NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
How Technology Is Transforming Health and Wellness Image courtesy of Dividat
November 20 Midwestern University Glendale, AZ
A Day of Ideas, Connection, and Well-Being Join Sun Health for the 2026 LiveWell Conference and spend the day surrounded by ideas, resources, and conversations designed to support your health, purpose, and well-being at every stage of life. Through expert-led sessions, workshops, and meaningful connections, you’ll gain practical strategies to help you live well for years to come.
Ignite Your Journey to Living Well Register now at
LiveWellConference.org Scan the QR code to reserve your spot.
Continuing Nursing Education Credits: This activity has been submitted to Banner Health’s Provider Unit for RN Continuing Education credits; contact hours are currently pending. Nurses: Banner Health is accredited as a provider of Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation.
Featuring keynote speaker Dr. Kerry Burnight, nationally recognized gerontologist and bestselling author of Joyspan. She’ll share practical strategies for living with more joy, purpose, connection, and vitality.
A NOTE FROM Nora I’ve been on this health journey long before I came to Sun Health. My parents were ahead of their time. They exercised with Jack LaLanne discipline, ate genuinely healthy diets decades before it was trendy, and my mother kept a dog-eared Merck Manual, cross-checking every prescription and vitamin herself.
LiveWell NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026, ISSUE 93 SUN HEALTH 14719 W. Grand Ave. Surprise, AZ 85374 (623) 471-9550 Information@SunHealth.org SunHealth.org
Health wasn’t what they turned to when something went wrong—it was how they lived.
SUN HEALTH WELLNESS (623) 471-9355 SunHealthWellness.org
A shift has happened these last few years that I don't think we’ve fully appreciated. Technology for our health and independence is finally designed with us in mind—not as an afterthought, but as the point. Those tools once targeted younger people; we were an edge case. The demographics have caught up and so has the innovation.
SUN HEALTH AT HOME (623) 227-4663 SunHealthAtHome.org
Physical health always made sense to me—I grew up watching it modeled. What I keep learning is how deeply sleep, hearing, connection, and cognitive engagement affect each other. We think of health technology as something for when things go wrong. This issue is about using it before anything does. Now technology supplements my journey—and I love it! I wear a Whoop, use a heart monitor when I work out, track my bloodwork, and even sleep on a special mattress pad. But it’s only one part of the puzzle. We still have to take charge of our own health; these new technologies can only enhance the effort we put in ourselves. My mother lived to 98 and never stopped learning. She’s my reminder that none of this is drudgery. It’s what makes more life possible.
SUN HEALTH COMMUNITIES (623) 236-3767 SunHealthCommunities.org SUN HEALTH FOUNDATION (623) 471-8500 SunHealthFoundation.org NORA HANNAH Chief Engagement Officer MEGAN WORD Vice President of Marketing & Communications
Warmly
Nora Hannah Editor, LiveWell Magazine
Sun Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Arizona nonprofit organization supporting the health and well-being of the West Valley. All donations to Sun Health Foundation are tax deductible. Learn more at: SunHealthFoundation.org
CREATED FOR SUN HEALTH BY
info@roxco.com
SunHealthWellness.org 3
Aging on Your Own Terms: Sun Health Debuts the Activate Longevity Hub By Angie Dobrowski, Director of Active Aging & Medical Fitness, Active Wellness
A groundbreaking new program at Grandview Terrace pairs smart technology with personal coaching to help residents move, think, and feel better than ever.
