The Let's Get Comfy Podcast
Hosted by Founder and CEO of Comfort Measures Consulting LLC, Norman Harris. The Official Healthcare Edutainment station. Empowering listeners with the knowledge and resources to age comfortably. The podcast platform will uniquely provide laughter, peace, joy, resources and most of all COMFORT. Fostering professional partnerships and engaging the audience by providing them access to a REAL family-like conversation. That gives them the REAL reasons. Connects them to REAL reliable resources. To get REAL results. For REAL Comfort! Through interviews with C-suite healthcare leaders, experts, caregivers, founders, authors, educators, and thought leaders who are doing incredible work for older adults, family caregivers, and the healthcare community.
The Let's Get Comfy Podcast
Transforming Healthcare: The Inspirational Journey of Reginald Eldridge
What if the key to transforming troubled healthcare facilities lies in the wisdom and experience of a single leader? Join us on this heartwarming episode of "Let's Get Comfy" as we sit down with Reginald Eldridge, a leader whose journey in skilled nursing home administration is nothing short of inspirational. Reginald, honored with FDMA Administrator of the Year four times and the prestigious Maximus 2000 Leadership Award, opens up about his incredible career and the pivotal role he played in guiding our host, Norman Harris, into the field. This episode is a testament to the power of mentorship, the importance of perseverance, and the lasting mutual respect that has forged a unique bond between Norman and Reginald.
Our conversation also takes a nostalgic turn as we explore the impact of family traditions on personal and professional growth. Norman shares endearing stories from his childhood, such as selling vegetables from his father's garden and the influence of his grandmother's love for plants. These anecdotes not only highlight the entrepreneurial spirit that shaped Norman's life but also illustrate the joy of watching new generations, like his grandson Julius, embrace family legacies. The charming tale of a Peter Rabbit-themed birthday celebration for Julius adds a delightful touch, emphasizing how family roots and traditions continue to inspire and connect us across generations.
We then delve into the significant milestones and life lessons that have defined both Norman's and Reginald's careers. From navigating military service and the challenges of securing internships to turning around neglected healthcare facilities, Reginald's stories provide a rich tapestry of experiences. The episode also touches on the evolution of healthcare regulations and the critical balance between work and personal life. With candid discussions about effective communication, mentorship, and personal growth, this episode offers profound insights and inspiration for anyone interested in the intricacies of healthcare administration.
Hello everyone. Welcome to the let's Get Comfy podcast, the official launch right. First official episode. Join me, norman Harris. Thank you for joining us to this healthcare entertainment platform, the station where we provide peace, joy, comfort and love. All right, I am your host and sole proprietor, norman Harris, also the owner of Comfort Measures Consulting. Thank you for listening and stay tuned with us. I want to present to you our first guest, Amazing gentleman. Welcome to the episode that promises to be both inspiring and enlightening.
Speaker 1:Today, we have a distinct honor in hosting a titan in the field of skilled nursing home administration. With a stellar career spanning over three decades, Our guest has set an unparalleled standard in the industry. Let's roll out the red carpet for the FDMA Administrator of the Year, not once, not twice, but an incredible four times right. Four times in a row after that, but an incredible four times right. Four times in a row after that. This remarkable individual has been celebrated as a regional administrator of the year for IHS and has held several influential leadership positions with Florida Health Care Association In 2012, graduated from the prestigious Florida Health Care Association Florida Leaders Program, further solidifying his expertise and dedication.
Speaker 1:But the accolades don't stop there. In the realm of network marketing. He has clinched the Maximus 2000 Leadership Award and earned the title of Master Builder. Their outstanding contribution have recognized him for best of the best. He also served in our military, keeping us all safe, holding proudly several military awards. Join us as we delve into the extraordinary and true leader and innovator in healthcare administration. Please welcome to the podcast the exceptional Reginald Eldridge. Yes, sir, my man.
Speaker 2:My man, man Norm. Hey, that's a whole other level right there, hey man. Hey, I was looking around to see who you're talking about. I'm talking about you, man, that's amazing.
