Women’s History Month: Women Who Shape Us

This Women’s History Month, I have been thinking about the women who have shaped my life, my perspective, and my career.Some women influence us through major moments, and others leave their mark in quieter ways. Often, people do not even realize the impact they have had. That is something I have been thinking about a lot lately, how sometimes our impact comes through our actions and the way we make others feel, without even knowing what it may leave behind. What feels especially meaningful to me is that one of the first women who came to mind is someone who likely has no idea of the influence she had.

The memory I keep going back to is of a woman I used to visit in a nursing home when I was in high school doing community service hours. I still think about the change I saw in her when the nursing home was renovated, and she was moved into a new room. Her new room had natural light, updated furniture, and a feeling of warmth and life that had not been there before. What stayed with me was not just that the room looked better. It was that she seemed different. She became lighter, more energized, and more social. There was a noticeable shift in her presence and in the way she engaged. She seemed more like herself. Almost younger, even though in reality, she was getting older. That moment stayed with me because it showed me

something I have carried into my work ever since.

Design is not just about how a space looks. It is about how a space makes someone feel, and in many cases, how it helps them live. Seeing that transformation up close made me realize that the people who are often overlooked in design conversations, seniors, people in care settings, people in vulnerable moments, are often the ones who need thoughtful design the most.

That experience is a big part of why senior living became such a meaningful area of focus for TDG. When we design senior living spaces, I am always thinking about what it feels like to actually live in that environment every single day. Not just what looks good in photos, but what helps someone feel at home, feel respected, and feel more connected to themselves and to others. That woman showed me, without ever saying a design word, that the right environment can genuinely change someone’s quality of life.

-Blima