Member Stories & Ideas

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Member Stories & Ideas

Stories have the power to inspire, educate, and drive change. LeadingAge shares members stories that capture new ideas, uncover creative innovations, and demonstrate your humanity and impact.

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the Field

LeadingAge members are experts in aging services and we make it easy to learn from colleagues across the sector. That’s why we curate meaningful stories, case studies, and best practices from members around the country.

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Your Stories Matter: It’s Time to Tell Them

The LeadingAge Story Collector is an easy way to share your stories of innovation with LeadingAge and fellow members. We leverage member stories for shared learning and advocacy. With support from LeadingAge Gold Partner Greystone, we’re collecting stories that demonstrate the humanity, creativity, and direct impact of our work.

Use the Story Collector to tell us about your organization’s innovations in services and operations, technology use, workforce recruitment and retention, property management, strategic planning, financial management, and more.

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Member Spotlight

In a life plan community-university partnership, residents at LeadingAge member Baptist Senior Family work with Carnegie Mellon University students, testing and advising on the design of sophisticated assistive robots to serve those living with dementia or disabilities.

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Member Stories by Topic

How an Eye-Opening Visit to Kenya Led to New Connections and Recruitment of Nursing Staff: With help from a state representative, LeadingAge Minnesota and its members are starting to build a new nursing workforce pipeline in Kenya.
What McDonald’s and Shake Shack Teach Senior Living About Tech and Staffing: Technology evolves staff roles and provides more time to care for older adults.
Lourisa Solomon Will Receive the 2024 McHugh Award: Meet this outstanding staff development coordinator, infection preventionist, and supervisor recognized for her staff leadership skills.
Aging Services Grows its Next Generation of Leaders: Leadership development programs put promising future leaders from all levels of staff on the track to varied career options in aging services.
Evaluation Highlights Workforce Project’s Successes: LeadingAge researchers are evaluating a training program for certified nursing assistants and home health aides. Here are some preliminary findings.
Meet Pamela Garofolo, Winner of the 2024 LeadingAge Leadership Award: Our inaugural Leadership Award winner is a leader in dementia care and resident engagement as well as a builder of strong relationships between staff, residents, and families.
Building the Refugee Pipeline: LeadingAge Wisconsin and Members Tap a Rich Workforce Resource. “Get on the bus now […] because our labor shortage is not going to change. You may miss the opportunity to develop and benefit from a world-class health care team.”
Member’s Shift to 4 Day Work Week Boosts Morale, Job Applicants; Nearly Eliminates OT: Shannon Lynch, Executive Director of The Morrison Communities (Whitefield, NH) shared with LeadingAge members her organization’s innovative approach to workforce scheduling and pay that has been a ‘runaway success.’
5 Big Lessons from a Small Workforce Study in Virginia: What a small workforce study in Richmond can teach us about designing research so it leads to sustainable change.
A Search for Leaders: How Postgraduate Fellowships Bring Talent to Aging Services: Nonprofit aging services providers are working to create postgraduate fellowships to bring potential leadership talent into the field.
Caregivers’ Calling: Meaning and Fulfillment by Supporting Others: For National Caregivers Day, we honor the professional caregivers at the heart of our field.
A Growing Program Launches Health Careers for Underserved Students and Young Adults: This member’s long-standing career development program is being rebranded and expanded into a replicable model to help other providers bring new talent into our field.
Stabilizing Your Workforce Through Wraparound Supports: Professional caregivers are often still paid below the living wage, contributing to instability and a lack of access to food, child care, health care, housing, transportation and other basic necessities.
‘A Special Kind of Heart and Passion’: Florida Providers Cope With Hurricane Ian
For This Professional, Working in Aging Services Is ‘A Game Changer’: This creative social work director—who fell instantly in love with aging services when she was first introduced to it—celebrates and admires the older adults she serves.
Recruiting Job Candidates Over 50 With a Welcoming, Inclusive Environment: This LeadingAge member has become a certified Age-Friendly Employer, updating its recruitment practices to appeal to older generations of care professionals.
An International Workforce Program as a Source of Well-Trained Staff: Nonprofit aging services providers are using creative strategies to cope with workforce shortages. This LeadingAge member is hiring interns from Jamaica who will fill hospitality and culinary positions–and eventually train as frontline caregivers.
Bonus Program, Recruitment and Retention Efforts Support Frontline Workers: This provider is launching a $5.2 million bonus program, paired with new recruitment and retention task forces, to recognize and support frontline staff.
New Rung Added to Career Ladders for Direct-Care Staff: This LeadingAge member helped create a new advanced role, “transitions specialist,” for direct care workers.
‘Employees with a Heart’ Build Better Jobs with this Provider’s Help: This member’s program empowers staff to gain the training they need to forge satisfying careers in LTSS.
Federal Funds Can Make a Difference in Building the Aging Services Workforce: Workforce provisions in the Build Back Better legislation would boost training options for workers seeking health care careers, while helping LTSS providers improve their pipeline of new employees. Here’s an example of a successful federal program that should be continued.
A Provider-High School Partnership Gives Students a Foundation for LTSS Careers: This LeadingAge member is helping at-risk high school students begin careers with CNA training, paid internships, and mentoring.
A Financial Stewardship Program to Help Staff Make the Most of Their Money: This provider helps staff learn about budgeting, saving for retirement, and building a path to home ownership.
A Culture of Trust Mitigates Effects of Staff Shortages: This provider’s pre-pandemic preparation, plus creative employee benefits, has helped it weather the pandemic without unmanageable worker shortages.
Bringing Out the Leaders in Staff: This provider’s staff development program makes new employees feel welcome, builds bonds and leadership skills, and features hands-on attention from top leadership.
Helping Immigrant Nurses Help U.S. Long-Term Care: This provider’s innovative program to recruit nursing staff from the Philippines helped it overcome its own chronic shortages of licensed nurses. It is also helping other providers find staff as well.
Hard Choices in Search of a Living Wage for Staff: Despite inadequate reimbursement and in the face of severe workforce shortages, LeadingAge members are working to increase compensation for the direct-care workers that they rely on.
Pairing Jobs and Training for a New Generation of Employees: Providers are partnering in programs that bring high school students into the LTSS workforce pipeline with employment opportunities, life skills counseling, and career training.
Putting Out a Red Carpet to Recruit New Employees: This provider is attracting new employees using the principles it uses to attract new residents.