Speaker 1:I'm talking about you, man. Amazing introduction. I truly appreciate it. Yes sir, yes sir. You know, it's an honor man. I'm glad you're doing this as a first guest. It means a lot to me. It means a lot to me too. Thank you for having me as a first guest. You really launched, you know, my start in health care overall in the health care leadership arena as a nursing home administrator. So I want to start off with introductions of how we met Sure, and I'll take this piece and I'll let you go ahead and delve in on that.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:I'm searching, searching, searching, wanting to become a leader, looking for a direction in my life. I felt like at the time, man, I'm in debt, going to school, got a master's degree and I'm here working at MetLife and account management. No knock to MetLife, you know. But I wanted more for myself, right? I always saw myself as being a leader, entrepreneur as well. So my cousin introduced me to this. Gregory James Shout out to my big cousin oh yeah, great. He introduced me to nursing home administration role.
Speaker 1:So I looked on the Web site, found out how to become a nursing home administrator. I started the process. They had this long spreadsheet right on the Web site, the preceptors list. So I would go on lunch breaks at MetLife, my 15 minute breaks, and I would call and email different preceptors on that list that I was willing to drive. It was in my area. I made a spreadsheet because I never got a response. One would call me back and I met you, man, gave you a call, I looked you up on LinkedIn and I messaged you. I still have the screenshot of our conversation. When we first met the screenshot I saved it in my phone because you responded to me and that meant a lot to me and from there you said man, come up here and see me. We sat down across from you. I told you my dreams, my vision. You listened to me. You said, man, I'll give you an opportunity. So that was after seven months of searching Wow, seven months of searching a preceptor. That's how I met you. Yes, sir.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that was what about five years ago.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:Five years ago. Five years ago, so how I remember it, like I said you did, I got the message from you and I looked on. You know I'm like, oh man, it seemed interesting, man, he's pursuing it, let's have a discussion. So I did, sent you back and then when you came in, Norm, the first thing I saw, man, this dude came in all professional. He came in. He basically had a situation where I was like this young man with waves was raised right, Because he basically was very respectful, Just, very, you know, just. And I could tell in our conversation, first conversation that you know this is, you don't do anything without research. Thinking through, as I became to know you, I know far more about it now, but I knew that for you to come there and to talk about it, I knew that if you were really going to try to do that, this was something that you were going to be successful at.
Speaker 2:And I did want to be a part of that because I saw that Okay, yeah, I remember when I first tried to get an administrator's job in Preceptor actually, it took me a long time as well to find somebody to do that for me. So I had said and I think we talked about it before if ever I'm in the position to do something to benefit somebody, and that's the right person because you got to be selective about that too Can't give that opportunity to everybody, Right?
Speaker 2:because, you got to be selective about that too. You can't give that opportunity to everybody, and it was going to have to be a year. It needs to be somebody that you figure you can have a good relationship with, good work relationship with, and I felt that from you day one, thank you. I think I told you that you did, you did, I think I told you day one, day one, day one, yeah.
Speaker 1:And then you also said, you said I have to be willing to stay in the office with someone because you know I used to sit right in front of you. I have to be willing to stay in the office with somebody that you know have a good relationship with Absolutely. Thank you, man. I appreciate you. You changed my life.
Speaker 2:You changed the life of my family man, so people have to realize when you give someone an opportunity, it affects them monetarily.
Speaker 1:And what the world revolves around, what your livelihood revolves around- right, it's finances.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, it's being honest with you, so I appreciate the opportunity that you gave me Seriously, man. I'm glad I did.
Speaker 1:That's why I had to have you here as my first guest. It was in between you and my cousin, yeah Because he's the one that sort of started me with it all. Greg's a good one too. Yes, sir, for sure. So I want to move into just your current role and what you're currently doing now All right.
Speaker 2:Currently, you know, which is funny kind of how life cycles I actually am actually back at the facility that we precepted you at. I was at that facility for eight years that we precepted you at. I was at that facility for eight years. I was there from 2013 to 2021, left, went to another company for a project. Actually, a facility was going to be totally renovated. They were going to put some money in a building and they wanted, you know, some leaders and a team building and that kind of thing.
Speaker 2:So I went to another company for two and a half years building and that kind of thing. So I went to another company for two and a half years. At that point I was leaving there and I said that my next step is going to be to do, maybe interim administrator positions and to do some training and some things along that line more consulting and I got a call. I left on, like I said, the Friday, I want to say July 14th, a year or so ago. The next week I got a call from my first interim assignment initially, and they wanted me to go back to at that time was called Heron Point as an interim administrator and they had an AIT.
