Charting A New Chapter with Michele Markus

Show Notes

We at the Alliance are deeply grateful for our dedicated Board of Directors, who help amplify our mission. On today’s episode of This is Growing Old, our Board Chair, Michele Markus, joins us to share insights on the year ahead.

Episode Transcript

Sue Peschin:

Hi everybody and welcome to This Is Growing Old, the podcast all about the common human experience of aging. I’m Sue Peschin and I serve as president and CEO here at the Alliance for Aging Research and I’ll be your host today. It’s a new year and we at the Alliance have hit the ground running with lessons learned from 2024. Joining us to usher in the next chapter in health policy education and advocacy is none other than our Alliance board chair Michele Markus, who is head of global accounts and worldwide enterprise lead for Omnicom Health Group. She’s a brilliant strategist and advocate and we’re grateful to have her leading our board of directors. Michele, it’s always a pleasure to have you on the show, so thanks for spending time with us today.

Michele Markus:

Thank you so much for having me. I feel very honored always to be part of such an illustrious podcast and always of course a really remarkable group.

Sue Peschin:

Thank you. Okay. Well let’s jump in. In the spring of 2024 you took the helm as our chair and you’ve been a board member for about eight years, but this last year probably felt a little bit different. How would you describe your first year in the chair role?

Michele Markus:

So what’s really interesting is anytime you have a moment to prepare for anything, you feel a little bit better. So I have to commend you, Sue, and the entire Alliance team for always engaging with me. So in that way I feel like I know a bit of what I was stepping into. Also, Jim Scott, our previous chair, did a tremendous job of having me by his side for as much as he could. And so I really am super appreciative of how he ushered me in gently into my board chair role.

There were probably easier years to take on being a board chair than perhaps the ones that we’ve had in the one last year that we had and into this year and have been experiencing. But I think what’s really interesting is there’s no more exciting time to be part of this group. I get as a person bored easily and as a professional constantly I’m conscious of this, so always look for roles and initiatives and work streams and things to be a part of that keep me energized, keep me intellectually stimulated and gosh, don’t we deliver when it comes to being part of the Alliance for Aging Research and there’s such a strong foundation with you and the team.

I think what’s been amazing is having a really interesting front seat to some of the changes that are affecting the experience aging in the United States and beyond. I think some of the policies that are critical to that experience have really been on the forefront of even general conversation, and that’s not just health topics, those are topics being covered with every manner of press and social and organically as well. You don’t have to look too far about people who are interested. So that’s been really interesting because I think it’s incumbent upon the general population to understand what the experience of aging is going to be, how we’ve transitioned from an old administration to a new administration, and how critical it is for voices to be heard. And as a communicator I think taking on the board chair role has really helped because you’re looking at how are individuals communicating about some of the most important topics that will shape their own lives and not just others’ existences. So in that way this year has really been tremendous because getting to be part of all of this and getting to be part of … We’ve brought on new board members who have interesting and super diverse experiences and will help contribute to those very topics. It’s been phenomenal.

Sue Peschin:

Yeah. That’s great. Yeah, I feel the same. A lot of good points. So on that note, what were some of the biggest lessons you learned over the past year and how are they going to shape your approach in 2025?

Michele Markus:

Anytime you take on a new role, I think it’s important that you get smart about what’s taking place. And I am no expert previously in policy and wouldn’t ever say I’m one now. But I think one of the biggest lessons has been to get more attuned to policy and it’s nuances. There’s been a lot of discussion around critical topics that have been hidden in rhetoric and I think the board experience and their experiences as well as you and the team have done such a great job of almost giving the policy for five-year-old view of things, which has helped me certainly. But I think when you are newer to some of the nuances, you come in with a different perspective of, well, we know it’s important because it’s always been important, but how has this really important now? Some of the ongoing discussion about the Inflation Reduction Act, some of the pieces of that that will shape, for example, Medicare part D, all of that truly understanding its depths and its really long-winded consequences, if you will, or long-reaching … Let me rephrase that. We can record that. But long-reaching consequences of decisions, discussions and even how it’s proposed to be on the table are really going to shape everybody’s policy for the longterm.

