Lori Strom brings decades of experience, compassion, and a lifelong commitment to aging and caregiving to her role as a special projects and outreach coordinator with AgeAlive at Michigan State University. With a background in gerontology, community service, and public affairs, Strom says she has “always been interested in serving older adults” and supporting families caring for loved ones.
Throughout her career, Strom has worked in nursing homes, retirement communities, and intergenerational centers, including running an adult day program designed to provide respite and improve quality of life.
“I’ve always been about bringing the generations together,” she explains.
Prior to joining AgeAlive, Strom supported MSU students raising children and helped faculty and staff manage work-life balance while caring for dependents, whether “children or older adults.”
Strom was drawn to AgeAlive because she saw a critical need for greater attention to aging within higher education. And, through her various roles at the university, she is working to provide opportunities for students to learn about issues on aging.
As a baby boomer, she recognized early on that access to caregivers would be a challenge for such a large number of individuals as they age. “With our demographic being so large, I knew it was going to be this big crisis, which is what we’re in,” said Strom.
To Strom, being age-friendly means addressing ageism and fostering connection.
“Ageism goes both ways,” she notes. “I’ve heard students say, ‘I don’t want to hang out with old people,’ and I’ve heard older people say, ‘I don’t trust students.’” In response, she’s dedicated her time to creating connections to help break through these barriers.
Through programs like Generations Connect, Town & Gown, and the Butterfly Gardens, Strom works to create opportunities for learning, healing, and meaningful engagement.
“It’s about quality of life for everybody, of all ages and abilities,” she says. And for Lori, that is more than work – it speaks to her lifelong commitment to helping people see value in each other.