ENGAGE Fall 2022

Partnership, service, care

Discover a care model designed to help you do more for your residents and staff.

The Optum care model and UnitedHealthcare Assisted Living Plan deliver both clinical care and specialized health care benefits to help you support health of your residents and ease the burden on staff.

Our model provides 24/7 telephonic support through advanced care professionals who work on site, coordinating care between residents, care teams and families.

Extending stays, reducing readmissions

Our program is: Increasing resident stays 8 months longer than the national average1

Learn more at optum.com/alc

Reducing hospital readmissions by 38%

A MESSAGE FROM OUR Board Chair shelley esden , President and CEO Sonata Senior Living

As Chair of Florida Senior Living Association (FSLA), I want to congratulate the FSLA team on the recent success of the annual conference. I’d also like to welcome everyone to the second issue of FSLA’s ENGAGE Magazine. This issue delves into the alignment between hospitality and senior living and explores the relevance of hospitality in the pursuit of senior living excellence. I hope you all find this a beneficial topic.

As senior living continues to evolve and the expectations of our residents and families change, many lessons can be gleaned from the hospitality world. In today’s world, these lessons are critical components of success and a foundation that underlies the culture of a successful community. However, we must remember that hospitality is just part of the equation. It’s the people that bring it to life and give it meaning; We are home. We are family. We are a connection brought to life through our residents’ experiences and our team members’ commitment to service.

Thriving communities embrace this concept and promote a culture focused on helping teams and residents connect and find purpose. We must work together at all levels and find new ways to serve each other. We must strive to break barriers, find acceptance, and bring value to the lives of our residents, their families, and our teams.

This connection and notion of working together, I believe, elevates our industry and allows us to take hospitality to a new level.

That’s why being part of the FSLA is so crucial. It allows us to work together, share ideas and change the face of seniors living in Florida. There’s much work to be done, and each of you has a role in how our industry succeeds and thrives. Every day, you make significant contributions to our industry and impact how we improve the lives of older adults in our communities. And it has never been more critical than it is today for member involvement. Consider participating in a task force or advisory board. Ask questions. Make suggestions. We hope you can help us influence and impact the industry today and in the future.

As we look to the future of senior living in Florida, rest assured that the FSLA Board and Association are focused on supporting its members through various ongoing initiatives. Here are just a few:

• Advocacy, regulatory updates, and legislation impact us as an industry and our residents.

• Ongoing education and core training opportunities including a new Alzheimer’s program, “Understanding the Basics of Dementia,” that will benefit your onthe-ground team members, from your reception and concierge to dining and housekeeping.

• Events. Our annual conference allows us to reconnect and share ideas and offers significant opportunities to educate and earn CEUs.

• Leadership training aimed at identifying and cultivating talent.

• The ability to work together… to share ideas and connect- to ENGAGE! There is tremendous power in the size of our membership and the many talents of our members and board. Through our collective action, I am confident we can fulfill our mission of improving the lives and our residents and their families while supporting our teams.

Thank you for all you do and for actively supporting FSLA. I look forward to working with each of you in the coming year. Before you know it, we will be together at next year’s conference. What a celebration it will be at ENGAGE2023, at The Boca Raton, June 25-28, where we’ll celebrate “Cheers to Ten Years!”

are home

are family

are a connection brought to life through our residents’ experiences and our team members’ commitment to service.

Gail Matillo, MPA

President & CEO

Jason Hand, Esq.

Public Policy and Legal Affairs

Sheri LeaJean

Director of Education

Meredith Van Valkenburgh

Project Director

Heather Conley, MBA

Director of Member Engagement

Jimmie Fay Griffin, LPN

& Membership Manager

CHAIR’S SPOTLIGHT

&

FSLA EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair: Shelley Esden

President and CEO

Sonata Senior Living

Past Chair: Melinda Skirvin Vice President

Five Star Senior Living

Past Chair Emeritus: Mary Sue Patchett

Vice Chair: Jay Thomas

Asst. General Counsel – Ops Atria Senior Living

Secretary: Joe Jedlowski President Distinctive Senior Living

Treasurer: Chris Callahan

Regional Director of Operations Brookdale Senior Living

Parliamentarian: Robin Khanal, Esq. Quintarios, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A.

Industry Partner Committee Chair: Matt Depenbrock

Dir of Business Development Guardian Pharmacy

Education Committee Chair: Marisa Strain Director of Quality Assurance SRI Management

Hospitality Committee Chair: Gilbert Bolivar

Membership Committee Chair: Krone Weidler Principal Cadre Healthcare Realty Advisors

PC Chair: David Nussbaum Senior Vice President Belmont Village

HOSPITALITY & CULINARY

LEGISLATIVE POLICY & LEGAL AFFAIRS

OPERATIONS & REGULATORY

Editorial and Business Offices

2292 Wednesday St. Suite 1, Tallahassee, FL 32308 850-496-2562 | floridaseniorliving.org

Gail Matillo gmatillo@floridaseniorliving.org

Editor: Sheri LeaJean sleajean@floridaseniorliving.org

Creative Director: Katie Reeves ktcreative@me.com

Advertising & Editorial Submissions engage@floridaseniorliving.org

Volume 1, Issue 2 is published quarterly by Florida Senior Living Association, 2292 Wednesday Street, Suite 1, Tallahassee, Florida, 32308. Florida Senior Living member companies receive subscriptions for communities as part of their membership. Free controlled subscriptions are also available to qualified individuals in the senior living business.

POSTMASTER, SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO:

ENGAGE, 2292 Wednesday Street, Suite 1, Tallahassee, Florida, 32308. Printed in USA. Copyright 2022. ENGAGE will not be responsible for the return of any unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.

Copyright © 2022 Florida Senior Living Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form – print, electronic, or other wise – without written permission from Florida Senior Living Association.

For media inquiries and advertising information, contact engage@floridaseniorliving.org.

HUMAN RESOURCE INSIGHTS

Featured on the cover, Windsor Pointe residents Karen and Dan Sawtell are delighted by Chef Antwian’s cuisine, enjoyed by accompanying wine selections and impeccable table-side service by FSLA Board Hospitality Chair, Gilbert Bolivar.

Photo Credit: Katie Reeves | ktcreative, LLC

MEMBERSHIP

EDUCATION & GRANTS

RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT & ACTIVITIES

TO BOOST RESIDENT HOSPITALITY

by jill johnson , mba

It’s no secret that providing quality hospitality is a key to success in the senior living industry. Happy residents are more likely to refer you to others and stay longer at your community. With all the competition you face, it is time to supercharge your resident experience through your team. It may seem daunting, but with the right training, your team can provide the highest quality service and hospitality to even your most discerning residents.

IDENTIFY TALENT GAPS

How you manage your talent can have a significant impact on your overall service. Skills often vary significantly between team members. Some have extensive on-the-job experience while others are completely green. You will need to develop methods for tracking and building their skills regardless of their experience level.

Conducting a skills inventory for each employee is an essential step to clarifying what ongoing training is really necessary to boost their skills and productivity.

