Our Purpose - The LTC Podcast

Brad Underwood, CEO of Voyage LTC, joins Our Purpose Podcast to share his leadership journey, the culture behind Voyage LTC, and the challenges facing long-term care in Oklahoma.

In this conversation, Brad opens up about turning around distressed nursing homes, building trust with frontline staff, leading with vulnerability, and creating a culture where employees feel seen, supported, and valued. He also shares the heart behind Voyage Cares, VCamp, and the VIP Awards, programs designed to invest in employees beyond the workplace.

Brad also discusses the difficult realities facing Oklahoma long-term care, including reimbursement challenges, regulatory pressure, and why local operators must continue fighting for residents, staff, and community-based care.

This episode is a powerful look at what happens when leadership, culture, purpose, and advocacy come together in long-term care.

In this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast, Hosts Kip Kruger and James Dieter sit down with Cody Campbell to talk about his incredible journey from CNA to nursing home owner and the leadership lessons he’s learned along the way.

Cody shares how he built his career in long-term care over more than two decades, why leadership buy-in matters at every level, and what it really takes to create a strong culture inside a facility. We also dive into some of the biggest challenges facing LTC today, including burnout, staffing, retention, compliance, reimbursement, agency use, and survey readiness.

If you’re a nursing home administrator, DON, operator, owner, or leader in skilled nursing and long-term care, this episode is packed with practical insight and real-world encouragement from someone who has lived it at every level.

In this episode, we cover:

* Cody Campbell’s path from CNA to owner
* Building culture and leadership in long-term care
* How to create staff buy-in at the facility level
* Burnout, retention, and supporting administrators
* Reducing agency reliance and becoming fully staffed
* Why collaboration matters in LTC leadership
* The role of social media in connecting nursing home administrators
* Lessons Cody wishes he knew earlier in his career

If you’re passionate about skilled nursing, senior care, healthcare leadership, and the future of long-term care, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe for more conversations that shine a light on the people, purpose, and leadership behind long-term care.

#longtermcare #skillednursing #nursinghomeadministrator #healthcareleadership #seniorcare #ltc

What does it take to build a healthcare company from the ground up and grow it across 12 states?

In this episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Kip Kruger sits down with James Dieter, CEO of Principle Health Systems, and Chris Light, COO, to unpack the origin story behind Principle Health Systems and how the company grew from an independent lab startup into one of the largest mobile lab and imaging providers serving long-term care.

They talk about the early days of the business, the unexpected shift into skilled nursing, the challenges of scaling across multiple states, and why communication, trust, innovation, and patient outcomes remain at the center of everything they do.

This conversation also dives into:
 • how Principle entered the long-term care space
 • the challenges of mobile lab and imaging in skilled nursing
 • building culture in a fast-growing healthcare company
 • leadership lessons from scaling a people-driven business
 • why transparency and accountability matter in patient care
 • how technology and AI may shape the future of diagnostics in LTC

If you work in skilled nursing, long-term care, post-acute care, lab services, or healthcare operations, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the leadership, mission, and vision driving one of the fastest-growing companies in the space.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone in the LTC industry.

What does it take to lead well in long-term care without burning out?

In this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast, hosts James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Lisa Ridley to talk about LTC leadership, building culture, mentoring the next generation, setting attainable goals, and preventing burnout in skilled nursing and long-term care.

Lisa shares wisdom from more than 30 years in nursing and leadership, including what great administrators do differently, why culture matters more than ever, how to develop strong teams, and why encouragement, music, mentorship, and positive reinforcement can change an entire facility.

We also dive into:
 • How leaders can create a culture people want to be part of
 • Why work ethic, communication, and consistency matter in long-term care
 • How to help nurses and administrators grow into leadership roles
 • What causes burnout in LTC and how to fight it
 • Why mentoring younger nurses is critical to the future of the industry
 • Lisa’s work with TexSDoNA and her passion for developing the next generation of nurse leaders

If you work in skilled nursing, senior care, post-acute care, nursing leadership, or healthcare administration, this conversation is full of practical encouragement and leadership insight.

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations that highlight the people, purpose, and innovation shaping long-term care.

How is AI changing skilled nursing and long-term care?

In this episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Kip Krueger, James Dieter, and Chris Light sit down with Brent Jackson, CEO of Simply Screen, to talk about how AI is transforming skilled nursing admissions, MDS workflows, PDPM accuracy, ADR preparation, and operational efficiency across long-term care.

Brent shares the origin story behind Simply Screen, how a COVID-era screening tool evolved into Simply 360, and how the platform now helps facilities review large admission packets in minutes, identify red/yellow/green flags, support MDS coordinators, improve PDPM workflows, and reduce administrative burden for long-term care teams.

They also unpack the bigger picture of AI in healthcare:
 • Will AI replace jobs in skilled nursing?
 • How can AI improve patient care and quality outcomes?
 • What does responsible AI use actually look like in long-term care?
 • How can operators use AI to help teams work at the top of their license?
 • Why speed, quality, and smarter workflows matter more than ever as the industry faces staffing shortages and the “silver tsunami”

If you work in skilled nursing, long-term care, admissions, MDS, reimbursement, revenue cycle, or healthcare operations, this episode is packed with practical insight on where the industry is headed.

