Connection, 2024 Volume 2

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO

As I reflect on the first four months of 2024, I am filled with immense enthusiasm as we have so much to celebrate. It is always exciting to share all of Discovery’s news, updates and successes with you, our valued Team Members. I always enjoy connecting with you directly, and keeping you informed of the latest developments within our dynamic and growing organization.

I am proud of the milestones we’ve reached and excited for the growth that will continue this year. We have welcomed many new Team Members to the Discovery family and will continue to expand to meet the growing needs of our communities. I am also pleased to extend heartfelt congratulations to all the Team Members who have advanced in their careers and earned promotions recently!

For those who are new to our family, Connection is crafted with you in mind and filled with all the “Faces of Discovery” in celebration of the dedication and daily contributions of your efforts that profoundly impact the lives of our residents. It brings a smile to my face knowing you all go “Above and Beyond” each and every day.

Here are some of the highlights you will read about in this volume:

• New Communities from Coast to Coast: From California to South Carolina and everywhere in between, we welcomed many new communities across the United States.

• New Operating Companies: April 1 ushered in tremendous growth and exciting changes for Discovery Senior Living with the addition of Discovery Management Group (DMG) and Provincial Senior Living (PSL).

• Employees Leading by Example: Stephanie Morton celebrates 25 years, Richard Totorico provides insights into Arvum Senior Living, Rita Armstrong demonstrates this issue’s Pillar of Excellence in Focus: Hard Work, and Judith Marber-Fox introduces our Compliance Program.

May our shared journey continue to inspire greatness, ignite passion, and illuminate the path to even more achievements for our DSL Team Members and residents. Together, let’s forge ahead with unwavering determination. The future is ours to shape, and I am deeply honored to be on this remarkable journey with each and every one of you!

- Richard J. Hutchinson, CEO

Introducing Discovery Management Group and Provincial Senior Living

April 1 ushered in tremendous growth and exciting changes for us with an internal restructure resulting in the addition of Discovery Management Group (DMG) and new Provincial Senior Living (PSL), growing our roster of operating companies across the United States. This means Discovery Senior Living (DSL) is now made up of seven national and regional brands of senior living communities supported by a network of operational support centers. DMG takes on the national brands that were managed by Discovery Senior Living. With more than 9,000 units under DMG’s management, this new national operating company is a sizable player in the industry on its own.

Dave Adams, a proven leader of TerraBella Senior Living, has been promoted to President of Discovery Management Group.

Provincial Senior Living is comprised of former Holiday Senior Living communities, focused on Independent Living Communities around the country that offer Supportive Services. Leading PSL is a familiar face, Steve Flynt of Integral Senior Living/Solstice Senior Living. Steve has been promoted to President of Provincial Senior Living and continues to be the COO of Solstice Senior Living.

Welcome to the DSL family, Discovery Management Group and Provincial Senior Living!

Welcome to our newest communities:

• TerraBella Rock Hill

• Preston Greens

• TerraBella Thornblade

• Discovery Village Clear Lake

• Spring Cypress Senior Living

• Sterling Court at Roseville Senior Living

• Sage Lake Senior Living

• Prairie Sage Senior Living

• Discovery Village Trinity

• The Watermark at Westwood Village

• Woodbury Mews

• Discovery Commons San Ramon

• The Watermark at Napa Valley

Sage Lake Senior Living

The Watermark at Napa Valley

Discovery Village Clear Lake

TerraBella Thornblade

Preston Greens

TerraBella Rock Hill

A huge annoyance? Or a happy byproduct of our rapid growth? I am undecided but I know that my inbox is flooded with more email than ever before; my LinkedIn account is too. On the email front, I still receive many important messages or meeting requests from teammates, management company connections, and community leaders I stay connected with. But I also have hundreds of messages from recruiters, waste haulers, agencies, and companies selling land, communities, AI enhanced technology, VR products, smart toilet seats (true!), and more.