Unfortunately, training programs often push out a large amount of information and create overwhelm. Better to break down the learning into smaller components so they can focus on improving their skills while they are building their confidence.

Use on-going assessments to measure their progress. This will reinforce the training elements they need to work on next. Be sure to create opportunities for one-on-one mentoring to provide feedback on their progress and so they can ask questions without fear of embarrassment. Then determine what additional training is needed to continue to refine their skills.

INVEST IN TRAINING RESOURCES

Most providers offer internal staff training programs. These are often standardized entry-level sessions or online courses. By boosting team education beyond your own offerings, you can provide a more intentional approach to their ongoing development beyond the basics. This helps create

exceptional resident-centered experiences and builds a more cohesive culture of service within your team.

By investing in outside training resources, your team learns new skills and builds their peer network. It also broadens their abilities to serve and care for your residents. Being selected to go to a conference or participate in an industry Leadership Academy is an important recognition of the value this team member brings to your organization.

Hire outside training experts with the skills you want to enhance. They will adapt their content to provide customized education to your team. As training professionals, they also have insights on how the make their training stick with adult learners. This can provide your team with breakthroughs in productivity and enhance their customer service.

CULTIVATE YOUR HOSPITALITY SUPERSTARS

Staff turnover within the senior living industry is mind-boggling. Every time you replace a worker, you engage in a reset as the replacement learns their role, your expectations and enterprise culture. Likewise, not everyone on your team is going to be able to provide excellent service, so it’s important to closely examine those who have already mastered it.

Identify your top performers and take a deeper look at how they approach their work. What can you learn from them? It is often their skill level combined with their efficiency that allows them to find

those moments of opportunity for enhanced resident engagement and connection.

Cultivating insight from your Hospitality Superstars is a valuable method for clarifying the skills you need to develop within your team. Incorporate them into your training programs too. While their personality traits cannot be easily duplicated, they can

share insight on how they boost their productivity and the other techniques they employ in their approach to their work.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Every employee who interacts with your residents must be familiar with the essentials of good customer service. They all need to consistently provide an incredible experience to your

residents. Investing in training your team maximizes their value to your residents and to you. Also keep in mind that career development is often a driver of employee retention. You will boost your resident satisfaction, your team’s value and create a culture designed for success.

jill johnson , mba

Jill J. Johnson, MBA, is president and founder of Johnson Consulting Services – a management consulting firm specializing in strategy development for senior living providers encompassing the entire continuum of senior living services. She has been the consultant for numerous senior living clients including two of the nation’s Top 10 largest multi-site senior living organizations, as well as Mayo Clinic. Jill is also the author of the award-winning book, Market Forces: Strategic Trends Impacting Senior Living Providers.

Mentorships & Grants

The Perfect Combination to Create Career Pathways

by gail matillo

Long gone are the days when you could hire someone and immediately put them to work as a direct care staff in your community. Today, senior living providers must look outside the box for opportunities to recruit and retain staff as Florida’s senior population continues to increase. This increase in population is a good problem to have… or is it? It may be good for the industry in the long run, but right now it is causing significant staffing demands on communities, not to mention creating competition among providers.

This staffing crisis has led to the creation of the Florida Registered Apprenticeship Program, a collaboration between the Florida Senior Living Institute (FSLI), TruMont and CareerSource Florida. The program not only provides complimentary training for staff to advance their careers, but it also provides communities with recruitment and retention skills as

well as the training tools for current and new staff members.

Apprenticeships are a time-tested approach to training and developing skilled labor, creating training solutions, improving productivity and profitability, and reducing turnover. According to a 2017 Harvard Business Review article, one of the leading factors contributing to turnover is allowing workers to stagnate in their current role. Workers who don’t see a clear progression from their current role to a better position in their company ultimately turn to opportunities elsewhere.

Why wouldn’t communities jump on this opportunity? Just think about it. You have the power to change lives by making positive changes and creating career paths. By advancing staff through positions on a regular progression over time, employers can help boost career opportunities and create a retention base for years to come.

Just recently, I met a young person whose dream is to become a nurse and work in senior living. She lives on her own, so attending nursing school during the day is out of the question because she needs a job to pay rent. She applied to nursing school but was told that they did not have any evening classes and the school was only accepting a few new students. So, should she give up on her future because she can’t get into a traditional nursing school?

The apprenticeship program is a perfect solution because she can work and learn at the same time. She may even decide to continue her training with an LPN or RN apprenticeship. She would also have the opportunity to earn wage increases or other meritbased incentives through the CNA apprenticeship program which, once she passes her exam, will certify her as a registered CNA.

gail matillo , mpa President/CEO Florida Senior Living Association

FSLA is working to solve the talent gap in health care with registered apprenticeships and strategic public/private partner collaborations.

FSLI partnered with TruMont and received a grant last year and again this year to provide training for staff to become certified nursing assistants. The program teaches more than just the basics; it also teaches soft skills, leadership skills and communication skills that are necessary to succeed in today’s world. The program can be completed at the student’s own pace, but students will have higher rates of success if they spend at least a few hours studying the program every day. The training is online and versatile, so participants can even study from their phone. Plus, while they’re learning, they’re also working in your community. Now, that sounds like a win-win.

This year, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the state’s annual budget that included $500,000 for FSLI to help our members train CNAs in

their communities. What a great opportunity to provide training, support and wrap-around services for staff working toward a career in healthcare. Working collaboratively with TruMont and the CareerSource Florida network, this program will provide hundreds of jobs throughout the state, helping fill the need for skilled health care talent to serve our aging populations.

In addition to training resources, the program has a much-applauded mentorship initiative, designed to bring value not only to the apprentices, but also to the senior staff members in mentor roles. These experienced employees will have the opportunity to help someone advance in their career, earning the pride and recognition afforded them by their personal investment. And while it does take some time to mentor an apprentice and show them

how to become a good employee, the investment is worth it and will pay off in the long run. Don’t let this incredible opportunity pass by without taking advantage of it for your communities and your staff members – both current and future. We must be proactive, creative and tenacious if we are going to truly solve the staffing crisis and implement sustainable solutions.

Florida Senior Living Institute (FSLI), the educational branch of FSLA is quickly expanding to help provide your community’s educational needs. FSLI will be reaching out to you in the near future to register your staff for this valuable program and other staff training opportunities. For more information on how to start this apprenticeship program in your communities, please contact Meredith Van Valkenburgh at meredith@floridaseniorliving.org.

An Ingredient List for a Successful Holiday Season

by aaron fish

As we all begin preparing for the holiday season, we will be doing everything we can to put our best foot forward for residents, families, and other guests. But in order to do this, we have to remember that our biggest enemy to having a successful end of year will not be high food costs or staffing concerns, but rather a lack of planning and coordination between the two most important departments this time of year - resident engagement and your food & beverage team.

