Dr. Karen Wolk Feinstein addresses the Boards about JHF's bold vision to create a Longevity Hub for the Pittsburgh Region.
The Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) welcomed members of the Foundation, Health Careers Futures, Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative, and WHAMglobal Boards, joining both in person and virtually from around the world, for its Annual All Boards Meeting.
The convening offered an opportunity to hear from Karen Wolk Feinstein, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and its three operating arms. She shared the organizations' 2025 accomplishments and provided updates on its aspirational initiatives for 2026.
The centerpiece of the meeting was an in-depth look at JHF’s bold vision to create a Longevity Hub for the Pittsburgh region.
Dr. Feinstein presented how JHF is drawing on lessons from international aging models explored in its study tours to Japan, Italy, Norway, Finland, and Singapore.
The presentation underscored the urgency of addressing the demographic shift. By 2079, adults 65+ will outnumber children globally; in Pennsylvania, nearly 30% of residents will reach that age by 2030, with most living with multiple chronic conditions.
A strong healthspan strategy — focusing on longer living through health, engagement, and support — can reduce hospitalizations and emergency visits, delay nursing home placement, enhance caregiving resources, strengthen mobility and community engagement, and improve overall quality of life while easing workforce and financial pressures.
Drawing from these insights, JHF is exploring how a Pittsburgh Longevity Hub could build on the PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly/LIFE) model, helping older adults remain at home while coordinating interdisciplinary care and day services. A regional hub would also benefit neighborhoods, universities, and employers by fostering innovation and economic development tied to longevity.
Following the presentation, Nancy Zionts, MBA, JHF’s chief program and strategy officer, introduced two guest respondents: Jim Pieffer, MHA, President and CEO of Presbyterian SeniorCare Network, and Kevin Hancock, MA, Consultant with Gillis Hanna. Both offered their reflections on the Longevity Hub concept, reinforcing the economic, workforce, and community benefits of reimagining aging.
