More pay transparency laws also are popping up around the country — but that can actually be a good thing for the right providers, explains Matt Leach, a senior consultant with Total Compensation Solutions, in this installment of the McKnight’s Newmakers Podcast series.

While there are going to be more regulatory demands of providers, “the future doesn’t have to be scary,” Leach tells McKnight’s Executive Editor James M. Berklan.

“We need to look at it more from the standpoint of investment instead of viewing the whole process as an expense,” says Bob Lane, president of the American College of Health Care Administrators, and the guest on this Newsmakers podcast. “That’s what it truly is: investing time and dollars into bolstering a field that is so important for the care of our elders now and going forward.”

Lane talked with McKnight’s Long-Term Care News about efforts to raise the stature of AITs, or residency programs, and some of the obstacles facing both providers and trainees.

Listen in to this episode hosted by Senior Editor Kimberly Marselas to understand why he’s joining the Vision Centre and others to encourage more nursing homes to offer up preceptors and nurture new talent — even if those workers might eventually work outside that facility.

By creating a Learning, Development and Employee Experience office within the HR department, Loretto has been able to better keep its finger on the pulse of its 2,500-strong workforce. Loretto Chief People officer Nancy Williams, EdD, MSN, RN, explains the unique abilities of an evolved HR department. Employee coaches, a Leadership Academy, Supervisory Bootcamp and other investments in employees’ success are just the start, she says. 

The veteran leader tells McKnight’s Executive Editor James M. Berklan in this McKnight’s Newsmakers podcast all about the refinements and enhancements that have created a “partnership where everyone’s voice matters.”

But they take an intentional approach and investment of time and resources to prove successful.

Middleton was one of several providers who spoke with the National Investment Center’s Bill Kauffman on the “State of the Nursing Home Industry” during an educational session at the American Health Care Association’s 2023 Convention & Expo in Denver 

While the panel addressed such major topics as inflation, occupancy, reimbursement and managed care, Middleton remains hyper-focused on workforce and the way a lack of nursing staff threatens access in many of the rural communities that Good Sam serves.

In this episode hosted by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Senior Editor Kimberly Marselas, Middleton highlights retention strategies, such as a new mentorship program, with which Good Sam has had recent success.

The first 90 days are proving critical, from the frontlines to building leadership.

“They have a really intentional effort on workforce,” she says. “And in both our rural and urban facilities, we’ve seen great success with it. And it’s not like the ideas are rocket science, but it’s just having that intentional effort on it and really walking alongside our leaders.”

Hear how much the new Good Sam approach has improved retention and what other benefits are revealing themselves, as well as why Middleton says reimbursement will remain a critical concern as organizations like her keep the focus on staffing.

Today, the not-for-profit collaborative care system is still serving seniors across multiple settings, but leaders have found a new way to quite literally nourish those living outside its communities, too.

The Unconventional Kitchen offers meals for one, meals for some and meals for a crowd. All revenues from the new catering service support Vincentian’s mission, one that has been increasingly challenged by revenue shortfalls over the last two years.

“This is not a temporary condition,” says Patty Embree, chief operating officer and vice president of innovation at Vincentian. “This is our new normal. We have to be creative and innovative in our processes to think about how we can make sure that we get additional revenue in.”

In this episode hosted by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Senior Editor Kimberly Marselas, Embree outlines how Vincentian converted a little-used commercial kitchen in a convent into a once-again thriving space — and how others might take a cue from the kitchen’s “Eat Well, Give Back” motto.

Whether picking up a family meal at the organization’s child care center after a busy work day or ordering fine cuisine (and “sinfully delicious” baked goods) for a wedding, customers have been moved by the idea of supporting a local human services organization with their purchases.

“It resonates with people,” says Embree.

In this episode, Matt Caine, managing director of SOLIC Capital Advisors, warns there is “no question” the rule and its launch during a broad-scale healthcare labor crisis would lead to more skepticism about the market.

