a message from the board chair

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.

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

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!”

FSLA STAFF

Gail Matillo, MPA President & CEO Jason Hand, Esq. VP 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 Accounting & Membership Manager

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

Editorial and Business Offices 2292 Wednesday St. Suite 1, Tallahassee, FL 32308 850-496-2562 | floridaseniorliving.org Publisher: Gail Matillo Creative Director: Katie Reeves gmatillo@floridaseniorliving.org ktcreative@me.com Executive Editor: Sheri LeaJean Advertising & Editorial Submissions sleajean@floridaseniorliving.org engage@floridaseniorliving.org

ENGAGE, 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 otherwise – without written permission from Florida Senior Living Association.

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

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

CHAIR’S SPOTLIGHT

4 a message from the board chair

LEADERSHIP & TECHNOLOGY

6 cultivate your talent

HOSPITALITY & CULINARY

10 an ingredient list for a successful holiday season 18 meeting the next level of hospitality in senior living 22 fsla’s chefs competition 2022

LEGISLATIVE POLICY & LEGAL AFFAIRS

12 effective advocacy: why everyone relies on fsla 14 a winning team

OPERATIONS & REGULATORY

16 the role of the health and wellness director 17 ask monica 24 help residents save money: leverage your ltc pharmacy partner during medicare part d open enrollment

HUMAN RESOURCE INSIGHTS

28 does mental health live in your home? 30 senior living’s top business priorities

MEMBERSHIP

32 community highlights

EDUCATION & GRANTS

8 mentorships and grants: the perfect combination to create career pathways

RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT & ACTIVITIES

33 great ventures start with a personal story 34 engaging our seniors