To help you as the food & beverage leader get ready for the coming onslaught of events, parties, happy hours, and other goings-on, the team at Trestle Hospitality Concepts wants to offer you our ingredient list for holiday success. As with any well prepared dish, these ingredients will help you form the foundation that will help you build a camaraderie with your resident engagement team (and other departments) so that you all have an amazing holiday season. This will be important for both departments to ensure that your events are seamless and create the festive holiday atmosphere you want for your residents. And the best part? Once in place, it will carry over into next year and help you keep your sanity as you kick off a new year with new programs and budgets.

So here is our list of five key ingredients to help you and the whole community team get ready to tackle the most wonderful time of the year:

1Schedule a Recurring Planning Meeting

Most often the biggest obstacle that we have to overcome in working with the resident engagement team is communication. There always seems to be a last minute request, an activity that was overlooked, or a change in the order. The quickest and easiest way to avoid all of these things happening is to schedule a recurring meeting with your engagement director. This will allow you to work through every event on the calendar, make adjustments to the orders, and collaborate to make average events even better.

2

Institute an Event Order System

Unless you have the ability to work seven days a week, you will want to make sure that you have an effective event order system in place. The best systems include the ability to detail out all aspects of the event, which department will be responsible for them, and has a specific set of guidelines for using and submitting events. The biggest key is that whatever system you have in place, it must be easy for all staff to use. Using the system needs to be strictly enforced, and every new employee in the F&B and resident engagement departments must know the system.

3

Take an Inventory

One of the biggest obstacles that will get you in trouble with both the budget and at set up time is not knowing what equipment you have available. If you have the space for an event closet or storage room, now would be a good time to organize and set it up and take inventory of what items you have. Do you have broken chafers or tables that need to be replaced? Do you need to buy linens or reusable decorations? Create a worksheet of all of your event items and do an audit of them at least once a quarter. This will help you avoid the last minute panic of making a run to the closest party planning or restaurant supply store.

4Create a Reservation System

While many times the actual winter holidays are not very busy due to residents going to stay with family, the days and weeks around them can be jam packed with festivities. And you will have families and outside guests clamoring to join and be a part of these events. So now is the time to create a reservation system. It can be as simple as a spreadsheet kept at the front desk,

One final point - be sure that you make time for your team to also enjoy the holidays. If they feel stretched thin because of the chaos of what’s happening, you are going to have employees that are less likely to help out or do the little extras that will make your events shine. Make time for them to be off with family, or host a casual employees only party so they can unwind. This will go a long way with winning them over, and having the best

aaron fish Founder & CEO Trestle Hospitality

Effective Advocacy

Why Everyone Relies on FSLA

by jason hand

“[I]f you understand the role of the lobbyist – and even more importantly, the staggering reach of government – then you’ll realize that lobbying is one of the most critical services a business can employ to add dollars to your bottom line and create a more benign regulatory environment in which your business can flourish.” Paul Bradshaw, Chairman, The Southern Group. 1

After the senior living industry was caught off-guard with the Miami Herald’s “Neglected to Death” Pulitzer Prize-winning series, spawning subsequent policy recommendations from the Governor and Legislature, FSLA was created with the marching orders to effectively advocate before the legislature, consistently appearing in the forefront of senior living public policy issues. We quickly became a successful advocacy association with a fundamentally simple foundation for that success.

Reputation is the Cornerstone of Power Law 5 in Robert Greene’s book, “The 48 Laws of Power,” states “… you must work to establish a reputation for one outstanding quality…. This quality sets you apart and gets other people to talk about you. You then make your reputation known to as many other people as possible, and watch as is spreads like wildfire.” 2

From the beginning, FSLA’s goal was to develop a reputation for being the effective legislative advocate representing communities

with independent living, assisted living and memory care services before the Florida Legislature. FSLA immediately created and continues to maintain a long-standing impact.

Use Quality Policies to Avoid Pitfalls

FSLA utilizes a 4-corners approach with strategically planned, balanced categories of:

• Strengthening Communities

• Enriching Resident Experiences

• Empowering Staff Success, and

• Enhancing Marketplace Competitiveness

We use these positions to avoid bad policy, which usually creates pitfalls that can quickly, if not immediately, kill proposed legislation.

Lobbying Mastery

When it comes to lobbying, FSLA has an excellent partner in The Southern Group, Influence Magazine’s 2021 Lobbying Firm of the Year. The firm offers a depth of experience and expertise revolving around what it calls the 4 P’s: the people, policy, procedures and politics that drive the system.

As James McFaddin, FSLA’s primary lobbyist with The Southern Group, put it, “no industry inspires more bills, funding issues, regulations, and public debates than health care… when it comes to state legislators, truer words may have never been spoken by past politicians: ‘If you aren’t at the table, you’re on the menu.’” 3

jason hand VP of Public Policy & Legal Affairs Florida Senior Living Association

By combining the substantive knowledge, skills and abilities of FSLA and its 470+ members with The Southern Group’s culture of excellence and legacy of winning, FSLA members can rest assured they are in good hands. The future is bright as we continue to redefine what it means to be the premier independent living, assisted living and memory care advocacy association in Florida. If your community isn’t a member, it should JOIN TODAY!

Florida Senior Living Political Committee

While mentioned last, this needs to be one of the first things on your company’s mind – the best way to support FSLA is through the Florida Senior Living Political Committee (PC). FSLA values responsible corporate governance and participates in the political process to benefit communities, staff, residents and consumers in Florida.

The Florida Senior Living PC strengthens relationships by raising and distributing contributions to candidates who will help advance the association’s advocacy agenda and support senior living issues that matter most to our membership.

With our industry still embroiled in ever increasing insurance, low occupancy, staffing shortages, and a silver tsunami on the horizon, make sure to reach out to your leadership and ask them to make your voice heard by contributing today!

Hand

McFaddin

Paul Mitchell Monte Stevens

Cone

Dudley Clark Smith

A WINNING TEAM

In 2012, founding association board members hired James McFaddin from The Southern Group as FSLA’s contracted lobbyist to kick start legislative efforts. Since that time, FSLA and The Southern Group have worked to pass the following flagship legislation and supported many other bills that benefitted the ALF profession:

Today, as FSLA’s membership has grown to 470 members, including more than 420 communities with the privilege of serving over 37,000 residents, FSLA’s lobbying team has likewise grown to nine registered lobbyists whose mission is to represent and advocate for the interests of FSLA’s members. Additionally, The Southern Group – named the 2021 Lobbying Firm of the Year by Influence Magazine - has us covered with their entire team of 32 lobbyists available to FSLA as needed.

If you care about having an impact on ALF regulation and legislation in Florida, FSLA’s advocacy team is a must-have in your corner!

of

member

managed

resident beds.

resident beds in Florida!

INFLUENCE AMPLIFIED

For 22 years, The Southern Group has successfully championed our clients’ interests across the state of Florida. As the state’s premier lobbying firm, we know how to navigate the halls of government because most of our team has already served in them.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

Every Industry. Every Interest.

advocacy begins here.

