What’s Your Neighborhood’s Walk Score?
Walking is a great exercise and so beneficial for successful aging. How walkable is your neighborhood or the one you’re considering living in? Find out at walkscore.com.Pretty cool tool.
Leadership, Change and the Age Wave
A lot of organizations are working on internal change to deal with the unprecedented external change that’s coming with the age wave. Below is a recent interview with Ecumen CEO Kathryn Roberts about that subject. The article appeared in a recent edition of Boardmember Magazine, which is published by BoardSource. Based in Washington, D.C., BoardSource works with non-profit organizations across the country to improve governance. This interview was part of their regular CEO feature called: Leadership Lessons.Leadership Lessons: Riders of the Wave
Kathryn Roberts, president and CEO of Ecumen, one of the country’s largest nonprofit senior housing and services companies, views the aging of the Baby Boom generation as an opportunity, rather than a challenge. As Board Member learned in a recent interview, she and her 16-member board of trustees are seizing that opportunity by rethinking and reinventing the services and products Ecumen provides to seniors today €” and tomorrow, when the Baby Boom 'age wave' hits the senior housing industry.Board Member: You’ve said it yourself: America is on the cusp of an unprecedented demographic transformation. Ecumen is planning to 'ride the age wave,' rather than drown beneath it, by innovating services and products. From where does this ability to embrace change come?Kathryn Roberts: It stems from me, my leadership team, and the board €” and there’s absolute unanimity about doing it. In 2004, after I had been at Ecumen for about a year and was starting to put some strategies in place to ride the wave, the board went on a retreat. The members used that time to identify a vision for our future and a five-year plan. Since then, it’s been 'Go, Kathryn, go. Go as fast as you can.'I may be overstating this, but if this organization hadn’t changed, it would not be looking at its 200th anniversary. And the board knew it too. Five years ago, more than 80 percent of our revenue came from government reimbursement, primarily through our nursing home line. With set rates and declining Medicaid support, we were only going to lose money. Because the nursing home industry is so regulated, our expenses were completely out of our control as well. So our choice was to either change our product line or run through our cash and close up shop.Facing this dilemma, we strategized with the board and came to the consensus that we would need to add services that are less regulated and generate private revenue to offset the inherent losses in the nursing home line. My leadership team and I recommended that these new services include independent housing, assisted living, and care for those with Alzheimer’s and other memory impairments. One of the goals we set in that first strategic plan was to reduce the percentage of our income that comes from our nursing home line from 82 percent to 52 percent €” there is no question in my mind that we will achieve that goal and maybe exceed it.We’re now about to go through the strategic planning process again, and this time we want to be even more intentional. In 2004, we planned in a naïve, intuitive way. In October, we’ll be more grounded in facts €” we recently brought in the state demographer to spend time with the board, and last year, we conducted the largest survey ever of Minnesota Baby Boomers to learn what they’re thinking about the future. The new data we’ve collected will inform the board’s discussions and decisions.BdM: Has there been any resistance to change or push-back from the board?KR: The board has been very supportive, right from the beginning. Throughout these tumultuous years, there has been only one instance when a board member raised the fear that we might be stepping away from our mission to provide the poorest and the neediest with housing and nursing care. But that has not happened. In fact, by venturing into the private sector market and creating business aimed at the new demographic, we will increase our income, thus allowing us to serve the neediest in a more robust way.BdM: To better meet the needs of the aging Baby Boomers, Ecumen is also involved in changing public policy. Is the board supportive of your efforts in this area?KR: Legislative and public policy work was not a part of the old organization. But policy and funding changes are necessary if we are going to meet the Baby Boomers’ demand for a broad range of services, such as technology that will help them live more independently. We are committed to shaping change externally, as well as internally, so we’ve begun to build a board with relevant experience. Our board chair, for example, was chair of a political party in Minnesota, and several board members have political and lobbying experience.BdM: The membership of your board has changed since your arrival in 2003. Is there a trick to recruiting such a talented, supportive board?KR: I have to give credit to Ecumen’s former board members. To make change happen, they knew we had to augment the board’s existing makeup. We have enriched and broadened our board with a variety of backgrounds and skills. The board has helped shape itself into what it is today.Also, we put in place a process that has provided, for