Vaccines: Education, Communication, and ‘Secret Weapons’ Keep Communities Healthy: These members educate and support residents, clients, and staff in staying up to date with vaccinations against respiratory viruses.
Quick Launch of Assistance Programs Helps Staff Begin Recovery from Hurricane: Heavy personal losses among staff spurred this member’s ad hoc programs offering childcare, help with food and supplies, and wellness, while donations have helped fund recovery.
Single-Site Enrichment—Visionary Plan Drives Expansion: How one single-site life plan community is bucking the sector’s consolidation trend and thriving.
Intergenerational Living Mixes the Talents and Wisdom of Two Generations: This member has reimagined independent living with an ethic of “intentional neighboring” to fight isolation and loneliness among its residents: older adults and college students.
A Memory Care Model Built on Innovation in Design and Technology: This memory care model includes a village-like environment and technology to maximize resident freedom, community, and quality of life.
Live-In Marketers: Resident Involvement Boosts Provider’s Marketing to Prospects: This member’s creative marketing and community events give prospective residents a chance to engage with current ones—with positive results
11th Hour Program Brings the Power of Connection to Those at the End of Life: This LeadingAge member’s initiative brings dignity and grace to residents and their families in the final days of life.
Building the Power of Connections Online for Isolated Older Adults: This member’s program promotes social connectedness and engagement among the older adults it serves.
Vaccination Advice from LeadingAge Members: Vigilance, persistent and empathetic communication, and collaboration are key to keeping nursing home residents up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations.
2023 Leadership Academy Action Learning Projects: Since the program began in 2006, Action Learning Projects have been a core piece of the Larry Minnix Leadership Academy.
New Project: Educating Frontline Staff to Support Housing Residents: LeadingAge Maryland is working with members to enhance the role frontline housing staff play in supporting resident well-being. The LTSS Center will evaluate its success.
Leadership Academy Fellows Advance the Field with Action Leadership Projects: C-suite executives. Entrepreneurs. Authors. Association executives. Mentors. Friends. Past Fellows of the Larry Minnix Leadership Academy have become all of those things and more.
Members Keep Communities Safe With HHS Funds for Vaccine Education
Trust, Transparency, and Leadership: Keys to High Nursing Home Resident Bivalent Booster Rates
Celebrating the 2022 Leadership Academy Fellows’ Action Learning Projects
Making All-Private Rooms and Creative Fundraising Keys to Skilled Nursing Excellence: This member believes that as a nonprofit provider, modernization of skilled nursing communities combined with robust fundraising will secure its future in long-term care.
Expansion of HCBS a Challenge and an Opportunity for These Members: Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, more LeadingAge member communities are expanding their footprints to include home and community-based services (HCBS). Here are some examples.
Creative Recruitment Ideas to Reel in Hospice Volunteers: Hospice providers face concerns about reinstatement of the 5% volunteer hours requirement once the COVID public health emergency ends.
When Hospitals Needed Help, One LeadingAge Member Bolstered a Regional Health Care System: This New York member was called on to help support an overwhelmed regional health care system. It succeeded, while integrating National Guard troops in its work.
A Free Food Pantry to Support Residents and Staff: This nonprofit aging services organization created a free food pantry to help residents and staff get through the worst days of the pandemic. But the need still remains, and this mission-driven provider is meeting it.
Homes, Services, and Supports Help Older Adults Keep Leading Life: Nonprofit aging services providers improve the lives of older adults with person-centered services, giving millions of Americans new homes or helping them remain in their own homes while they age. Here are a few examples of people who are living their best lives with the help of LeadingAge members.
An Information Lifeline for Those Lacking Networks of Support: This nonprofit aging services provider offers education, support, and camaraderie for older adults who fear they will age alone.
Mission and Connection: Serving At-Risk Youth and Older Adults Too: This LeadingAge member’s services for children, youth, and families demonstrate the nonprofit difference by helping vulnerable young people with trauma-informed care and a commitment to trusting relationships.
LeadingAge Members Promote, Educate, and Vaccinate with CDC Grants: Grants from Community Catalyst’s Vaccine Equity and Access Program are helping LeadingAge members promote and provide COVID vaccines and boosters within their organizations and surrounding communities.
Adult Day Program Expanding its Future with a Dementia Hub: This LeadingAge member came through the pandemic with a commitment to expand the scope of its medical-model adult day services.
Sustainable Design and Practices Attract Residents to this Life Plan Community: This LeadingAge member, with the help of its environmentally aware residents, is modeling the benefits of a green community.
Older, Wiser Creators Inventing a Better World: Residents at this retirement community are the brains behind a program to invent and improve tools for better aging in place.
Art and an Evidence Base to Train Life Enrichment Staff: This LeadingAge member created a program to help staff make the most of their resident and client engagement work.
Reimagining Adult Day to Recover from the Pandemic: This provider’s adult day program, like many others, had to close during the pandemic. An ambitious new model, board leadership, and inspiration from the LeadingAge Leadership Academy drives its rebirth.
‘Who is Our Neighbor?’ For Afghan Refugees, a Place to Start a New Life: This LeadingAge member, along with local churches and the community, is helping to settle Afghan refugee families.
Evidence-Based Therapeutic Horticulture Program Improves Lives of Residents: With the help of Civil Money Penalty grants, Washington state providers are bringing indoor gardens to benefit residents living with dementia.
A Strategic Growth Plan Keeps This Organization Focused on the Future: Consistent long-term growth planning, along with a university partnership, has resulted in redevelopment plans for both of this provider’s campuses.

