Frequently Asked Questions about Susan Gilster and Associates

What kinds of organizations can SGA help?
Susan Gilster and Associates’ consultancy is dedicated to helping the executive leadership teams of assisted living, long-term and Alzheimer’s residential care communities revolutionize their business through innovative practices in leadership, management, morale and resident care.
 

How can SGA help my long-term care facility?
The SGA team will show you how to take your facility from Chaos to Calm (link) using their proprietary S.E.R.V.I.C.E.™ leadership model.  This proven approach to organizational development was designed especially for assisted living and long-term care communities and will bring balance and streamlined efficiency to every level of your program.  It’s a step-specific organizational plan for performance, for leading proactively rather than reactively, as the vast majority of administrators  in this challenging profession are forced to do.  SGA will involve every level of your staff in improving care and performance, empowering your team and greatly enhancing the work environment. This in turn significantly decreases turnover, increases census and profits, and frees your team to focus on vision and true leadership rather than “putting out fires” day-to-day.
 

How can SGA help my Alzheimer’s care facility?
Dr. Gilster’s more than 20 years of Alzheimer’s-specific experience has given her the expertise to tailor the S.E.R.V.I.C.E.™ leadership model to the unique needs of an Alzheimer’s care program.  The SGA team approaches Alzheimer’s facilities from an educational perspective, bringing the practices that have made the Alois Alzheimer Center a standard bearer among its peers to your program.  SGA will engender a strong understanding of the disease itself and the special needs it creates for both staff and residents and their families; with understanding comes compassion, dedication and an approach that stems from those qualities rather than strict policies. This in turn creates a calm, peaceful environment and a culture of caring and respect for both staff and residents.  As with general assisted living and long-term care communities, clients will see a very significant decrease in the astronomical employee turnover rates that are almost universal among Alzheimer’s units, increases in census and profits, and an empowered environment that frees the team to lead the facility into the future.
 

Who is Dr. Susan Gilster?
Susan Gilster, Ph.D., is widely considered a trailblazer in the fields of long-term and Alzheimer’s care.  She is the executive director and a co-founder of the lauded Alois Alzheimer Center in Cincinnati, Ohio – the first freestanding facility in the United States exclusively dedicated to providing a continuum of care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  Dr. Gilster has parlayed more than 20 years of daily facility operations and management into a successful consulting practice, through which she transfers the leadership skills and best practices that have made the Alois Center a shining standard to other long-term and Alzheimer’s care facilities. 
Her innovative ideas about leadership, management, respect and dignity, morale and resident care save facilities millions of dollars, stem the tide of employee turnover, increase employee loyalty and dedication to resident care, strengthen relationships with and increase the satisfaction of resident families, and allow the residents themselves to flourish.
 

What is the AloisCenter?
The Alois Alzheimer’s Center is the first freestanding facility in the United States exclusively dedicated to providing a continuum of care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Under Dr. Gilster’s leadership, the Alois Center revolutionized its industry from the inside out;  over 20 years later, it is recognized as the shining standard for long-term and Alzheimer’s residential facilities.
 

What are Dr. Gilster’s speaking topics?  How do I book her for my conference?
As a heavily requested speaker at healthcare conventions and conferences, Dr. Gilster has provided presentations at nearly 100 national and international gatherings of Alzheimer’s, long-term and general healthcare professionals, including the International Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease, the American College of Healthcare Administrators, and the Gerontological Society of America.  Some topics include culture creation, person-centered care, organizational and leadership development, Alzheimer’s and dementia program development, and staff recruitment, retention and satisfaction.  She can also create a presentation to meet your specific needs.

To inquire about availability, click here.
 

What is the S.E.R.V.I.C.E.™ approach to care facility management?
The proprietary S.E.R.V.I.C.E.™ leadership model was created specifically for administrators of assisted and long-term care communities, based on many years of research and the hands-on experience of the SGA team.  When well-implemented, S.E.R.V.I.C.E.™ will infuse your facility with a completely new atmosphere, one that is centered in cooperation, support, satisfaction at all levels, and long-term success and sustainability.  S.E.R.V.I.C.E.™ is centered on the critical principals of Service, Education, Respect, Vision, Inclusion, Communication and Enrichment.  It’s a step-by-step process that will radically transform the culture of your organization, creating an environment rich for dramatic results. 
 

What is Chaos to Calm?
The Chaos to Calm graphic embodies the results achieved through SGA’s S.E.R.V.I.C.E.™ approach to care facility leadership.  The Chaos side portrays the overwhelming nature of the typical administrator’s role; the Calm side depicts that role once S.E.R.V.I.C.E.™ has been implemented.  S.E.R.V.I.C.E.™ can literally take your organization from Chaos to Calm.
 

Where can I purchase Dr. Gilster’s books?
Dr. Gilster has two books available for purchase.  You can order them through our website. Check back regularly for updates on availability of Dr. Gilster’s third book on creating a successful workforce culture.
 

Where can I find more information on long-term and Alzheimer’s care?
Our Links and Resources page offers some of our favorite on and offline resources for information and help with elder and Alzheimer’s care.