Afleveringen
-
When should a family begin planning for assisted living? The answer is simple: before a crisis limits the available choices.
David Karnes, CEO of Nextphase Senior Living Advisors, joins Our Purpose â The LTC Podcast to explain how families can navigate assisted living, personal care homes, memory care, skilled nursing, and aging at home. He discusses senior living costs, levels of care, warning signs families shouldnât ignore, and the questions to ask when evaluating a community.
David also shares his journey from professional musician to assisted living owner and private pilot, revealing how preparation, attention to detail, and a calm mindset influence his leadership.
This episode offers compassionate, practical guidance for anyone helping an aging parent plan the next phase of lifeâwhile protecting dignity, family relationships, and peace of mind.
-
Stephanie Saga Crook joins Our Purpose hosts Kip Kruger and Chris Light to talk about what really drives success in long-term care: relationships, trust, follow-through, and service. From her role as VP of Business Development at MasVita to her reputation as a âsuper connector,â Stephanie shares how vendors can bring true value to operators, support residents at the bedside, and build partnerships that last.
In this episode, Kip, Chris, and Stephanie discuss the vendor side of long-term care, why doing what you say youâll do still matters, how to handle hard conversations when things go wrong, and why the future of skilled nursing depends on collaboration, innovation, and people who genuinely care.
-
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
Whatâs it like growing up in one of the most influential families in long-term care?
In this episode of Our Purpose, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Grayson Blake, Brand Ambassador at Creative Solutions in Healthcare and son of long-term care industry leader Gary Blake.
Grayson shares what it was like growing up around skilled nursing facilities, learning from his parents Gary and Melissa Blake, and navigating the pressure of carrying a well-known family name while working to earn his own place in the industry.
The conversation dives into leadership, mentorship, company culture, family legacy, attracting young talent to healthcare, and why long-term care needs the next generation of leaders now more than ever.
Youâll also hear Grayson discuss:
* Lessons learned from Gary and Melissa Blake
* Building credibility instead of relying on a last name
* Why follow-through and trust matter in leadership
* The future of long-term care and healthcare innovation
* How AI is changing operations and patient care
* Recruiting young professionals into healthcare
* The importance of recognition, culture, and purpose
* Faith, family, and finding your callingWhether youâre a healthcare leader, administrator, caregiver, entrepreneur, or someone looking to make an impact through service, this episode is packed with insight, perspective, and inspiration.
đ Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping skilled nursing, senior care, and long-term care.
-
In this episode of Our Purpose - The LTC Podcast, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Ron McGaughy, Senior Vice President of Strategy at HMG, to discuss how AI, strategy, leadership, and purpose are changing the future of long-term care.
Ron shares how HMG is using AI to improve admissions, streamline workflows, support clinicians, and create more time for meaningful resident care. The conversation also explores managed care, Medicare Advantage, shrinking margins, calculated risk, company culture, employee appreciation, and why long-term care leaders must do a better job telling the positive stories happening inside skilled nursing facilities.
This episode is a must-listen for LTC operators, administrators, admissions leaders, clinicians, and anyone passionate about the future of skilled nursing.
-
State survey can make or break a nursing home â and in this episode of Our Purpose - The LTC Podcast, Hosts James Dieter and Kip Kruger sit down with Stacia Boeckstiegel to talk about what it really takes to survive survey, lead through compliance, and support nursing home teams during some of the toughest moments in long-term care.
Stacia shares her journey from second-generation nursing home administrator to Assistant Director of Regulatory Compliance at Avir Healthcare, overseeing more than 60 skilled nursing facilities across Texas. From F-tags and infection control to immediate jeopardy situations, fall prevention, staffing challenges, and family communication â this conversation dives deep into the realities administrators and DONs face every single day.
Topics Covered:
* How to prepare for state survey before surveyors walk in
* The importance of family communication in long-term care
* Reducing Immediate Jeopardies (IJs) and compliance risk
* Why infection control remains the #1 cited deficiency
* Fall prevention strategies in skilled nursing facilities
* Leadership lessons for nursing home administrators
* Building strong teams and promoting from within
* Managing stress during state survey investigations
* Why regulatory compliance ultimately protects residentsIf you work in skilled nursing, assisted living, healthcare operations, or long-term care leadership â this episode is packed with practical insight and real-world experience.
đ COMMENT BELOW:
Whatâs the biggest challenge your building faces during survey season?đ Like, Subscribe & Share to help us continue telling the stories shaping long-term care.
#LongTermCare #SkilledNursing #HealthcareLeadership #StateSurvey #NursingHomeAdministrator #Compliance
-
Brad Underwood, CEO of Voyage LTC, joins Our Purpose Podcast to share his leadership journey, the culture behind Voyage LTC, and the challenges facing long-term care in Oklahoma.
