✨ Resident Engagement

I highly recommend to any NaCCRA member a very engaging book called "Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living".

What's the appeal for us in NaCCRA? It's a call for action to transition CCRCs from the old institutional "hospitality" mindset to vibrant communities. It's a call to CCRCs to enliven their residents by engaging and empowering us as welcome collaborators in the building of our own communities. It's a shout out to CCRC managements and staff -- and to residents!! -- to transform the culture from a brainless resort for the aged to a campus of possibilities, active engagement and growth.

This 2019 book calls for an end to agism and paternalism. And it calls for a radical new emphasis on empowering residents to collaborate in solving the problems and creating the solutions that will make their communities stronger, more enlivening, more social, less isolating and more resilient.

You might say that the book sounds like it was written by a NaCCRA activist. But it was actually authored by a woman who is now the CEO of the management company for a group of CCRCs in Colorado -- Jill Vitale-Aussem of the Christian Living / Cappella group of 9 CCRCs. During her lifelong career leading senior living facilities of several kinds, she has become fired up by the insights of innovative culture-change nonprofits like the Eden Alternative.

This 180-page quick and inspiring read is available in paperback and Kindle here: https://www.amazon.com/Disrupting-Status-Quo-Senior-Living-ebook/dp/B07WHDQLYP/ref=sr_1_1

Barry, the part of the book you can read is only about a stay in a nursing home where people are ignored, and in a hurricane. It really gives nothing that seems about making things better and how. So can't tell the value of this book.

Linda Kilcrease

Resident of a CCRC

Linda - Yes, the free preview pages that you can read for free on Amazon only include the Intro and Chapter 1 (which contain some modest anecdotes).

The heart of the interesting part of the book runs from Chapter 2 (The Pitfalls of the Hospitality Model) to Chapter 8 (on paternalism). -Barry

I agree with the positive recommendations about this book. We at Applewood (non-profit, Massachusetts) used it as the basis for a series of communitywide programs assessing the operation of our community. It led to the creation of several subcommittees adressing specific issues like resident involvement, communication, dining options, etc.

Nancy Eddy

nbeddy@gmail.com

Yes, a lot of us residents at Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge have read the book and are beginning to wake up and desire change from the 'pat on the head' type of paternalism to a more inclusive, collaborative culture.. Coincidentally, our CEO of many years is "retiring."