Two-Way Insights—CCRC Residents Learn From and Inform Local Journalists: Monthly conversations match a community that is “rich with stories” with those who can tell them.
The Spirit and Practice of Intergenerational Learning: This member is partnering with the college next door to create a university-based retirement community, offering intergenerational benefits to older adult residents and students alike.
Building Partnerships to Help Solve National Crisis of Older Adult Homelessness: This member is setting aside affordable apartments to serve older adults experiencing homelessness, and partnering to bring case management and wraparound services to the new residents.
The Power of PACE: Revitalizing an Urban Neighborhood. This new Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is the first of its kind in the District of Columbia, owned by two nonprofit PACE operators: Element Care, based in Lynn, MA, and Edenbridge Health, based in Boston.
More Rides and Lower Costs with a Pragmatic Partnership: This LeadingAge member partnered with another local provider to replace a transportation program that had been shut down by COVID.
Wellness Partnership Brings Outdoor Fun to Older Adults in All Settings of Care: Aging services providers use innovation and creativity to offer all older adults opportunities to experience new things and conquer challenges. Here is one example.
A Partnership and a Federal Program Helps Affordable Housing Residents Reduce Broadband Costs: A federal program lowered internet costs. Good service coordination and partnership with a community organization enabled low-income residents to put those discounts to work.
Mission-Driven Focus on Affordable Housing Plus Services Drives New Partnership: This LeadingAge member is redeveloping an affordable housing community in partnership with a public housing authority and PACE providers, while seeking to offer PACE-like services to moderate-income residents as well.
Intergenerational Program Pairs Ambitious Students with Accomplished Elders as Mentors: Senior to Senior matched a group of high school students with accomplished older adults, and great relationships resulted.