the first time, more names on the plate than we need. This allows us to select only those people whose personal interests and skills are a good match with our mission. If someone is not in sync with our goals or lacks commitment to growth and change, we’re comfortable suggesting that that candidate might be happier serving on another board. The board is clear about what we’re trying to do and knows the qualifications and interest needed on the board to make it happen. There is a high level of mutual trust, and that has made all the difference.BdM: How have you managed to achieve that high trust level?KR: I live by two values: I do what I say I’m going to do and I’m transparent €” whether it’s good news or bad. This gives me credibility with the board, and it raises their level of confidence that I won’t blindside them. For example, we had a large and very popular nursing home that had been part of our organization for many years. It was also hemorrhaging money. We could have continued to tread water. But long-term that wouldn’t have benefited this organization. Instead I recommended that we sell the nursing home and laid out why. Decisions like that are never easy. They impact a lot of people. But it was the best thing to do for our organization. Of course, trust doesn’t happen overnight; it’s one step at a time. But however you achieve it, trust is essential, especially if you want to change the way your organization does business.BdM: What advice would you give other nonprofits contemplating transformation in response to major demographic shifts?KR: You have to be bold, be brave, see the vision in front of your face every day, communicate it to interested stakeholders, and then work hard to make it happen. You have to have accountability and measurement. How else will you know if you’re making progress toward your goals?Nonprofits are businesses, and we have the responsibility to be financially successful so we can deliver on our missions. I believe strongly that too few nonprofits are thinking about services they need to change in response to the age wave. For me, my board members, and the people who work at Ecumen, the issue of providing services to the aging is very personal. At some point, we all will need these services €” and there better be good choices.
The Aging Revolution by Wesley Enhanced Living
I’m a revolutionary.' Those are the words Jeff Petty, CEO of Wesley Enhanced Living in Philadelphia opened up Wesley’s Aging Revolution Conference in Philly. What he meant by a revolutionary is that he’s part of an organization that is 'changing aging' and revolutionizing how we serve our customers and prepare for tomorrow.The thought-provoking event included breakout sessions on e-seniorhood of 2027, discussions of how to better deliver housing and services, a keynote by Senator John Glenn, and a presentation by U.S. Comptroller General David Walker of the need to deliver new solutions on Medicare and Medicaid spending. Here’s a look at other revolutionaries who spoke.One extremely innovative revolutionary was Tobey Gordon Dichter, founder and CEO of the non-profit Generations On Line. She has made the internet highly accessible and affordable for seniors who live in assisted living or nursing homes. Helping seniors cross the digital divide, she’s also shattering stereotypes. Look at the top terms (in no particular order) that seniors look for on the internet based on a study her company did. They don’t look much different from non-seniors' search terms.- Culture/history- News- Names- Travel- Hobbies- Religion- Sports- Food & Wine- Politics/Issues- Health/Fitness-Education/Employment- Sex- Personal finance- CarsKudos to Wesley Enhanced Living on being Leaders, Revolutionaries and hosting a great conference.
Senior Housing Development Tips
We get a lot of calls from people wanting to develop senior housing. Sometimes those calls turn into fabulous projects that truly help make communities places where people can grow up and grow old.A number of these calls, however, come from starry-eyed speculators who really don’t understand the complexities of building a high-quality, vibrant senior community. For those truly interested in learning more about senior housing development, we have a new white paper that you can download (It’s on the left-hand side of the page link above). It looks at key things to think about before delving into a senior housing project. We hope you find it helpful. If you have other tips that you’d like to add, please submit your comments below. Facing the age wave, our society has such an opportunity to make livable communities for people throughout their lives.
Commodity Care or People Care in America’s Nursing Homes?
If you get a second, read the large article that was in this Sunday’s New York Times, about the surge in private equity firms taking over nursing homes. Beneath the text is an underlying question for America: Should older Americans be cared for as commodities or as people? Interested to hear your thoughts on this article and what it says about the state of long-term care in America.
Ecumen Welcomes New Trustees
We’ve been very fortunate at Ecumen to have volunteers who want to share their experiences and leadership skills in creating home and changing aging. We’d like to introduce you to the four newest members of our Board of Trustees: Rev. Dean Johnson, Peggy Lucas, Robert Hoffman and Rev. Kris Linner.
