Angie Hildebrant, Division President with Our House Senior Living, gives us hope that despite so many communities struggling to pivot after the pandemic started, there are those that are thriving. She provides inspiration of how they and other communities have stood out to her with unique ways for their business to reach out to the outside community and break out of the rut of "this is how we've always done it". This is your call to do what others are not!

Kevin Goedeke, VP of Regional Health Operations, talks about starting from the bottom of Erickson as an intern and working his way up to a regional role. We hear how his perspectives of the regional role, the leaders around him, and his own knowledge have changed as he's climbed the ladder.  

Make sure to check out the NHA Stand Up Newsletter! 

If you are looking for the two books that Kevin mentions, we've linked those below for you.  

The Four Disciplines of Execution by Sean Covey & Chris McChesney 

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Stacy Shewey, CEO of Hands4Life, started this organization with a passion for helping seniors, but wanted to reach beyond helping the American experience. Witnessing firsthand the tremendous need in the developing world for high-quality, compassionate care for older adults, Stacy began a journey leading to the creation of Hands 4Life – one of the few nonprofit missionary organizations focusing on caring for the elderly in developing nations.   We talk about what her journey has been like and how some of the cultural differences affect senior care in these countries.   Find out more at h4lworld.org

Anna Ladig, Live A Dream Support with Trilogy Health Services shows how taking seniors' dreams, big and small, can bring joy, motivation and a sense of purpose for not only the recipient but the givers. Join Matt as we hear heartwarming stories and some lessons in how even the simplest dreams can bring great joy. 

Curtis Avison, Home Office Director of Life Enrichment at StoryPoint Group, pushes hard to break "person centered care" from just being a buzz word. He talks about how he thinks about getting individuals out of the rut of attending events and going on outings, even pointing out how we can serve those who usually don't come to those events. Curtis also recognizes the importance of getting staff invested in this process by making a rewarding experience in learning about residents. He shares creative ways to entice reluctant residents out of their shell to live their best lives.

Julie Podewitz, CEO of Grow Your Occupancy, joins Matt as they talk about a recent case study with Vitality Living and Eversound; what they learned during the process of doing this study, where they can change the process for the better in the future, and how hearing loss affects the bottom line of any community.

Video mail isn't just for B2B businesses. Walt Armentrout, CEO of Heart Legacy, walks us through what they've found is useful from creating personalized messages to potential potential customers who rely so much on personal connection. We compare notes on how having a sales aid like this differs from the vendor side and community side, and the most useful places for each.

Something we love about the senior living industry is finding people who are driven to elevate the quality of care for seniors, including those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. That’s why we were excited to sit down with George Netscher, whose company, SafelyYou, is giving a voice to this most vulnerable population, and advocating for them when they can’t advocate for themselves. George talks with Matt about how 95% of falls go unwitnessed, why falls are particularly challenging for this population, and how a single fall has a rippling effect through a senior living community, taking physical, emotional, and financial tolls. He shares how understanding the root cause of falls not only impacts quality of life for the resident, but peace of mind for the families, and quality of care delivered by the staff. Join us to learn how some sobering statistics can indicate the opportunity for transformative change in senior care.

Chris is a big inspiration to us, giving us hope for senior living and humans in general. He tells us about what has driven him since he was a kid to go great lengths to help others, even running multiple 24 hour races. Listen in to find out what his organization is doing for these charities and senior living.   

Help Chris reach his goals on his tax-deductible go fund me page: 

gofundme.com/f/24-hour-run-for-hope-in-2022

Paige Morin, who is a marketing intern with Merrill Gardens, stumbled upon the senior living industry through a recommendation from a friend. It turns out Washington State University is one higher education institution that's highlighting careers in caring for seniors. Paige says she's found her perfect fit, and she talks with us about what's convincing her to stay in senior living, and how the industry could improve its outreach to up-and-coming talent.