I think people think that, oh, if IRA goes away, what will happen? It doesn’t seem like it’s going to. And in fact there’s more being put and therefore more pressure on it to yield outcomes and those outcomes, while they sound great sometimes on paper for the average American, there’s a lot of different pieces of it that if you don’t understand what the EPIC Act is, if individuals don’t understand how negotiations are going to take place on their behalf without potentially their voices heard about what’s going to be covered will be critical because then you’ll be looking for your parents, looking for yourselves about how you get the best access to care and to innovations that we hold dear as individuals in America and you won’t have access to them anymore. And so I think it’s really critical that people understand where their voices need to be heard and when groups like the Alliance for Aging Research and so many others that they amplify and come to together with to speak about these topics or at points about these topics. Everybody should pay attention because it’s no longer impacting someone else’s life. It’s impacting your own.

Sue Peschin:

Right. Right. I know. And it’s like we want to try to get to people before it impacts, especially when it’s negative impact because when you’re in that moment, it’s so hard to react. I think one of the biggest things that I know you and I talked a lot about was in the last election cycle it played out in real time in the public how people deal with transitioning careers. With President Biden and the public’s reaction to him and his running and also his running mate who became president and the issue of age was really front and center in how people transition in their lives and then what the value conversation is around getting older. And a lot of what played out I think in terms of access with IRA implementation and a lot of shenanigans on the parts of part D players and all that is an outgrowth of really ageism. And so we’ve been talking a lot about that since COVID. It’s really, I think unfolded quite a bit more in healthcare and in healthcare policy in particular.

Michele Markus:

I would completely agree with that. And I think it’s really interesting when you think of the debates and you think about all of the different discussions that took place throughout the course of figuring out as we headed from one administration to another. Individuals think of trying to put things in buckets. So vaccines. Thinking about them absolutely for helping ensure that children and anyone touching pediatrics are safe. But what does it also mean for some of our most vulnerable? And vulnerable people forget actually include aging adults. These individuals whose immune responses are at risk, who are living in situations in a lot of cases where they’re around exposure to some of the most harmful pathogens that we have. Everyone has to understand that there is a different experience of aging than perhaps what we were used to 20 years ago.

And so I think how we discuss that and how it intersects with a lot of what’s happening now, whether it be who takes care of these individuals day-to-day, how individuals come into contact, where they receive care, are they a part of clinical trials that actually look at how our bodies will respond at different ages and quite frankly different bodies respond differently. And so we need to really think through the diverse experiences that all aging adults. We are fortunate to live in a country where there’s many different types of individuals who come from many different types of backgrounds and we have to acknowledge that with the rigor that science allows us to acknowledge that with and do something about.

Sue Peschin:

Yeah. And I love the last comment that you made. I saw something over the weekend I really liked, which is if you’re going to talk about DEI, you should spell it out or you should say it in full wording. So if you’re going to be wanting to oppose diversity, equity, inclusion, you should say that outright. It’s very easy to dismiss it when it’s an acronym of some kind. And it is very true that older adults are part of diversity and equity and inclusion and that’s why it remains important to us as the Alliance for Aging Research. So it’s clear that 2025 is going to be a pivotal year for older Americans in terms of health policy. And educating older adults about changes to Medicare and improving access to FDA approved therapies are especially on our minds. Can you speak on behalf of the board in terms of some of our top priorities for the year ahead?

Michele Markus:

I think we have a great number of goals that are important and also a lot of action steps. So I think one of the most important things that we do and that you’re so great at as well as the team is not only do we look at what needs to happen but how to make it happen. And I think we have a really good playbook that if it’s followed we’ll get to great outcomes and things such as the adoption of safeguards in the Medicare part D program and revisiting the statutory challenges to CED. This is critical. And there’s great action steps. The language. Getting language. As a communicator, language is a passion. So getting the language right that’s passed in the 2026 Labor Health and Human Services report needs to occur so that individuals can understand really what this is all about and make sure it’s correct. Making sure that there’s follow up on previous years congressional letters and providing safeguards in the Medicare part D program that actually meaningfully address some of the real risks that we have as America as we look at the experience of aging.

And then again, looking at case examples and serving really as a trusted source for the issue. That’s what the Alliance does so that we can act as guides, consultants. And highlight the risks that could occur if we don’t pay attention to these things or if we, for example, don’t revisit the challenges to CED. If this goes through, people don’t realize what the impact is going to be to them on the everyday and they will think that evidence sounds great. Again, the term evidence makes so much sense. But providing certain evidence as a criteria will mean that individuals won’t recognize the risk being put out about what’s captured and how they will then be negated from receiving specific care.

Sue Peschin:

Yeah. Yeah.