The Role of the

Companies are taking nonclinical responsibilities off the HWDs, redistributing and sharing responsibilities for being on-call, and identifying ways that operational staff can better support clinical staff.

by monica wilson

During FSLA’s annual conference this past summer, I had the privilege of facilitating a session to talk about the Role of the Health and Wellness Director with four amazing leaders.* Here are my top takeaways from what they shared.

Senior Living continues to experience critical staffing shortages and companies are struggling to recruit and retain nurses. Companies are analyzing what tasks their Health and Wellness Directors (HWD) are doing, increasing support to their HWDs and taking steps to free up their HWDs to focus on clinical issues.

With ongoing staffing challenges and acuity levels of residents moving into assisted living continuing to increase, involving the HWD in decisions about whether their staff can take care of residents seeking admission is more necessary than ever. Executive Directors need to trust and heed HWDs’ determinations about whether the caregiving staff can safely take care of potential residents. Sales and operations staff should qualify residents before the HWD gets involved. Ensuring sales staff know the regulations and how to review a health assessment and pre-qualify potential residents both financially and functionally can reduce HWDs spending time unnecessarily evaluating residents who will not qualify for admission.

HWDs and nurses working in assisted living are pulled in many directions, covering shifts, passing medications and filling in where needed. For most HWDs, there is never enough time in a day.

Health and Wellness Directors ought to become comfortable delegating tasks like basic charting to unlicensed staff so they can spend time being a nurse and a clinician. Executive Directors can complete evaluations for appropriateness of admission, participate in care planning meetings and help with staff hiring and scheduling. In some companies, Executive Directors are doing more of these tasks on a routine basis.

To help with retention, companies must establish realistic expectations about the role with applicants and provide adequate training. Ensuring that unlicensed staff are well trained in assisting with medications and basic documentation should also be a focus. The role of HWD is an all-encompassing position, and an increasingly important one. Companies need to make the role of HWD more attractive to the pool of nurses out there and set the HWD up for success on day one.

* Elaina Couming RN, BSN, Regional Health Care Director, Legend Senior Living; Lorrie Kovac, RN, BSN, VP of Clinical Services, Sonata Senior Living; Julie Fernandez, CALA, CADDCT, CDP, CPT, Director of Team Development & Training, Sonata Senior Living; Susan Tomalia, LPN, Divisional Director of Health and Wellness, Senior Lifestyle Corporation

“Setting up transportationand appointments doesn’trequire a license.”

“We serve in the diningroom.We plunge toilets.”

Can unlicensed, trained staff help a resident to inject insulin?

Unlicensed, trained staff may bring insulin syringes prefilled by a pharmacist and insulin pens prefilled by the manufacturer to a resident for the resident to self-inject. Unlicensed, trained staff may not

Have a question about assisted living operations? Ask Monica: Monica@icebridgetraining.com

Monica Wilson is registered with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) as an Assisted Living Core training provider and with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs as an Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders training provider. She is an experienced administrator, trainer, facilitator, and educator with a passion for older adults, technology and connecting people and processes.

I know I have to send my visitation policies to AHCA. Where do I send them?

Visitation policies that address the No Patient Left Alone Act passed in 2022 (s. 408.823, F.S.) must always be available for review at the community, accessible from

Where do I send my CE for my ALF Administrator certification?

ALF Administrator continuing education (CE) does not need to be reported to any entity. Administrators should keep copies of their CE for their own records

Founded in 1919, Plastridge Insurance Agency has served the South Florida community for over 103 years. Because of our extensive experience and relationships in this risk specialty

have an exclusive and proprietary program with Lloyd’s of London allowing our clients to access some of the best products specific to their insurance coverage

LEVEL

IN SENIOR LIVING Hospitality

An Interview with Gilbert Bolivar, Hospitality Chair, Florida Senior Living Association Board of Directors by sheri leajean

Amidst a paradigm shift between hospitality and senior living, the two industries are beginning to merge. It’s no secret now…owners and operators know this IS the future, Bolivar emphasizes.

“In the last two years, we’ve seen a huge migration of hospitality movement into the senior living space. And this is great news for the industry and seniors allowing residents in these communities to receive the next level of hospitality.”

Higher standards of service and hospitality equal better outcomes for residents across the board in quality of food and service. We are going to see more operators reinventing themselves and restructuring the business model, changing titles in culinary departments, and recruiting top talent from hospitality organizations. We will also see businesses raising the bar in different sectors of hospitality such as room service, kitchen operations, dining service standards, and increased PRDs (per resident day).

On average, communities have been budgeting $5-7 PRD but, Bolivar anticipates a trend to increase these figures substantially as many different organizations have begun doubling their PRD to provide a better-quality product and added nutritional benefits for their residents. A better hospitality experience starts at the center of the plate, what’s in front of you, Bolivar explains. Operators and owners must also recognize the necessary financial component. Without financial backing, it’s really challenging for chefs and frontof-the-house to execute the next level of hospitality. Finally, Bolivar stressed the importance of team development. Owners and operators must not only communicate expectations but also hire the best talent and provide proper training.

sheri leajean

Director of Education

Florida Senior Living Association

INFLATION AND THE LABOR SHORTAGE IS IMPACTING THE SENIOR LIVING INDUSTRY

Commodity pricing is obviously impacting costs. The industry has taken a hit with supply chain issues and food prices going higher and higher. Never, he cautions, sacrifice the quality of food! Equally challenging are labor costs and finding the right labor or talent for operations that matches your budget. It’s difficult to hire a cook at minimum wage when independent restaurants are hiring at a higher starting base. Invest in your people and your chefs and front-of-house staff will take you to the next level of service and resident satisfaction will follow.

CONTROLLING COSTS

Bolivar recommends owners/ operators invest in new technologies to control culinary programs. “The opportunity to save on food costs is huge”, he said. One idea is to focus on how much waste is going in the garbage. By implementing a food waste log system, he suggests, properties will be able to track how much food is wasted on a daily/ weekly basis and how that translates into dollars. Specific factors that could be added include how many residents are served within a time frame versus how much food is left over. Operators should track perishables and proteins and may find that too much waste could be a purchasing issue or recipes not being followed properly. Bolivar said there are different food inventory management systems available to track these items, a critical component of operations to help offset food spend down and costs.

FOOD & BEVERAGE OPTIONS, OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Operators and chefs face challenges every day to deliver a quality product that both looks and tastes great. They must be creative despite food shortages and out-ofstock items while complying with AHCA standards for an approved

nutritional menu. In addition, chefs are incorporating more options: sugar-free desserts, gluten-free dishes, and vegan and plant-based items. Beverage programs are expanding as well offering 50-100 wine selections and even a full mixology program in some instances. Your beverage program is a great opportunity to create more revenue and elevate hospitality to a new level. With a liquor license, Bolivar highlights the additional revenue stream and the potential of adding a pool side beverage service to further offset costs.

