Kirsten Jacobs discusses how ageism and segregation negatively impact the senior living industry—based on her work co-leading LeadingAge’s ageism work on an America freed from ageism. She also shares key takeaways from the 2020 conference, and how Covid-19 could threaten industry progress.

About Kirsten

With nearly 20 years of experience in older adult housing and services, memory care, and long-term care management, Kirsten credits her four grandparents for her passion for the field. Her undergraduate thesis project, which focused on sharing art with older adults, set the stage for an ongoing interest in dementia and holistic wellbeing. Kirsten has held various positions—including administrator and executive director. Currently, she serves on the knowledge team at LeadingAge, a national association of elder serving organizations.

As the director of dementia and wellness education, Kirsten leads LeadingAge’s dementia and wellness collaborative learning strategy and provides thought leadership to various audiences, including speaking/presenting and delivering technical assistance to LeadingAge members. Kirsten co-leads LeadingAge’s ageism work which supports the organization’s vision, an America freed from ageism.

Kirsten earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) and gerontology certificate from Portland State University (Portland, OR) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in arts administration and a minor in studio art from Scripps College (Claremont, CA).

Key Takeaways

Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsor Project Relevance!

Project Relevance is a boutique advisory group focused on bringing innovative products and services that advance the health and well-being of caregivers, older adults and those navigating end-of-life. Collaborating with a diverse and dynamic group of providers, professionals, consumers and funding sources, we help our innovators connect, solve and evolve in unique and relevant ways.

Senior living veteran Jill Vitale-Aussem shares insights from her revolutionary book; why ageism and ableism undermine the industry, how current practices offering hospitality-like comfort and amenities for older adults are misdirected, and how Covid-19 has spurred innovation and opportunity.

About Jill

Jill Vitale-Aussem NHA, MMH serves as President & CEO of Christian Living Communities, a Colorado-based, not-for-profit, faith-based organization serving more than 3,000 older adults and their families through its 23 owned and managed communities located in six states as well as offering adult day, home care and consulting.

She has over twenty years of experience leading nursing homes, assisted living and life plan communities. Prior to joining Christian Living Communities, she served as President and CEO of The Eden Alternative, an international non-profit organization focused on creating quality of life for older people and their care partners. She is a licensed nursing home administrator and a Reframing Aging facilitator.

Jill is the author of Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living: A Mindshift and speaks internationally on topics including ageism, leadership and culture change.

Key Takeaways

Meredith Oppenheim, a 20-year expert in senior housing and Founder of Vitality Society ™, talks about how Covid-19 as a disruptive force driving industry change. Learn how technology and virtual programming can entice “younger olders” and serve as a valuable sales tool at the top of the funnel.

About Meredith

Meredith Oppenheim is a senior housing specialist with national and international expertise encompassing all property types and spanning the full lifecycle of a deal from pre-development to disposition. Oppenheim serves as an advisor to technology companies, residential developers, investment firms, and government entities. She has also served as an expert witness on behalf of a senior housing owner and operator.

Oppenheim is a member of the Cornell Institute of Healthy Futures, an organization which seeks to promote innovation by applying hospitality principles to healthcare. Spring 2019 she completed a study of people 60 – 80 years of age in collaboration with Cornell students, which has shaped her new venture Vitality Society™ for people 60 and better to be at their best.

During her nearly 20 years in the senior housing industry, Oppenheim worked for leading owners and operators such as Sunrise Senior Living and Marriott International. At Ventas, one of the largest healthcare REITs, she managed the Northeast operating portfolio of over 50 Atria Senior Living and Sunrise Senior Living communities, consistently exceeding budgeted expectations.

She was nominated to serve on the National Investment Center (NIC) Future Leaders’ Council and led the organization during its inaugural year. In 2009, she was appointed to Mayor Bloomberg’s Age-Friendly NYC Commission and served a 5-year term as a board member of the not-for-profit arm of the NYC Department for the Aging.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and Cornell University.

Key Takeaways

The Covid-19 Era has hurt many senior living communities. However, Harbor’s Edge in Norfolk, VA is thriving. Find out why this waterfront high-rise community has the winning formula for success. Learn about the property’s technology deployment, culinary and wellness options, and purpose-driven community engagement.

About Anna

As the VP of Sales and Marketing at Harbor’s Edge, Anna Little oversees a team of Sales Counselors and Marketing Specialists to drive occupancy for Independent Living.  As a Life Plan CCRC, Harbor’s Edge offers luxury apartments with exceptional amenities surrounded by Norfolk, Virginia’s working harbor on the Elizabeth River. The upscale community offers True LifeCare, an exclusive combination of refundable entrance fees and predictable healthcare costs. The River Tower expansion, scheduled to open in May of 2021, will double the size of the community’s living and common spaces.

