Leisure Care Retirement Communities

Source: Healthcare Exec

Date :16/09/2007 08:44:01

New retirement paradigm

Retirement doesn’t have to be quiet and contemplative any longer, as Leisure Care is seeking to add a bit more zip to the best years of our lives

Written by James Buchanan & Produced by Thomas Venturo

Like a tsunami of retirees, 78 million Baby Boomers loom on the horizon, and as with nearly every aspect of their lives — from redefining what it means to be young to altering the balance between career and family — this one generation is seeking to reinvent what it means to be retired.

As such, serving this one generation’s needs through retirement and beyond is going to require innovation and re-examining how retirement communities are structured and defined.

Leading the way in bringing a new retirement paradigm to this one generation Leisure Care Retirement Communities of Seattle, Wash., which sees its mission as providing what the company describes as the leading edge Baby Boomer audience with high-end retirement housing.

Founded in 1976 by Chuck and Karen Lytle as Lytle Development, Leisure Care serves as a developer, designer and operator of more than 40 unique, resort-style, independent housing communities throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Dan Madsen, owner and CEO of Leisure Care, first joined the company as a general manager in 1988 serving in the field. In 2003, Lytle Development began looking for a succession option that would sell the management company and not the buildings themselves, while continuing to provide a unique retirement experience for the many residents living in its properties.

The resulting structure leaves Leisure Care as the manager for assets that are owned by individual Limited Liability Corporations created by Leisure Care. According to Madsen this structure allows the company to better manage each investment on its own accord while allowing for a variety of investors and fanciers relative to each project.

“This was a great opportunity for me,” says Madsen. “Leisure Care had become a huge part of my life and this offered a great way to retain these executives and employees while maintaining the unique vision of the company.”

Since purchasing Leisure Care, assets under management have doubled, reaching $1.2 billion in 2007. Accordingly, Leisure Care has grown to become the fourth largest privately owned provider of senior housing and related services.

The basis for this success says Madsen, is the company’s business philosophy, which is reflected in his own personal behavior and simply is: Always put people first, do the right thing for staff and residents in all Leisure Care communities and positively impact the lives of employees, customers, business associates and greater humankind.

When Madsen describes the company, he does so using active verbs only. He says that the communities managed by Leisure Care are not sedate, or slow moving, or static, but rather they are vibrant, active, engaging, entertaining places where people can enjoy their retirement years and continue to explore life.

“We’ve been the innovator in the industry by focusing on the market 10 years ahead of us, not looking back,” he says.

Madsen goes on to add that the company aggressively markets itself to the Baby Boom generation instead of hanging back and waiting for these people to seek them out. The company actively works to present retirees with a very appealing retirement lifestyle as an alternative to any preconceived notions they may have as to what retirement should be like.

Further, the company attempts to promote and convey its brand through the use of clever and amusing ads, says Madsen, which have clearly resonated within the advertising industry. Earlier this summer, the company received a Stevie Award, which Madsen says are often referred to as the Oscars of the business world, and are used to recognize the efforts, accomplishments, and positive contributions of companies and business people worldwide. Leisure care has twice won a Stevie Award in the Best Newspaper Ad or Campaign category.

When describing the Leisure Care lifestyle, Madsen refers to it as, “Busy, vibrant and active, which is something the Baby Boomers really want. So how do we accomplish that goal? It all comes back to our employees. Anyone can build a nice place, but the difference is how you go about your operation and who works there. We’ve focused on the who and feel that we provide a quality Five Star experience and environment for our employees. In the same way we want to become a community of choice, we strive to be an employer of choice.”

Creating a fun, exciting, and energized environment requires having employees that fit that mold, he says, which, if done properly, can be a self sustaining process.

Further, the company actively seeks to promote a culture of fun for its customers and employees. To this end, Leisure Care has created a philosophy it calls Five Star Fun, which is a collaborative, innovative, high-energy and positive attitude that filters through every aspect of the company.

The Senior Advisory Group and management teams are passionate about finding the right individuals to work at the company; those with strong core values of integrity, trust, respect and fun in everything they do, says Madsen.

