):
the average length of stay.
And it all ties back to what wewere talking about earlier,
aligning the product with whatpeople actually want.
SPEAKER_00 (23:58):
Well, Ted, you and I have what we've been friends for
what, four years, three years,four years?
And the reason the thing thatbrought us together was our our
our love of the concept oflongevity communities.
So let's go back to thatlongevity communities.
Let's talk about that realquick.
(24:19):
Great, great.
SPEAKER_01 (24:20):
Well, at a high level, we're transforming senior
living from the place you go todie, as many people sadly
perceive it to be, into theplace where you go to live
healthier, happier, and longer,uh, including with cognitive
health.
And that's the vision.
(24:40):
And brain boosters is one of themost practical ways to start
moving in that direction.
SPEAKER_00 (24:47):
Well, as as before we got on this call together,
uh, you know, you you saw myexcitement as it related to uh
you know building our firstlongevity and wellness community
uh in Texas on 29 acres andbeing able to bring these
(25:07):
programs to that community.
And so you you know myexcitement when it comes to
building these communities andyou know as quickly as we
possibly can.
SPEAKER_01 (25:19):
You're a passionate guy, John, and I think that's
really terrific.
And we're we're all trying tolive as healthy, happy, and
longer ourselves.
And so one of the advantages ofhaving a brain boosters
community uh club, and we callclub because people belong to
the club, right?
But one of the advantages eachanybody participating in is
(25:41):
going to learn more about theirown health, their own brain
health.
SPEAKER_00 (25:46):
Absolutely.
So, Ted, this has been fantasticagain.
This is your third time on theshow, and so truly appreciate uh
the friendship that we have.
And uh before we wrap up, wherecan people learn more about what
you're doing?
SPEAKER_01 (26:04):
Well, there's a couple of places, John.
The first is my LinkedInprofile, and I add content
regularly, so you just searchfor Ted Teal, and you can also
visit the Brain Boosterswebsite, uh www.brainboosters of
America dot com.
And you know, if you go to myLinkedIn profile, you can send
(26:26):
me a direct message.
You know, I'd be happy to talkwith providers who are
interested in exploring pilotprograms.
SPEAKER_00 (26:34):
And and your last name is spelled T-E-E-L E.
So Ted Teal, correct?
Right.
Lots of ease in my name.
That says something.
So any final thought you wouldlike to leave listeners with.
SPEAKER_01 (26:50):
Sure, I I just say this.
I truly believe that the futureof senior living, and in fact,
the future of healthcare inAmerica, will be built on
scientific wellness, combiningdata, lifestyle science, and
community.
And the providers who startmoving in that direction now are
(27:14):
going to be very well positionedfor that future.
SPEAKER_00 (27:19):
Amen.
Ted, always a pleasure.
SPEAKER_01 (27:23):
Thanks, John.
Amen.
Right back to you.
I really enjoyed it.
SPEAKER_00 (27:28):
Thank you, sir.
Have a great day.
SPEAKER_01 (27:30):
You too.
Welcome to the Senior Housing Investors
Podcast.
If you are an owner, operator,investor, developer, or buyer of
Senior Housing, you've come tothe right place.
The best way to stay connectedwith us is to sign up for our
weekly newsletter at havenSenior Investors.com.
This podcast doesn't existwithout you and our community.
(00:25):
Thank you for listening andreach out to us at any time.
Welcome back to the SeniorHousing Investors Podcast.
I'm your host, John Haubert.
Today's guest is someone many ofour listeners already know.
Ted Till is the CEO of BrainBoosters of America and the CEO
(00:48):
of Longevity CommunityConsultants.
Earlier in his career, Ted wasthe CEO of Touchdown, a resident
engagement technology companynow used in over 3,000 senior
living communities.
Prior to that, he had a long andsuccessful career as a CEO and
(01:12):
is the is a graduate of HarvardCollege and Harvard Business
School.
Ted's interest in longevityscience became personal in 2019
when he underwent quintuplebypass surgery.
That experience led him toimmerse himself in the science
of longevity and aging.
And since then, he's beenworking with providers across
(01:35):
the country on a new modelcalled longevity communities.
Ted, your prior episodes wereour most downloaded ever.
Welcome back.
Thanks, John.
SPEAKER_01 (01:48):
It's great to be back.
I really enjoy theseconversations.
It's always fun connecting withsomeone who shares such a strong
interest in longevity science.
SPEAKER_00 (02:01):
Well, last time we talked about longevity
communities and how seniorliving needs to evolve to
attract baby boomers.
Today, I want us to focus onsomething very practical that
you're building.
