30 » OpenRoad Driver
her name is Noreen . So , we went out to find a tugboat and painted “ Noreen ” on the boat and put it in the Alzheimer ’ s courtyard . We then built a pier and boardwalk around it . When people go out to the courtyard , they experience a harbour . We have a property in Redmond where a lot of people grew up going camping , so we built a campground in the courtyard to simulate the environment . We are trying to be creative , adding almost Disney-like elements into our buildings .
To help recruit and retain people , you ’ ve done some amazing and innovative things . Tell us about that people philosophy .
I was raised by a single mom and we were very poor . I had a fascination with cars very early on . But I couldn ’ t afford cars when I was a little kid , so I used to take my stingray bike with an old pillowcase , get up early on the weekend at 5:00 am in the morning , going behind the bars , collecting pop bottles . In the 1960s , you could get $ 0.05 for a big pop bottle and a small one $ 0.03 . And I would use the money to go to a dollar store to buy car posters . Therefore , poverty is a big university for me . I think poverty gives you a matter of empathy in terms of how you view people when they struggle . It also gives me a sensitivity to the 3,000 people who work for me . You probably read about our potato soup story where my mom had to steal potatoes for us to eat . We lived on that for ten days until she got paid , so she could repay the potatoes . I would never want my staff to experience that and get hungry . I set up this Potato Soup Foundation and the most proud I am is , today , 700-800 of our staff contribute to this foundation every two weeks . A dime and a dollar – it doesn ’ t matter to me – but just that it teaches everyone how to care for each other .
EPIC is a big deal for us . We don ’ t tell people who ’ s coming or what the theme is in advance . The event stands for Empower People Inspire Consciousness . We have had 100 executives who wanted to come and watch . The reason that I want to do EPIC is , a company needs to get their employees to time out and not have company meetings . This is for people to evaluate their careers and personal lives to make sure they are living their best lives .
You like to hire outside of the industry . How does it help your business ?
You are not going to get a good child if you keep on marrying your cousins . You ’ ve got to change your DNA at some point . When I studied the industry , I saw they were just recycling the people and paying more . Some would start as an activity assistant , then assistant manager and manager , and finally be the VP . What I really wanted to do … what can I teach people quickly ? I thought I can teach people to care , and to learn the industry . I can teach people these in 6-12 months . But I won ’ t be able to teach people to be financially proficient , to be able to read P & L and balance sheets in six months . So , I looked at a parallel industry like hotels . Today , from the 67 managers on the bench , only two to three are from our industry .
You once said that you want to bring moments of joy . And that you want to give back to the people who choose your communities . You talked a bit about that earlier .
The moments of joy are what we wanted to do for our residents . We tell our staff , that every day you approach the resident , you may be the last person to talk to this resident on this planet . This brings awareness , and a profound experience to this resident . Our job is to contact them and bring them the moments of joy or pleasure . To make today beautiful , check if the chef is making their favourite meatball . This is our basic job at the end of the day . Not to just feed residents and clothe them , but whatever way we can make them laugh , tell them a joke , it is just those particular moments . And if we can knit those moments together , that is the incredible service that we want to do .
Congratulations on the success of your book , 30 Summers More . In it , you share lessons learned over many years from the 60,000 residents you have helped care for . Does any single lesson or story stand out ?