In this conversation, Brad opens up about turning around distressed nursing homes, building trust with frontline staff, leading with vulnerability, and creating a culture where employees feel seen, supported, and valued. He also shares the heart behind Voyage Cares, VCamp, and the VIP Awards, programs designed to invest in employees beyond the workplace.
Brad also discusses the difficult realities facing Oklahoma long-term care, including reimbursement challenges, regulatory pressure, and why local operators must continue fighting for residents, staff, and community-based care.
This episode is a powerful look at what happens when leadership, culture, purpose, and advocacy come together in long-term care.
-
In this episode of Our Purpose â The LTC Podcast, Hosts Kip Kruger and James Dieter sit down with Cody Campbell to talk about his incredible journey from CNA to nursing home owner and the leadership lessons heâs learned along the way.
Cody shares how he built his career in long-term care over more than two decades, why leadership buy-in matters at every level, and what it really takes to create a strong culture inside a facility. We also dive into some of the biggest challenges facing LTC today, including burnout, staffing, retention, compliance, reimbursement, agency use, and survey readiness.
If youâre a nursing home administrator, DON, operator, owner, or leader in skilled nursing and long-term care, this episode is packed with practical insight and real-world encouragement from someone who has lived it at every level.
In this episode, we cover:
* Cody Campbellâs path from CNA to owner
* Building culture and leadership in long-term care
* How to create staff buy-in at the facility level
* Burnout, retention, and supporting administrators
* Reducing agency reliance and becoming fully staffed
* Why collaboration matters in LTC leadership
* The role of social media in connecting nursing home administrators
* Lessons Cody wishes he knew earlier in his careerIf youâre passionate about skilled nursing, senior care, healthcare leadership, and the future of long-term care, this conversation is for you.
Subscribe for more conversations that shine a light on the people, purpose, and leadership behind long-term care.
#longtermcare #skillednursing #nursinghomeadministrator #healthcareleadership #seniorcare #ltc
-
What does it take to build a healthcare company from the ground up and grow it across 12 states?
In this episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Kip Kruger sits down with James Dieter, CEO of Principle Health Systems, and Chris Light, COO, to unpack the origin story behind Principle Health Systems and how the company grew from an independent lab startup into one of the largest mobile lab and imaging providers serving long-term care.
They talk about the early days of the business, the unexpected shift into skilled nursing, the challenges of scaling across multiple states, and why communication, trust, innovation, and patient outcomes remain at the center of everything they do.
This conversation also dives into:
⢠how Principle entered the long-term care space
⢠the challenges of mobile lab and imaging in skilled nursing
⢠building culture in a fast-growing healthcare company
⢠leadership lessons from scaling a people-driven business
⢠why transparency and accountability matter in patient care
⢠how technology and AI may shape the future of diagnostics in LTCIf you work in skilled nursing, long-term care, post-acute care, lab services, or healthcare operations, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the leadership, mission, and vision driving one of the fastest-growing companies in the space.
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone in the LTC industry.
-
What does it take to lead well in long-term care without burning out?
In this episode of Our Purpose â The LTC Podcast, hosts James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Lisa Ridley to talk about LTC leadership, building culture, mentoring the next generation, setting attainable goals, and preventing burnout in skilled nursing and long-term care.
Lisa shares wisdom from more than 30 years in nursing and leadership, including what great administrators do differently, why culture matters more than ever, how to develop strong teams, and why encouragement, music, mentorship, and positive reinforcement can change an entire facility.
We also dive into:
⢠How leaders can create a culture people want to be part of
⢠Why work ethic, communication, and consistency matter in long-term care
⢠How to help nurses and administrators grow into leadership roles
⢠What causes burnout in LTC and how to fight it
⢠Why mentoring younger nurses is critical to the future of the industry
⢠Lisaâs work with TexSDoNA and her passion for developing the next generation of nurse leadersIf you work in skilled nursing, senior care, post-acute care, nursing leadership, or healthcare administration, this conversation is full of practical encouragement and leadership insight.
Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations that highlight the people, purpose, and innovation shaping long-term care.
-
How is AI changing skilled nursing and long-term care?
In this episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Kip Krueger, James Dieter, and Chris Light sit down with Brent Jackson, CEO of Simply Screen, to talk about how AI is transforming skilled nursing admissions, MDS workflows, PDPM accuracy, ADR preparation, and operational efficiency across long-term care.
Brent shares the origin story behind Simply Screen, how a COVID-era screening tool evolved into Simply 360, and how the platform now helps facilities review large admission packets in minutes, identify red/yellow/green flags, support MDS coordinators, improve PDPM workflows, and reduce administrative burden for long-term care teams.
They also unpack the bigger picture of AI in healthcare:
⢠Will AI replace jobs in skilled nursing?
⢠How can AI improve patient care and quality outcomes?
