We need more than 1D healthcare.
The solution is 4D™ Health.
I help heart patients drive their own healthcare with fierce, no-nonsense savvy.
Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission
I equip patients, caregivers, and health professionals with tools for achieving the highest levels of efficiency and empathy for transformative healthcare.
Vision
Elevating healthcare, one heart at a time
Core Values
Consistent with my belief that heart health and heart disease encompass more than personal, clinical, local, and immediate factors, I embrace the following core values:
Health is more than personal
Disease never affects only the individual. I advocate for healthcare that functions as a continuum comprising the patient in addition to their family, caregivers, community, and society, and embraces the patient as a collaborator in their own care.
Health is more than clinical
Health reaches its fullest potential when healthcare expands its frame of reference beyond medicine. I advocate for healthcare that embraces a greater variety of perspectives, including clinical, personal, cultural, economic, and spiritual.
Health is more than local
Health and caregiving resources are not always accessible or available in one’s geographic location, but this doesn’t have to be a hindrance. I advocate for healthcare that is perpetually informed by population trends and technological advancements, and that translates these realities into innovative health solutions.
Health is more than immediate
Heart disease is a leading cause of death and our population is rapidly aging, yet we continually fail to plan for future health and caregiving challenges. I advocate for healthcare to use a larger time frame to be a leader in ensuring that future health challenges don’t become health crises.
Services and Products
Whether you're facing healthcare challenges or working to solve them, I offer savvy solutions that make a difference. My resources combine real-world experience with professional expertise to provide practical tools for heart patients and strategic insights for healthcare leaders.
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![Dr. Paul Stelzer headshot]()
“With heart disease, Jacob has been there and done that. He brings both his personal experiences as a patient and caregiver and his professional expertise in gerontology to create a ‘safe space’ and engaging speaking style for heart patients and their caregivers, and the providers who help them. If you want to be at the top of your game with heart disease, Jacob is someone you need to speak with.”
Paul Stelzer, MD
Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery
Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC
What is 4D™ Health?
While many healthcare solutions are one-dimensional, human life unfolds in all dimensions. 4D™ Health brings these dimensions together by understanding the interactions between scale (individual to community), diverse modalities (medical, social, cultural), the interplay of place and environment, and how health changes over time. This comprehensive approach helps healthcare organizations and leaders create solutions that are more effective, ethical, and sustainable in our rapidly aging world where chronic disease is more common than ever before.
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![Dr Kevin Johnson headshot]()
“Jacob’s talk on an overview of health was a fantastic example of interdisciplinarity. His engaging style had the audience hooked from the start, and the interactive nature of the presentation ensured that each listener was an active participant. Jacob brings a uniquely global understanding to this discussion thanks to his personal experiences and educational background, and he makes the material both relatable and understandable. I highly recommend him!”
Kevin Johnson, PhD
Associate Professor of History & Global Studies
Taylor University
Personal Experience Meets Professional Expertise
I learned healthcare the hard way first. Then I made it my profession.
With 2 open-heart valve replacement surgeries and years of caregiving for family members with heart disease, I know firsthand the challenges of complex medical journeys. I'm also a gerontologist and former professor with expertise in biology, public health, social work, business, and ethics.
Drawing on this experience, I created the 4D™ Health framework to help organizations and individuals see healthcare’s full dimensions. My greatest strength is seeing healthcare challenges others miss - and creating practical solutions others haven’t considered. I combine real-world experience with professional expertise to help others take charge of their healthcare.
I also feed my lifelong curiosity through reading (from quantum physics to Stephen King), playing music, birdwatching, and exploring the world - 25 countries and counting. I live on Mobile Bay with my wife and our 2 children.
Jacob Kendall
Guest Podcast Episodes
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Notes on Resilience
Self-healing with Jacob Kendall
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The Caregiver Cafe
How Patterns in Life Impact How Long and Short We Live - Part 1
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The Caregiver Cafe
How Patterns in Life Impact How Long and Short We Live - Part 2
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Oldish: Conversations on Aging in the 21st Century
Oldish: Aging in the World w/ Jacob Kendall, PhD
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Beyond the Thesis (Papa PhD)
The Stuff You Don't Plan For (But Should) With Jacob Kendall
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Finding Genius
Reframing Healthcare: Harnessing the Power Of 4-Dimensional Thinking With Dr. Jacob Kendall
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The Lemon Tree Coaching
Dr. Jacob Kendall - Gerontologist, Social Worker, & Founder of Kendall Enterprises
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Healthy Wealthy & Smart
Dr. Jacob Kendall: Demystifying Health(care) Through 4-Dimensional Thinking
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Aspire for More
A Thought Provoking Conversation on Aging with Gerontologist Dr. Jacob Kendall
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Heart-Centered Therapist
Navigating Healthcare: A Four-Dimensional Approach with Dr. Jacob Kendall
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Third Chances
Talking about chronic disease just isn't that sexy
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The Heart of Hospice
How to be a Great End of Life Advocate
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The Teaching Journeys
Rethinking Health and Wellness: A Conversation with Dr. Jacob Kendall
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A Gamer's Guide to Productivity
Jacob Kendall | The Health Harbinger
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Healthy Tips After 50
Navigating Aging and Chronic Illness
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Why Don't We Talk About This?
Talking about Self-Advocacy & Caregiver Support (Navigating the Healthcare System) with Dr. Jacob Kendall
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Psych Health and Safety USA
An Interdisciplinary View of Health with Dr. Jacob Kendall
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HealthCare UnTold
Jacob Kendall, Health Advocate: The Important Roles of Immigrant Health Workers
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This is Getting Old
Dementia Caregiving: Preparing for Your Own Health Crisis
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Public Health Careers
Surviving Open Heart Surgeries: A Mission To Empower Patients with Dr. Jacob Kendall, PhD, MSW, MPH
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Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver
The Caregiver's Balancing Act: Family, Life, and Everything In Between
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Path of the Awakened Heart
Navigating Health, Consciousness, and Interconnectedness with Dr. Jacob Kendall
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Inventive Expert
"Challenging the Status Quo in Medicine" Expert Advice For Entrepreneurs w/ Jacob Kendall
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That Wellness
Pushing Back: Chronic Illness, Healthcare Advocacy, and the Power of Agency with Dr. Jacob Kendall
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The Evolved Caveman
The Future of Aging: A New Approach to Health and Wellness w/ Jacob Kendall, PhD
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Public Health Joy
Advocating for Four-Dimensional Health with Dr. Jacob Kendall
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The Bold PhD
Two heart surgeries made me quit academia to do THIS instead. (With Dr. Jacob Kendall)
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Conversations Between A. and I.
4D™ Medicine, Human Healing & Future Medical A.I. - A Conversation Between Dr Jacob Kendall and I.
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Hospice Explained
Interdisciplinary Insights on Aging and Advocacy with Dr. Jacob Kendall
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On the Mark
Seniors | On the Burden of Senior Care with Jacob Kendall
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What's On Your Plate?
Future of Aging: AI, Immigration, and the Fight to Preserve Human Dignity: Dr. Jacob Kendall
Article Features
“I am on Warfarin since I have a mechanical aortic valve, and therefore have a higher-than-average risk of stroke, bleeding events, and so on. When I need urgent care, I really need it. I am not exaggerating when I say that access to timely, high-quality healthcare is literally a life-or-death issue for me.”
“There’s certainly a wisdom that comes from having these illnesses, but damn does that wisdom come at a high cost.”
“If you have chronic illness, disability, or any other kind of complex, ongoing, lifelong medical needs, your healthcare in the US is likely prohibitively costly.”