Ep. 125: Senior Living Trends and Topics (AZ LeadingAge Conference)

Key Takeaways from Arizona LeadingAge Sessions with Jennifer Drago

In this episode, host Jennifer Drago, strategy and governance consultant and CEO of Peak to Profit, shares key takeaways from the Arizona LeadingAge 2024 Conference

Supporting the Family Caregiver [1:45]
Jennifer begins by discussing two sessions she attended on caregivers. The first session, presented by Camrron Anderson and Courtney Allen from Benevilla, focused on supporting family caregivers through the seven dimensions of wellness. Jennifer reflects on her personal experiences as a family caregiver and emphasizes the importance of self-care and organizational support for caregivers.

Revolutionizing Care Support with Fractional Care Solutions [02:55]
The second caregiver session she attended, led by Bob Roth of Cypress Homecare and Jon Scott Williams of Fellowship Square, introduced the innovative "Caring on Demand" platform. This platform allows residents and family members to request caregiver support in fractional-time sessions, providing flexible and affordable care options. Bob and Jon Scott shared case studies demonstrating the positive impact of this service on residents’ independence and security.

Workforce Innovation: Attracting and Recruiting, Hiring and Retaining Talent in Nonprofits [04:08]
Shifting to workforce innovation, Jennifer attended two sessions. The first, presented by James Mann from CliftonLarsonAllen, covered strategies for attracting, recruiting, hiring, and retaining talent in nonprofit senior living. Key points included the importance of CEO succession planning, competitive compensation, and fostering a positive organizational culture.

Lead Like They Matter [05:15]
The second session, "Lead Like They Matter", presented by Ronny Morris from Fellowship Square, highlighted the significance of respect, communication, and employee-centric leadership in improving staff recruitment and retention.

Forgotten Middle [07:50]
Jennifer then discusses the "Forgotten Middle" session, presented by Kevin Anderson of Wesley Homes, which addressed the growing demographic of middle-income seniors. She outlines strategies for providing affordable care and housing to this group, emphasizing the need for financial discipline and lean operations.

Growth Strategy scaling for impact and efficiency [10:00]
The next session on growth strategy, presented by Daren Bell from Ziegler and Carter Smitherson from Royal Oaks, explored development opportunities, including affiliations, partnerships, and mergers. Jennifer shares insights from Royal Oaks’ recent repositioning and expansion plans, highlighting the importance of setting up processes for swift assessment and action on growth opportunities.

Board Governance: The Tale of Two Perspectives [11:20]
Finally, Jennifer attended a session on board governance, presented by John Thorhauer and Cathy Eckstein from the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging. They discussed best practices in board governance, including clear roles, effective communication, and succession planning for both CEOs and board members. Jennifer emphasizes the importance of these practices for maintaining organizational stability and success.

[14:30] In conclusion, Jennifer wraps up the episode by summarizing the valuable insights and trends discussed at the Arizona LeadingAge conference.

**Looking for more expert insights? Grab a copy of our valuable resource 👉 "13 Secrets to Increase Senior Living Profitability in 2024," where I've curated expert perspectives from industry leaders featured on the "Senior Living Visionaries" podcast.

About Our Host:

Jennifer Drago is an award-winning strategist, author, speaker and certified business coach. Through Peak to Profit consulting, she helps senior living, healthcare and nonprofit organizations get clear on their vision and strategy so they can identify -- and execute on -- opportunities for growth, revenue and operational efficiencies.

Jennifer worked as a strategy and operations executive in the healthcare and senior living industries for 30 years, facilitating strategic plans and developing new programs and service lines. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance, a master’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Health Services Administration from Arizona State University.

Visit www.seniorlivingvisionaries.com or our sponsor, www.peaktoprofit.com, to learn more!

You can also follow Jennifer on her LinkedIn.

About the Show:

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Categories: : Growth, Leadership, Podcast, Strategy