Prior to her move to Harbor’s Edge, Anna spent more than seven years at another high end CCRC as the Managing Director of Sales and Marketing where the goal-driven team was wildly successful in gaining occupancy through a tough market. Several years as a real estate broker led her to senior living, where she has found her real passion and the opportunity to make changes in the lives of our most cherished senior population.

Key Takeaways

Harbor’s Edge’s well-rounded marketing strategy includes digital campaigns along with traditional newspaper and print ads. Social media has become increasingly important. Posts featuring residents have been extremely successful.

Whereas older people traditionally make the decision to move into a senior community later in life, Little is seeing a trend towards younger residents who want to take advantage of the community’s many benefits in a protected environment.

Harbor’s Edge’s engagement technologies include Touchtownfor menus and activities, and OneDay to empower the community to create their own videos. Residents learn how to use iPads and Zoom.

A professional salon has become a must-have amenity for senior living communities from active living through skilled nursing and memory care. However, many properties miss the boat with poorly designed facilities and unlicensed contractors. Learn how PS Salon & Spa has become the market leader in salon and spa services with more than 1,000 locations in 37 states.

About John

John Polatz is the CEO and Co-Founder of PS Salon & Spa, the leading national senior community salon and spa provider.  As a values-based organization with over 1,000 professional locations in 37 states, PS takes great pride in cultivating a strong culture in support of its 1,500+ team members.

Prior to PS, as the Chief Financial Officer of two multi-national and publicly traded companies, John was a leader in the development of financial, administrative and technology support solutions for global businesses with multiple locations, currencies, and lines of operation. John has lived and worked in many cities throughout the U.S. and abroad in Italy, Switzerland, and New Zealand.

Key Takeaways

Jon and Kasondra are masters at matchmaking the best caregivers and estate concierge managers with the needs, goals, and personalities of their clients. The Perfect Companion offers an extensive array services—from meals, grooming, and laundry to memory care, palliative care, and family dynamics management—to individuals and senior living facilities. Their approach to 5-star service means not only addressing clients’ clinical needs but anticipating their needs.

About Jon & Kasondra

Jon Siegel, Founder & President, The Perfect Companion

Jon Siegel has been a board-certified Geriatric Clinical Psychotherapist for more than 30 years. As Founder and President of The Perfect Companion, Inc. (2008), Jon’s compassion and unique insights enable him to determine the individual skill sets and personalities of his caregivers with the corresponding needs and personality of his clients. His offering of “Ritz-Carlton level” concierge care has been the major contributing factor behind the ongoing success of The Perfect Companion, Inc.

Prior to his work as a highly respected psychotherapist, he served as a Captain, Biomedical Science Officer in the U.S. Air Force. He has been a proud member of the Military Officers Association of America, working in V.A. inpatient/outpatient hospital settings. Jon pioneered what is now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment.

He is also the Founder and Managing Partner of Resiliency Ventures, LLC a venture capital fund focused on Fin Tech, Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain as an Angel, Seed, and Series A investor. He mentors and supports entrepreneurs developing life-enhancing technology and lifestyle innovations.

Kasondra McCormack, EVP Concierge Care Operations, The Perfect Companion

Kasondra is a Social Entrepreneur and Ambassador for the causes and treatments associated with neurodegenerative (brain-related) conditions. She is a respected global thought leader of neurodegenerative restoration and social impact; using functional medicine, nutrition, movement, genetic/ epigenic understanding, and executive thinking to slow down, stop, or reverse disease states. Her degrees and certificates include Environmental Science, Conservation, Phlebotomy, Wholistic Epigenetics, Pathology, Accounting, Economics, and International Culture.

She contributes her expertise to Resiliency Ventures as a Senior Strategic Planning Analyst.

Key Takeaways

The word retire means to withdraw—Baby Boomers have always been proactive and engaged and will not accept traditional models of retirement.

When you are treating somebody as a senior in their own home, it becomes a family affair requiring trust, support, and transparency.

Transitioning into the unknown can create negative health outcomes. Leaving home can also take away purpose which is proven to create decline.

A foundation of care and safety is a must-have, after that it comes down to personal choice. Is it a high-rise tower with 5-star dining and theatre access, or country living with gardens, goats, and a chicken coop? Senior Living facilities are rising to new levels of personalization and luxury hospitality.

About Lori

Lori Farris is the founder of Senior Living Specialists Houston helping seniors and their families navigate the maze of Senior Living Communities. She is also the host of The Boomer Connection, a TV talk show that celebrates Boomers who are making a difference and helping others. Lori founded Senior Living Specialists Houston after going on the journey with her parents and their aging health problems.

Born in 1960 in Highland Park, Illinois, Lori graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Agricultural Economics. After owning and operating her own Chicago Style Restaurant in Dallas, Texas and working as a tour operator in New York, Lori met and married Efisio Farris, native of Sardinia. For the next 26 years she worked with her husband, opening five Italian restaurants in Dallas and Houston.