EGYM Smart Strength training Photo courtesy of Active Wellness
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A
ging isn’t about slowing down, it’s about discovering what your body and mind still are capable of achieving. Sun Health is redefining healthy aging with the launch of the Activate Longevity Hub at Grandview Terrace. Funded by a generous gift to Sun Health Foundation, marked for the benefit of Grandview Terrace, and managed by Active Wellness, this 18-month pilot program offers a group of residents a high-touch, personalized wellness journey. Activate blends human coaching with stateof-the-art health technology to tailor every workout to a residents' specific goals, strengths, and physical needs. A major focus of Activate is preserving independence by safely building strength and muscle mass. EGYM Smart Strength equipment automatically adjusts to each user via a simple wristband scan, guiding them through personalized resistance training that takes the guesswork, and safety concerns, out of working out. Equally transformative is the hub’s focus on improving cognition and brain health. Through dual-task “exergaming”—exercises that challenge the brain and body at the same time — residents use interactive digital platforms to sharpen decision-making skills and reaction times while improving balance, stability, and overall fitness.
“When you add a customized technology solution designed to challenge specific cognitive domains, there is an exponential increase in accuracy and results,” explains Dallas Wright, Director of North America for Dividat, whose interactive NEURO GYM anchors the hub’s brain training. The technology also extends to reaction light training systems, where residents respond to flashing light targets to hone their reflexes. “This technology synchronizes mental and physical training to improve reactive intelligence,” says Simon Jacobs, Head of Education at BlazePod. “It’s not simply how fast you respond to situations, but how efficient and accurate you are in your decision-making.” Together, these tech tools deliver real-time feedback, making workouts feel more like engaging games while providing staff with precise data to track each resident's progress.
Dividat NEURO GYM Photo courtesy of Dividat AG
Whether the goal is stepping off a curb with confidence, staying quick on your feet, or simply having more energy for daily life, the Activate Longevity Hub offers a clear roadmap forward. By pairing smart technology with compassionate care, Sun Health is proving that vitality has no age limit.
EGYM Leg Press Photo courtesy of Active Wellness
“Aging is not synonymous with decline,” says Active Wellness Chief Operating Officer Michele Wong. “Adults can continue to build muscle and increase physical and cognitive fitness as they age, and this pilot demonstrates how it’s done.” SunHealthWellness.org 5
The Visit is a Window;
He’s Building the
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Story
F
or most of Dr. Craig Rundbaken’s career, a patient visit lasted 20 minutes. Then months passed. Whatever happened in between (a rescue inhaler used more often, a heart rate climbing overnight, breathing growing labored in the small hours) largely disappeared. “The visit was a glimpse of a process that unfolds in a much longer story,” he says. “The central problem of outpatient pulmonary care is not knowledge. Clinicians know what to look for. The problem is time.” At its center is a device called Nimbus: a thin sensor mat that sits under the mattress. Patients don’t charge it, wear it, or think about it. It’s a completely noncamera, nonvideo device that collects physiologic and sleep-related data. Each night it quietly streams heart rate, respiration rate, sleep stages, and snoring duration data to a clinical team that reviews the results every morning. When something crosses a threshold, an alert fires to one of Dr. Rundbaken’s nurses, who then calls the patient. “The goal is simple: keep you home, well, and out of the hospital. The technology turns out to be remarkably good at that,” Dr. Rundbaken says. Those calls have changed everything. In about one in three surfaces, there’s something worth acting on. A patient producing frothy brown sputum on nine liters of oxygen was sent to the emergency department and diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. A man whose mat
showed a heart rate below his pacemaker’s set rate was hospitalized a week later for congestive heart failure, catching what the pacemaker’s own warning system missed. An asthma patient’s elevated overnight readings led to a CT scan that revealed a pattern in her lungs requiring medication weeks before her next scheduled visit would have occurred. Beyond the mat, Nimbus Health integrates virtual pulmonary rehabilitation with at-home exercise coaching, a medically supervised GLP-1 weight-loss program for sleep apnea patients, and AI that reads CPAP and BiPAP data for mask leaks and therapy gaps. An AI scribe documents every visit so physicians stay present with the patient instead of the screen. All of it feeds a single database, legible to AI, that surfaces key information to the care team at pivotal moments. “Doctors just don’t seem to be going into pulmonary medicine," he says, “and we need every technological advantage to fill the void.” Nimbus Health presented pilot research at CHEST 2025 showing that overnight sleep mat data carried early warning signals for respiratory hospitalization days before they occur. The company is working to address pulmonary care gaps across the country using the latest technology. “Start with something you don’t have to operate,” he says, for patients who feel overwhelmed by health technology. “Good health technology should feel less like homework and more like having someone looking out for you.” SunHealthWellness.org 7
PRACTITIONER SPOTLIGHT HIGHLIGHTING OUR COMMUNITY’S EXPERTS Dr. Craig Rundbaken, Pulmonologist
A Calling in Pulmonary Care raig Rundbaken did not plan to become a pulmonologist. He planned to get through his intern year.
