For their final stop, Drs. Raut and Tayade visited Boston, Massachusetts. Sushi Gawande invited them to her suburban Boston residence at Lasell Village, a senior living community where a lifestyle of learning and well-being is supported by college-level classes, exercise facilities, wellness services, and social opportunities in a beautifully designed setting. Anne Doyle, President of Lasell Village gave them a tour of the Village and hosted a lunch for them with an intimate group of Village residents and staff. Dr. Raut, Dr. Tayade, and Dr. Sushi Gawande gave a presentation on GSG College and SESA that was attended by over 50 residents.
Brooke Hallowell, dean of the School of Health Sciences and Rehabilitation Studies at Springfield College, traveled to Lasell Village to visit with the GSG delegation, attend the presentation, and build on the friendship that began when, while professor and director of various programs at Ohio University, Dr. Hallowell stewarded the founding of the formal partnership between Ohio University and GSG College.
Drs. Raut and Tayade also toured the larger Lasell University campus where Lasell Village is situated. As part of a program arranged by Stacy Weltzin, Director of International Education, they met with Annie Ou, English as a Second Language Professor; Aaron Toffler, Dean of Communication School and Professor of Environmental Science; Dolores Radio, Director of the Academic Achievement Center; Helen Santos, Dean of Student Success; and Steve Bloom, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Atul Gawande introduced Drs. Raut and Tayade to his offices and facilities at Harvard Medical School, Ariadne Labs, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and he brought them to a Boston Bruins hockey game. Rounding out their visit, Kathleen Hobson guided them on a tour of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
When asked about the visit, Dr. Raut responded that what impressed him deeply were “the farsighted approach of educationists, existing infrastructure of educational institutes & universities, dedicated academicians’ success-oriented planning, working of Rotary International, approach of senior citizens towards their personal life, community and the country, approach of community towards the senior citizens, existing health services in the country, traffic sense, and discipline & hospitality offered by people.” Summing up his experience, Dr. Raut concluded, “[t]he discipline & openness, kindhearted approach & hospitality provided by you people was the best remembering thing that I have cherished in my heart.”