Tech Responses When Natural Disasters Hit: Two LeadingAge members and CAST patrons share what they’ve learned from their recovery from 2024 hurricanes.
New CAST Case Study—Enhancing HIPAA Compliance and Cybersecurity: Expert assessments and penetration testing elevated care communities’ preparedness.
Honoring Rich Schutt: The Visionary Behind CAST
New CAST Case Study—Data Analytics Transform Decision-Making: See how data empowered this member to improve resident health and transform its operations.
New CAST Case Study: Elevating Memory Care. This member uses technology to monitor resident wellness, detect potential health issues, and build trust between families and caregivers.
Broadband and Digital Training for Affordable Housing: How One Member Tapped Federal Funds: Inspired by positive benefits of internet access, this provider seeks innovative ways to make broadband easily available and affordable.
New CAST Case Study: Reduce Accounts Payable Processing Time by 80%. One provider cut its accounts payable processing time drastically through automation.
New CAST Case Study: Digital Transformation. See how a continuing care retirement community improved productivity and its residents and employees’ experience.
Technology Helps Overcome Hearing Loss, Language Barriers for Affordable Housing Residents: A simple two-way communication system makes one-on-one and group communication easy, and streamlines translation for non-English speakers.
Residents and Staff Welcome Robots in Pilot: Robots enabled diners and staff to spend more time together.
How Robots Are Aiding Senior Living: Robots are solving workforce shortages and identifying residents’ health risks early.
Harnessing Technology to Streamline At-Home Services: This LeadingAge member has partnered with a technology company to bring affordable at-home services–complete with strong family connection capabilities and AI-driven monitoring–to clients aging in place.
Robots in Nursing Homes: Pilots and Progress. Research continues on the best ways to use robots in nursing homes and is addressing ethical as well as technological issues.
New CAST Case Study: Digital Lending Library Forges Connections. Consider replicating this simple and innovative project to increase social engagement.
Combining Technology and Wellness in Affordable Housing: Two LeadingAge members are partnering to make a meaningful impact on the lives of low-income housing residents with whole-person wellness programming, enabled by digital devices and improved broadband access.
A Good Idea and Willing Partners Bring Digital Engagement to Affordable Housing: A start-up nonprofit and a LeadingAge member joined forces on the fly to open new horizons, via internet connectivity, for residents isolated during the pandemic.
Food Services Group Pilots Robot: Learn how robots are doing in senior living dining rooms.
Affordable Housing Residents Engage with the World Via Technology and Broadband: These residents need social engagement, access to services, education, and fun. This provider’s technology program, complete with digital devices and one-on-one help, makes those things possible.
Bringing Broadband, Devices, and Training to Affordable Housing Residents: The Lighthouse for Older Adults initiative works to diminish isolation and improve access to health care, wellness, and services for low-income residents.
Smart Speaker Technology Helps Affordable Housing Residents Age in Place: This partnership puts Amazon Echo Dots or Google Nest Minis in the hands of affordable housing residents, along with the skills needed to use them.
Using Simple Technology Upgrades to Build TV Studios for Resident Engagement: This provider adapted to COVID-driven lockdowns by finding a whole new way to engage and inform residents.
Broadband Reunites Retired Doctor with Classmates After 65 Years: A medical school reunion was made possible by communications technology.
Virtual Reality Opens Hearts and Entertains Nursing Home and AL Residents: A pilot of VR programming in one AL community was so popular it was quickly expanded across this member organization.
Technology Helped This Provider Maintain a Human Touch During Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic forced this provider to adapt to technology-driven resident engagement; it also led to the positive rethinking of many aspects of community life.
Family Creates Popular Live-Streamed Shows for Memory Care Residents: Technology enables the family of a resident to make its own entertaining contribution to this community’s social life.
Innovating With Technology to Boost Resident Engagement: With its volunteer program shuttered during the pandemic, this provider, a technology company, and creative students joined forces to entertain residents.
Relationships Grow, Isolation Drops Thanks to Technology: This provider adapted simple technology tools to boost communication and community during the pandemic.
A Technology Workaround to Streamline Testing: This member adapted its EMR to comply with test reporting requirements while saving funds and staff time.
Cutting-Edge Technology Brings Providers into the 21st Century: Providers are exploring progressive technology that enhances resident and staff health and safety.