Michele Markus:

So that’s just one example of a really good goal and that there’s key action steps that have been outlined by the Alliance and others that need to be upheld. I think looking at clinical practices in terms of those suffering from neuropsychiatrics symptoms, this is one of the hot areas I would say. It’s constantly in the news press. Individuals are constantly looking at dementia, at Alzheimer’s, at other diseases that of course impact and are more prevalent in the experience of aging. And one of the challenges that we have is if we don’t support clinical practices, the care and the quality of care that individuals receive will be greatly impacted to the point of detrimental. And in the past, this has been a true mixed bag where there’s been a push for innovation, but there’s also really been some barriers and blockages in terms of accessing that innovation couched in controls for other conditions that aren’t relevant necessarily to this particular experience. So we really need to take a look at that. And I think hopefully this administration has done some great things to support aging adults and hopefully they’ll take a real serious look at this and understand there’s logic that needs to be applied in this particular area.

Sue Peschin:

Yeah. I completely agree. With neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia, I nursing homes are really the most regulated of any area of healthcare. The guidebook for nursing home operators is over 900 pages long from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services and so much information is captured. And I think that with the potential impending cuts in the Medicaid program, which are going to affect a lot of families with Alzheimer’s disease, and we just sent a letter up to the hill with close to 150 partners on that to really call for them to reject those cuts and cuts to snap the nutrition program. There’s going to be a lot more people that are pushed into nursing home settings or may become homeless.

And we are really worried about neuropsychiatric symptoms among those with dementia. And it’s wonderful that, as you said, FDA has approved some recent therapies, but the barriers that have been created around those and misinformation really around it, it’s an area of passion for us. It’s a really important area I think for families to deal with the stigma and it’s a social issue because we don’t want to do that. I don’t believe as a society. We don’t want to hurt older people in this way. So we are really hopeful that with the deregulation sentiments that have been expressed so far, that there’ll be some opportunities to clear out some of the barriers that have been put up. And those have been around for years. They weren’t just like prior administration. They’ve been hanging around for quite some time. And we really see an opening there so I hope that comes to fruition.

Michele Markus:

And the last one I think, and we’ve seen already today, some hopeful signs in this regard is around upholding vaccines and the both science-backed and based approach towards immunizations as well as the education and correct and timely information providing around immunization and vaccines. We are headed … And actually we’re in right now such a horrific flu, COVID … Just I called it this morning to a colleague, a bunch of yuck. There’s just a bunch of yuck going around. And you can imagine, as we know, it is proven that older adults with decreased immune systems can get so much worse varieties and have such a worse experience with just horrific outcomes if they are not immunized. And so we really need the administration and I really applaud our health and human services chief for noting about the outbreak of measles this morning. So that’s wonderful because it gives us hope that there is going to be furthering continued logic and science-backed information providing not just policy, but again everyday individuals access to and information about getting their immunizations.

Sue Peschin:

Absolutely. Yes. And I just want to echo, we’re incredibly grateful to Secretary Kennedy, the good people at the CDC, all the people in the local public health departments. Secretary Kennedy, the piece that you wrote for Fox News, the op-ed was wonderful. We were looking for some messaging around telling families how important the MMR vaccine is against the measles, and you did that, so thank you. And also extending condolences to the family, talking about the effectiveness of these vaccines, all of these things. This is such important work and we want to work with this administration. And on that note, Michele, you really helped us with messaging structure for an event that we held in January that I think set the tone for a lot of this. We did it with the hill and it was called Trust in Science. And in recent years there’s been an alarming spread of false health information and you are a leading communication expert. What steps would you continue to recommend to us and then also to our listeners in terms of trying to cut through the noise?

…when you stop trusting science, anything becomes possible and everything becomes dangerous…

Michele Markus:

This is a topic near and dear to all of our hearts, and I applaud the Alliance for being part and really the leading edge of that particular event because I think there is no greater threat than the spread of misinformation to our health. And I think it has now become an epidemic, as many have said in and of itself. And that started with a lack of trust in science as you’ve called it. And as you held the event, add that tipping point because it has to come from somewhere. And the challenge that you have is when you stop trusting science, anything becomes possible and everything becomes dangerous. And so we have to come back to a time where we recognize expertise, where it’s due. There are individuals who this is their life. There is no other place than science where people have to take an oath in working with it to do no harm, to make sure that there is proven studies that show that there are outcomes. And I think as communicators, anyone who is talking about any topic when it comes to people’s health, we have to also think to ourselves that we should put an oath upon ourselves to do no harm when it comes to communicating facts about health.

