The late Joy Plein was widely credited for creating the momentum for senior-care pharmacy in Washington State at a time when there were few pharmacists who were geriatricians and few resources to advocate for older patients. She and her late husband, Elmer, developed a visionary nursing home course in 1973, which led to more courses and the establishment of the Plein Certificate.
In 2016, the Plein Center for Aging was established with the generous support from Joy.
The 3-year strategic plan for the Plein Center can be found here.