On LinkedIn, I have more invitations than I can get to – I apologize if one of them is yours. I am sifting through them as this is still a great source of recruiting for me at any hour of the day or night.

Why am I whining about this? We all feel the same –inundated with demands for our attention: requests to connect or to provide information when we are already feeling that we are at capacity. Let us keep this in perspective. Discovery, our many brands combined, is the hot company right now. People know that we

are growing rapidly, hiring talent, and investing to improve. Many are looking to get on this train we have charging down the tracks. Let us stay focused on the things that made us successful and tune out as many distractions as possible. But overall, it is a good problem to have – we will find new teammates and investors and have real clout with vendors because of our success. We will be glad to be working hard and growing…as opposed to the alternative. I guess I’ll stop whining!

CELEBRATING YEARS 25

Stephanie Morton Business Optimization Manager

Stephanie recently celebrated her 25th anniversary working for Discovery Senior Living. We caught up with Stephanie to learn more about her time at DSL and the events that have impacted her career.

What was your start date with DSL?

January 27, 1999 – I was so young!

What was your original job and what was it like working for Discovery then?

My first position was an Overnight Care Manager at Aston Gardens At The Courtyards. I started in the Assisted Living community the first day it opened! At the time, Aston Gardens At The Courtyards was the ONLY community we had open! Aston Gardens At Sun City Center was still under construction then.

Is there a specific moment or memory you can look back on that has impacted you over the years?

Not so much a specific event or memory, but the overall growth of the Aston Gardens portfolio from one to six communities is amazing to look back on. I’m proud to have been part of the opening of Aston Gardens At Sun City Center and Aston Gardens At Tampa Bay as the Business Office Manager, as well as training the Business Office Managers and EDs at Aston Gardens At Pelican Marsh, Pelican Pointe and Parkland Commons. Also, looking back on implementing DSSI and Vitals – two of my biggest projects – and other programs that we still use company-wide today.

What has been your favorite part of working at DSL over the last 25 years?

I was a kid straight out of college when I started at DSL and it has been a part of me throughout all of my adult years! The work has been hard and the hours have been long, but at the end of the day, the rewards that I have received from families, residents and even Team Members far outweigh the negative. The thank yous, the hugs, and the letters I’ve received over the years make it all worth it.

Bill Sciortino, COO

Q + A

Discovery Senior Living announced new Regional Operating Company Arvum Senior Living in January, encompassing the heartland of the United States, with communities in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois. The Welstone At Mission Crossing, a longtime Discovery community, has merged with the newly acquired Addington Place and Prairie Hills portfolios. Discovery’s Richard Totorico has taken the reins as Regional Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Arvum Senior Living and continues to oversee the SummerHouse communities. In this interview with Richard, he shares how his background at Discovery has prepared him for his new role as Arvum’s COO.

Richard Totorico Regional Chief Operating Officer

How long have you been with Discovery Senior Living?

I’ve been with Discovery for 14 years as of March. I started as an Executive Director at The Trace, then moved into Regional Operations for the area.

How did your time with Discovery prepare you to lead Arvum?

With longevity comes a unique perspective of what Discovery has achieved. When I became a part of Discovery Senior Living, I was the Executive Director of what I believe was the 28th community (The Trace) within the company. Since then, we’ve grown into the industry leader we are today. Being a part of this growth allows me to use the same growth strategies inside the Arvum and SummerHouse brands.

What drove you to make the jump from a regional operations leader with SummerHouse to the Regional COO for Arvum?

Quite honestly, the dynamic nature of growth within Discovery as a whole drove me to move forward with Arvum. I was inspired by what was happening around me and I wanted to be a part of it.

What are your goals for Arvum Senior Living for the upcoming year?

First, I want to assure residents and families that care is the top priority for us, but also that we are a value leader in the market. Second, our Team Members are all important. We want them to grow with us and enrich their lives as a part of our family. Third, I want to make sure that our financial partners meet their goals and are rest assured that they made the best decision in choosing Discovery for these communities.

What is your management philosophy for Arvum Senior Living?