She sits on the board of Jewish Federation of Business Professionals Women’s Networking Group, the leadership team of the JCC book and arts festival, and is the Programming Director of the Senior Estate Concierge.

Key Takeaways

Carol Stratford is a partner at Hutchinson Consulting, a leading executive search and consulting firm. She shares her experience strategizing for world class wellness resorts, and tips for senior living marketers to refresh their digital assets and personalize the sales process.

About Carol

Carol Stratford’s dynamic career in strategic marketing and public relations has allowed her to develop a widely recognized expertise in hospitality and wellness. She is a leader in her field, known for analyzing trends and forecasting sales to develop long-term strategies, key objectives and operational execution plans based on business best practices. She has achieved record breaking increases in profits and brand awareness for her clients through her experience beyond marketing and public relations --in customer service training, project management, e-commerce, relationship building, administration, and business development.

Because Carol began in public relations and then moved into marketing, she has a rare ability to understand the perception of a brand in the marketplace, and she has used her unique vision to help develop and deploy innovative marketing plans for some of the most successful brands in the industry, including Marriott, KSL Brands such as Miraval and The Homestead, Four Seasons, Casa de Campo, Six Flags and many more.

Carol’s current role as a Partner at Hutchinson Consulting has enabled the company to enter a new and exciting stage of growth.  She is an integral part of the team that is now expanding into the Senior Living industry, bringing relevant marketing and public relations expertise from hospitality and wellness into the field as it adapts to the increasingly youthful and active mindset of its target audience.

Key Takeaways

Keesey Hayward’s message is that senior living is suffering from an identity crisis. Listen to his argument that confusing labels and negative stereotypes limit industry potential. His new website RetirementResorts.com celebrates a new category of senior living community—a culture of wellness with healthy lifestyle options for the body, mind, and spirit.

About Keesey

Keesey Hayward has 30 years of sales and marketing experience in life planned communities. As CEO and President of and Senior Hospitality and RetirementResorts.com, his focus has been misperceptions about retirement community living, and about the industry itself. Earlier this year his company Senior Hospitality International introduced a solution to the misperception problem among Seniors: by recognizing and certifying a new "category" of great communities labeled Retirement Resorts for their ability to provide Retirement Living at its Healthiest®.

Keesey spent his formative years in South Africa as one of five boys born to missionary parents. After college in Wheaton, IL he discovered and immersed himself in the rapidly growing Senior Hospitality industry and has devoted the last three decades serving Seniors and Senior-oriented communities from coast to coast. He has served in a variety of roles within the Senior Hospitality profession: as Sales Counselor, Marketing & Sales Director, Sales Specialist, Trainer & Coach, Marketing & Sales Consultant, Business Owner, Author, Conference Speaker, and also as a 10-year Board Member of Shell Point (Fort Myers, FL), one of the country's largest Retirement Resorts. For more information, see www.RetirementResorts.com and www.SeniorHospitality.com.

Key Takeaways

The former GM and VP of Wellbeing at Miraval Resort Tucson and Managing Director for Canyon Ranch Lenox shares his philosophy on why senior living facilities have the ideal opportunity to make a positive impact on residents’ lives.  Carl has ventured into Senior Living with All Seasons Oro Valley, bringing both operational and programming expertise to create a next level senior living experience. 

About Carl

Carl Pratt is recognized in the hospitality industry as a seasoned and highly effective change agent. He is a talented veteran of hotel and resort operations and a dynamic presenter on a variety of health and wellness topics. With a hospitality leadership career spanning more than 25 years, as well as significant contributions in the field of wellness programming, Carl is at the top of his game when it comes to organizational development and transforming organizations into top-performing profit centers.

Previously as General Manager and Vice President of Wellbeing of Miraval Resort, Tucson, Carl reimagined wellness programing to build signature brand elements along with recreating program offerings for the Miraval Brand. This included partnering with Williams Sonoma and Miraval’s Conscious Cooking concept, the addition of ‘The Retreat’ Luxury Villas, and broad oversight of experiential program design.  As Managing Director for Canyon Ranch Lenox with preceding management roles, Carl saw the property through its evolution from opening day to its status as an internationally acclaimed destination health resort. 

Concurrent with his role at The Hanover Inn, as General Manager, Carl consulted with Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business on the creation of an executive wellness education component for the prestigious Tuck Executive Program, and worked with Dartmouth College to develop a wellness program for faculty and employees, which has since evolved into a vibrant hub with a myriad of health and wellness resources.

Carl is a gifted and enthusiastic speaker, known for leading provocative discussions on health and wellness topics for more than 25 years,. Recognized for his refreshing authentic style, he has given engaging presentations to corporate, higher education, hospital, nonprofit, and local community groups on topics including fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques.

His first love is spending time with family; his wife Sue of 29 years and his two children Forrest and Alex. His passion for healthy living includes his practice of daily meditation for more than 45 years, exercising outdoors, green smoothies, and an occasional Oreo.

Keys Takeaways