Baptist Senior Family’s alliance with CMU’s world-renowned Robotics Institute highlights the potential of cross-sector partnerships to solve complex challenges in senior living through innovation and research in the Pittsburgh region and beyond. The collaboration exemplifies forward-thinking innovation in aging services to enhance care and quality of life for older adults through cutting-edge technology.
“We are deeply honored to receive the 2025 Innovation of the Year Award,” said Timothy L. Myers, President & CEO of Baptist Senior Family. “Our collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting the independence of seniors within our campuses and throughout the world. This partnership allows us to make a difference far beyond the walls of our communities.”
CMU students conducted several studies involving Baptist Senior Family residents, including one to gather data for a design called VoicePilot, which incorporates large language models (LLMs) as speech interfaces for physically assistive robots. This work was the first to involve human subjects interacting directly with an LLM integrated into an assistive robot.
“Working with Baptist Senior Family was a smooth and rewarding experience, thanks to the support of both the staff and residents,” said Akhil Padmanabha, a CMU PhD student. “The staff were instrumental in coordinating the space for our study, organizing the food for our feeding robot, and communicating with residents for participant recruitment. The residents were enthusiastic, punctual, and highly engaged throughout the studies. Their insights were invaluable in helping us improve our speech interface for caregiving robots.”
The award, which recognizes the partnership’s “exceptional contributions, leadership, and commitment” to innovation, was officially presented at the LeadingAge PA Annual Conference on Thursday, June 12, 2025, during a special evening celebration in Hershey, PA. The conference brings together leaders in senior care across the commonwealth to share insights, honor excellence, and promote best practices in the field.
“This year’s Distinguished Service Award honorees are shining examples of excellence in service, whether they are uplifting residents, working hand in hand with colleagues, or driving positive change in their communities,” said LeadingAge PA President & CEO Garry Pezzano. “We take pride in honoring the remarkable impact of their unwavering dedication and leadership.”
Baptist Senior Family was recognized alongside other distinguished honorees who exemplify leadership, service, and innovation within Pennsylvania’s senior living community.
For more information about Baptist Senior Family’s innovative programs and partnerships, visit baptistseniorfamily.org.