As a part of Discovery Senior Living, we will always work passionately towards meeting our mission and goals. Specifically for my Team, we follow the FISH! Philosophy:

Be There.

Have Fun At Work.

Make Their Day.

Choose Your Attitude.

The FISH! Philosophy was founded by John Christensen and inspired by the fishmongers at Pike Place Public Market. He noticed how much the fishmongers loved their job, even though it consisted of long days, cold weather and stinky fish. The FISH! Philosophy aims to improve teamwork, customer service and retention through positivity and engagement.

COLLETTE’S CULTURE CORNER

Collette Gray, President/CEO, Integral Senior Living

As spring is upon us, I am excited to see how we continue to celebrate our culture and be positive advocates for change in this season of evolution. It has been wonderful to see best practices being shared across all verticals in the Discovery family of companies, and to partner alongside them as we grow our company and create something truly unique and different in the senior living space.

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of spending a week with our incredible Executive Directors at our Annual Executive Director Leadership Conference, where we embraced the powerful theme of R.I.S.E. – Recharge, Inspire, Strategize, Evolve. It was an extraordinary gathering that not only reinforced our commitment to excellence, but also generated continued excitement for all the great things happening in and throughout our communities and our company.

Throughout the conference, we witnessed the transformative impact of coming together to Recharge our spirits, Inspire one another with innovative ideas and success stories, Strategize on how we will execute our strategic plans, and Embrace change to evolve as leaders and as a company. #embracetheevolution

The synergy in the room was magnetic, reflecting our shared dedication and passion to our residents and Team Members which, as you know, drives

ISL RISE 2024

results. Happy Team Members = happy residents = happy owners. We embraced our amazing company culture, showcasing our Culture Keepers, and engaged in presentations from all disciplines, with some insightful rotating sessions. And of course, we had time to bond and embraced the Culture Keeper motto work hard and have fun…whether it was goat yoga, Top Golf, or axe throwing, it was evident that our culture continues to serve as the bedrock of our success!

Our future is bright as we evolve in this next chapter with our amazing Discovery family and strive to reach new heights. We will continue to R.I.S.E. together, empowering each other to reach our fullest potential and make a lasting impact on our industry and those we serve. #changelives

PILLARS OF EXCELLENCE IN FOCUS: HARD WORK

Rita Armstrong Senior Lifestyle Counselor

In today’s fast-paced and competitive environment, the value of hard work cannot be overstated. It not only contributes to the success of the individual but also plays a crucial role in the overall success of the community, the region, the brand and even the entire company. Hard work is the secret sauce that adds flavor and a little bit of heat as one of our seven Pillars of Excellence, making it an indispensable ingredient for a thriving workplace.

As employees in the senior living industry, every one of us knows what hard work means. We work the early shift, the late shift and everything in between. Hard choices are made, and exciting wins are celebrated.

After 14 years with Discovery Senior Living at Aston Gardens At Parkland Commons as a Senior Lifestyle Counselor, Rita Armstrong is no stranger to hard work. She has racked up an impressive eight (8) 5-star Google reviews over the last few months. We interviewed Rita to learn more about the hard work that got her those exceptional reviews and what keeps her working hard every day.

Rita defines hard work as that feeling you get after a full day of work, coming home feeling a little tired, perhaps a little drained, but with the most amazing sense of accomplishment. She may have helped people find their perfect apartment home; she might have cleared a lot of things off her desk. She may have found new ways to work smarter and harder to accomplish more than what was expected. But it’s the feeling at the end of the day of ‘a job well done’ that lets Rita know that she worked hard.

We often hear the phrase “work smarter, not harder” but often it’s more appropriate to say “work smarter to work harder.” Rita finds that preparation is the key; taking a few moments in the morning so she is as prepared as possible so that she can handle the unexpected in stride. Even in the face of challenging tasks, Rita reminds herself that she has the tools to work through it. Her hard work over the years has given her a path forward in the face of difficult situations.