Speaker 2:And I thought about it because at that point I was doing a lot of traveling and my wife spent a lot of time in Atlanta and I was trying to reactivate my Georgia license as well. So I'm trying to decide what I wanted to do and I did. I went back and currently I'm at that same facility. In December, new ownership came in, a company called Aspire guys, based out of New York, and they bought 56 buildings. In three months, from September to December, they acquired 56 facilities. Okay, mine was one of the later ones acquired in December. So that's where I am. Now the AIT I had is finishing up like in another week. Okay, now, the AIT I had is finishing up like in another week, but I've actually been at that facility since from.
Speaker 2:July until currently now. That's where I'm at.
Speaker 1:Same seat I was at with you man, is it? They're smart, they know what they're doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they know what they're doing. When I left, I wasn't planning to come back, but you know, hey, what do y'all like?
Speaker 1:working, so I know you have your own entrepreneur as well, you have your own company. So if you just expound on your company, its origins and whatever.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my company and my wife and I started a company, like you and your wife, back in 2000. We started a company called QRQ Enterprises, which basically was my three kids' initials my oldest daughter her name is Clevia. My middle son and oldest son actually middle child is Reginald Jr. My youngest son's name is Quentin, and so it's a QRQ Enterprises and we initially started it because we were doing network marketing as well and as well as my wife is an HR consultant and of course I'm healthcare. So we said, well, let's do this. And initially I was doing interim assignments and then she was doing like grant writing and things of that nature. So we're doing both things out of QRQ enterprises and so I did the interim assignment thing for about four years straight before I actually took a permanent position, right.
Speaker 1:Once I started yes, From 2000 to 2004,.
Speaker 2:I just did interim assignments under my company.
Speaker 1:All right, All right. So, as you transitioned into and you said, tell me, I know personally you're trying with interim roles as a target area for you. But outside of that, what are some of your hobbies or interests? All right, well, you know I like sports. You know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 2:Dad, I love sports. Oh yeah, I'm getting too old to play anything, so I definitely watch a lot of stuff. Okay, I'm not a golfer per se. I did you know a golfer per se? I did, you know, you, and I talked about this before. I actually, for the first time since I was a kid teenager, with my dad, went fishing. A couple of friends of mine, we actually went on a charter boat out of Clearwater, oh okay, and went fishing. So you know, I said, well, you know, I'll do some of that too, because it's something. But as far as hobbies don't have a lot, man, I do, you know, I try to do, for whatever reason, try to do some gardening, things like that, oh, yeah, yeah, I just started gardening.
Speaker 1:You do some gardening. Okay, that was actually my New Year's resolution. Yeah, I tried to do some of that.
Speaker 2:I was actually talking to my sister. There you go. I talked to my sister, carla Green's big with her. She's talking about our elders gene, because my dad actually, when we were young, always had a guard, always had a guard. My dad too, yes, and we lived at that time in the inner city. My dad would grow everything In the inner city. In the inner city. My mother yeah, he was serious, yes, he was serious about it. My dad was grow everything in the inner city. My mother yeah, he was serious In the inner city. Yes, he was serious about it. My dad was from Alabama originally but he always wanted to guard my grandmother. His mother actually took it back a little step. My parents, my dad and his family, migrated from Alabama when he was 10, and they moved initially to Buffalo, new York, and they basically were in the inner city and my grandmother lived in a high rise kind of like a project and in her apartment she had plants like crazy. You go into her apartment and plants were everywhere.
Speaker 2:And this is like I said in a high rise project Because, again, that planting, the growing, taking care of plants was in the blood. My dad in our house we actually had a house In our yard, we had a little fence beside it Planted garden every year and one of the things he planted was corn. So you think about it You're in a city with a fence and you don't have a cornfield. He's growing five, six stalks of corn.
Speaker 2:Up the side of the fence. You know he's got other green vegetables growing, he's got beans, he's got beans, he's got all kinds of things growing Flower garden on the other side. So I think I've always had an interest in that and at the same time, as a young kid in the city they had a, I want to say, 4-h program that they give us a little plot where we could grow vegetables as a bunch of kids in the city grow their vegetables and then once they're grown we can take them home.
