Summary

In this episode, Jerry Vinci interviews Tess Quinn, a registered nurse and senior living advocate, about the importance of empathy, active listening, and thoroughness in providing transparent and unbiased advocacy services for families navigating senior living transitions. Tess shares her personal and professional experiences in the healthcare industry and how they have shaped her approach to finding the right community for older adults. She emphasizes the significance of education, transparency, and addressing the concerns and preferences of families during the decision-making process. Tess also discusses the challenges families face and the importance of having conversations about senior living options sooner rather than later. Tess Quinn, from Senior Living Specialists Chicago, discusses her approach to helping families find the right senior living community. She emphasizes the importance of working as a team with the family and utilizing their knowledge and preferences. She also highlights the need for education and information gathering, as families often struggle to navigate the numerous options available. Quinn provides personalized and detailed support, offering recommendations based on the family's needs and preferences. She also emphasizes the importance of building relationships with both families and communities. Quinn believes that the industry can better support older adults and their families by focusing on staff training and recognition, as well as providing resources and support for families during the transition process.

Takeaways

• Empathy, active listening, and thoroughness are essential in providing transparent and unbiased advocacy services for families navigating senior living transitions.


• Education is empowering and helps individuals make educated decisions about senior living options.


• Transparency and addressing concerns and preferences are crucial in helping families understand the potential risks and benefits of senior living transitions.


• Having conversations about senior living options sooner rather than later can help families make informed decisions and avoid crisis situations. Working as a team with families and utilizing their knowledge and preferences is crucial in finding the right senior living community.


• Education and information gathering are essential, as families often struggle to navigate the numerous options available.


• Providing personalized and detailed support, including recommendations based on the family's needs and preferences, is key to streamlining the community search process.


• Building relationships with both families and communities is important for effective advocacy and support.


• The industry can better support older adults and their families by focusing on staff training and recognition, as well as providing resources and support during the transition process.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

03:18 Becoming a Senior Living Advocate

04:49 Navigating Resistance and Guilt in Senior Living Transitions

07:51 The Consequences of Waiting Too Long to Make a Move

09:36 The Role of Empathy, Active Listening, and Compassion

14:24 The Value of Clinical Experience in Senior Living Advocacy

16:57 Working with Families and Common Challenges

18:33 The Importance of Early Conversations and Planning

20:52 Transitioning to Senior Living: Streamlining the Process

22:22 Introduction: Helping Families Find the Right Senior Living Community

24:37 Providing Personalized Support and Guidance

26:36 How Tess Helps Families Choose the RIght Community

30:29 Collaboration and Flexibility in Community Recommendations

32:56 Determining Factors For Recommending One Community Over Another

36:07 Balancing Information Gathering and Overwhelming Families

38:12 Supporting Families Not Ready for a Transition

39:53 Advice to Families: Early Conversations and Available Resources

42:11 Advice to the Industry: Staff Training and Creating a Positive Culture