C
at Botsford Community Hospital (now Corewell Health Farmington Hills Hospital) – both in Michigan.
Growing up across New England and the Midwest (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, then Wisconsin), he developed the adaptability that comes from starting over in new places. He learned to ski in Massachusetts, to sail in Rhode Island, and spent his college and medical school years near Milwaukee, attending the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater before earning his DO from Des Moines University in 1992. He completed his major training at Garden City Community Hospital in Garden City, and a pulmonary fellowship
Pulmonary medicine found him during the night shift. Working critical care as an intern, managing the most acutely ill patients in the hospital, he discovered he didn’t just tolerate the pressure, he thrived in it. He trained across multiple Michigan hospitals, including Henry Ford and Sinai, alongside mentors he still credits today.
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“I always viewed pulmonary critical care doctors as the Marines of medicine, and I deeply admired them,” Dr. Rundbaken says. “I wanted to be one.”
His focus has since shifted primarily to outpatient care, a transition that reflects both a personal calling and a fieldwide gap. The majority of practicing pulmonologists in the United States are now in their 60s, and Dr. Rundbaken is candid about what that means: the specialty needs new voices, and it needs them soon. When he isn’t seeing patients, he’s at the gym before sunrise or working on learning guitar. When the season allows, he’s in Park City on skis, still chasing the feeling he first discovered as a kid in Massachusetts, that particular joy of moving fast through open air.
Captify Glasses
See It Coming BEFORE IT HAPPENS A new wave of technologies designed to improve your health and prevent crises
O
ne in four older adults falls each year. Recovery gets harder with age, and the consequences can be catastrophic. But what if a device on your ankle could see it coming? That question is at the center of a growing ecosystem of health technologies for older adults, products that Eric Keosky-Smith of Seniors Rising has a passion for tracking and connecting to the people who need them most. The common thread running through each one: catch the problem before it becomes one.
Hiji-Sense is a roughly
1-inch square box worn on the ankle. It builds a baseline of how you walk, then monitors continuously for changes—a shortened step, a foot beginning to drag—that signal fall risk weeks before a fall occurs. When the data flags a concern for the practitioner, they can automatically schedule a telehealth or in-person visit, closing the loop between detection and care.
Osteoboost addresses bone density, the other side of the fall equation. A prescription belt worn just 30 minutes daily, it uses gentle vibration to stimulate bone activity in the hips and slows or may even stop bone loss. iGuard tackles the stove, one
Eric Keosky-Smith
of the most common sources of home fires among older adults. It attaches to the burners, monitors for inactivity and motion, and shuts off the coils before a fire can start.
It also can send alerts through a HIPAA-compliant cloud so a prescriber, or caregiver, knows when something seems off in the kitchen.
Hydrawave3 offers a
noninvasive and convenient wave therapy device used by practitioners to reduce pain and improve mobility.
And then there is Captify: glasses that caption conversation in real time and can even translate! Designed by a deaf engineer, the device is so easy to use that KeoskySmith’s 95-year-old mother was using it within two minutes. The connection to longevity isn’t incidental. Hearing loss drives social isolation, and social isolation is one of the strongest accelerators of cognitive decline. Learn more at seniorsrising.us.
