Description

EverTrue, formerly Lutheran Senior Services, is a mission-driven nonprofit organization specializing in housing, care and supportive services for older adults aged 60 and above. With 22 locations across Missouri, Illinois and Pennsylvania, EverTrue is the 11th largest nonprofit senior living organization in the U.S., impacting over 15,000 older adults each year. EverTrue is committed to providing quality senior living options, including independent living, assisted living, personal care, memory support, short-stay rehabilitation, long-term care, affordable housing and home and community-based services.

The Challenge

The EverTrue senior leadership team recognized a gap in educational offerings for leaders within the organization, particularly in the senior living sector, where there was a need to advance their business acumen and strategic thinking capabilities to better navigate the evolving challenges of senior care and leadership. The leadership team was particularly focused on expanding their knowledge beyond EverTrue’s existing operational philosophy to embrace a more holistic view of senior living industry best practices. EverTrue sought to inspire its leaders to view challenges and opportunities from a strategic, higher-level perspective and apply the insights gained to drive transformative change in areas such as leadership diversity, team dynamics and overall organizational culture.

How We Did It

EverTrue partnered with OpusVi to offer the Certificate Mini-MBA in Senior Living (offered through the University of Arizona’s Eller Executive Education) to its leaders. This 12-week program was designed to provide senior leaders with the tools and perspectives needed to elevate their leadership capabilities and foster innovation within senior living organizations, while specifically addressing the evolving challenges in senior care and leadership.

To ensure the program was aligned with EverTrue’s specific needs and core values with a focus on growth, respect for individuals and a commitment to innovation, OpusVi customized the learning experience by adding synchronous sessions focused on key aspects of EverTrue’s operational strategies.

These sessions included:

Competitive Edge Through Strategic Human Capital Management – Driving Performance at EverTrue
Making Strong Decisions Through Financial Investment Fluency at EverTrue
EverTrue’s Approach to Building the Right Teams through Interpersonal Communications, Difficult Conversations, and Emotional Agility

A key component of the program was the capstone project, where participants applied the insights gained from the course to real-world challenges at EverTrue, proposing actionable strategies and improvements. This hands-on project allowed leaders to showcase their learning and engage directly with the organization's current needs.

The EverTrue executive team also played an active role by leading a panel review of all capstone projects. This allowed them to assess the operational suggestions made by the cohort, which incorporated human-centered design concepts, and consider how these could be implemented at EverTrue.

Results

The program had a transformative effect on EverTrue leaders, equipping them with new perspectives on leadership, decision-making and effectively navigating the unique challenges of the senior living sector. Notably, 100% of learners agreed the course provided them with the skills to make more strategic decisions and enhance their performance. Furthermore, participants were able to integrate human-centered design principles into their daily operations and began applying these insights immediately, as evidenced by the success of the capstone projects. Leaders reported a stronger sense of empowerment, greater confidence in making high-level decisions and a commitment to building more diverse and agile teams.

The impact of the program was further evident in the following survey results:

92%

felt more confident in using data and other resources to drive positive change

83%

anticipated an increase in resident satisfaction due to applying the course's principles

91%

shared the course gave them the skills to better motivate themselves and others around them

About EverTrue

EverTrue, formerly Lutheran Senior Services and headquartered in St. Louis, is a leading provider of aging services, offering a full spectrum of services for older adults. With a commitment to excellence and compassionate care, EverTrue empowers individuals to live life according to their own terms, embracing the fullness of life. From Life Plan Communities to Affordable Housing and Anywhere Care, EverTrue creates environments to fulfill its mission of Older Adults Living Life to the Fullest.

EverTrue - Leadership Advancement with OpusVi's Mini-MBA in Senior Living

Description

The Challenge

How We Did It

Results

92%

83%

91%

Next Steps

About EverTrue

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