Ultimately, Nektalov's job is just one piece of a larger support system, built to meet people wherever they are in this phase of life.
, some residents of the senior living community in downtown Manhattan revolted. Nektalov, who'd been working there part-time for about five years, had decided to pivot and focus on his own salon, just two blocks away. The Brookdale staff brought in a new company to do the residents' hair, but as Nektalov puts it, "they didn't like it.
Two years later, Nektalov closed his salon and returned to being Brookdale's full-time, in-house stylist. He's been there for a total of 18 years, offering blowouts,"For a woman, her hair defines her sometimes," says Sondra Green, 95, a former drama professor and actor, who's lived at Brookdale for nine years and sees Nektalov every other week for a blow-dry, haircut, or both.
Barbara Fields, a former model and fashion entrepreneur, moved to Brookdale in June 2021. She appreciates that, unlike other stylists she’s worked with, Nektalov isn’t “a prima donna.” For Barbara Fields, 94, Nektalov is just one person who helps her keep up with the beauty routine she’s had for most of her life. "Just because I'm 94, doesn't mean I'm going to stop doing what I've always done," she says, recalling her early days as a model when she learned to do her own makeup. Though Fields is loyal to the two other stylists who have cut and colored her hair for years, she still sees Nektalov every Friday at 10 a.m. for a blowout.
Some studies suggest maintaining a beauty routine as you get older can have positive effects on your mental health.85 percent of the approximately 175 residents in the community take advantage of the in-house