The Heritage Difference
Relationship First
Bold leadership in our senior living community means challenging norms, finding creative solutions, and making fearless decisions to achieve the best outcomes for our residents. For an adult daughter looking for the best place for her mom, this translates into a community that values empowerment, personalized care, and high-quality life experiences, ensuring that her mom is not just safe but also thriving and engaged.
Our approach is to find a way to safely say “yes” to residents’ requests. If an immediate “yes” isn’t possible, we conduct thorough research and explore all possible ideas before deciding. There are no bad brainstorms here.
Our focus on desired outcomes guarantees that your mom’s well-being is always at the forefront of our decisions, providing you with confidence in her care.
SHINE
We encourage our associates to SHINE every day. SHINE is our team’s way of delivering excellent customer service in every interaction with our residents, partners, and each other. SHINE (Smile – Hello – Introduce – Need – Execute) is a key part of our orientation and ongoing education with all associates. We emphasize the importance of ensuring that we fully understand the needs of our residents and each other, focusing on providing individualized attention and care with every interaction- whether in person or over the phone.
Dirty Jobs
We embrace the spirit of service and community with our Dirty Jobs program! At Heritage, we believe in rolling up our sleeves and diving into the work that makes our communities thrive. This unique initiative invites home office associates to step into the shoes of our community staff and take on the tasks they find most challenging – from painting to cleaning to landscaping, no task is too great for the Dirty Jobs crew.
Dirty Jobs is more than just tackling the tough stuff; it’s a chance to connect heart-to-heart with our beloved residents, sharing stories and smiles that enrich our lives. It’s leadership in action, demonstrating that no job is too small, and every effort is valued. Our program is a testament to our culture of teamwork, with our owners leading the charge!
Caring for the Mind, Body and Soul
The decision to move into an assisted living community is often accompanied by a mix of emotions. Many individuals cherish the independence and comfort of their own home, a place filled with personal memories and a sense of familiarity. However as needs change, the desire for safety, support, and community becomes paramount. Heritage Communities offers a bridge between the desire for autonomy and the need for assistance. Our communities provide a nurturing environment where residents can receive personalized care while engaging in meaningful activities that promote a sense of belonging and purpose. The transition is made easier by the compassionate staff and innovative programs that ensure each resident feels valued and at home, even when they’re away from the home they’ve always known.
Individualized care
We open the conversation about your experience at Heritage by asking “what does Living Better look like to you?” We want to understand your desires, routines, and passions as well as your needs. Then, a member of the health services team will meet with you and your loved ones to assess your specific needs; the simple task of dressing looks different for everyone depending on how much assistance they need. Is it encouragement/cues or do you need help with physical assistance? We then build a personalized service plan from our assessment and conversations designed to help you Live Better, however you define that, and thrive in our community.
Combatting loneliness and isolation
Combating loneliness and isolation is a significant concern for many, especially as they age. Heritage Communities provide a solution to this challenge by offering a vibrant social environment where residents can connect with others and engage in a variety of activities. By moving into a senior living community, individuals can enjoy the company of peers and participate in group events, classes, and outings, which can greatly reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. Our communities are designed to foster a sense of belonging and provide opportunities for residents to form meaningful relationships, ensuring that each person can enjoy a fulfilling and socially rich life.
Cognitive programming – Snapshots™ and Portraits®
One of the challenges and often biggest fears of aging is cognitive decline. Heritage Communities encourages our residents to stay engaged and keep their minds and bodies active. Whether it be through working together to solve a murder mystery or making music together with Boomwackers, our Life Enrichment teams offer cognitively stimulating fun for all our residents every day.
Heritage has developed signature programs to help our residents with mild to more severe cognitive impairment thrive. Snapshots™ meets our residents in Assisted Living who are experiencing mild cognitive impairment where they are at. Portraits® is our proprietary memory care program focused on the positive principles of Dr. Maria Montessori.
Commitment to Innovation
At Heritage Communities, we help seniors Live Better through innovation. How? By pushing the boundaries of the traditional care model with creative ideas and cutting-edge technology. This commitment to innovation isn’t just tech talk, though – we’re exploring creative new ways to improve the well-being and happiness of those we serve.
Through the adoption of AI for increased safety and independence or with personalized cognitive programs using the latest research, we’re creating an environment that meets our residents’ needs and meaningfully enriches their lives. This commitment is why our community is a leader in providing exceptional care and better quality of life for all our families.
AUGi
Artificial Intelligence is finally here with a system that holds promise, innovation, and represents our unwavering dedication to seniors Living Better. As you consider the best care for your loved one, we invite you to learn more about this innovative care-supporting technology. Heritage Communities believes so strongly in it, we offer it in all communities in our Memory Care apartments. Let us introduce you to AUGi—a guardian, a watchful companion, and an advocate for safety.
Spotlight/Change of Condition
It’s our belief that everyone in our communities has the charge to look out for each other. When you or your loved one joins us, every associate, not just your caregiver, will be encouraged to communicate if they notice any changes in your condition. Those concerns are raised at our weekly Spotlight meeting. This video explains how Spotlight works. It all means everyone in the community is looking out for you and your loved one.
