Women’s History Month is a great time to recognize the impact of women in aging services. I’ve been blessed to have fantastic mentors and teammates throughout my career. One early mentor that stands out is Suzanne, the Executive Director of the first campus where I worked. Suzanne took the time to really get to know her teammates and the residents who called that campus home. Despite her complicated schedule, she gave freely of her time and was kind enough to teach and train me during my first years in senior living. I’m also reminded of one of the most capable people that I have ever met. Tara was the Director of Nursing for a skilled nursing facility during the COVID pandemic. Her steady demeanor, clinical skills and sharp intelligence helped protect vulnerable residents and allowed her to lead her team effectively through a challenging season.
In my current role, I’m blessed to be surrounded by a capable and effective sales team made up of Sally Casey, Jodi Biewen, Tamara Stroike as well as an award-winning Personalization and Move-In Coordinator, Rachel McGowan. The time and care that they dedicate to understanding each individual who inquires about our community makes all the difference to our prospects and VIPs. Throughout every department and role, senior living is made better by the presence and leadership of dedicated women like these.
In the December Bella Vida (BV) Voice, I wrote about the importance of building community – and how one of the main benefits of BV will be the connection among its residents. As a reminder to those who may not be familiar, the “10 & 10” program is an opportunity for our VIPs to refer other people to BV – that could be a next-door neighbor, friend from church, former co-worker, your favorite cousin, etc. If the referral results in a deposit, then both the new VIP and the referring VIP get a $10,000 discount applied to their respective entrance fee. You don’t have to make the sale yourself. You only need to make the introduction to be eligible. As the “10 & 10” promotion wraps up, I’m reminded again of the importance of this first group of residents. In many ways, our initial residents will set the atmosphere, culture, and direction of Bella Vida. Every community has a “feel” – and it is the people who make up the community that define it. I’m excited to be part of that process with this group.
If you know others who would be the right fit for Bella Vida – and the community we are building here – then now would be the best time to introduce us. They’ll thank you later!
Sincerely,
Brooks Powell
Bella Vida Executive Director