In this episode, we cover:
 • AI in skilled nursing and long-term care
 • Skilled nursing admissions workflow improvements
 • MDS coordination and documentation support
 • PDPM reimbursement accuracy
 • ADR automation in long-term care
 • AI and staffing efficiency
 • Responsible AI use in healthcare
 • How technology can improve patient care and facility performance

Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of long-term care, skilled nursing, and healthcare operations.

#LongTermCare #SkilledNursing #AIinHealthcare #MDS #PDPM #HealthcareLeadership #Admissions #SeniorCare #NursingHomeLeadership #OurPurposePodcast

In this episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Hosts James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Monty Montanez — combat veteran, entrepreneur, and candidate for Texas’ 32nd Congressional District — to talk about what nursing homes and long-term care leaders need most from Washington.

We dig into the real-world pressure points administrators and clinical leaders face every day: Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement constraints, staffing shortages, rural access challenges, and the high cost of transportation and care coordination. Monty shares a business-minded perspective on how policy could better support providers, reduce waste, and create incentives for preventative care — while keeping the focus on patient outcomes.

If you work in skilled nursing, rehab, long-term care, or healthcare leadership, this conversation is packed with timely questions:
 • What changes would actually help facilities deliver better care?
 • How do we fund preventative care in a system built to react?
 • What would policy reform mean for staffing, access, and sustainability?

Guest: Monty Montanez (combat veteran, entrepreneur, congressional candidate)
Hosted by: Kip Kruger with Chris Light and James Dieter

👍 If you found value here, please like, subscribe, and share with an administrator, DON, NP, or operator who needs to hear it.

What does it really take to turn around a struggling skilled nursing facility? In this virtual episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Hosts James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Sheila Foster, Administrator at Richardson Nursing & Rehab (Richardson, TX), to unpack the real-world playbook behind winning managed care contracts, building census, and creating a culture that keeps staff—even in a 1-star building.

Sheila shares the leadership mindset that separates “desk administrators” from true operators: rounding, answering call lights, building trust, and training AITs with a reality check (yes…starting in housekeeping and the kitchen). Plus, she explains how she identifies hospital discharge bottlenecks, takes on higher-acuity populations (like bariatric and trach), and still controls expenses—without relying on agency.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
 • How Sheila finds “stuck” hospital patients and turns that into contracts & census
 • Why culture beats “$1 more per hour” for retention (and how she built a loyal team)
 • The staffing model shift: stop staffing by headcount—staff by acuity
 • PDPM/Medicaid realities and why reimbursement hasn’t kept up with acuity
 • Cost-saving modernization: Wi-Fi + smart TVs to eliminate cable expenses
 • How skilled nursing is evolving into a mini-hospital (and what’s next)

🎧 Listen, subscribe, and share this with an administrator who needs a turnaround blueprint.

In this special National Activity Director Week episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Hosts James Dieter and Kip Kruger feature Jackie Johnson, a 37-year Activity Director at Springtown Park.

Jackie shares how long-term care activities have transformed across generations — from big band and World War II veterans to baby boomers with iPads and livestreamed church services.

She discusses:

• The evolving role of technology in senior engagement
• How to respond when activities fail
• Survey preparation tips for activity professionals
• Why administrators must support activities
• And the deeply moving “Memorial Walk” tradition that brings dignity to a resident’s final chapter

This conversation is a powerful reminder that long-term care is not the end of the story — it’s an opportunity to write a meaningful one.

Crystal Quintero (2025 HMG Administrator of the Year) joins Our Purpose Hosts, James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Christ Light to break down what actually builds a strong skilled nursing culture—beyond the buzzwords.

From her start as a CNA to leading a 5-star facility, Crystal shares the real-world leadership moves that drive retention, reduce burnout, and keep operations survey-ready—without losing the heart of the mission: taking care of people.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
 • How Crystal sets expectations in orientation (and why it works)
 • The leadership habits that create trust, accountability, and momentum
 • Preventing burnout while still moving fast and executing daily
 • Eliminating silos between admin and clinical teams
 • Survey strategy: readiness systems, speed, and “optics” that matter
 • Empowering managers so issues get solved before they escalate

Whether you’re a new administrator, a DON, or an operator building multi-site leadership, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways you can use immediately.

👍 If this episode helped you, like, subscribe, and share it with a leader in long-term care.

GLP-1 medications are transforming healthcare—but what happens when they enter skilled nursing and post-acute care?

In this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast Host James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Dr. Norberto Vargas, a board-certified physician in physical medicine & rehab, pain management, addiction medicine, and obesity medicine, to unpack the real-world impact of GLP-1s in long-term care settings.

We discuss:
 • Why GLP-1–driven weight loss can become dangerous muscle loss (sarcopenia) in SNFs
 • How dehydration, reduced intake, and therapy setbacks can create facility risk and F-tag exposure
 • Who the right and wrong candidates are for GLP-1s in post-acute and long-term care
 • The expanding science behind GLP-1s: cardiometabolic benefits, dementia risk reduction, and addiction “noise”
 • Why obesity meets many real-world criteria for addiction—and why DSM-5 doesn’t classify it that way

This episode is essential listening for LTC administrators, medical directors, clinicians, and operators navigating GLP-1 use while protecting outcomes, compliance, and patient safety.