Before we dive in, what is BrainBoosters?
SPEAKER_01 (02:22):
Great question, John.
Brain Boosters is ascience-informed cognitive
wellness club designed forsenior living communities.
The goal is to make it easierand more enjoyable for older
adults to enhance theircognitive skills and support
(02:42):
long-term brain health.
And we're building it using theframework of scientific wellness
with an emphasis onpersonalization, participation,
and measurement.
SPEAKER_00 (02:57):
Okay, Ted, let's step back for a moment.
Why is brain health such a bigfocus right now?
SPEAKER_01 (03:04):
It's huge and it's backed by data.
A study by Love and Company, whosurveyed about 1,600 people last
year who were interested inseeing your living, found that
brain health was the number oneconcern related to aging.
They gave them eight concernsand they asked them to rank them
in brain health, essentiallyAlzheimer's, dementia, and
(03:28):
cognitive decline was the numberone concern they expressed.
And even more striking, 94% saidthat a strong brain health
program would positivelyinfluence their decision to move
into a community.
Now, not all of them were saidhighly influenced, but it spread
between that 94%.
(03:49):
But all those people said thatif they looked at a community
with a strong brain healthprogram, they'd be more likely
to move in.
And this is where I think one ofthe big insights comes in.
Brain health has become thenumber one concern for older
adults, and communities that areinterested will have a major
(04:12):
competitive advantage.
SPEAKER_00 (04:15):
Well, Ted, that brings up a you know more of a
personal side of my life, andthat is my father had dementia.
He started having brain issueswhen started probably when he
was 76.
And ultimately he succumbed uhto older age and and had
dementia.
(04:35):
Uh, but also um my mom's husbandhad had uh dementia, like Bruce
Willis's dementia, and and weput him into a memory care
community, and they didn't havethis type of brain enhancements.
And so what you just said interms of brain health has become
(04:55):
the number one concern for olderadults.
That's a powerful statement.
Why do you think this is so topof mind?
SPEAKER_01 (05:02):
By the way, I'm very sorry about your family
situation, and I have somethingin my family as well, yeah, and
most people can tell you astory, and it's sad.
The fact is that you knowdementia is virtually an
epidemic over once people getover 80.
But because cognitive declineaffects independence, identity,
(05:26):
and quality of life in a veryprofound way, it means that
brain health is top of mind forpeople that are at the age for a
senior living.
And I think there's also agrowing awareness that lifestyle
matters, that what we do everyday can influence how we age
(05:47):
cognitively, which leadsdirectly into the subject of
scientific wellness.
SPEAKER_00 (05:55):
All right, so let's go there.
What is scientific wellness andhow is it different from
traditional wellnessprogramming?
SPEAKER_01 (06:05):
Another great question.
Traditional wellness programmingtends to focus on activities,
fitness classes, social events,educational sessions.
Those are all valuable, butthey're generally not measured
or personalized in a rigorousway.
(06:25):
Scientific wellness approach,it's based on the work of two
brilliant scientists, Dr.
Leroy Hood and Dr.
Nathan Price, at the BuckInstitute for Research on Aging,
and it's built around fourprinciples.
The first one, and they're allfour P's, predict disease before
(06:48):
it becomes clinicallyidentifiable.
Once you can predict it, thesecond P is to prevent the
disease before it ever occurs.
And nowadays you can see a lotof these diseases, like
Alzheimer's, coming years inadvance if you're looking for
it.
The third P is personalized,personalized recommendations
(07:12):
based on each person's uniquebiology and lifestyle.
And the fourth is participation,which is what each of us needs
to do for our own health.
So the key shift is this the bigshift is moving from general
wellness programming tomeasurable, personalized health
(07:35):
improvement based on scientificwellness.
We're now able to use data,including biomarkers, cognitive
testing, and lifestyle inputs tobetter understand risk and track
changes over time.
SPEAKER_00 (07:52):
So, Ted, this is really about bringing science
and data into wellnessgenerally, and cognitive health
specifically.
SPEAKER_01 (08:04):
Exactly.
And we need to be thoughtfulhere.
There are no guarantees when itcomes to cognitive health, but
there is growing evidence thatstructured lifestyle programs
can help support cognitivefunction.
SPEAKER_00 (08:21):
So is that where the I think it's called the U.S.
Pointer Study comes in?
SPEAKER_01 (08:29):
That's correct.
There was a similar study a fewyears earlier in Finland called
the Finger Study.
So they they created a study inthe U.S.
called the Pointer Study, sofinger pointer, and that's a key
piece of evidence.
The U.S.