He adds that for Leisure care, the company’s “vibe” starts at the company’s headquarters, located in downtown Seattle. The company culture and environment is truly one-of-a-kind, with beautiful views of the city throughout the office, and the interior spaces are designed to promote a collaborative and friendly work environment.

From a concierge to assist employees with everyday business and personal tasks, to an open office design, employees are provided a comfortable and fun environment where they can thrive professionally and personally. The company also provides full time-chef Terry McCulloch, who prepares a wide assortment of delicious meals for staff, business partners and guests. Chef Terry also hosts a number of special events for Leisure Care employees and friends throughout the year.

For Madsen, recruiting talent is much more than just filling vacancies. Hiring is of critical importance to Leisure Care’s ability to sustain the quality of its communities. As the company is active in bringing its message to Baby Boomers, it is equally as active in recruiting the people that will work at their communities.

“We can train them for a lot of the skills they will need, but you can’t train for happiness and fun,” says Madsen.

Job fairs provide a good venue for the company to find the right employees, but Madsen says one of its key resources is the company’s unique marketing, which serves the dual purpose of presenting the company’s image to prospective residents and establishing the work environment found at a Leisure Care community.

In a build-it-and-they-will-come type manner, Baby Boomers looking for a vibrant place to retire to and people looking for a fun and engaging place to work will be attracted to the same message.

“We believe in the law of attraction,” he says.

Creating and maintaining an uplifting and vibrant living environment also requires finding residents that match Leisure Care’s ethos.

“One bad apple can ruin the bunch,” says Madsen. “We treat our residents very well, but I don’t necessarily believe the line that the customer is always right.”

To ensure that a prospective resident will be a good fit, Leisure Care pursues something of a soft selection process by building relationships early in the marketing process, says Madsen.

Further, when prospective residents visit a Leisure Care community, says Madsen, they will see nice, large apartments ranging in size from 700 sq. ft. to 2,500 sq. ft. with one to three bedrooms.

In support of total wellness for their residents and guests, Leisure Care’s Health & Wellness department seeks to address the needs and desires that today’s active adults desire. Each community is equipped with a PrimeFit gym and personal trainer, where residents create a customized workout plan that keeps them active and in top physical shape.

The Brain Fitness Program from Posit Science is another extremely popular program that helps strengthen the memory, improve learning and overall communication.

Recently, Leisure Care partnered with Nintendo and placed the innovative Wii video game system in each community.

“The Wii provides a perfect way for residents, family members and grandkids to come together for a fun and memorable time. Our communities are having a blast with the Wii so far,” Madsen notes.

If residents ever feel like getting away, all they need to do is contact TLC by Leisure Care. The award-winning, full-service travel agency has taken hundreds of residents and family members to exotic destinations such as Italy, New Zealand, Australia and Mexico in the last year alone.

The communities also offer a number of amenities, which includes concierge services, valet parking, art classes, true restaurant dining, wine bar/bistro, and more.

“It’s pretty amenity rich,” says Madsen.

He adds that the effort to create such engaging communities is the product of work done about seven years ago to try and define the company, its vision and mission.

Madsen adds, “As the CEO and owner of the company I have to demonstrate these characteristics and be self accountable to the employees’ everyday. I think that if I were to go into a meeting and do nothing but talk about money, people would be shocked.”

Currently the company manages 7,400 units, with another 2,800 in development — which reflects the rate of growth inherent in this one industry as the Baby Boom generations ages.

“The Baby Boom generation is coming and we need to do research and design an approach to meet that need,” says Madsen as he talks about the future of the company. “The product will continue to change and evolve because there is a demanding generation heading toward us.”

He adds that the future of his company will in large part be defined by this one demographic, which he says has a unique psychographic as well.

“These people have changed the world in everything they have touched, which is going to continue,” he says.

One way the boomers are displaying their unique ethos, he says, is that they are moving from their cul-de-sac suburban homes into the city downtowns where they work and play. Leisure Care plans on making sure the boomers have communities that meet their needs and desires for retirement living.

“We are definitely focusing on some metropolitan areas; places like Toronto, Phoenix, Seattle, Houston, and Vancouver” says Madsen.