Designing cross-sector leadership dialogue for successful aging: a forum-based case study and preliminary participant evaluation

Translating evidence on brain health and healthy aging into coordinated action is challenging because responsibility is distributed across health care, communities, institutions, and policy. An interdisciplinary forum was developed as a university-based pilot educational workshop to bring different professional and sectoral perspectives into structured discussion of barriers to applying knowledge in practice.

We describe the design, implementation, and preliminary evaluation of the full-day Leadership Forum on Successful Aging and Longevity, held at Adelphi University on April 24, 2026. Thirty-five people attended, including three organizers, five additional invited contributors, and 27 general attendees. The program moved from personal reflection and scientific input to moderated cross-sector dialogue, facilitated diagnostic group work, structured report-back, and leadership-oriented reflection. The descriptive evaluation drew on anonymous opening reflection cards, Sense-Making Workshop flipcharts, facilitator-recorded notes from the leadership activity, and an anonymous post-forum questionnaire completed by 19 of the 27 general attendees.

All 19 questionnaire respondents selected the most favorable response for the venue, organization and planning, timing and duration, and willingness to attend a future forum. Eighteen selected the most favorable responses for presentations, opportunities for interaction, and overall experience. Opening reflections associated aging well with independence, health, family, support, and quality of life. Workshop outputs highlighted fragmented services, continuity and coordination of care, affordability, everyday environments, budgets, incentives, and tensions between prevention and existing economic or organizational arrangements. Open-ended feedback also identified practical areas for refinement, including room audio, microphone quality, and access to presentation materials.

The forum was well received by respondents, with materials reflecting discussion of aging well that extended beyond health care and individual choices to relationships, services, environmental conditions, and organizational responsibility. The case provides a practical example of how scientific input, cross-sector dialogue, diagnostic group work, and leadership-oriented reflection can be combined within a one-day forum. The findings are descriptive and context-specific and do not demonstrate learning, behavior change, sustained collaboration, or longer-term impact. Future iterations could involve older adults and relevant community organizations more directly and plan follow-up from the outset where continued dialogue or action is intended.