Solinity Marketing’s Audrey Schoonover dove head first into the world of senior living by participating in Solinity Leadership’s Senior Living Bootcamp at Remember Me Senior Care. Discover more about her experience and how the moments shared with residents and team members positively impacted the way she approaches her day-to-day responsibilities in her senior living focused career.
Day 1: An Introduction to Senior Care
Audrey's journey into senior living began with a deep dive into the administrative side of community operations at Remember Me Senior Care. She spent the morning shadowing the Office Manager who provided valuable insights into the intricate workings of the community.
One highlight of the day was witnessing the orientation program for new team members, particularly the Dementia by Day training session. Audrey observed the program with one new hire and recognized the importance of community team members and caregivers embracing the reality of the residents, a crucial aspect of providing exceptional care.
Interactions with various team members shed light on the challenges and responsibilities they face daily. From managing paperwork and move-in logistics to addressing the needs of residents with different levels of abilities and care needs, Audrey gained a newfound appreciation for the many aspects team members have to juggle day-in and day-out.
Day 2: A Deeper Dive into Administration
The following day, Audrey delved deeper into administrative duties, shadowing Remember Me Senior Care’s Executive Director, Ashley Howard, as she navigated the complexities of the role.
A team meeting highlighted the dedication of Remember Me’s leadership to fill their community with individuals who align with their mission, emphasizing the importance of passion and dedication in the workforce.
Audrey's observation of the leadership team's concern about training effectiveness underscored the community's commitment to continuous improvement. They recognized the need for personalized, hands-on training to ensure team members effectively apply their knowledge in resident care. She also noted the passion of the leadership team, specifically owners Tracy and Andy Sneed, as they had experienced the senior living industry from both the owners perspective and the family members perspective. In honor of their mother, Anne, who had Alzheimer’s during the last chapter of her life, the Sneed brothers developed Remember Me Senior Care to be different from any other memory care community for not only the residents, but resident family members and team members as well. During her entire week at Bootcamp, Audrey could see and feel the passion of the Sneed brothers throughout the community.
Day 3: Enriching Lives Through Activities
Audrey's exploration continued on day three with a focus on the activities department led by Lauryn Roby, the Life Enrichment Director. Audrey marveled at Lauryn's ability to tailor activities to residents' preferences, recognizing the importance of purpose-driven engagement in promoting mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
The ladies spent the day going from house to house spending time with the residents on the community's beautiful front porches and rocking chairs and baking energy balls for a tasty afternoon treat. Audrey acknowledged the vital role activities play in fostering a sense of purpose and fulfillment among residents. She ended day three with a deeper respect for the complexities of finding, budgeting, planning, and executing activities that foster high resident engagement and enjoyment while simultaneously benefitting the physical, mental, and emotional needs of the residents as well.
Day 4: At The Heart of Clinical Care
Day four of Audrey's journey brought her into the realm of clinical care, where she shadowed caregivers as they tended to residents' needs with compassion and patience. Through conversations with the clinical team, Audrey gained insights into the intimate bonds formed between caregivers and residents, highlighting the importance of trust and familiarity in providing dignified care.
Audrey reflected on the contrast between Remember Me’s personalized approach and the challenges faced in larger, corporate settings, underscoring the need for improved resident-to-staff ratios to uphold quality care standards.
Day 5: Southern Comfort
On her final day at Remember Me Senior Care, Audrey was able to observe the incredible culinary team and all of the planning and prep that goes into providing the residents their daily meals. Remember Me is uniquely designed in their family-style dining, where residents come together and eat every meal together at a dining table.
Throughout the entire week, Audrey was particularly impressed with cook Ashley, whose passion for food and the seniors shined through her smile, conversations, and knowledge about each resident. Every member of the culinary team knew their house’s residents like the back of their hands. They could list their diet restrictions, allergies, likes and dislikes without hesitation and would take the time to prepare each resident's meal just so. The delicious food combined with southern hospitality and a family-like setting truly made meal times feel like home.
A Transformative Experience
Audrey's senior living bootcamp experience provided a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted nature of care provision. From administrative intricacies to the intimate moments of caregiving, she witnessed firsthand the dedication and compassion that underpin every aspect of senior living.
As Audrey bid farewell to Remember Me and her Senior Living Bootcamp experience, she carried with her a newfound appreciation for the individuals who work tirelessly to enrich the lives of residents, embodying the community's ethos of compassion, respect, and dignity. Her journey serves as a testament to the transformative impact of senior living bootcamps in fostering empathy, understanding, and advocacy for elderly care that transfers into the daily operations of her senior living industry career.
Are you interested in participating? Learn how you can get involved today: www.solinityleadership.com/