Speaker 2:And I grew mine, took them home and some people saw them my neighbor saw them. I started selling vegetables, selling vegetables. I sold my vegetables quickly. There you go. They were like those are great. I ran out, actually went home, went in the refrigerator. They were asking me to start taking green peppers out the refrigerator. Then my mom bought from the store, take them to the neighborhood and try to sell. My mom squashed that part of it, but my entrepreneurial start was there. I went a little past what I should have gone.
Speaker 1:Kids out there start selling vegetables. Man.
Speaker 2:Start selling vegetables. I grew up myself. Again that's always been in me, to plan something and do some of that stuff. It's kind of relaxing.
Speaker 1:Thank you for that story. That was a good one, okay. So what do you think has stayed the same about you throughout your life? Okay, one of the things probably.
Speaker 2:I think basically my personality, my, I guess the way I interact with people, I think it's always been the same. I guess the way I interact with people, I think it's always been the same. I kind of always have been sort of a people kind of person and it kind of got me in trouble in school, sometimes talking in class, things like that, but I think that's that stayed the same. I've always had that kind of, you know, energy.
Speaker 1:I guess, oh yeah, so what's new in life right now? What's changed, what's different in your personal home life? Yeah, yes, sir.
Speaker 2:Oh, you mean with a little grandson or something, your grandson.
Speaker 1:yes, sir, okay, yes.
Speaker 2:All right, so yeah, a year ago, june 14th a year ago, my oldest daughter, who lives in Atlanta, had a little child, my grandson. The only one I've got His name is Julius Ellington Williams that sounds like he's going to be somebody in life, man? I hope so. He's going to be somebody in life, a little active guy. Like I said, we had his first birthday party last weekend in Atlanta, interesting enough that you brought that up.
Speaker 2:My birthday is June 15th, so last week ago last weekend one week ago today, he and I had a joint Peter Rabbit birthday party. Yeah, peter Rabbit birthday party, oh man. So anyway, that's kind of new.
Speaker 1:That's new man, yeah.
Speaker 2:So it's the 14th and you the 15th, yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm the 15th and 14th, that's new man. Yeah, it's exciting. So it's 14th and you're the 15th.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm the 15th and 14th, that's amazing, so you can wait that one more day, but that's how it is. I probably have no more birthdays now.
Speaker 1:No, more birthday celebrations.
Speaker 2:I was about to say yeah, man, I'm done with that, and this year it was 14th, 15th, the Father's Day was 16th, 16th, okay.
Speaker 1:So you know, kind of everything was last weekend, oh, big old, you had an explosion of celebration.
Speaker 2:There you go, there you go.
Speaker 1:What did you enjoy most about being a grandparent?
Speaker 2:I kind of just I guess, seeing, you know, seeing him grow, seeing the development, you know, and the changes, and he's changed so much in one year, you know, and you know it was something I forgot about because again you got young children. You know, my youngest child is 30-whatever-something, quentin, way up in 30s.
Speaker 2:I forgot how much energy little kids have you know, and just observing that, observing the, you know he looks at everything, he wants to touch everything. Just you know the energy he brings is something my wife is far more than me as far as, because she spends most of the time with him, period since he was born. She's either in Atlanta with him, as a matter of fact, today he's here with us. Okay, but yeah, just observing the time we spend with him.
Speaker 1:That's good man.
Speaker 2:Every morning he wakes up kind of happy and happy to see me when I come in.
Speaker 1:It's basically joyful, very much so.
Speaker 2:Very much so, man. Thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 1:That's an intimate type of topic, man, that's definitely with kids. Two kids, my kids. Everybody used to say they looked like me when they were bald, when they didn't have any hair, my girls. But once they started getting hair, that's when they started looking like their mom. I was like golly, y'all wrong for that.
Speaker 2:You know, norm, you had some gentlemen but thank goodness, the girls look like their mom, I pray for that. There you go. I'm glad your prayers were answered.
Speaker 1:Yes, For sure, All right. So looking back what was one of the most important lessons you learned from your childhood. Wow, okay All right.