⢠What does responsible AI use actually look like in long-term care?
⢠How can operators use AI to help teams work at the top of their license?
⢠Why speed, quality, and smarter workflows matter more than ever as the industry faces staffing shortages and the âsilver tsunamiâIf you work in skilled nursing, long-term care, admissions, MDS, reimbursement, revenue cycle, or healthcare operations, this episode is packed with practical insight on where the industry is headed.
In this episode, we cover:
⢠AI in skilled nursing and long-term care
⢠Skilled nursing admissions workflow improvements
⢠MDS coordination and documentation support
⢠PDPM reimbursement accuracy
⢠ADR automation in long-term care
⢠AI and staffing efficiency
⢠Responsible AI use in healthcare
⢠How technology can improve patient care and facility performanceSubscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of long-term care, skilled nursing, and healthcare operations.
#LongTermCare #SkilledNursing #AIinHealthcare #MDS #PDPM #HealthcareLeadership #Admissions #SeniorCare #NursingHomeLeadership #OurPurposePodcast
-
In this episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Hosts James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Monty Montanez â combat veteran, entrepreneur, and candidate for Texasâ 32nd Congressional District â to talk about what nursing homes and long-term care leaders need most from Washington.
We dig into the real-world pressure points administrators and clinical leaders face every day: Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement constraints, staffing shortages, rural access challenges, and the high cost of transportation and care coordination. Monty shares a business-minded perspective on how policy could better support providers, reduce waste, and create incentives for preventative care â while keeping the focus on patient outcomes.
If you work in skilled nursing, rehab, long-term care, or healthcare leadership, this conversation is packed with timely questions:
⢠What changes would actually help facilities deliver better care?
⢠How do we fund preventative care in a system built to react?
⢠What would policy reform mean for staffing, access, and sustainability?Guest: Monty Montanez (combat veteran, entrepreneur, congressional candidate)
Hosted by: Kip Kruger with Chris Light and James Dieterđ If you found value here, please like, subscribe, and share with an administrator, DON, NP, or operator who needs to hear it.
-
What does it really take to turn around a struggling skilled nursing facility? In this virtual episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Hosts James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Sheila Foster, Administrator at Richardson Nursing & Rehab (Richardson, TX), to unpack the real-world playbook behind winning managed care contracts, building census, and creating a culture that keeps staffâeven in a 1-star building.
Sheila shares the leadership mindset that separates âdesk administratorsâ from true operators: rounding, answering call lights, building trust, and training AITs with a reality check (yesâŚstarting in housekeeping and the kitchen). Plus, she explains how she identifies hospital discharge bottlenecks, takes on higher-acuity populations (like bariatric and trach), and still controls expensesâwithout relying on agency.
In this episode, youâll learn:
⢠How Sheila finds âstuckâ hospital patients and turns that into contracts & census
⢠Why culture beats â$1 more per hourâ for retention (and how she built a loyal team)
⢠The staffing model shift: stop staffing by headcountâstaff by acuity
⢠PDPM/Medicaid realities and why reimbursement hasnât kept up with acuity
⢠Cost-saving modernization: Wi-Fi + smart TVs to eliminate cable expenses
⢠How skilled nursing is evolving into a mini-hospital (and whatâs next)đ§ Listen, subscribe, and share this with an administrator who needs a turnaround blueprint.
-
In this special National Activity Director Week episode of Our Purpose Podcast, Hosts James Dieter and Kip Kruger feature Jackie Johnson, a 37-year Activity Director at Springtown Park.
Jackie shares how long-term care activities have transformed across generations â from big band and World War II veterans to baby boomers with iPads and livestreamed church services.
She discusses:
The evolving role of technology in senior engagementHow to respond when activities failSurvey preparation tips for activity professionalsWhy administrators must support activitiesAnd the deeply moving âMemorial Walkâ tradition that brings dignity to a residentâs final chapterThis conversation is a powerful reminder that long-term care is not the end of the story â itâs an opportunity to write a meaningful one.
-
Crystal Quintero (2025 HMG Administrator of the Year) joins Our Purpose Hosts, James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Christ Light to break down what actually builds a strong skilled nursing cultureâbeyond the buzzwords.
From her start as a CNA to leading a 5-star facility, Crystal shares the real-world leadership moves that drive retention, reduce burnout, and keep operations survey-readyâwithout losing the heart of the mission: taking care of people.
In this episode, youâll learn:
⢠How Crystal sets expectations in orientation (and why it works)
⢠The leadership habits that create trust, accountability, and momentum
⢠Preventing burnout while still moving fast and executing daily
⢠Eliminating silos between admin and clinical teams
⢠Survey strategy: readiness systems, speed, and âopticsâ that matter
⢠Empowering managers so issues get solved before they escalateWhether youâre a new administrator, a DON, or an operator building multi-site leadership, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways you can use immediately.