Industry-leading partnerships
Our owners’ commitment to providing value for our residents and bringing the best care possible led them to look for other senior living operators with the same values. They formed a coalition of senior living providers committed to doing things differently, to finding ways to improve common service pain points and reduce costs by working together. We look for that service-led spirit in every partnership.
Serviam Pharmacy is our trusted preferred partner and part of this consortium, built by senior living providers to best meet the needs of our residents and communities. Serviam’s medication management program is fully integrated into our care system, so your loved one gets the right medicine at the right time — every time. Serviam is an extension of our care team.
OnCare Home Health and Hospice is another preferred partner in our communities where they offer service. Their team is integrated with ours, participates in our Spotlight meetings, and works closely with our communities to supplement our care with additional therapy, nursing care, and hospice services.
The Happiest Associates
Heritage Communities has the best caregivers in the senior living industry! That’s because they love what they do. We strongly believe that happy associates lead to happy residents, and we support that belief every day.
Our caregivers are known for deep empathy, a focus on caregiving skills, and true commitment to providing quality care. They create a nurturing environment where every resident feels valued and supported. With continuous training and development, the Heritage Communities team is at the forefront of today’s care practices with innovative and personalized care. A focus on people is what makes us a leader in senior living where residents can thrive and live their best lives.
Engagement
Our associates take an annual engagement survey and the results rank well above the national average for satisfaction. The majority of our employees would recommend Heritage Communities as a great place to work, are proud to work for Heritage Communities and feel like they are making a difference.
Quotes from our annual associate engagement survey
- The management is great.
- It’s a good company to work with.
- I would recommend any job in the community, no matter the department.
- I am extremely proud to work here. We are providing an outstanding service to our residents and families. I am grateful for my job, and I interact with amazing associates and residents.
- We have the best residents and staff and it truly feels like a family! Our residents are so inspiring and friendly.
- I know I make a difference in the residents’ daily life. They get sad if I have days off. No resident is treated differently. I truly do love all of the people I care for.
Longevity
When you have the happiest associates caring for the best residents, they tend to stay. We are proud to say that many of our communities have associates who have worked there more than five years. More than 50% of our employees have worked with us for more than a year and the average tenure of associates is 2 years.
More than 10% of our associates come back to work at Heritage Communities after leaving for different opportunities. We fondly call them our “boomerangs” and we love them to pieces.
Always Learning
Always learning embodies the Heritage commitment to continually expand our knowledge and skills to better serve our residents, associates, and each other. We are committed to supporting every individual’s learning journey through formal and informal programs to grow both personally and professionally. This may look like an online course, in-person training, or discovering a new hobby. Together, we are always learning.
The Ways We Train
Just as the needs of your loved ones can change, Heritage strives to offer multiple development opportunities to our associates to meet their evolving learning and career needs.
We offer training courses to keep our associates on a continuous growth path in their positions through on-the-job training, job shadowing, and peer-to-peer coaching in addition to e-learning and in-service training hours. We offer Manager Essentials for our people leaders, a Book Club sponsored by our owner, and ongoing personal leadership development courses.
Learning is different for each of us – so we allow time to experience performing in their roles, as well as learning with and through others – not just the traditional ways of learning.
Heritage Gives Back
The importance of companies giving back to their associates beyond the paycheck cannot be overstated. It fosters a culture of appreciation and respect, which can significantly boost morale and job satisfaction. When companies invest in their employees’ well-being and professional growth, they not only enhance the quality of work but also encourage loyalty and a sense of belonging. Initiatives like professional development programs, health and wellness benefits, and recognition for achievements contribute to a positive work environment. Such gestures show that the company values its associates as individuals, leading to a more engaged and productive workforce. Ultimately, this holistic approach to employee care can result in a thriving company culture where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute their best.
Associate Care Fund
Challenges and natural disasters can happen to anyone at any time.
The Heritage Communities Employee Care Fund was established to assist eligible employees experiencing economic hardship and unable to afford housing, utilities and other basic living needs.
The Heritage Care Fund is made possible by donations from our associates and friends of Heritage Communities. You can help! Contact Heritage Communities Home Office at 402-933-2561 to learn how to donate.
Tuition Reimbursement
Heritage Communities is committed to providing the highest quality care for our residents and developing the best team of associates to do that. Therefore, Heritage Communities supports associates who wish to continue their education to secure increased responsibility and growth within their professional careers. In keeping with this philosophy, the company has established a reimbursement program for expenses incurred through approved institutions of learning. Associates working an average of 20+ hours per week with at least six months of employment are eligible for participation in this program.
Founders Scholarship
The Heritage Founders Scholarship Program aims to recognize and reward outstanding associates who demonstrate our core values.
All associates are eligible to apply for the scholarship once they reach their 6-month work anniversary and are in good standing. Applicants must be enrolled or accepted into a 4-year college, junior college, trade school, or certificate program.