Speaker 2:So, looking back, what was one of the most important lessons you learned from your childhood, wow, ok, let's see what lessons I learned from my childhood. That's interesting. I think I think one of them was how to, I guess, how to navigate, how to get along with others. I was the oldest child, so I was three years between me and my sister, so there was a period of time I was the only child and I know that when my sister came along excuse me, I think there was a little. You know, I don't know I can't remember it all, but people tell me about it. And then when I went to kindergarten, I kind of didn't really get along well with some of my classmates. I had to learn kind of how to play well with others. Did you fight or something? I did my eyes get in trouble? How do you in kindergarten get called to the principal's office? I don't remember how, but I know that I was.
Speaker 1:Yes, my mom tells me, and my dad tells me Did you have like a jealous spirit or something over your little?
Speaker 2:sister. I don't know what it was. One thing I remember and I tell my kids about it I think I remember one time it had to do with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, See, and I think, and I don't know whose peanut butter and jelly sandwich it was. I don't know if it was mine or for another kid's, but I knew there was some conflict.
Speaker 1:Yeah, see what I'm saying About peanut butter and jelly. Sir, you want to take everybody's stuff. I don't remember. I don't remember exactly if it was me or if it was him doing it, I don't remember.
Speaker 2:But I learned as a child, to you know, you got to play well with others, yes, sir. And then you know, and to you know, appreciate my sister and that kind of thing, like I said it was three years difference. And Like I said it was three years difference, and you know I like her touching my stuff and all that kind of thing. So you know, I learned that as a child. That's good.
Speaker 2:Which is a lesson that you know we need to today. You know, I'm always dealing with trying to get people to learn, and you got to get along.
Speaker 1:You have to like each other. That's one thing I say you was a master for at just seeing you just in our morning meetings and how you collaborated with the team. You know, in the stand down meetings. You know how to. You know how to manage different personalities. Yeah, and that's a strong suit and that's something you really necessarily I don't know if you can necessarily learn it, you know college or high school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's a lot of things happen in my life that help me do that, but you haven't talked about some of them. But, yeah, that's, it is definitely something that that's needed.
Speaker 1:Yes for sure, you know, in the industry. Yes, anytime you imagine people were leading people that's something that's important, ok, so who would you say was one of the most influential people in your life?
Speaker 2:OK, obviously. First my dad. My dad was someone who was in the home, so that was good. He was a hardworking gentleman who traveled a lot. When I was born, my dad was actually working in a factory, I want to say making furniture, steel like file cabinets and things like that. He worked for a company that was doing that. I remember as a youngster I don't remember how old I was he had an accident in there where either a file cabinet or something fell on his toe and his toenail had to be removed and that kind of thing. He always wanted to do something different. The next thing he did was get into selling insurance. Then he could wear a shirt tie, which is what got me doing it.
Speaker 1:Good. Was he able to get a lawsuit?
Speaker 2:I don't remember I honestly don't remember now about that.
Speaker 1:You know it was back in that time.
Speaker 2:You know, I don't remember, if even people pursued lawsuits like that.
Speaker 1:You know everybody.
Speaker 2:Oh, now it's like this yeah, today that would have been a whole different thing. You know what I'm saying. That would not have been, he wouldn't have been looking for another job right away, you know.
Speaker 1:But I don't think that's how that went. No, he wouldn't.
Speaker 2:I don't remember that, because he had to work.
Speaker 2:So he started concerning insurance and then the next job he had, which he was in the Maxwell House division, so he'd go around the stores, you know, stock their coffee and things like that and go to meetings and that kind of thing and they gave him like a company card and moved us and that kind of thing. But that's so. He was my first role model or first person I really looked up to Plus. He had years before, you know, as a young guy, been in the military and he had met my mom. I was in the military. I think that's one of the reasons later on, when I did join the military, was my dad did it and I guess I can do this too.
Speaker 1:Kind of a thing. He was my first role model.
Speaker 2:Another one that kind of touched this industry we'll talk about in a minute was my mother's mother, my grandmother. Her name was Grandma Shields and at age five, I can remember, she became a nurse at age 40. So in her 40s she became a nurse. You know something she always wanted to do because she was, you know, like domestic and doing things like that and then at 40, she became a nurse and, um, we went to visit her and she was living in Petersburg, virginia, and I guess she had what you call like a rest home. I didn't know what that was and all I knew there was old people in her house.