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CLASS CALENDAR
BRAIN HEALTH & MEMORY SUPPORT Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Caring for a loved one with dementia can be challenging, but you don’t have to face it alone. Sun Health’s Memory Care Navigator team invites you to join the Dementia Caregiver Support Group, which offers a welcoming and understanding community where you can find comfort, guidance and a renewed sense of strength. If you are a family member or friend caring for an individual with dementia, please join us to share your experiences, learn new approaches, and gather community resources.
Wednesdays, Nov. 4 & 18 and Dec. 2 & 16 | 3-4 p.m. Grandview Terrace Health & Rehab Caring Connections
Caring Connections is a monthly support group for couples to attend together—where one partner is living with mild cognitive impairment or earlystage dementia. The focus is on staying connected, sharing joys and challenges, and receiving support to navigate the journey as a team. Each session includes social time, brain-healthy snacks, activities, and both emotional and practical support.
Thursdays, Nov. 5 & 19 and Dec. 3 & 17 | 10-11:15 a.m. Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing Stronger Together: Dementia Friends, Families & Brain Health Dementia affects many individuals and families, yet it’s often misunderstood. This workshop builds understanding, compassion, and practical skills to support people living with dementia and those who care for them. Participants learn how small actions can make a meaningful difference while gaining tools and resources to foster more dementia-friendly communities.
Tuesday, Nov. 10 | 1-2:30 p.m. | Benevilla Education Center
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Understanding Grief & Mourning
Grief and loss can be overwhelming experiences, but the more you know about what to expect, the less frightening it is. Please join Hospice of the Valley to learn about the different types of grief and their effects, why expressing grief is so important, and discuss ways to help people who are grieving.
Thursday, Nov. 12 | 10-11 a.m. | Desert Palms Presbyterian Church Expressive Connections A new monthly program offering structured, artsbased experiences designed to foster social connection, support emotional wellbeing, and promote meaningful engagement for individuals living with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia and/or their care partners. Participants are welcome to attend on their own or together.
Thursdays, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17 | 11:45 a.m.- 1 p.m. Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing Memory Café
Memory Cafés provide a social and resource place for people living with memory loss and their care partners. Caregivers participate in an educational and/or support session while people with memory loss actively participate in a cognitive engagement program.
Tuesday, Nov. 24 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Salvation Army
Registration begins: Oct. 13, 2026 at 8:30 a.m.
Register Online
Register by Phone
SunHealthWellness.org
(623) 471-9355 except where noted
HEALTH & WELL-BEING Cyber Security & Safety: Protecting Your Personal Info Online
Understanding Digestive Health
Thursday, Nov. 5 | 1-2 p.m. | Location: Sierra Winds Tuesday, Nov. 17 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. | Location: Grace Bible Church
Friday Dec. 18 | 2:30-3:30 p.m. | Cimarron Center at The Grand
Protect yourself from today’s most common scams and online threats. Learn how to recognize phishing emails, phone and text scams, identity theft, and online fraud. You’ll also discover simple steps to create strong passwords, safely use the internet, and protect your personal and financial information. Leave with practical tips and resources to help you stay safe and confident in today’s digital world.
Join Dr. Neraj Singh from the Colon & Rectal Care Center of Phoenix for a presentation on general digestive health. Learn how the digestive system works, common digestive concerns, and simple steps you can take to support a healthy gut. This presentation will also discuss when digestive symptoms may require medical attention and how to promote better digestive health as you age.
Registration Required SPACE IS LIMITED, SO REGISTER EARLY Class Registration is Easy! No account required—no password to remember. Now you can register for yourself and others in the same transaction. Visit SunHealthWellness.org/classes to sign up online today. Register Online SunHealthWellness.org Beginning Oct. 13, 2026 Register By Phone (623) 471-9355 except where noted Beginning at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 13, 2026 Classes with this icon ( ) have an associated fee. SunHealthWellness.org 11
CLASS CALENDAR
NUTRITION & DIABETES Debunking Food Myths
Sun Health’s Nutritionist Sarah Fagus invites you to learn about nutrition, how to tell the difference between myths and facts, and which foods make up a healthy, balanced diet.
