OUR STORY
United We Age is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization established to serve the senior citizen population. Our goals and objectives are to:
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Assure that every person experiencing quality of life decline due to aging has a social support network, especially people living alone.
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Raise Awareness and Image Building for Senior Citizens
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Assure that age is not a barrier to seniors participating in the online (internet) world.
United We Age is based in Vero Beach, Florida.
THE CHALLENGE
There is an alone crisis among the senior citizen population in the United States today. Quality of life and even life expectancy suffers tremendously for older people and people stricken with life-threatening disease living alone and lacking social support (i.e., a spouse, family member or caring friend). In the case of a life-threatening disease like cancer, social support (e.g., spouse) matters more than chemotherapy, studies suggest. Access to a social support network improves quality of life and life expectancy.
Almost 30 percent (12.5 million) of noninstitutionalized older people (65+) live alone in the U.S. today. Almost half of older women (46%) age 75+ live alone. Many of these seniors reported income at or near poverty levels.
Board of Directors
David Lereah, PhD
President
David Lereah is the founder and Executive Director of United We Age. His passion to support senior citizens in need stems from his three-year volunteer work for the Meals on Wheels program of the Senior Resource Association in Vero Beach, Florida.
Dr. Lereah is a recognized economic expert in the financial services and real estate industries. Dr. Lereah is the former Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors and the former Chief Economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association. He has appeared in the national media, including CNN, CNBC, The Today Show, NPR, NY Times, Washington Post and the Wall St Journal and has given speeches on the financial and real estate markets across the globe. Dr. Lereah began his career on the faculties of Rutgers University and the University of Virginia. He earned his BA in Economics from American University and a PhD in Economics from the University of Virginia.
Dr. David Gillis
Board Member
Dr. Gillis is an attending physician in the emergency room at Mission Health Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina. Dr. Gillis is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Gillis earned a BS Chemistry with honors at the University of Florida. He earned a medical degree from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine and graduated with Honors. Dr. Gillis did his residency at Mount Clemens General Hospital in Michigan.
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Robert Paxton
Board Member
Robert Paxton has been a leader in the real estate industry for the past 20 years. Prior to that, he served as an executive at Intel Corporation, helping the company navigate the halls of Congress. Throughout his career, Rob has volunteered and served on various nonprofit boards, including Culmore Clinic, Safe Haven, Volunteers of America, and The City of Alexandria. He earned his BA from George Mason University and MA from George Washington University.
Terri Register
Board Member
Terri Register is the Vice President of Operations for Young Professionals in International Affairs (YPIA). YPIA is a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. that brings together globally-minded citizens in a neutral space to engage in international affairs.
Terri has served in the U.S. nonprofit sector for 12 years and has coordinated initiatives in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Oceania. She has scaled programs through capacity building, fundraising, development, grants management, strategic partnerships, and impact evaluation. She has experience collaborating with community organization, universities, U.S. federal departments, Social enterprises, corporations, and foundations.
Her passion is serving grassroots organizations and social enterprises that have a heart for all communities. Terri earned a BA at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is a native North Carolinian with a passion for learning languages and is proficient in Spanish and French.
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Christine Kelma Palmer
Board Member
Christine Klema Palmer is a Board Certified Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner by the American of Nurse Practitioners (ANCC). Christine currently works for Landmark Health where she cares for the aging population in the comfort of their own homes using a holistic approach. Her career in healthcare began at University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, where she worked on a neurological/rehabilitative unit caring for stroke and brain injury patients. Christine then spent ten plus years at WakeMed Health & Hospitals working in a Neuro/Medical Rehabilitation Unit. During her time there, whe ventured out, working in surgery, geriatrics, child developmental disorders, and nursing leadership. In 2017, Christine become an Adult Gerontology Nurse Practioner, specializing in the care and welfare of the aging population.
Christine's care for her patients reflects her beliefs in caring for a patient, mind, body, and spirit. Christine earned her BA from Youngstown State University, and her master's degree from South University, Savannah, Georgia. She currently lives in Benson, North Carolina with her husband, three dogs, and a cat.
Michele Ellis
Board Member
Michele Ellis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
specializing in Gerontology. Michele earned her
Masters in Social Work at Silberman School of Social
Work and a Masters in Psychology at New York Uni-.
versity. Her passion for older adults stems from her
work with Upper Manhattan Geriatric Program where
she provided counseling to seniors who suffered from
depression. She furthered her career working with
seniors in Geriatric Psychiatry at Kingsbrook Jewish
Medical Center. Michele currently works as a Case
Manager providing resources to adults with multiple
chronic conditions to improve quality of life. She also
provides psychotherapy to seniors adjusting to life
transitions, retirement, bereavement, and changes in
health conditions.