Speaker 1:I didn't know why.
Speaker 2:Years later I learned more about it, but I was five so I saw that and she was always somebody who you know, always stressed, you know, spirituality, religion. She wrote poetry. She did a lot of things. She played piano Always. You know we had her Bible, things like that. So she was somebody who you know.
Speaker 2:I definitely you know, looked up to as well Outside of my family. Let's see, I guess I did kind of look up to maybe some of the men in our community, my parents one of the things too, as I was coming up they bleed in church. I know you and I talked about that as well, which definitely kept me on straight and narrow a lot coming up. You know we'd be in church every week so I mean I looked at, you know, some of the Just weekly Well, at least weekly.
Speaker 1:I was in church Tuesdays, thursdays and Sundays.
Speaker 2:Now sometimes, I Well, I had to say more than that because, yes, we were, I mean in youth programs and things like that, so we'd have youth programs and things like that, where we would go on like Sunday and then maybe prayer service on Wednesday.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I was there Tuesday. I wish I had that yeah. Three times a day At least three times every week.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, we went to the house of the Lord At least three times a week.
Speaker 1:The house of the.
Speaker 2:Lord, the house of the Lord, at least three times House of the Lord, House of the Lord, yeah, yeah, and you know so. Worship was really very important as well. So again, I looked at some of the you know, the people in my church, things like that as well.
Speaker 1:Thank you, man. Yes, sir, so I want to sort of take us on the path of your journey to becoming a nurse home administrator.
Speaker 2:If you would just take us on that journey from your college point. Okay, sure, all right. So after I actually went to college, after I got in the military, so I joined the military at 19. And actually it started. I'd gone to a year of college and then trying to decide what I was going to do in the summer. I really didn't have any true goals yet. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. And my dad again, who had been in the military, was saying well, you probably need to join the National Guard or Reserve in the summer to do something. The thing was, since 14, you always had to do something. In my house, my mom, my dad, there was no, just not doing something, you're going to work, you're going to volunteer, you're going to do something. I always had to do that. So we were talking about it.
Speaker 2:He was like, well, yeah, you probably need to you know, maybe go down to the recruiter and talk about it. So I went to talk to the recruiter and when I got there it was interesting One of the guys who had been with me that year in college he had gone to school that one year was there and he was going into the Army. And the thing was the recruiter started talking about you know, well, you guys can go on a buddy system, go active duty on a buddy system. I'm like I'm down here just to do the National Guard thing. And he's like, well, no, if you go on a buddy system, the Army you go in, we'll pay for your education. You know, you can go pick it where you want to go. All this adventure he started talking. Good, he made me seem like I may think about doing that.
Speaker 2:My friend and again we weren't very close friends, we just had gone to school together Was ready to go right away. So his thing was they were going to take him. He was ready to go. He's probably going to go to the front line. He was ready to go. He was in artillery, he was ready to go. They were like well, you guys go in, you go to the base of training together, and then here's the different jobs you want to do. I'm like I'm not doing what he's doing. So they gave us some choices and my dad had been a medic in the military and I'm like well, medic sounds better. What are you doing.
Speaker 2:And I said I'll do that. And then they said I'll do that. And then they said, well, you can go in as a buddy system You'll go to the same base and then when you get ready to go to your school, you'll transfer to another spot, that kind of thing, but you guys will always be together. And I said, well, I'm not quite ready to go in yet. So he went in. I went delayed entry. So 30 days later I went in and so we did go to the same post, which was Fort Sill, oklahoma Did that. The medical is at Fort Sam Houston. I left and went to Fort Sam Came. A medic Did three years in the military as a field medic, army medic, and then came out looking for what I was going to do next, which was, I thought then I had a clear understanding I need to go to school.
Speaker 2:Military's going to do next, which was, I thought then I had a clear understanding I need to go to school. Military is going to pay for it. I want to do something in business, but I want to also do something medically. So I went to college for healthcare administration, thinking hospital, that's kind of where my focus was going to be, and as a senior, you had to have an internship. So I was already all the way up to a senior, didn't have exactly what I was going to do and companies were coming to the school interviewing my classmates and promising jobs.