Monday, Nov. 9 | 1-2 p.m. | Life in Christ Lutheran Church
Classes are provided at low or no cost, thanks to the generosity of the community through Sun Health Foundation. Learn more at: SunHealthFoundation.org
Healthy Holidays!
Holidays are filled with traditions and favorite foods. How can you eat healthily during the holidays? Sun Health’s Nutritionist Sarah Fagus will be sharing tips on how to make small changes and create healthier meals and snacks during the holidays.
Wednesday, Nov. 4 | 10-11 a.m. | Grand Community Baptist Church Wednesday, Nov. 11 | 10-11 a.m. | American Lutheran Church Monday, Nov. 16 | 2-3 p.m. | Crown of Life Lutheran Church Wednesday, Dec. 16 | 10-11 a.m. | Lord of Life Lutheran Church
Location & Class Key AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH
FAITH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
LORD OF LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH
17200 N. Del Webb Blvd., Sun City, AZ
16000 N. Del E. Webb Blvd., Sun City, AZ
13724 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West, AZ
AVONDALE SENIOR SERVICES
FREEDOM PLAZA
SALVATION ARMY
995 E. Riley Ave., Avondale, AZ
13373 N. Plaza Del Rio Blvd., Peoria, AZ
17420 N. Avenue of the Arts, Surprise, AZ
BANNER OLIVE BRANCH SENIOR CENTER
GOODYEAR RECREATION CENTER
SIERRA WINDS
13049 N. 103rd Ave., Sun City, AZ
420 S. Estrella Pkwy., Goodyear, AZ
17300 N. 88th Ave., Peoria, AZ
BENEVILLA EDUCATION CENTER
GRACE BIBLE CHURCH
SUN HEALTH CENTER FOR HEALTH & WELLBEING
14601. Del Webb Blvd., Sun City, AZ
19280 N. 99th Ave., Sun City, AZ
14719 W. Grand Ave., Surprise, AZ
THE COLONNADE
GRAND COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
SURPRISE SENIOR CENTER
19116 N. Colonnade Way, Surprise, AZ
18350 N. Goldwater Ridge, Surprise, AZ
12641 W. Santa Fe Dr., Surprise, AZ
CIMARRON CENTER AT THE GRAND
GRANDVIEW TERRACE
UNITED CHURCH OF SUN CITY
17110 W. Clearview Blvd., Surprise, AZ
14515 W. Granite Valley Dr., Sun City West, AZ
11250 N. 107th Ave., Sun City, AZ
CROWN OF LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH
GRANDVIEW TERRACE HEALTH & REHAB
WEST VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL | Arts HQ Gallery
13131 W. Spanish Garden Dr., Sun City West, AZ
14505 W. Granite Valley Dr., Sun City West, AZ
16126 N. Civic Center Plaza, Surprise, AZ
DESERT PALMS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
LIFE IN CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH
13459 W. Stardust Blvd., Sun City West, AZ
14802 N. 75th Ave., Peoria, AZ
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Registration begins: Oct. 13, 2026 at 8:30 a.m.
Register Online
Register by Phone
SunHealthWellness.org
(623) 471-9355 except where noted
THE ART OF HEALTHY AGING Sun Health is proud to partner with West Valley Arts Council on The Art of Healthy Aging, a free series that celebrates wellness, creativity, and purposeful aging; bringing together community, education, and inspiration! Kindness Rocks Workshop
Relax, create, and spread kindness in this fun rock painting workshop inspired by our Community Kindness Rocks Garden at the Arts HQ Gallery. Begin with simple mindfulness and breathing exercises led by Edith, then paint two rocks using acrylic paints and markers—one to add to our community garden and one to take home or share in your neighborhood. Guided by Edith Eubank and Leniese Gatto from Artastic Art, participants will enjoy a welcoming, creative environment that encourages gratitude, connection, and community.