đ If this episode helped you, like, subscribe, and share it with a leader in long-term care.
-
GLP-1 medications are transforming healthcareâbut what happens when they enter skilled nursing and post-acute care?
In this episode of Our Purpose â The LTC Podcast Host James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Chris Light sit down with Dr. Norberto Vargas, a board-certified physician in physical medicine & rehab, pain management, addiction medicine, and obesity medicine, to unpack the real-world impact of GLP-1s in long-term care settings.
We discuss:
⢠Why GLP-1âdriven weight loss can become dangerous muscle loss (sarcopenia) in SNFs
⢠How dehydration, reduced intake, and therapy setbacks can create facility risk and F-tag exposure
⢠Who the right and wrong candidates are for GLP-1s in post-acute and long-term care
⢠The expanding science behind GLP-1s: cardiometabolic benefits, dementia risk reduction, and addiction ânoiseâ
⢠Why obesity meets many real-world criteria for addictionâand why DSM-5 doesnât classify it that wayThis episode is essential listening for LTC administrators, medical directors, clinicians, and operators navigating GLP-1 use while protecting outcomes, compliance, and patient safety.
-
Skilled nursing has a story problemâand Cantex is working to change it.
In this episode of Our Purpose â The LTC Podcast, Kip Kruger, James Dieter, and Chris Light sit down with Armando Guzman (Chief Strategy Officer, Cantex) to break down the strategy and culture behind Cantexâs momentumâincluding 15 facilities reaching 100% occupancy in 2025.
Armando shares his path from managed care into LTC, why the industry needs new voices, and how strong accountability cultures attract elite talent. The conversation dives into âhospitality + medicalâ as the future of skilled nursing, aligning Sales and Nursing with a âstart with yesâ mindset, and how vertical integration (including Cantexâs I-SNP) creates better outcomes, visibility, and operational control.
They also unpack a standout innovation: bringing blood transfusions into the SNF to reduce avoidable transfers and help residents age in placeâplus the realities of rural specialty access, telehealth, fraud prevention, and the road toward value-based care.
-
Hosts James Dieter, Kip Kruger and Chris Light joined by Chuck Moody, Senior VP of Clinical Services at Creative Solutions, for a leadership-forward conversation on whatâs reshaping skilled nursing. We cover staffing through a âhelp-firstâ culture, PDPM documentation and cross-team alignment, the impact of I-SNPs on rehospitalizations, survey pressure, and how AI could eliminate duplication and return time back to the bedside. Chuck also shares what makes a good nurse, why LTC can be surprisingly fun, and how purpose-driven leadership changes outcomes.
-
In this episode of Our Purpose â The LTC Podcast, Hosts James Dieter and Kip Kruger are joined by Gary Blake, CEO of Creative Solutions in Healthcare, for a candid conversation on what it takes to lead in long-term care with conviction, clarity, and accountability.
Gary explains why great leaders ârun to the fire,â how he builds culture across 186+ facilities, and why he believes excellence isnât complicated: clean buildings, great food, strong clinical systems, and leaders who show upâon every shift.
We also unpack whatâs coming next: the âsilver tsunamiâ in Texas, advocacy and coalition strategy in Austin, reimbursement realities, and how Creative Solutions is using AI and innovation to streamline departments, improve performance, and elevate resident care.
This episode is packed with practical leadership takeaways for administrators, DONs, executives, and anyone building the future of LTC.
-
Manual workflows in long-term care are a dinosaurâand Kelly Roberts, Senior VP at CoreCare, explains why AI is the tool that can finally unburden teams without replacing the human side of care. Kelly shares her 30-year LTC journey, breaks down what MDS is and why it matters, and paints a picture of an âMDS assistantâ powered by responsible AI: faster chart review, better accuracy, real-time insight, and more time for staff education and resident-centered care. We also unpack PDPM complexity, documentation integrity, and why facilities that arenât adopting AI will fall behind.
-
Pain management isnât just about comfort â itâs about outcomes.
In this episode of Our Purpose Podcast, weâre joined by Daniel Hatmaker, NP, a pain management specialist working directly inside skilled nursing and long-term care facilities. Daniel explains how properly addressing pain impacts rehab participation, wound care tolerance, sleep quality, mental health, staffing workflows, and hospital readmissions.
We explore the realities of managing pain in SNFs, including the risks of under-treatment, the fear of overprescribing, and why pain control is often the missing link in successful therapy and recovery. Daniel also shares practical insights on communication with nursing teams, continuum of care from hospital to SNF, and how facilities can responsibly implement pain management services.
This episode is especially valuable for LTC administrators, DONs, clinicians, and operators focused on improving quality of care and resident outcomes.
- Laat meer zien