Pointer Study, which waspublished in the Journal of the
American Medical Association in2025, followed over 2,000 older
(08:54):
adults for two years at risk forcognitive decline.
It compared a structuredmulti-domain program, including
coaching on exercise diet,cognitive training, and social
engagement with a self-guidedapproach.
The structured program showed,on average, greater cognitive
(09:15):
benefit.
Now, again, we should be carefulnot to overstate this, but it's
encouraging and it supports theidea that structured
science-informed lifestyleprogram difference.
SPEAKER_00 (09:30):
So you've actually brought someone onto your team
who worked on that study.
Is that correct?
SPEAKER_01 (09:37):
Yes, and we're very excited about it.
Farma Benavides, who's now partof the Brain Boosters team, was
a coach in the U.S.
Pointer study for five years.
She worked with directly withmore than 100 participants to
help them change their habitsand stay engaged with the
program.
(09:57):
So she brings real-worldexpertise in turning theory into
sustained behavioral change.
Carmen is our director of brainhealth navigation.
SPEAKER_00 (10:09):
Okay, so when you when you say in our audience,
are you going to want to hearthis right away because you just
said uh that she works withparticipants to help them change
their habits.
What what are those habits?
What would what what would whatis she trying to change?
SPEAKER_01 (10:26):
Well, it's diet, exercise, you know, education,
you know, so it's it's a a lotof different things, but diet
and exercise is very important.
They also did brain games, andlike we can talk about that a
little later.
SPEAKER_00 (10:45):
So let's connect this back to senior living.
If I'm an operator listening tothis, what's the practical first
step?
SPEAKER_01 (10:55):
Well, John, this is where brain boosters comes in.
What I'd call low-hanging fruit.
Over the last couple of years,many providers have asked me,
how do we start moving towardsscientific wellness-based
longevity communities without amassive and expensive
transformation?
(11:15):
And a cognitive wellness club isa practical, high-impact entry
point.
I frame it this way (11:21):
senior living today doesn't just have a
branding problem, it has aproduct problem that needs to be
addressed.
When roughly 90% of seniors saythey don't want to move into
senior living, according to astudy by a place for mom, that's
not just perception.
(11:42):
It reflects a mismatch betweenthe current senior living
offering and what older adultsreally value for the last years
of their lives.
And if senior living doesn'taddress that, it's going to get
worse because the baby boomersare now coming into that age
group.
(12:03):
So brain health is somethingthey deeply care about, and
brain boosters directlyaddresses that.
SPEAKER_00 (12:12):
Okay, so how does brain boosters actually work?
Let's get down to that.
SPEAKER_01 (12:18):
So there are a few core components.
Before we even get tointerventions, brain boosters
starts with something morefoundational.
What we call multivariableassessment.
The idea is simple and powerful.
If you want to improve cognitivehealth, you need to understand
what's actually driving it foreach individual.
(12:38):
So rather than a one-size-all,look across multiple domains,
cognitive performance, lifestylefactors, and biomarkers to
create a more complete picture.
To support that, we'repartnering with Centered Care's
Medical Practice, where RockySamuel serves as chief medical
(12:59):
officer.
Rocky is the only person I knowwho has graduated from both
Harvard Medical School andHarvard Business School.
And he spent his career workingat the intersection of clinical
care, data, and system designwith a strong focus on more
personalized outcomes drivinghealth care.
(13:22):
And he has a lot of seniorliving experience.
So really excited to be workingwith him.
So this isn't just programming,this isn't just activities.
It's about building a foundationfor measuring, understanding,
and improving cognitive healthover time.
SPEAKER_00 (13:41):
Well, that makes a lot of sense.
Starting with assessment beforejumping into solutions.
So once you have that baseline,what are some of the key
interventions you'reintroducing?
SPEAKER_01 (13:54):
One of the core interventions is brain training
using brain HQ.
Brain HQ is grounded in whatthey call neuroplasticity, the
brain's ability to reorganizeand strengthen itself through
targeted challenges even laterin life.
Which I do brain HQ every day,first thing in the morning for
(14:16):
10 minutes, and it's amazing.
Brain HQ uses adaptive,evidence-based exercises that
continuously adjust difficultyto keep each person in that
optimal zone of challenge whiletargeting key functions like
processing speed, attention,memory precision, and executive
(14:37):
control.
And that adjustment is reallyimportant because, for example,
if you do crossword puzzles,they don't adjust based on how
well you're doing.
Whereas if you're with brain HQ,if you get questions wrong, they
make it easier.
If you get questions right, theymake it harder to get you in
that optimal zone of challengefor where your brain is on any
(14:59):
given day.