Rita loves mentoring and giving coworkers advice. Her first recommendation: “Touch everything once!” When asked to explain more in-depth, Rita shared, “If you touch it once and can get it done, then get it done! A lot of time is wasted going back and forth two or three times to a project when it could have been finished in one go. You’ll be surprised how much more you can get done in a day. Time management is essential to getting hard work done each day.”

Ultimately, hard work is an essential part of the company pillars because it directly contributes to the bottom line. Whether it’s through increased productivity, improved quality of work, or innovative ideas, hard work translates into tangible results for the company. It is the driving force behind achieving targets, meeting deadlines, and surpassing expectations. It’s what makes Discovery Senior Living successful.

What do our reviewers have to say about Rita? Read on!

“I just want to thank Rita for being so compassionate, professional and truly caring about the residents at Aston Gardens Parkland.” - B. Martz

“My best friend’s mom is a recent resident at Aston Gardens. It could NOT have been a better transition experience! We are especially grateful for Rita, for going the extra miles in this process!” - L.R.

“I can’t say enough good things about Rita!!! She is warm, patient, knowledgeable, caring, efficient and did I say PATIENT lol??? She was contacted more than numerous times by my family members and always made us feel welcome...” – L. Epstein

OUR RESIDENT CENTENARIANS

DAH CORNER

Hello everyone!

Adapt or die. That is how I began our Q4 2023 message to you. They were some wise words often said to me by my late father.

We spoke several months ago about us obtaining a “Mobile” license for Outpatient Therapy, allowing us to do this service in a resident’s room, without the need to rent a “Gym”. This is key, because many of our communities do not have the available space for a Therapy Gym, and many patients prefer one-on-one learning, and not in a public setting.

Our first impressions of this new service are so good that they are staggering, in revenue growth. In concert, our fastest growing segment of Medicare referrals is for patients not living in our communities. Most often they are still living in traditional homes. Our visiting physicians to our communities have begun to refer outside our communities’ patients, so this works perfectly with our new ability to do outpatient therapy in their homes as well.

A significant cornerstone is that this licensure is statewide for the State of Florida. It is not tied to a region or AHCA District. This is incredibly significant as it allows people to be treated in this manner, anywhere in Florida.

With our experience in SW Florida, we are now communicating with our Tampa agency, Discovery At Home Gulf Coast, so we can transfer our lessons learned to be able to deliver this service to our Tampa area communities, without this agency having to reinvent the wheel.

Our overall goal, in each Medicare agency, is to be able to deliver three high quality services to our residents/patients. Part A skilled services (now called Home Health), affordable Private Duty services (now called Home Care) and Outpatient Therapy Services, where desired.

The plan is coming together! Let’s go!

Bell Oaks Place, Virginia, 105

Lakehouse Escanaba, Stephanie, 101

Discovery Commons At Virginia Beach, Ivone, 100

TerraBella Epps Bridge, Mike, 101

Lakehouse Sheboygan, Patricia, 100

Discovery Village At Alliance Town Center, Minnie, 100

ABOVE & BE YOND!

MORADA LAWTON

Casey Trevathan

DISCOVERY COMMONS CYPRESS POINT

Annie Thompson

Annie (pictured left) was a care giver for a resident who recently passed away and received a Thank You card from her family. This is a note written from a family member to Annie:

“Dear Annie, it brings tears to my eyes seeing you call my Mom “Ms. Lorraine” and kissing her cheek!! What an angel you were to her!! We cannot thank you enough for the loving, touching care that you have given her! We will never forget your kind, loving soul!! God bless you, Annie!! We will miss you! God bless you! Love, Debby”

We are thrilled to announce Casey Trevathan (pictured right) as our Employee of the Month. In her role as Concierge, Casey offers invaluable support to both residents and our administration team. Casey greets everyone with a welcoming smile and a warm “hello,” setting a positive tone for their experience. We deeply appreciate Casey’s dedication and the positive impact she has on our community. Congratulations, Casey, and thank you for all that you do!