THREE TIPS TO ELEVATE YOUR HOSPITALITY QUOTIENT

#1 Start with the level of the talent you hire. Choose people with high HQ (hospitality quotient). Focus on great attitudes and charisma, not the technical expertise as much. Why? Because you can train for the technical, but you can’t train the heart.

#2 You cannot call your operation fine dining or upscale without elevating the atmosphere. Dining areas must have personality. It needs to match what you are marketing. Re-evaluate everything… your table setup, the tableware, lighting, music…everything. For example, if you are offering a world-wide cuisine menu, focus on traditional recipes and/or seek out quality products from those countries or regions so you stay true to what you are advertising to meet expectations.

#3 Exercise steps of service and development programs so your team can get the right training from the beginning. The first 90 days is critical for any new hire and will affect employee turnover AND resident occupancy. One suggestion…implement a 30-6090 day check-in with new team members to get their feedback for improvements to onboarding and training.

THE NEXT 5-10 YEARS

Without a doubt, Bolivar envisions fine dining environments across all senior living soon, the same as any five-star hotel. Expectations are changing each year as more active seniors move into the space. The new wave of seniors is healthier and more active with higher expectations for their dollars. The focus is shifting away from medical-related care to a wellnesscentered atmosphere for vibrant living. Assisted living will not be a place to just exist but a community to feel alive and live boldly! Bolivar anticipates enhanced beverage programs with added bars and lounges, entertainment, outside patio/pool-side service, catering and wedding options that will transform the dining and hospitality sector. Incorporating this level of service and the food quality to match will build reputation, drive occupancy, and increase revenue: a very exciting and welcome new era for senior living!

Gilbert Bolivar is a highly accomplished hospitality professional & real estate investor with more than 20 years of leadership experience in opening and operating across large-scale operations within resorts, casinos, nightclubs, retail, theme parks and senior living. Gilbert holds a master’s certificate in Hospitality Management from Cornell University. He has held several management positions, working for some of the top hospitality organizations including Kimpton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott, Hilton, Texas De Brazil Restaurant Group, Darden Restaurants, B.R Guest/Starwood Capital, Caesars Entertainment, H.E.B Central Market and The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Gilbert also worked with NBC Universal as director of revenue operations at Universal Orlando Resort, where he oversaw food and beverage operations for Universal Studios Florida, one of the largest theme parks in the United States. Most recently, Gilbert worked with Retirement Unlimited Inc. managing Food & Beverage operations for their FL & VA locations. Gilbert is a real estate investor managing a large portfolio of properties in 6 different cities across the US and growing. Gilbert and his wife reside in Orlando, FL with their three daughters: Jacqueline, Madison, and Charlotte.

CULINARY DELIGHTS WITH CHEF ANTWIAN WALTERS, EXECUTIVE CHEF & WINNER OF THE ENGAGE2022 CHEFS COMPETITION LEGEND SENIOR LIVING, LAKEWOOD RANCH REFLECTIONS MEMORY CARE COMMUNITY (SARASOTA, FL)

This humble New Jersey native got his start in an Outback Steakhouse kitchen as a dishwasher and rose through the ranks. He saw an opportunity, he said, and was fortunate to work alongside some of the best chefs and managers in the business. Walters was determined to develop his craft and find his niche. Barbeque is one of his favorite dishes.

In August, the FSLA team and Board Member Gilbert Bolivar met with Walters at Windsor Pointe of Jacksonville, a Legends Senior Living Independent Living community to experience some of his culinary delights and showcase the next level of hospitality North Florida style.

“Resident choice and hospitality have always been a major tenet of senior living. Over the past several years, resident and family expectations have evolved in a very profound way. What we’re seeing in senior living is a trend to focus on overall wellness for the resident. There was a time when the operator’s primary focus was just on nutrition and care. Today, we must provide everything we can for residents to live their best life. Nutrition, menu variety, and choice are now just one aspect of this trend that also includes programming to support

emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual wellness. Further, as consumer needs and wants change with the baby boomer generation, hospitality strategies will need to focus on resort-style amenities, including restaurant-style dining, while also providing residents opportunities for engagement, social connections, friendships, and fulfilling experiences.”

Matt Buchanan, Executive Vice President, Legend Senior Living.

Pictured Left:

Featured dishes of Chef Antwian Walters’ culinary delights included Romaine Salad, Strawberry Avocado Salad, Teriyaki Tofu with Broccoli and Carrots, Vegetable Risotto, Grilled Salmon with Jasmine Rice, and Chicken Parmesan. Eyes widened at the beautiful arrays of sweets: Key Lime Pie, Orange Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Éclair, Mini Pavolva and Millionaire Pie…yum!

Featured on the cover, Windsor Pointe residents Karen and Dan Sawtell are delighted by Chef Antwian’s cuisine, enjoyed by accompanying wine selections and impeccable table-side service by FSLA Board Hospitality Chair, Gilbert Bolivar.

Windsor Pointe of Jacksonville residents Jon and Sandy Palmer and John and Cora Sells gather for “Cocktails and Conversations” in The Hatch, a community bar and lounge for residents. “We had no idea how popular The Hatch would be with residents!” commented Residence Director Bartholomew Perry. It’s a fun place for neighbors to meet for coffee, drinks, or a shuffleboard game and just one of the many life-enriching experiences that defines luxury and exceptional senior living at Windsor Pointe.

Photo Credit: Katie Reeves | ktcreative, LLC

chefs’ competition during their Senior Living Conference at the Marriott Sawgrass Resort. Believing it would be very entertaining, enhance the experience of the attendees, and perhaps just be a lot fun, it turned out to also provide the communities a way to share and show off their dining experiences.

The idea took off and has now become one of the most popular events of the conference and much more. In addition, it has become a learning platform for CEO’s, operators, administrator’s, clinical staff, families and of course, the chefs themselves.

2022 Winners

CHAMPION Chef Antwian Walters

Executive Chef

Legend Senior Living Lakewood Ranch Reflections Memory Care Community (Sarasota, FL)

A dedicated husband, father and friend. I pride myself on learning and thriving off of new experiences. I am a fairly positive person and try to make the best of all situations.

RUNNER UP Chef Ryan Cook

Executive Chef

Discovery Senior Living Discovery Villages at the Forum (Fort Myers, FL)

Cooking has always been my passion and true love. When you do what you love it never feels like work and I am blessed to get paid to play with food. Being a chef keeps me on my toes because we all know in the culinary world things can change quickly. When I am not in the kitchen, you can find

It has also become a learning environment for chefs that work in the health care field being able to compete with peers in the industry. Not only do they learn from the other chefs, the other chefs learn from them. But, they also learn a lot about themselves and not just their skill sets or temperament. It sometimes reminds them of why they do what they do. It reaffirms that they are just as if not more talented as the counterparts in the high dining world. It reminds them who they serve, and inspires them to do it better.

Any senior living community who attends this conference, should certainly consider having their chef

me with my beautiful wife traveling to new places, trying new foods, and collecting new tattoos.