And there's a great real-worldexample that brings this to
life.
Tom Brady won four Super Bowlsearly in his career.
And then most people don'tremember this, but he went 10
years without winning a fifthSuper Bowl.
As he got older, he becameconcerned that his processing
speed, cognitive processingspeed, which is so critical for
(15:23):
a quarterback, might bedeclining.
So he started using brain HQevery day as part of his
routine.
He mentions that in his book.
He went on to win three moreSuper Bowls, including one at
the age of 43, making him theoldest quarterback ever by five
years.
(15:43):
And when he retired, hisphysical abilities were not
where they once were.
I went to his last game.
But he felt his mental abilitieswere as good as they were in his
entire career.
And brain HQ had a big part ofthat.
Now, obviously, our residentsare trying to win championships,
(16:03):
but they are trying to staysharp, make good decisions, and
maintain independence for aslong as possible.
And importantly, the brain HQapproach is supported by
substantial research, hundredsof studies, including the
Pointer study, which uh used it.
And then there was theNIH-funded active trial, which
(16:25):
showed that this type oftraining can lead to durable
improvements in cognitiveperformance and everyday
function, which is what it's allabout.
So again, this isn't aboutgames, it's about systematically
strengthening the brain in waysthat matter in real life.
SPEAKER_00 (16:47):
So, Ted, I understand that you are also
looking at VR, virtual reality,as part of your brain training.
Uh, explain that to ouraudience.
SPEAKER_01 (16:58):
Well, we're also partnering, uh piloting, excuse
me, a new virtual realityproduct called Mind Glow as
another way to potentiallystimulate cognitive health.
The idea is to create immersiveexperiences that engage multiple
brain systems at once, kind ofexercising the neurons in your
(17:19):
brain, including attention,memory, and spatial processing
in a way that's novel, engaging,and potentially, hopefully,
beneficial.
Now we're approaching this pilotuh with appropriate humility
because it is new, but we'reexcited about the potential of
VR as another tool in thecognitive health toolkit.
SPEAKER_00 (17:43):
So, as you know, a lot of wellness programs sound
good in theory, but adherence isthe hard part.
How are you making brainboosters fun and social enough
that people actually want tostick with it?
SPEAKER_01 (17:58):
Well, that's a great question because if you don't
make it fun and enjoyable,people aren't going to want to
do it.
Right?
So, uh, and that's one of thethings that makes brain boosters
different.
A core differentiator is our useof gamification and team-based
accountability to transformcognitive health from a solitary
(18:20):
task into a motivating, sociallyrich experience.
One way I like to describe it isyou get imagine the different
teams, the wise owls and theneuroneerds competing for the
coveted Neurostar Cup.
That simple idea captures a lotof what we're trying to do.
Members are part of small teamsthat meet regularly, creating a
(18:45):
rhythm of friendly competition,shared goals, and mutual
encouragement.
Instead of doing this alone,they're part of a group that's
rooting and having fun along theway.
Teams are on points acrossmultiple dimensions.
Cognitive training like brainHQ, participation in VR
(19:06):
sessions, lifestyleimprovements, attendance, and
engagement in broader communityactivities.
All of those are measures ofactivity rather than actual
brain improvement.
That structure becomes apowerful behavioral engine.
People stay more consistent,they push a little harder, and
they celebrate progresstogether.
(19:28):
And just as importantly, itdrives real social connection.
Members bond through learning,problem solving, humor, and
shared success.
And that sense of camaraderiereduces isolation and reinforces
well-being, which, as we know,is itself a critical component
of brain health.
(19:49):
So brain boosters isn'tsomething residents do, it's
something they belong to.
So where does education fit in?
Brain health education is vital.
So we help members understandthings like the importance of
(20:10):
sleep, and you asked thisquestion earlier, and nutrition
and exercise and stress, and howthey all may influence brain
health.
SPEAKER_00 (20:22):
So, you know, I've been in the business in senior
living for 11 years in manydifferent areas, and one thing
that stands out in senior livingseems uniquely positioned to
deliver this.
So ethics, so senior living isthe key to delivering your
programs, correct?
(20:42):
So that's the beauty of it,right?
SPEAKER_01 (20:44):
So now you have a situation where 90% of
consumers, seniors, say theynever want to live in senior
living.
But the community structure isso valuable because they already
have built-in social networks,structured environment, they
have wellness programs that canbe adapted into this uh
(21:06):
framework and support systems.
So when you layer in astructured, science-informed,
measurable program, you couldpotentially achieve much higher
participation and adherence.
And again, the goal would be todo much better than the pointer
study because those were peoplethat were living in the
community.