Robert H. Hoffman: Robert earlier this year was named Minnesota State University’s first vice president for strategic business, education and regional partnerships. He served as chair of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) and was a longtime Thrivent board member. A former coach, principal and school superintendent, Robert also served nearly 20 years in a variety of executive roles with Taylor Corporation. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in secondary school administration from Minnesota State University in Mankato, and a doctor of education from Utah State University. “I was drawn by the leadership of the organization, and I’m so energized by the opportunities presented by this social phenomenon of the aging populace. There is so much potential when you look at continuous learning and the skills and wisdom of seniors. This is such a huge part of our society’s future. Ecumen is a leader in that future, and I’m extremely excited to be part of it.”
Rev. Kris Linner: Kris is the pastor of care ministries at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stillwater, Minn. Her extensive experience as a chaplain includes service at Lyngblomsten Care Center in St. Paul and Gunderson Lutheran Hospice in LaCrosse, WI. She was working as a social worker with seniors, when she felt called to enter seminary. Today her work combines both callings. Kris is the author of the children’s book My Brother Dave: Living Through a Loved One’s Death, and her work has appeared in Thanatos, Lutheran Women Today, Connections and The Lutheran. She is a graduate of Bemidji State University and Luther Northwestern Seminary. “My love for ministry to the aging initially attracted me to Ecumen. I’m extremely impressed by the innovation, leadership and forward thinking that Ecumen exhibits. The long-term care system nationally needs change and Ecumen is really looking at and working on new ways to serve seniors. I’m looking forward to being part of that.” 
Rev. Dean E. Johnson: Dean Johnson was selected as a Regent of the University of Minnesota in 2007. He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he served from 1978 to 1982 and the Minnesota Senate (1982 to 2006), where served as minority and majority leader. A brigadier general in the United States Army National Guard, he was special assistant to the chief of chaplains, National Guard Bureau, Washington, D.C. and received numerous awards and commendations, including the Legion of Merit. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Luther College, a master’s of divinity from Luther Theological Seminary and master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.“I have enormous respect for Kathryn Roberts and board chair Loanne Thrane. I was very interested in long-term care during my 28 years in the State Legislature. I see it as one of the major issues facing the Church and our Society, and this is an opportunity for me to continue to serve in this important area.”
Peggy Lucas: Peggy is co-founder of Twin Cities-based Brighton Development Corporation, which focuses on historical preservation and residential housing. Her leadership was instrumental in the redevelopment of the historic West Side Milling District near downtown Minneapolis and development of award-winning affordable housing. Peggy has been named one of the Twin Cities’ “25 Most Influential Women” by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Peggy, who once served in the Peace Corps in the Middle East, received her bachelor’s of arts in history from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota. “I see Ecumen as being on the cutting edge. I’m drawn in by that and by Ecumen’s leadership. It is very energizing to see how Ecumen is stepping out front in its approach to aging and the services and housing products that it is developing.”
Technology, Aging and the Change Wave
Yesterday we were talking about how fitness is viewed by different generations. Soon we’re going to hit the first American seniors that embrace the computer. When we talked to boomers in our Age Wave study, most use the internet, and they expect it to help them live more independently and longer.Now you’re seeing a number of social networking sites geared toward baby boomers. Matt Richtel wrote about several of the emerging 'boomer' sites in a recent N.Y. Times article entitled 'The Graying of the Web.' Current sites include: rezoom (which bills itself for the ageless generation), Boomj, and Boomertown. One site that is probably going to be a success is agis, which looks like it’s still in a pre-launch phase and is designed for family caregivers who are trying to navigate long-term care. It has received significant venture capital funding. What’s appealing about it is that it focuses on family caregivers to be a one-stop online resource where they can find the information they need to care for a spouse or parent, and talk with others who are experiencing the same thing. The upcoming generations of seniors are used to using technology to help them get the information that they need, when they need it. Marriage between technology that answers questions and makes it easier to navigate the long-term care maze is a good one.
