#40 - Leadership in Senior Living: Mastering Operations and Staff Retention with Tammy Cosentino

Summary

In this episode of 'From Leads to Leases', host Jerry Vinci speaks with Tammy Cosentino, an experienced leader in the senior living industry. They discuss Tammy's journey from nursing to senior living operations, her strategies for achieving and maintaining high occupancy rates, and the importance of staff satisfaction in relation to resident care. Tammy shares insights on leadership, recruitment, and the evolving landscape of senior living, emphasizing the need for a supportive culture and innovative approaches to meet the challenges of an aging population.

Learn More:

• Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn

Takeaways

• Tammy transitioned to senior living to stay connected with patients.
• Leadership starts with checking in on your team.
• Understanding and believing in your pricing is crucial for sales.
• Staff satisfaction is directly linked to occupancy rates.
• Engaging waitlisted consumers keeps them connected to the community.
• Predictive analytics can help optimize staffing needs.
• Servant leadership fosters a supportive work environment.
• Effective recruitment requires thorough vetting of candidates.
• Creating a positive culture starts with department heads.
• The future of senior living requires innovative solutions and government support.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:33 Transitioning into Senior Living Operations

03:29 Day-to-Day Responsibilities and Differences in Roles

04:41 Evolution of Leadership and Approaching the Role

06:14 Strategies for Achieving and Maintaining 100% Occupancy

08:39 Factors Driving the Cost of Senior Care

11:15 The Relationship Between Staff Satisfaction and Occupancy

13:22 Leveraging Waitlists and Keeping Potential Residents Engaged

14:48 Does Technology Play a Role in Staff Retention?

16:29 Supporting and Motivating the Team through Servant Leadership

18:09 Recruitment and Retention Strategies

20:38 Advice to Other Senior Living Operators and Directors

22:03 How to Attract Quality Candidates for Staff Positions

24:45 Building Relationships and Preparing for the Future

26:48 Changing the Narrative and Shifting Perspectives

30:37 How Society and Support Services for Seniors Could Help Change the Narrative

33:58 Longevity Plays a Role in When People Enter Senior Living

34:42 Finanancial and Insurance Concerns over Longevity

41:01 Generation X is Worse Off Than Past Generations

41:53 Exciting Innovations in Senior Living

45:58 Wrapping Things up with Tammy