Speaker 2:Internships and promising jobs in the nursing home industry, wow, and I was thinking I never thought about nursing home, but you know they're promising them jobs. Let me look at this nursing home internship thing. So kind of just by process of elimination, I said, let me try that and I got an internship. I didn't have one right away, so it took me two months into the last semester to find one, to find somebody who would precept me even for the internship Right.
Speaker 1:And I did. That's a nail biter for you, huh.
Speaker 2:So you was going out to the wire, wasn't you? I was going out to the wire. I was into February of my last semester, needing an internship oh man, needing an internship and there was actually two of us in my class and you know, we went to Philadelphia because our instructor said you know, you can get with this company in Philadelphia. It's called I think it was called NHS or something, it was National Healthcare or something that's offering internships and I guess in Central City Philadelphia. So he and I drove over there. White guy, we didn't know each other, we didn't run in the same circles, but because we neither one of us had an internship, his car was better than mine. I had a kind of just a up north in the winter you kind of have what they call a winter rack and my car was really struggling. It was great, it was struggling and his car was a little better. What kind of car was it? It was great, his car was a little better.
Speaker 1:What kind of car was it? Do you?
Speaker 2:remember. At that time I want to say, man, what kind of car was it? I think I had to ask my wife what it was. It was blue. It was one of those kind of cars that was not four-door. It was a two-door, two-door. It was a two-door and one door wasn't really working well, god. So yeah, it was a struggle.
Speaker 1:So I can say that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I get in my side. I was good, the mouse get in and get in on my side too.
Speaker 1:They gotta get on your side too, Right one at a time. So you're fine line we did.
Speaker 2:So we took his car, we went to Philadelphia, we did our interviews, we had our suits and everything and neither one of us got it. We got back home and they were like, ah, thank you, but no thank you. And so the guy said Well, next there's a couple places. And we were in upstate New York and he said there's one place in Cooperstown, you know where the Baseball Hall of Fame. I went to the bus, went there, did the interview, didn't get it, came back and then he said well, there's a guy that's interested in AIT and it's at a place called Eden Park, catskill, new York. I didn't live near there, but he's willing to take you If you want to do it go ahead.
Speaker 2:That's kind of how it started. I went to Eden Park, catskill, got the internship Because it wasn't near where I lived. I had to rent a room from a family there. They didn't have my car with me at that point, so I did a lot of walking. I wasn't that far from the facility or things like that. It was off there. I had to do actually 11 months.
Speaker 2:I stayed there and then up until May that my semester was ended. My job ended at that point. So from there until November I had to, you know, basically cover my expenses without that GI Bill. A lot of that was due to my wife. My wife was working at that time. I was already married, I'd gotten married as a junior and she, you know, she helped kind of fund my effort to stay there and work down.
Speaker 2:So I did 11 months, got a license in New York State and then looked for a job for nine months. Couldn't find a job. Nine months Could not find a job and I would go to all these interviews and nothing would turn up. So I actually went back to my hometown and I was visiting with all these interviews and nothing would turn up. I actually went back to my hometown and I was visiting with my aunt because I was trying to figure out what's the next step. I actually walked into a company. I looked up some things. Again, this was before the internet and all those kind of things. You're kind of looking at a phone book, you're doing all those kind of things, not the psychopedias.
Speaker 2:There was a psychopedia, though, but that was not for things of that nature, so yellow pages and all that kind of thing. I actually found a place that I walked into, just walked in, one day, and you know, they said you know? I said I'm looking for a nurse or an administrative job, and they said to me they said, well, we might have a job for you. Nobody had told me that before, and I got a license in January. This is September. No, this was actually. It was actually July, and I was like I was excited about that. He said well, I'll tell you what. We're going to set up an interview for you, fly you down to Birmingham, alabama. And so I'm again. I'm upstate New York, and I was not planning to relocate.
Speaker 2:I said okay, fly me down to Birmingham, alabama. So I was kind of you know, you got a place for me, but what? So, okay, so anyway, in July they flew me to Birmingham and when I got up in the morning it was in July. The temperature was 46 degrees in Syracuse, new York. That morning I got up, I landed in Birmingham. At noon it was 93 degrees, so a 50 degree swing from the time I got on my plane to the time I landed. I got off the plane I said there's no way I'm going to come down here, no way.