SECOND RUNNER UP Chef Mark Zollo

Executive Chef/ Director of Food and Beverage Services

Meridian Senior Living

Gentry Park Orlando (AL/MC) and The Landings at Gentry Park (IL) (Orlando, FL)

I give my heart and soul to the overall hospitality services that our residents deserve and demand.

My past experiences have given me the knowledge and passion to build teams that are skilled and focused. Our teams are committed to provide exceptional services for the needs wants and desires of all Meridian residents and their guests.

Furthering our commitments in the senior care living communities, it is important to network with skilled individuals and always stay in the forefront of the culinary experiences each individual has.

compete. It is a great reward for any chef that has earned it and provides an excellent opportunity for the entire community to support them. And again, provides an educational experience that the chef or the team that supports them won’t soon forget.

It is apparent that these winning chefs love what they do and who they serve. It is just as apparent that they love both competing and learning from each other. They all work in a unique, and often under-recognized environment, that comes with very little reward and recognition. FSLA’s Chefs Competition provides that and so much more.

Other chefs participating: Yvonne Wilson, SLM Services; Cameron Farrell, Healthcare Services Group; Daniel Wright, HarborChase; Mohamed Tarawneh, Retirement Unlimited

shawn mcgregor , mba , mcfbd , mcfe , cdm Area Executive Chef, Healthcare Services Group, Inc.

Left to right: Chef Antwian Walters, Chef Ryan Cook, Chef Mark Zollo and Chef Shawn McGregor (FSLA’s 2022 Industry Partner Award Winner).

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

D A W o r k f o r c e & C u l t u r e C h a n g e S y m p o s i u m t o b e h e l d i n L a s V e g a s , N V , N o v e m b e r 6 - 9 , w i l l b r i n g t o g e t h e r s e n i o r l i v i n g l e a d e r s f r o m v a r i o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o d i s c o v e r h o w t o a l i g n s e n i o r l i v i n g w i t h h o s p i t a l i t y c u l t u r e w i t h a k e e n f o c u s o n w o r k f o r c e d e v e l o p m e n t , r e c r u i t i n g , t r a i n i n g , a n d r e t e n t i o n o f t o p t a l e n t t o r e m a i n c o m p e t i t i v e i n t h e h o s p i t a l i t y m a r k e t p l a c e .

November 6-9, 2022 | Las Vegas, Nevada

A s t h e p r i m a r y e d u c a t o r a n d c u l t u r e c a t a l y s t f o r s e n i o r l i v i n g d i n i n g & h o s p i t a l i t y , w e g e n u i n e l y b e l i e v e i t w i l l t a k e a v i l l a g e t o a f f e c t r e a l w o r k p l a c e c u l t u r e c h a n g e r o o t e d i n h o s p i t a l i t y t h r o u g h o u t t h e s e n i o r l i v i n g i n d u s t r y

HELP SAVE MONEY

by matt depenbrock

Did you know your residents’ Medicare health and drug plan benefits can change every year? Everything from costs and coverage to which physicians and pharmacies are in network may be changed. Selecting the wrong plan or staying in a plan that no longer fits their needs can be a costly mistake. It’s no wonder choosing the right Medicare plan can be confusing for residents and their families. The good news? Senior living communities can leverage their long-term care (LTC) pharmacy partner’s expertise and resources to help residents choose a plan that best meets their individual healthcare and financial needs. Medicare open enrollment is October 15th to December 7th every year. It’s an opportunity for residents to review their coverage and make changes for the next year. They can join, change, or drop a Medicare or Medicare Advantage Plan, with or without drug coverage, during this time.

Each resident enrolled in a Medicare health or drug plan will receive information from their current plan in the fall. Before the open enrollment period begins, residents should review these materials carefully, comparing their current coverage to other options, as choosing a different plan may result in significant savings. It’s especially important for residents who have a change in health condition, medication therapy, or financial needs. If they decide that their current plan best meets their needs, no further action is needed. If a resident decides to make changes, they must do so before December 7th. New coverage will start on January 1st. For residents currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, they’ll

have a second opportunity to make changes between January and March of 2023.

What is the difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans?

Residents can choose between Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and a Medicare Advantage (Part C) and prescription drug plan (Part D). In addition, they may elect to enroll in a Medicare Supplement Insurance Policy, commonly called Medigap. Understanding the differences between these plans is important.

Original Medicare, offered directly through Medicare, provides residents with a choice of physicians, hospitals, and pharmacies that accept Medicare and covers about 80% of a resident’s healthcare costs.

Medicare Advantage Plans provide coverage through private insurance companies. Access to physicians, hospitals, and pharmacies may be limited to the plan’s provider network. If residents choose to use a provider outside of their plan’s network, they may be responsible for more or all of the care costs. These plans require that residents

pay copayments or coinsurance for services and medications. Some offer additional benefits such as vision or dental benefits. Medigap is sold by private companies and helps fill “gaps” in Original Medicare by paying some of the remaining health care costs such as copayments and deductibles.

Understanding Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans

Medicare prescription drug plans add medication coverage to a resident’s Medicare plan and are administered by private insurance companies. With these plans, residents usually pay a monthly premium in addition to their Part B premium to add drug coverage. If a resident chooses a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage, they may have to enroll in that plan’s drug coverage to receive benefits.

How can your LTC pharmacy partner help?

LTC pharmacies can help simplify all aspects of medication management for residents and care staff in senior living communities. Streamlining the process of comparing Medicare Part D drug plans during open enrollment is just one more way an

experienced LTC pharmacy partner brings value to residents, families, and care teams. Residents who most benefit from assistance in the enrollment process include those whose:

• Current plan is changing in cost or coverage

• Current plan is being discontinued

• Health condition or medications have changed

• Financial needs have changed

Trained pharmacy staff can provide one-on-one assistance to residents and their families during the open enrollment period and help review specific plan features including changes in premium rates, deductibles, co-pays, formulary changes and changes to provider networks. This Medicare Part D plan review helps residents select a plan that best meets their individual healthcare and financial needs, often saving money, and relieves community staff from the burden of navigating complex coverage questions. This one-onone resident guidance is a valuable benefit for operators to consider when choosing a partner pharmacy. To learn more, visit medicare.gov.

matt depenbrock

Business Development Leader Guardian Pharmacy of Florida

Through

PURPOSEFUL

13465 PASTEUR BOULEVARD

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL 33418 561-227-0065

Assisted Living Facility License #13239

•24/7 on-site licensed nurses and full-time management nurses

3490 THRIVE DRIVE NAPLES, FL 34105 239-354-7081

Assisted Living Facility License #13285

15800 B EACHWALK BO ULEVARD

FORT MYERS, FL 33908 239.349.3769

Assisted Living Facility License #13074

• Scheduled transportation

• All utilities including cable and Wi-Fi

• Delicious, nutritious meals prepared by our Taste of RUI Executive Chef, served in a restaurant- style setting with tableside beer and wine service

•A full life enrichment calendar

• LUXE Unlimited – Full service salon and spa

• RUI FIT programming and gym

•Physical, occupational and speech therapy on-site

• Housekeeping and laundry services

• RUI University programming and classroom for continuing education

• Leash on Life – pet concierge services

• Spacious studios, one bedroom, and two bedrooms many with full kitchens

• Residential living, assisted living and Inspiritás – memory care

REHAB

For more information, and to schedule a tour, call an RUI community today.

