From Crisis to Innovation: Dr Zoe Wyrko on Reinventing Retirement Living and Leading Differently

Rebecca Heald
Jun 20
4 min read

What happens when a consultant geriatrician leaves the NHS to rewrite the rules on ageing, healthcare, and what it means to live well into later life?

On this episode of The Heald Approach, Rebecca is joined by Dr Zoe Wyrko, Wellbeing and Quality Director at Riverstone, to talk about everything the care system gets wrong and what she's building instead.

Rewriting the Rules on Ageing: From Crisis to Innovation

From the moment Zoe Wyrko stepped away from her role as a hospital consultant, she began a journey that most doctors wouldn't dare take. After more than a decade of working in the NHS, witnessing patients fall through the cracks of a system built to react rather than prevent, Zoe made a life-changing decision. She joined Riverstone, a leading name in integrated retirement communities, where she could finally work upstream — supporting people to live better, longer, and with dignity.

In this episode, Zoe reveals how years of working in A&E, particularly during the height of COVID, left her disillusioned and burnt out.

“We had more deaths in our trust than anywhere in Europe,” she says. “It was brutal.”

But where most would stick to the ‘safe’ path, Zoe trusted her gut and chose reinvention. And that reinvention is saving lives, just differently.

What Are Integrated Retirement Communities?

Forget what you think you know about care homes. Zoe breaks down the key differences between traditional residential care and modern retirement living. Riverstone offers high-end apartments with 24-hour on-site staff, personalised wellbeing services, and full wraparound support — but it’s not just for the wealthy.

“There are models across the country — from social rent to private lease — that people simply don’t know exist,” Zoe explains.

She urges families to plan sooner and understand that alternatives to care homes do exist. To learn more, Zoe recommends ARCO, the UK’s regulatory association for integrated retirement communities.

The Power of Intergenerational Care

One of Zoe’s most inspiring experiences came from her involvement in Channel 4’s award-winning series Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds. The concept?Place four-year-olds in a retirement community and observe the impact.

The result?

Older residents became physically stronger, happier, and more socially engaged.
The children developed emotional literacy, empathy, and improved communication.

“Everyone involved changed,” Zoe recalls.This wasn't just television. It was a powerful lesson in human connection — one that could reshape how we design retirement spaces for generations to come.

Why Preventative Care Matters

Zoe has seen both ends of the healthcare spectrum and she’s clear on one thing: prevention is everything.

“I’d see patients come through A&E who could’ve avoided that entire journey if we’d acted just weeks earlier.”

At Riverstone, she’s now designing services that catch people before they fall. Through access to the right support at the right time, from wellness programmes to onsite concierge teams, people can stay independent longer and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. It’s a model built around empowerment, not emergency response.

Female Leadership and Glass Ceilings

Zoe doesn’t shy away from the challenges she faced rising through the NHS.

“At first, I thought there was no glass ceiling. Then I hit it... hard.”

As she stepped into senior roles, she was seen as a threat rather than an asset. Despite years of experience and recognition from her peers, she noticed the shift — especially when supported by progressive leaders.

“If you’ve got someone in a high place backing you, it makes the local bullies even louder.”

Her experience speaks to a broader issue: even when women reach leadership, outdated systems often push them out. Zoe’s story is a reminder of what happens when women lead boldly anyway and create space for others to rise.

You Don’t Need to Tick Every Box

“Every job I’ve thrived in — I didn’t apply for.”

Zoe’s most powerful insight is one too many women ignore. The best opportunities don’t come through applications. They come through being seen, building relationships, and taking a leap.

Still, she sees women hold back, afraid they’re not ready, not qualified, not enough.

“But some of the best things happen when you say yes before you're ready.”

Her advice? Follow the fear. If an opportunity keeps knocking, answer it. It might just change everything.

Gut Decisions Aren’t Flaky, They’re Smart

From reality TV to running wellbeing systems in high-end communities, Zoe’s path hasn’t followed a straight line. But that’s the point.

“You can always go back. But most of the time, you won’t want to.”

Her decisions were intuitive, not conventional but each one brought her closer to impact, fulfilment, and alignment. In a world obsessed with logic and ladders, Zoe is proof that trusting your gut can be a leadership strategy.

Redesigning the Future of Ageing

Zoe is now using her platform at Riverstone to challenge how the UK thinks about ageing, independence, and care.

“Retirement communities shouldn’t be feared — they should be aspirational.”

She believes they should be built into the fabric of our towns and cities, not fenced off from them. And with demand rising and quality models emerging, the time for change is now.

🎧 Listen to the Full Episode

Catch the full conversation with Dr Zoe Wyrko on The Heald Approach Podcast — available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.