As Election Day Nears, ‘I Wouldn’t Consider Not Voting’: To help ensure older adults can exercise their right to vote, use LeadingAge’s 2024 election resources.
CDC Director Attends Ohio Member’s Flu Vaccine Clinic: Dr. Mandy Cohen’s visit spotlights the role of aging services in keeping older adults and health care staff safe from dangerous winter viruses.
In the Words of Advocates: Lobby Day Stories from Members. Comments and stories from a group of members returning from visits to the Hill during the 2024 Leadership Summit.
What is Advocacy in Action? LeadingAge members engage in advocacy efforts throughout the year across the country—virtually and in-person, on state issues and federal—and here’s a look at what that means.
LeadingAge Members Flood Capitol Hill on Lobby Day: LeadingAge members from around the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the Leadership Summit—and to take their most critical issues to Capitol Hill.

Centenarian Stars—Member’s Persistence Pays Off in Garnering Positive PR: A communications director knew she had a terrific story, but was less certain of how to grab reporters’ attention. Determination won out with hits on local TV and digital outlets.
Handmade Valentine’s Day Cards from LeadingAge Brighten Residents’ Day!
For These Doctors, Aging Unbound Means Bringing Accessible Health Care to India: Physician couple provides free medical care to 100,000-plus people in their native country.
Rabbi James Rudin: “Do Something Different.” For Older Americans Month, we are recognizing older adults who are “Aging Unbound.”
Member Uses Grant to Combine Vaccine Clinic, St. Pat’s Day Party for Residents
Members and the People They Serve Celebrate the Holidays with Engagement and Generosity: We heard from a few LeadingAge members who told their stories of holiday fun.
Giving Voice and Honor to Older Adults: This LeadingAge-member provider helps residents tell their stories of life and wisdom with the help of writer-volunteers.
Celebrating Resilience and Community During Older Americans Month: The 2nd annual DC Longevity Fun Run brought together people of all ages, 11 aging services organizations, and local dignitaries to honor older adults, the people who serve them, and the importance of community.
Living Their Best Lives in the Place They Call Home: Aging services providers encompass a variety of creative organizations offering services ranging from simple help at home, to housing, to long-term nursing and memory care for those who need it. See how nonprofit and mission-driven providers help residents and clients live healthier, happier lives.
Leading Life Their Way: Extra help from aging services can improve older adults’ quality of life, safety, and happiness. See how nonprofit aging services providers help residents and clients live their best lives.
Miles to Go: Wellness Initiative a Hit with Affordable Housing Residents: This LeadingAge member’s “Let’s Get Moving Together” program is giving residents a greater sense of control of their health, along with fun and friendly competition.
An Annual “Walk in the Park” that Builds Bonds: This simple twice-yearly outdoor activity allows residents and staff to renew old friendships and create new ones.