LIVING

MONA

DOES

LIVE IN YOUR HOME?

by sharon fekete

It would be difficult to encourage mental health in the workplace or anywhere else if it didn’t actually live in your own home. This scenario has been running through my mind since my own depression was lifted and the gift of sobriety was bestowed upon me 28 years ago. I was fortunate to piece my life back together as a 21-year-old woman and then navigate my career in the business of medicine for over two decades. The lessons I was learning as a woman in recovery were now being applied to every scenario in business.

When I crawled out of this tumultuous life of addiction and depression, I had an army of support surrounding the climb. I was introduced to my father’s EAP

counselor (Employee Assistance Program), had the love and support of my family, and a 12-step program that offered a design for living. I was slowly able to encourage a life of mental health that transcended from my home to the workplace but that came after a serious housecleaning.

This process of ‘cleaning house’ was long and full of life lessons I choose not to learn again. I had to take a serious look at the people I was surrounding myself with and then determine why I was attracting them in my life. Yes, why was I inviting toxicity into my life and in the workplace even though I was now sober? It is certainly not an overnight process but each moral inventory I took benefitted my quality of life.

I had many issues to overcome as a result of the trauma I endured within my addiction so this was going to be a long housecleaning. There are big and small changes we can all make to ensure mental health lives inside your home and extends to the outside. Let’s start with taking a look at who we are surrounding ourselves with on a daily basis. If you find yourself spending any amount of time with a human being that negatively impacts your mental health, you are putting yourself at risk. Turns out it’s true that who you surround yourself with is who you are so take a moment to consider how that looks for you today. Yes, that means your family, friends, relationship, co-workers, board members, and your boss.

Now I would like for you to consider how you are treating your body. I am by no means a clinician, but studies have proven for centuries that diet and exercise directly improve your health and that includes our brain health. Spending time in nature and listening to positive information via a podcast or audible book can also encourage your mental health without spending a co-pay. I am 100% behind talk therapy and all others forms of self-improvement via a mental health professional. In fact, I encourage it if you still think you might have all the answers.

I am a firm believer that our environment can have a huge impact on our mental health. Natural sunlight and bright spaces

within our homes and offices can shift our mindset. If you love flowers, plants and music, they can certainly contribute to brightening up a dark day. Let’s not forget about our fur-babies and the incredible emotional support they can provide to our well-being. These are all practical suggestions but imperative to consider if you or someone else in your home suffers from depression, anxiety, and beyond.

It is my hope that you will do your own self-reflection and pinpoint places you can improve. It is best to do some internal work before expecting a happy and joyous life at home and in business. If you lead an organization and are unaware of how you can improve the mental

health of your company, it is past the time you get educated. Yes, as the leader of a company it is your responsibility to offer a physical & mental safe space for your team to reside. I do not pull any punches when it comes to the mental health of your employees, as life is way too fragile. Hopefully we have all learned through this pandemic and take necessary actions to live your best life inside and outside of the home.

sharon fekete Author, Speaker, Founder of The Doctor Whisperer

Sharon Fekete is an Author, Speaker, Founder of The Doctor Whisperer & owner of a boutique media company called 13th Ave Media. She has been whispering strategies to physicians for over 20 years & amplifies businesses through the power of social media. As a firm believer in advocating toward improved mental health, she published her book ‘The Broken Road to Mental Health, in Life & in Business’ on her 25th sober anniversary, August 11th, 2019.

kate

SENIOR LIVING’S TOP BUSINESS PRIORITIES Four Steps for Solving Today’s Labor Challenges

by kate risa and brittany riese

The senior living industry is poised for scalable growth to meet exploding market demand. That brings great opportunities — and new barriers to capitalizing on them.

Operators now have a host of tools and techniques they can use to solve today’s most pressing challenges. Let’s review four key steps operators can take to meet today’s top business priorities.

Four Steps for Solving Today’s Challenges

Armed with new tech and a collaborative spirit, the industry and its residents are coming back.

New technologies and their wide acceptance are a silver lining stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. With more and more people relying on innovative software to live their daily lives, the door is open to broad solutions.

“It’s a shift in mindset,” Risa says. “Not too many people stay with an employer for a significant amount of time anymore and senior living leaders need to understand and accept this, then find ways to extract the best skills and service from employees while they are with them.”

There are four steps emerging that operators can take to address the HR challenges facing the industry today:

HR Business Partner; Paychex

Step 1: Develop Talent from Within

Senior living can be one of the most welcoming, inclusive and diverse places to work. But for those just starting in the industry, entry could stand to be a bit easier, says Britt Riese, senior human resources business partner with Paychex’s senior living team.

“I do think there needs to be a focus on hiring new employees, but I think there needs to be perhaps a larger focus on current team members,” Riese says. From where she sits, empowering your team leaders in a community will make all the difference and will help new workers see that there is indeed a career path in senior living.

Senior living provides a groundup opportunity for a career that

can be both financially stable and intellectually and spiritually fulfilling. But leaders within the communities will need to see that and help newer staff visualize that possibility.

“It can be kind of hard for someone who’s just starting out — they may not see a career path there,” Riese says. “Do they know that there really is a pathway to grow your career path in senior living?”

Part of empowering new employees comes by recognizing when you have a rising star in your midst and developing them into a senior living care expert. By investing in your home-grown workers, you not only prevent turnover — you create synergy through continuity, and you bolster the culture of that community and your brand.

Step 2: Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits

In a recent senior living survey, 93% of operators reported that they’ve increased wages to recruit and retain new workers, something that they will need to continue to do moving forward. With the bottom line impacted so heavily by wage costs, operating a senior living community has become a fine line with a small target for operating margin.

On one hand, offering salaries that are too high will attract more workers while driving up wage costs.

Senior

brittany riese

On the other hand, offering salaries that are too low will make recruiting difficult, once again driving up costs.

To help fill the gap, Risa and her colleagues took a deep dive into paid time off (PTO) practices and found that by retooling PTO programs, offering more flexibility, and setting some PTO to expire at the end of the calendar year, they could give every employee more days off and still cut costs.

In addition to increased salaries and more PTO, health care insurance and retirement offerings that are personalized for employees play critical roles in recruitment and retention.

In researching the best practices for choosing health care plans, Risa found that many community workers don’t want high-level, complex health care plans. Instead, they want affordability and access to care.

Paychex found a way to design a health care plan tailored specifically to hourly employees in senior living communities — an affordable plan that fits their needs and lifestyles that includes minute clinic care, telehealth service, traditional copays, and affordable prescription medication.

Step 3: Create a Scalable HR Solution

Community directors and managers do not have the bandwidth to recruit, screen and onboard new employees. Because of that, many in the industry are prioritizing big-picture solutions.