REGENCY POINTE

Dining Team Members

Hannah Oakes, Barbara Johnson, Camryn Lewis, and Charley Burns (pictured right) are just some of the dedicated and hardworking individuals behind the success of our Sensations dining program.

Debbie Pendergraft and Connie Baker, the dynamic duo behind our Celebrations Team, are adding a special touch to Valentine’s Day by serving up delicious punch.

ASTON GARDENS AT PELICAN POINTE

Penny Smith-Hollis

Penny consistently goes above and beyond, serving and supporting residents and Team Members. Penny is a true asset to Aston Gardens, and we are privileged to work alongside her each day.

TERRABELLA CRAMER MOUNTAIN

Stacy Summerour

Ms. Stacy’s presence has brought a positive change since joining us. She radiates kindness, spreading smiles to everyone. Her commitment has truly made a difference here. We are honored to have her on our Team.

MORADA CEDAR HILL

Helen Nickson & Jamaya Hobbs Ms. Helen (pictured right), Assisted Living Receptionist, goes above and beyond to ensure the well-being and comfort of our residents. We are truly grateful for Helen’s dedication and the positive impact she has on our community each day.

Jamaya Hobbs (right), our Director of Celebrations, excels in fostering strong relationships with our residents and orchestrating unforgettable parties. Her dedication to creating memorable experiences is evident in the success of our monthly birthday bashes.

TERRABELLA EPPS BRIDGE

Dana Wright

Dana’s commitment as Executive Director remains steadfast. Whether serving in the dining room, assisting in the kitchen during staffing shortages, troubleshooting technical issues, or even taking out the trash, Dana’s commitment to teamwork is unwavering. Her motto, “Teamwork makes the dream work,” underscores her collaborative spirit and dedication to our community’s success.

ASTON GARDENS AT TAMPA BAY

Mike Todd, Marie Evans, Sarah Spitale

ASTON GARDENS AT PARKLAND COMMONS

Pauline

Walker

On February 21st, the leadership at Aston Gardens At Parkland Commons celebrated National Leadership. (pictured left)

Team Member of the Month, Pauline Walker’s official title is Business Office Assistant, yet her scope extends to this and so many other areas to support our community. Pauline has assisted in all departments as needed, and does it without hesitation. It is quite impressive that in her two and a half years with us, she has developed a close knit interaction with both our Team Members and residents. I am proud to highlight such a hard working individual.

Our Celebrations Team always goes above and beyond for our residents! As an ongoing February tradition, they put out “Sweetheart Trees,” which consist of wedding photos of our residents. The trees are a hit and adored by everyone, year after year! They work hard to make every holiday special (pictured right).

Mike Todd in Connections Transportation was recognized by a resident for assisting her to and from the Post Office. She had some issues with getting her address changed from out of state and she really appreciated Mike’s patience and help.

Thank you to Marie Evans, our Lead Driver, for all her hard work in the busy Connections Transportation department! Marie has done a great job of staying on top of all the resident requests for rides and keeping the drivers organized.

Thank you to Sarah Spitale in Security for doing an excellent job of keeping our Protect Alert System up to date, testing the system, and taking the time to show new residents how the system works. Sarah has worked really hard on maintaining the system and it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

DISCOVERY VILLAGE AT CASTLE HILLS

Erika Moore & Jason Rogers

Our Team at Castle Hills extends sincere appreciation to Executive Chef Erika Moore and Culinary Supervisor Jason Rogers (both pictured below) for their outstanding contributions. Their dedication and hard work have significantly enhanced our events, ensuring high-quality experiences for residents, prospects, and referrals.

FACES OF DISCOVERY

Preston Greens received over 4,500 Valentine’s Day cards for its residents this year!

Preston Greens Residents enjoyed celebrating Mardi Gras and got into the spirit!

The Young At Heart Band & Singing Saints doing what they do best - serenading residents!

Ms. Sally runs monthly book club.

TerraBella Cramer Mountain Lavon loves to crochet, color, paint, and help others in the community she loves so much!