Tuesday, Nov. 3 | 10-11:30 a.m. | West Valley Arts / Arts HQ Gallery
The Art of Giving: Holiday Ornament Workshop
Express creativity and kindness as you create a handmade holiday gnome ornament for someone special. Led by Leniese Gatto and Edith Eubank from Artastic Art, this hands-on workshop invites you to enjoy the joy of giving while exploring how creative expression can support brain health, reduce stress, improve mood, and foster social connection. No art experience is needed—just bring your creativity and holiday spirit! Materials are included.
Tuesday, Dec. 1 | 10-11:30 a.m. | West Valley Arts / Arts HQ Gallery
Sun Health offers a variety of wellness classes to support you in living a longer, healthier, and more purposeful life. Learn more at SunHealthWellness.org/classes or by calling (623) 471-9355.
Like LiveWell? Get it delivered digitally to your favorite device or have a copy mailed to your home. Visit SunHealthWellness.org/ Livewell-magazine
Registering Just Got Easier! No account required—no password to remember. Now you can register for yourself and others in the same transaction. Visit SunHealthWellness.org/classes to sign up online today. SunHealthWellness.org 13
What No One Is Going to Tell You About
DOWNSIZING By Matt Paxton
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’ve walked into thousands of homes over the past 20plus years, and I can tell you the question everyone asks, without fail, sometime around hour two of sorting through the garage: “What am I going to do with all this stuff nobody wants?” It’s not that nobody wants your stuff. They don’t want this stuff. Not your china or the dining room furniture. Here’s what surprises people: the room your grandkids actually want to dig through is your closet. Vintage is officially 1985 now. Somewhere out there, someone’s stonewashed jeans are a treasure. But don’t start in the closet. Start at the dining room table. Pick your top five most important items. Sit down and talk about them to a family member, friend, or neighbor. Anyone who will listen. And tell the story. Where did you find it? What did you use it for? I’ve had a man cry over a tackle box used when fishing with his dad over six decades ago. One woman proudly shared the story of her welding goggles from WWII when she was a Rosie the Riveter. Many stories their kids never heard. That’s the conversation your family will remember, not the items sold at the garage sale. Expect to get surprised. I’ve watched someone open a shoebox they hadn’t touched in decades and find a stack of love letters from before they were married. Every house has something like that tucked away. A little memento with a story to share. You’ll be delighted when you’ve cleared the clutter and made room for new memories. Want to hear more from downsizing expert and TV host Matt Paxton? He’s bringing these stories to his upcoming session. Come hear it live.
Turn the page for details about Matt Paxton’s upcoming Sun Health event.
SunHealthWellness.org 15
NONPROFITORG ORG NONPROFIT USPOSTAGE POSTAGEPAID PAID US Denver,CO CO Denver, PERMITNO. NO.5377 5377 PERMIT
14719 14719W. W.Grand GrandAve. Ave. Surprise, Surprise,AZ AZ85374 85374 (623) (623)471-9550 471-9550 Information@SunHealth.org Information@SunHealth.org SunHealth.org SunHealth.org
SENTS
s e r u s a Tre & Tales
H PRE HEALT N U S
An Evening of Stories, Laughter, and Legacy with Matt Paxton Television personality, author, and America's leading downsizing expert featured on HOARDERS, Legacy List and Filthy Fortunes
Our most meaningful possessions carry our most memorable stories.
Author of Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff
Join Discovery Channel’s Matt Paxton of Filthy Fortunes for a funny and heartfelt live event. Hear unforgettable stories about treasured belongings and the memories that connect generations. You’ll laugh. You’ll reminisce. You’ll discover the five possessions that belong on your own “Legacy List.”
Tickets start at
$25.00
Register today to secure your seat for this exclusive event before tickets sell out. To purchase tickets or for more information visit SunHealthFoundation.org/matt-paxton
Wednesday October 21 6:30 - 9 p.m.
Ticket sales support Sun Health Foundation.
Hilltop Theatre and Concert Hall 5356 N. Litchfield Road Litchfield Park, AZ 85340