Paula Enrietto, PhD

Dr. Paula Enrietto is a thought leader in the field of aging, an educator, and a client advocate who has devoted her career to helping individuals and families navigate the challenges of aging with dignity, purpose, and independence. Drawing on a background as a research scientist and shaped by her own years as a family caregiver, she has become a sought-after voice on the biology of aging, the caregiver experience, and the pursuit of meaning in later life.

Dr. Enrietto began her career as an academic scientist, conducting research in the field of oncology. For much of her life, she was also a caregiver for her large, close-knit family. When her mother became ill, Paula experienced firsthand the difficulty of long-distance caregiving and relocated to care for her mother through the end of her life. That deeply personal chapter inspired a career change, leading her to bring her scientific rigor and compassion to the senior healthcare industry, where she served as Executive Director of the independent living communities at Balfour Senior Living in Louisville, CO.

Recognizing the need for personalized, high-quality home care, Dr. Enrietto acquired AffirmiCare, a company that for more than 17 years has provided quality services to individuals facing cognitive and physical challenges. Under her leadership, the company grew to add care management services—offering medical advocacy, care coordination, and support for family caregivers. Guided by her belief that education is the key to "enhancing independence during life challenges," she has built her work around empowering clients and families with knowledge.

Education is the throughline of Dr. Enrietto's work as a thought leader in aging. She lectures and leads workshops on topics as varied as the biology of aging and finding purpose as we grow older, and she is a leading voice on the impact of caregiving on the caregiver, particularly its effects on mental and physical health. She consults with caregivers and families around the world, helping them find a path through the challenges of aging and develop plans that allow their loved ones to live the best life possible, for as long as possible.

Her commitment to healthy aging extends into research and community leadership. Dr. Enrietto serves on the board of the Knobel Institute for Healthy Aging at the University of Denver and on the board of the Hover Senior Living Community in Longmont, CO. She previously served as President of the Louisville Senior Foundation, which provides heat relief to seniors in Louisville, CO, and as Site Coordinator for the 9Health Fair, a nonprofit offering low-cost health screenings to the public. Her passion for improving well-being and health worldwide has taken her to Rwanda, Nepal, and Peru as part of health teams delivering services through the nonprofit Centura Global Health Initiatives.