To streamline the process, some operators whose portfolios span multiple states are creating centralized command centers. But those command centers can create growth stagnation. For example, there could be a lag between realizing a need for more staff and that worker actually reaching full efficiency.

And with some communities focusing on increased occupancy sorting, screening, interviewing, hiring and training, new workers can’t be an operator’s most intensive focus. Operators who have already realized this have chosen to opt-out of the process entirely by outsourcing their HR department, thus systematically cutting costs year after year.

For an operator that wants to outsource HR, a third-party provider can assist with various functions and help support solutions that help operators attract, train and empower workers.

Since its founding in 1971, Paychex has worked with more than 700,000 clients in the U.S and in Europe and is the largest HR company for smallto medium-sized businesses. As a third-party provider focused on HR, their solutions come equipped with a technology platform capable of making the entire experience even faster.

Step 4: Prioritize Culture and Brand

An ever-growing portion of today’s workforce is expressing the desire — even the need — to feel fulfilled both in their lives and in their careers. This demand within senior living has awoken community leadership and renewed their focus on holistically serving the whole person.

Providing care for residents is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling jobs an hourly worker can hope to perform. Now more than ever, operators must emphasize the positive experiences workers can gain from working there and find new ways to provide more meaningful work to their staff.

Risa is reminded of how one community found a way to create some fun, engaging and manageable events by holding a rally week, similar to a high school spirit week.

“Every single day would have a different theme such as a sportsthemed day, twin day or a mismatch day,” Risa says. During rally week, the nursing staff would get breakfast served by directors and residents, participate in team building activities and, most importantly, hop from station to station completing their required continuing education units (CEUs).

In a study, Paychex found that employee financial, physical, social and emotional wellbeing predictably plummeted in 2020 in the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion

Today senior living providers are choosing to outsource the hiring process to a third-party that will implement a centralized approach. Other operators are opting to set up an in-house hiring department to address the recruitment and retention of talent.

“A lot of workers today value their work/life balance over moving up the chain quickly… people want that flexibility,” says Risa. “We have to find ways to be an employer that’s engaging and fulfilling for employees because if we don’t, they are going to leave and work for someone that does.”

Brookdale Bayshore (1)

Little known National Junk Food Day was rejoiced in Tampa at Brookdale Bayshore with an outdoor event for families and residents. Smiles were in abundance as diners enjoyed fried Oreos and donuts from Chef Sergio, but fresh fruit was also front and center as a healthy temptation!

Canterfield of Tallahassee (5, 9)

Canterfield of Tallahassee celebrated summer with a special party featuring the musical stylings of pianist Mr. Steve and nautical themed sandwiches and treats! Pictured are Life Enrichment Director Hannah and resident Nonnye, along with a cheerful Sophie posing with residents Dick and Eva.

HarborChase of Jacksonville (2, 8) A rainy August day won’t stop residents and staff at HarborChase of Jacksonville from having fun participating in several rounds of indoor golf. Fore!

Miami Jewish Health (3, 6)

At Miami Jewish Health’s Hazel Cypen Tower, residents showcase their talents with beautiful art projects created with Karen. Whether it’s with dried flowers or colorful markers, all artistic expression is welcome.

Seagrass Village of Fleming Island (4, 7) Residents and staff of Seagrass Village of Fleming Island had a great time celebrating the “Hound” Dog Days of Summer with the one and only, Mr Elvis Presley. Residents enjoyed Scooby Doo themed treats and danced to all Elvis’s hits.

sheri leajean Director of Education Florida Senior Living Association

by sheri leajean

They say great entrepreneurs choose to solve problems close to their hearts. In Dawn’s case, it was the determination to connect with her ailing father and those like him through the pandemic.

When her father was admitted to a skilled nursing facility following a severe fall, Sasha Dawn, Founder of Utopia Experiences, was determined to find ways to connect with him. This posed a challenge as the onset of the pandemic and COVID protocols meant he was not allowed visitors.

Thus, Utopia Experiences was born as an entertainment platform designed to provide intergenerational connections

Altruistic to deliver on a promise to bring meaningful digital services to our elderly population through senior game therapy.

Through the platform, participants can choose to host their own events or hire professional hosts, who are improv actors, comedians, and retired teachers. “We bring people with passion onto the platform,” says Dawn. “When a customer wants to book an external professional host, they can peruse a list of trained game show hosts and, depending on their time zone and language requirements, they can filter their options.”

Sasha Dawn recently demoed her game and magnificent hosting skills

on an FSLA monthly Cocktails & Conversations zoom with Aaron Fish of Trestle Hospitality Concepts. Thanks to Aaron, the connection was made, and we all fell in love with Dawn’s spirit, passion, and service-oriented heart. Check out Spintopia and spin the wheel for an exciting game…fun for residents and families alike. My 73-year-old mom was close by during this after-hours cocktail zoom. Hearing all the laughter and commotion, she was drawn into the game…just like Dawn intended when she set out to create this wonderful interactive opportunity. Check out Spintopia https://www.utopiaexperiences.net/ solutions and mention FSLA for $100 off. Offer expires November 30th, but the fun never does.

Engaging

by sheri leajean

Activity Directors have one of the most fun, rewarding, and challenging jobs in a community. They are tasked with finding new and creative ways to engage residents, to get them involved, keep them active, appeal to different personalities and talents and provide entertainment in the process. Check out some of FSLA’s newest friends in senior living that offer interesting and unique opportunities your residents can enjoy. And be sure to let them know you heard about it here!

Fight Loneliness…

Connect Generations!

Perfect Pair individually matches residents in assisted living, independent living, and memory care communities one-on-one with college students based on their shared background, interests, and hobbies. Pairs meet weekly, and can

choose to participate in programming to reconnect to their passions - like canvas painting, book clubs, yoga, and more. These pairs are very intentional. For example, a Spanish-speaking resident with a career in social work may be paired with a Spanish-speaking volunteer pursuing social work. This provides a space for the resident to speak in her native language and share career advice and mentor the volunteer. Hundreds of similar connections - ranging from matches that both grew up in NYC, both studied engineering, are avid-readers, or just love to talk to new people. Through connecting generations, Perfect Pair is fighting loneliness both for our older adults and for our students. You can get involved in their mission, too! There are currently two chapters in Florida at Florida State University in Tallahassee and

Valencia College in Orlando. If you are an assisted living community that would like to have your residents matched with Perfect Pair volunteers, head to the website at perfectpair. org/contact or email the team at perfectpairnational@umich.edu. If you know a student or college that would like to start a chapter, email perfectpairnational@umich.edu. And to find more information, head to the website at www.perfectpair.org.

sheri leajean Director of Education Florida Senior Living Association

Pictures from Perfect Pair’s Instagram. Follow them @perfectpairorg

Local

Patient Driven

large

affects the way

safety

ADVOCACY

VOICE

REGULATORY

OPERATIONS

PROVEN LEADERSHIP

EDUCATION