Fitness and The Greatest Generation
Congratulations to Ecumen team members at The Pines and The Oaks in Hutchinson. They were a recipient of an Ecumen Majestic Oak Award for Innovation, which they received for developing a new initative that improves the lives of the people we serve and is adapted at other Ecumen communities. For more on the Ecumen Innovation Station program, go here.(Pictured L to R: Peggy Sugheimer, Kathryn Roberts and Joyce Aakre after the planting of the Ecumen Majestic Oak in Hutchinson).While prevention and fitness are becoming more prevalent in the next generation of seniors, they’re not as prevalent in the Greatest Generation. The team at Hutchinson (and Shelly Sohre, who now leads another Ecumen community) have created a fitness initiative where residents at The Oaks and The Pines pick a destination and then measure their miles. They’ve walked to Sturgis, Chicago and Dallas. When they reach their destination, they have a huge themed-party. They also have had a philanthropic component tied to it where local businesses make donations based on the number of miles that our customers have walked. If you have other creative programs that engage today’s seniors in fitness, please share them.
The Senior Federation and the Age Wave
Last week was a pretty interesting action packed week related to changing aging' in Minnesota … you can feel people feeling an opportunity to transform aging …- There was the Department of Human Services Transform 2010 Summit in St. Paul. It was packed with more than 200 people looking at the future. If you want to attend one of these sessions in your part of the state, here’s a link to upcoming meetings this month and next. - Archbishop Harry Flynn came out on Friday with his first of a three-part column series in the Archdiocesean newpaper on the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis work in preparing for the Age Wave. You can read his recent Pastoral Letter on Aging here.- And then there was a fascinating discussion hosted by the Minnesota Senior Federation to discuss reframing the role and responsibilty of the Senior Federation as it enters the Age Wave. People of varied ages were there from diverse sectors, such as health plans, foundations, senior housing organizations, marketing, and elsewhere.What was especially interesting (and energizing) is how people of various ages all agreed on things that were on their mind as they think about Minnesota’s age wave. Here are a number of them in various categories:Economic- Not outliving income- Housing: staying or moving?- Legacy planning- Who will take care of Minnesotans?- Going from 'Working' to 'Lifework' (Remember, most boomers said in our Age Wave Study, they’re going to do work they enjoy)- Working on my terms, not someone else’s- Starting up businessesSocial/Community- Want to stay in community- Want social contact- Opportunities for civic and social engagement- Lifelong learningRecreation/Lifestyle- Say goodbye to the 'senior center'; will be replaced by community centers/all ages- Alternative housing options- 'Senior Needs' won’t be so much different from rest of the community; in other words seniors won’t be viewed as so different from the rest of the community- Need transportation to maintain lifestyle- Stay physically active- technology (social networking)Health and Wellness- Access to health services; doctor will see them- Be able to afford care- Proactive, preventive health care- Keeping seniors active- Enabling independence- Technology (sharing information, reach into rural areas)As Bob Dylan sang, 'The times, they are a changing.'
Are You Going to Stop Working?
Last night Kathy Adams, who leads Arlington Place of Oelwein, Iowa, an Ecumen-managed community, was elected to the school board in Oelwein. (Word is that Hillary wanted to meet a person in the heartland who represents America’s changing face of retirement.) Kathy is planning on retiring soon, but let’s get real, anyone who has met her knows she’s not really going to retire, she’s going to keep using her skills in building community. That school board job is going to be a lot of work. Kathy won’t be alone. Many others are joining her in redefining retirement.Today Dave Phelps had an interesting front-page article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune: 'Retirement Age Doesn’t Mean 65.' According to his article, U.S. Census data shows: - 23.2% of U.S. residents 65 to 74 are working. - In Minnesota, that percentage is higher, 26.3 percent. -Of Twin Cities residents in their late 60s and early 70s, more than one in four, or 27.4% are working. -Among the top 20 largest metros in the U.S., only Washington D.C., Boston, and Dallas-Fort Worth are higher.A lot of boomers don’t plan on retiring. We learned that in our Age Wave Study. Many of them also say they’re going to change jobs and do work that they enjoy. This is going to change the face of the workplace significantly, including different benefit structures, flexible scheduling, more entrepreneurial efforts and a whole host of other areas.How do you view retirement? Are you going to have a traditional retirement and stop working, or will you continue working/do some work?