Because the potential for disaster is in our hands, it’s in our mouths, it’s in the way that we talk. And so it is really a necessary epidemic to wipe out. And what I’m hoping is that this administration looks for places where that is happening and shuts it down. And I think so many individuals who have worked and continue to work in the sciences, whether it be in the public or the private sectors, really do a wonderful job, a wonderful job of providing information again in that timely fashion.

Sue Peschin:

Yeah. Yeah.

Michele Markus:

I think we have to really pressure test as every day individuals and as communicators pressure test where information is coming from. Ask ourselves who the sources are and then actually before we make an opinion, we should check and make sure we’re getting educated in order to make that opinion. And before you speak to someone, make sure that you too have the facts about what is true and what is actually purporting to be true before you actually pass that along. And so that I think is again, incumbent upon all of us who are working in health.

Sue Peschin:

Yeah. Absolutely. Well, I think this is related to that too, is that the importance of dignity and empowerment because we know from our own experiences with watching family interact with whether it be clinicians or just moving about society, the older we get, the more people tend to talk down to us or try to tell us exactly what we need to do. And so we touched on two of these values in that briefing and why it’s important to deliver public health messages in a respectful way that recognizes people’s autonomy and in an ability to make their own healthcare decisions. And I was struck by some of the reactions to secretary Kennedy’s op-ed. He had a line in there about it’s a personal choice. And some people reacted very strongly to that. I think it’s okay. There has been so much about you need to do this. If you don’t do this, you’re dumb. And we need to start speaking to each other with a lot more respect so that people start to own their decisions and recognize the importance of doing things for themselves and their families that will enhance their health. So what’s your view on all of this and what else can be done to really restore trust in medical science?

…if we don’t acknowledge the past, we are deemed to repeat it.

Michele Markus:

One of the things that I have always loved about the Alliance is such a clear mission around just that. I think in [inaudible 00:24:31] we have advancing dignity, independence and equity, and that stems from the place of respect as you were talking about, Sue. I think if we look and really acknowledge that every individual deserves respect, we can uphold that mission to give people dignity as they age, to allow for independence of views and choices, and to maintain that everyone should have equitable access to care. And so if that is the case and we all believe that one another is an individual in our own right, we should be able to not only communicate it, but put it into action. From my standpoint, making sure it happens, it’s again, that curiosity to acknowledge where someone is coming from. Curiosity over judgment is my 2025 mantra because I think it’s easy for people to fall in the judgment bucket without really being curious about an individual, their context, where they’re coming from, what choices they have to make every day, what they’re faced with.

And what’s really beautiful is human history has shown us that if we don’t acknowledge the past, we are deemed to repeat it. Well, no better than individuals who have lived experiences that teach us about the past and can help us sharpen our point of view and get to better outcomes in our future. That is the gift that comes with aging is that experience and passing those lessons, those watch-outs, and those wonders on to everyone. We’re a living lesson as we go and as we grow and isn’t that phenomenal? And I think if each of us approach the other with a curiosity about what those lived experiences and lessons are, wow, aren’t we all the better for it? So I think from an individual person to person standpoint, that’s how we need to look at that. And that hopefully in my optimistic view of the world as I sit in sunset blades of grass as a background behind me that’s what I think would be wonderful to happen.

As a pragmatist, it’s not that far off. But I do think as we look to this year and beyond, we have to say to one another and to ourselves, what again is going to be the most critical pieces of information we have to understand and we have to get out there and support in healthcare? How do we make sure that the tenants and the structures that exist that keep us healthy and safe remain? That we pressure test anything new to make sure it’s better than where we’ve been. To make sure that we understand what the trade-offs are, if we actually take things out of a system that works. And what could be built upon versus completely dismantled in order to get to some of the best outcomes that we’re trying to achieve. And I am hopeful that everybody believes that each American deserves to be healthy and live a healthy life. We are an individualistic society, but I believe that everybody is trying to work at scale. And so with that being the case, there’s a lot of voices that we have to look towards for 2025 and beyond. And I’m hopeful that again, those voices that are proven and have actual experience in working in the sciences and working in delivering care to individuals are the loudest voices.

Sue Peschin:

Yeah. Me too. And I totally agree with you on the curiosity versus judgment. I think that’s critical. And I think a lot of people in research advocacy, even some in public health, really need to retrain ourselves around that because I do think people are exhausted. But mistrust took a while to build up and so regaining trust is going to take a little while. And we’re all going to have to be patient with each other and respect what we’ve been exposed to and acknowledge it because it can have a deep effect. I don’t know. Everybody is human. We all fall for the fake email and the thing that we see on social that sounds too good to be true, but why not? So I just think it’s being humble and like you said, being curious. I love that. So we remain deeply committed to achieving healthy aging and equitable access to care. What do you think those goals look like to you for the Alliance in 2025?

