Senior Lifestyle Pull

A Career Built on Creating Experiences When people ask me how I ended up in senior living and resident programming, I get to relive some of my favorite memories.

I’ve always loved performing. As a child, I’d sing and dance at family gatherings, dramatically twirling a scarf around my neck while belting out Olivia Newton-John’s Hopelessly Devoted to You into a wooden spoon microphone. As I got older, I worked at summer camps teaching drama, tie-dyeing t-shirts, and making s’mores. Later, I spent summers working at a resort that felt like something straight out of Dirty Dancing. Every day, I stood on stage talking with guests about upcoming activities and every evening we put on shows and created experiences that brought people together.

Taking care of people never felt like work to me. It felt like fun with a paycheck.

After the resort closed, I continued working in roles that allowed me to do what I loved most—connecting with people and creating memorable experiences. Eventually, I answered an ad for a position in memory care. What I discovered surprised me. The energy, creativity, and relationship-building I had enjoyed while working with children translated beautifully to working with older adults.

I quickly fell in love with my residents. I never looked back.

In the early years, I measured success by attendance. Was the room full? Were people laughing? Did everyone have a good time?

Over the years, my perspective changed.

I realized meaningful engagement isn’t about filling a room. Sometimes it’s helping a resident make a new friend to sit with at lunch. Sometimes it’s giving someone a reason to leave their apartment after a difficult week. Sometimes it’s watching a resident share stories from their past, teach a class, or discover a new interest.

The activity is rarely the point.

In fact, I often joke: Do you really think the world needs another twenty birdhouses made out of popsicle sticks?

Of course not.

What people need is connection. The birdhouse is just a bonus.

When Resident Engagement Belongs to Everyone

One of the greatest privileges of working in senior living is the opportunity to learn from extraordinary people. Throughout my career, I’ve met Holocaust survivors, World War II veterans, artists, singers, engineers, teachers, business owners, and parents who raised large families. Every resident arrives with a lifetime of experiences and wisdom.

The most meaningful moments aren’t always the big events everyone remembers. They’re the quiet moments when a resident feels seen, valued, included, and connected.

Our responsibility is to create environments where those stories continue to matter.

As I’ve grown into leadership roles, one lesson has become especially clear: creating a great resident experience is never a one-person job. While programming departments may coordinate events and activities, every department contributes to a resident’s quality of life. Dining, housekeeping, transportation, maintenance, nursing, administration, and programming all play important roles in shaping the resident experience.

The strongest communities understand that resident engagement belongs to everyone.

We’re also seeing significant changes in what today’s seniors want from community life. Don’t get me wrong. Bingo is still alive and well, and I pity anyone brave enough to try removing it from the calendar. But today’s residents want more than entertainment. They want lifelong learning, wellness opportunities, meaningful social connections, cultural experiences, volunteer opportunities, and a voice in shaping their community.

The expectations are higher than ever before, and I think that’s a good thing.

For professionals considering a career in resident programming or resident experience, my advice is simple: fall in love with the people first.

My grandfather used to say, “Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” He also used to say, “The higher you climb a tree, the more they see your butt,” so take his wisdom however you’d like.

But he wasn’t wrong about loving your work.

This profession may not make you rich financially, but it will make you rich in ways that matter. The most meaningful moments aren’t always the big events everyone remembers. They’re the quiet moments when a resident feels seen, valued, included, and connected.

I’ve spent my entire career helping people laugh, learn, connect, and create memories. The audience has changed over the years, but the goal never has.

At the end of the day, whether I’m working with children at summer camp or celebrating a resident’s 100th birthday, it’s still about people. It’s still about connection.

And somehow, after all these years, I still can’t believe they pay me to do this.