What started in 1997 as a planning project to update an existing, outmoded physical plant ended in 2002 with a deep innovation answer that has revolutionized the entire retirement home industry. Such significant innovation created a need to change the words and processes used by staff to talk about their customers, who are no longer called senior citizens who occupy “beds”.
The new CEO hired Dr. Spencer to develop a long term plan to guide the redesign process. The CEO and his lead team participated in two separate rounds of planning and change process engagements as they evolved and moved forward with physical and program changes that were guided by the principles in Language of Value models. The ways of meeting resident needs were reevaluated and restated in terms that enabled staff providers to create and deliver services in uniquely individual ways.