Michele Markus:

I think the Alliance has always done an incredible job here. I think hearing from individuals through the many programs that we have, I think you and the team all align with various different advocacy groups who do actually provide and adhere to those same goals is critical. So for me, 2025 is about trusted voices coming together to be able to advance the experience of aging and the experience of living in the United States. And I think we have learned that communities are important for individuals to prosper. I can’t think of a better time for everyone to look for aligned values. Again, starting from curiosity. But really join elbows with other groups who are also like-minded and come together and say, these are the tenets by which we will make sure that we have values, regulations, communications, policies that will continue with, again, the great success we’ve had in medical science. And again, back to your previous question, restore trust of every person in the United States towards science.

I think if everybody joins up and says that trust in science is the ultimate goal so that we can get to better outcomes, we’ll probably have the best progress that we’ve ever had in terms of people taking care of their health and everyone putting a priority on their own and everyone’s health. So I love the notion of, for this year, let’s come together on what joins us versus looking for things that misalign us and say those things are the things we’re going to focus on. And if we start with what the similar values are, if we start with the similar goals, even if they’re scaled way back, but we start from them, we’ll take steps forward.

Sue Peschin:

I completely agree. Most of the polling that I’ve seen recently that’s been done on this, because I was looking up a whole bunch of trust and science things, and one thing Americans really agree on is that we are way too divided and that there’s too much politics around these issues. So they don’t really want that as much. So I do think that that’s our light, that’s where we head towards in 2025. It’s just coming from a place of assuming that we all think health is wealth and we all want to be healthy and nobody wishes sickness on anyone else or inability to be able to get their care. And if we go in assuming that, then I think we’re coming from more of a place of power and integrity. And that’s where I want us to come from for this year because I think there’s a lot of forces that want to make assumptions about you depending on where they think you align. And we got to stop buying into that. I don’t want to buy into that anymore. So we’d love to ask this question at the start of a new year, even though we’re already a little bit into March here, but what are your hopes for older people in 2025?

Michele Markus:

I hope that every individual, that everyone who has again, contributed so much to our society and again, is that living embodiment of experience feels as though we’ve got their back. We’ve got their back. That we will not let rights or access taken away from them, that we will make sure that they’re educated and that the people who care for them are educated and supported in doing so. Yeah. That’s my headline, let’s make sure we have their back. The same way that when I think of my parents, when I think of the generations of individuals who have made me possible, they always had my back. That’s what we all hope to provide. We should have theirs too. And if we think about that and we look through that lens with everything coming down the pipe, any legislation, any support structures federally, at the state level, privately that support them, let’s have their back. Let’s make sure that these are individuals that are taken care of the same way they’ve taken care of us.

Sue Peschin:

I love that. Yeah. That’s good. Okay. So what are you most looking forward to in 2025, both personally and professionally?

…we’ve got to get really good at the pace of change and leaning into that to do what we can.

Michele Markus:

I told you at the beginning of this, I don’t like to be bored. So I think this year is definitely going to deliver on my goal for that, both professionally and personally. I think I’m looking forward to really, again, a year of curiosity. There is never a dull moment in anything shaping our universe right now. I think everybody’s waiting for things to settle. I don’t think they will. Not for a while. I think we’ve got to get really good at the pace of change and leaning into that to do what we can. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we head into 2026 saying look at what we did there. We made things better. Things that we thought would just be catastrophic are instead places where we saw that we had real impact. So I’m looking forward to using my voice for places where there needs to be a voice to highlight things that perhaps others are either afraid to do or know how to do. I’m looking forward to supporting the Alliance as you always do that so beautifully. We do that so beautifully is highlighting places and spaces where there needs to be a voice, a light shown, a different action taken or support given. And so I can’t think of a better way to look back if I had to be myself on December 31st and say that I was a part of that.

Sue Peschin:

Oh, wow. Well, Michele, you and the board are the wind at our backs, so thank you.

Michele Markus:

It is a pleasure and an honor, and I mean that every day.

Sue Peschin:

Well, for everybody listening and watching, thank you for joining us. If you’re interested in listening to more of our This Is Growing Old podcasts, you can find us wherever you get your podcasts. Have a good one, and take care. And thanks to Matt Thompson, our awesome producer. Thank you, Matt.