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 staff—even in a 1-star building.

Sheila shares the leadership mindset that separates “desk administrators” from true operators: rounding, answering call lights, building trust, and training AITs with a reality check (yes…starting 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 expenses—without relying on agency.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Sheila finds “stuck” hospital patients and turns that into contracts & census
• Why culture beats “$1 more per hour” for retention (and how she built a loyal team)
• The staffing model shift: stop staffing by headcount—staff by acuity
• PDPM/Medicaid realities and why reimbursement hasn’t 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 what’s next)

🎧 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 — 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 engagement
• How to respond when activities fail
• Survey preparation tips for activity professionals
• Why administrators must support activities
• And the deeply moving “Memorial Walk” tradition that brings dignity to a resident’s final chapter

This conversation is a powerful reminder that long-term care is not the end of the story — it’s 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 culture—beyond 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-ready—without losing the heart of the mission: taking care of people.

In this episode, you’ll 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 “optics” that matter
• Empowering managers so issues get solved before they escalate

Whether you’re a new administrator, a DON, or an operator building multi-site leadership, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways you can use immediately.

👍 If this episode helped you, like, subscribe, and share it with a leader in long-term care.

GLP-1 medications are transforming healthcare—but what happens when they enter skilled nursing and post-acute care?

In this episode of Our Purpose – 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-1–driven 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 “noise”
• Why obesity meets many real-world criteria for addiction—and why DSM-5 doesn’t classify it that way

This 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 problem—and Cantex is working to change it.

In this episode of Our Purpose – 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 Cantex’s momentum—including 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 “hospitality + medical” as the future of skilled nursing, aligning Sales and Nursing with a “start with yes” mindset, and how vertical integration (including Cantex’s 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 place—plus 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 what’s reshaping skilled nursing. We cover staffing through a “help-first” 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 – 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 “run to the fire,” how he builds culture across 186+ facilities, and why he believes excellence isn’t complicated: clean buildings, great food, strong clinical systems, and leaders who show up—on every shift.

We also unpack what’s coming next: the “silver tsunami” 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 dinosaur—and 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 “MDS assistant” 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 aren’t adopting AI will fall behind.