(21:26):
So they would have a coach, butthey wouldn't be have anywhere
near the support structure thatthey would get at a senior
living community.
SPEAKER_00 (21:36):
So, Ted, who are these programs designed for?
SPEAKER_01 (21:41):
Right now, our pilot programs, we have pilot programs
under development that arefocused on independent living
residents in life plancommunities, or CCRCs, but also
living residents that areinvolved that live in AL slash.
Memory care communities.
(22:02):
But we absolutely hope todevelop versions for memory care
residents as well.
So a different version of brainboosters depending on the level
of acuity somebody has.
That's an important part of thelong-term vision.
But those programs do need to bedesigned very carefully.
So we're starting with IL andAL, learning from those pilots
(22:24):
and evolving from there.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
So let's talk about the business impact.
Why should operators care aboutthis?
SPEAKER_01 (22:35):
That's an important question.
And there are three big reasons.
The first one, everybody inSenior Living that I know really
cares about the residents.
We want to do a good job forresidents.
So resident outcomes is onereason why you should care.
The goal is higher engagement,stronger social connection,
(22:58):
improved quality of life.
But second, and this is alsovital, is market
differentiation.
If somebody is looking at fourassisted living communities in
one day, and you have the BrainBoosters program, and you can
talk about that, you go showthem the Brain Boosters Club,
(23:18):
Club Room.
That is something that reallystands out.
And third is growth andoccupancy.
Programs like Brain Boosters canimprove the number of inquiries,
it can improve inquiry to tourconversion, it can encourage
move-ins, so a younger averageage of admission and increase
(23:40):
the average length of stay.
And it all ties back to what wewere talking about earlier,
aligning the product with whatpeople actually want.
SPEAKER_00 (23:58):
Well, Ted, you and I have what we've been friends for
what, four years, three years,four years?
And the reason the thing thatbrought us together was our our
our love of the concept oflongevity communities.
So let's go back to thatlongevity communities.
Let's talk about that realquick.
(24:19):
Great, great.
SPEAKER_01 (24:20):
Well, at a high level, we're transforming senior
living from the place you go todie, as many people sadly
perceive it to be, into theplace where you go to live
healthier, happier, and longer,uh, including with cognitive
health.
And that's the vision.
(24:40):
And brain boosters is one of themost practical ways to start
moving in that direction.
SPEAKER_00 (24:47):
Well, as as before we got on this call together,
uh, you know, you you saw myexcitement as it related to uh
you know building our firstlongevity and wellness community
uh in Texas on 29 acres andbeing able to bring these
(25:07):
programs to that community.
And so you you know myexcitement when it comes to
building these communities andyou know as quickly as we
possibly can.
SPEAKER_01 (25:19):
You're a passionate guy, John, and I think that's
really terrific.
And we're we're all trying tolive as healthy, happy, and
longer ourselves.
And so one of the advantages ofhaving a brain boosters
community uh club, and we callclub because people belong to
the club, right?
But one of the advantages eachanybody participating in is
(25:41):
going to learn more about theirown health, their own brain
health.
SPEAKER_00 (25:46):
Absolutely.
So, Ted, this has been fantasticagain.
This is your third time on theshow, and so truly appreciate uh
the friendship that we have.
And uh before we wrap up, wherecan people learn more about what
you're doing?
SPEAKER_01 (26:04):
Well, there's a couple of places, John.
The first is my LinkedInprofile, and I add content
regularly, so you just searchfor Ted Teal, and you can also
visit the Brain Boosterswebsite, uh www.brainboosters of
America dot com.
And you know, if you go to myLinkedIn profile, you can send
(26:26):
me a direct message.
You know, I'd be happy to talkwith providers who are
interested in exploring pilotprograms.
SPEAKER_00 (26:34):
And and your last name is spelled T-E-E-L E.
So Ted Teal, correct?
Right.
Lots of ease in my name.
That says something.
So any final thought you wouldlike to leave listeners with.
SPEAKER_01 (26:50):
Sure, I I just say this.
I truly believe that the futureof senior living, and in fact,
the future of healthcare inAmerica, will be built on
scientific wellness, combiningdata, lifestyle science, and
community.
And the providers who startmoving in that direction now are
(27:14):
going to be very well positionedfor that future.
SPEAKER_00 (27:19):
Amen.
Ted, always a pleasure.
SPEAKER_01 (27:23):
Thanks, John.
Amen.
Right back to you.
I really enjoyed it.
SPEAKER_00 (27:28):
Thank you, sir.
Have a great day.
SPEAKER_01 (27:30):
You too.
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