Discovery Commons South Biscayne

Residents enjoyed Valentine’s Day at Discovery Commons South Biscayne!

One of our cherished residents enjoying our Valentine’s Day fun & festive backdrop.

Residents

residents

Aston Gardens At Sun City Center

Morada Friendswood

Ms. Sally led the arts & crafts in January & February.

TerraBella Greensboro

showing off their puzzle from Puzzle Club, and community

love attending our Sunday church service.

SummerHouse At Ashton Manor

Bernadine was treated to a special surprise visit from her five generations of family from Florida!

Mariposa

Residents in their glowin-the-dark attire for Dive-in Movie night, where they watched Ocean’s 11 (pictured right), and another resident getting in the spirit for Valentine’s spirit week!

FACES OF DISCOVERY

Regency Pointe

These sweethearts, John & Helen, have been together for 58 years! And some beautiful residents enjoying a candlelit dinner.

TerraBella Greensboro

Granville Place

Samantha, a talented granddaughter of one of our cherished residents, along with her dance studio, visited & brought joy to the residents with a performance.

Residents had an amazing time at the Richard Petty Museum, and residents having a blast dancing with friends!

COMPLIANCE Q& A

Discovery Senior Living is committed to complying with all applicable federal laws, regulations, and guidelines. Toward that goal, Discovery has hired Judith Marber-Fox as Vice President of Compliance to oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive corporate compliance program.

In this Q&A, Judith introduces the concept of a compliance program and talks about the importance of having this program in place for the benefit of our organizational mission, our residents, and all Team Members.

What is a compliance program?

A compliance program is an overall infrastructure intended to help organizations prevent, detect, and respond to business conduct that is inconsistent with federal and state laws as well as organizational values. An effective compliance program provides early identification of an organization’s practices that may need adjustments to better comply with regulatory requirements under the Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and State Privacy laws, etc.

These legal and regulatory requirements under which senior living organizations operate are often complex. While team members are not expected to know each and every regulation, an effective compliance program helps to inform you of how your operations may impact our compliance with these regulations. By increasing your awareness and encouraging transparency, together we can monitor our activities and implement best practices. By establishing a strong culture of compliance, Discovery seeks to engage you to help reduce our risk of legal and reputational damage and demonstrate our commitment to ethical behavior and responsible corporate citizenship.

While there can be different types of compliance programs, each should have a few key elements. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) refers to these as the seven elements of an effective compliance program:

• Written Policies & Procedures and Standards of Conduct

• Compliance Program Oversight

• Training & Education

• Open Lines of Communication

• Auditing & Monitoring

• Consistent Disciplinary Actions

• Corrective Action

Compliance risk focuses on matters such as patient privacy, appropriate medical documentation as it relates to government funding, conflicts of interest, contractual arrangements with potential referral sources, such as medical directors, just to name a few. Additional training on these topics will be rolling out to all Team Members next quarter.

Are compliance programs mandated by the government?

Certain health care providers are required to adopt formal compliance programs – such as home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities – but it is best practice, and the government recommends, that we have a compliance program even if not required by law. Additionally, the privacy program under Compliance supports our 40+ communities receiving Medicaid reimbursement under State Medicaid Waivers that are subject to HIPAA. Further, for the remaining communities, the privacy program under Compliance supports our best practices to keep our residents’ personal and confidential information safe.

How does this impact me?

Discovery’s commitment to best practices begins and ends with each individual. Our success depends on our ability to recognize potential problems, our individual decisions to avoid those problems, and our collective effort to identify and remedy existing problems. If you recognize a potential compliance violation, it is your duty to acknowledge and report it. Toward that end, we are also rolling out a confidential helpline that will be available to all Team Members 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In the meantime, feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns you may have at jmarberfox@ discoverymgt.com.

Judith Marber-Fox Vice President of Compliance

Judith Marber-Fox comes to Discovery Senior Living with 25+ years’ experience serving as a health care attorney and subject matter expert in corporate ethics and compliance.