“Time and time again, the shortages with respect to staffing continue to be a recurring theme and key element of diligence inquiry with respect to would-be investors, partners and buyers,” Caine tells McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Senior Editor Kimberly Marselas. “That’s only going to escalate.”

Listen in to learn more about Caine’s concerns and his thoughts on making it fair and workable.

CEO Breanna Jameson says quality initiatives were a way to focus on building strengths and stand out in the community, a journey that began with some very small, yet very intentional steps.

“It helped us to identify who we are and who we wanted to be, and then it helped us execute that into reality,” Jameson tells McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Senior Editor Kimberly Marselas in this episode.

Concentrated changes led to improvements in quality and overall star ratings, as well as the addition of behavioral health services to address a growing local need. Those were among several small wins that Lewsiton racked up on its way to being named a 2023 AHCA Gold Quality Award winner this summer, along with fellow Cascadia Healthcare facility Aspen Park.

Jameson encourages other providers to “just start taking small steps” toward quality. The pay off will come quick, even for those who think they’re too overwhelmed to jump into something big.

Listen in for more tips and insights.

As part of the Cascadia Healthcare organization, Aspen Park has access to broad resources needed to bolster quality pursuits. But on-site leader and CEO Rachel Zimmerman said most critical to the building’s sustained success in driving high-quality patient outcomes is an approach that empowers all team members to play a role in those efforts.

“I think it all starts with building the golden team,” Zimmerman says in this episode hosted by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Senior Editor Kimberly Marselas. “They’re driving the boat. I have the role of CEO, but I’m lucky to work with a team that wants just as much perfection and quality and great scores as I do.”

For most residents (and the building’s referral partners) the first contact they’ll make with the quality team is with Admissions Coordinator Jennifer Trout, LPN. In a move outside of the typically quality process, Aspen Park has made Trout an integral part of its daily efforts on quality, including several of the aims outlined here.

“Quality is really the No. 1 thing that I try to promote,” Trout says. “And if we’re not providing good quality, then I don’t have a good building to tout to these residents or to explain to them why you need to come to us for the care that you need.” 

Regional Nurse Consultant, Leslie Zimmerman-Black explains how providers should address this concern and encourage vaccination — particularly in light of the recent end to vaccine mandates for facility staff.

“Continuing to educate and offer flexibility in administering … maybe it’s as simple as making those shots available on the weekends?” Zimmerman-Black muses.

She also weighs in on the recently FDA approved RSV vaccine and its possible importance this upcoming virus season. Zimmerman-Black answers the question that many of us have been asking, “Do I need to get yet another vaccine?” 

Tune in to this special McKnight’s Newsmaker podcast moderated by Anjali Byju to learn new options and best practices as prospects grow for a potential major hit to nursing homes and other senior care communities.

These are the kinds of soft skills that American Senior Communities is looking to strengthen with a broad new leadership development program. It goes beyond traditional career ladder and administrator-in-training programs to boost could-be leaders in a range of positions across the Indiana provider’s 100-plus facilities.

The long-term goal is to build cohorts of workers who can ask tough questions, think deeply about processes and procedures, improve retention and make clinical and operational gains organization-wide.

“Any kind of training and learning is gonna strengthen everybody around them,” says ASC Senior Adviser Donna Kelsey. “If we have leaders in the building that are strong and care for people that are independent and make good decisions, of course they have empathy and all those other wonderful things, then everybody’s life becomes easier because they’re gonna keep their staff.”

Listen to this episode hosted by McKnight’s Senior Editor Kimberly Marselas to learn how Kelsey is designing the program to encourage new long-term care leaders and “lift all boats.”

“We have that 20% of the buildings that are just killing it,” she says. “And then we have that challenged 20 due to location, physical plant, the type of residents … If we can strengthen those bottom 20, the whole company is gonna get better, as they say, with the rising tide.”