Speaker 1:But I didn't have a job, mind you.
Speaker 2:So I met with the regional person and another person and they said the next day we're going to take you to kind of just let you look at some places. They took me to a facility in Birmingham and I think it was called Fairview, and the next morning I met a gentleman named Clarence Ball who was the first black administrator I ever met outside, so I was licensed as a nursing administrator. Had never met a black administrator I ever met outside, so I was licensed as a nursing administrator had never met a black administrator before.
Speaker 1:First one had never met one, and I was one had never met one.
Speaker 2:So I met him and he was down there in Birmingham, alabama, and he was just leaving the facility that they wanted me to go to and it was called Magnolia Haven, tuskegee, alabama, and he was leaving. He had been there for 10 years. He had actually bought his own nursing home down in Mobile. It was called Twin Oaks or something.
Speaker 1:That was impressive.
Speaker 2:I met this gentleman who not only was I following, who had been at that building for a while, but now he was buying his own facility.
Speaker 1:I was very impressed by that I would be too.
Speaker 2:I ended up at the facility there. I did take it, I relocated my family and just to kind of see how long ago that was, it was 1985, and when I went down there I moved my family down there, my first I guess the salary they offered me paid me relocation I make $20,000. $20,000. $20,000. Move my family down and take an administrative job, See, Okay, so yeah, that's what we did at that point. And five years there, and then I left there and went to Georgia. I was an administrator in Georgia for five years for three different buildings and then came to Florida in 96. And I've had multiple facilities here in Florida in 96.
Speaker 2:But it's been a whole yeah, yeah, it's been a situation. A lot has changed over time. I know that's one of the things that kind of we discussed, right right.
Speaker 1:Industry's changed.
Speaker 2:Industry's actually changed the last three years too, after COVID, but it's a lot of things. But that kind of was my journey into nursing home and then kind of what brought us here.
Speaker 1:What are some differences? You would say, just name a couple of them that when you first became or actually operated in the role. Then compare it to now.
Speaker 2:Okay, Obviously technology Okay.
Speaker 1:You know, we have technology.
Speaker 2:You know, now everybody's got a computer on their wrist and that kind of thing. We didn't have a computer on our desk. You know when I started? No, not at all. It was none of that. Regulations were totally different. You know the way that they operate in facilities like. You know how they talk about restraints and things of that nature. It was a whole different world at that point.
Speaker 1:Right Go a little deeper in that Well all right.
Speaker 2:So at that point back in those days, you know, if residents were hard to manage they were not this is the chemical restraints, they were physical restraints. So they would put, you know, almost like a straitjacket on people, kind of a thing you know, to their chair and things of that nature if they were not able to manage them to kind of you know, and it was not looked at as being something that was abnormal. You know, even though you know, you think about it now and all of the risks you know that's due by putting restraints on people and things of that nature, but know that's due by putting restraints on people and things of that nature.
Speaker 1:But I mean it was, regulations were different back in that time. That's one of the things. Yeah, it was, yeah, yeah, so you, so you possibly uh, probably ordered some of those huh restraints.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh yeah, we, yeah they would. They would be in the facility. Yeah, pretty much, pretty much ain't. So on backwards and things. That kind of thing when you have unruly patients and that kind of thing, oh man.
Speaker 1:It's crazy.
Speaker 2:It's a whole different world.
Speaker 1:Yeah it's a whole different world. I mean, I just imagine that happening right now.
Speaker 2:And then plus. The other thing too was, we did not have what you consider like high-acuity patients like we do now. Oh, yeah, you know you still were in the early stages where you had a lot of you know of the, you know just patients that needed. You know grandmas and grandpas, who you know who just needed care and you know they didn't need a lot of medical care, pretty much More of a you know more of a kind of a rest home situation than it became, you know.
Speaker 1:And we were. Yes, I saw that whole transition. So how do you stay current with the changes in health care? You know the regulations and the practice You've seen you came from. Oh yeah, you just alluded to.
Speaker 2:You got to stay current because everything seems. You know. Obviously you know organizations like Florida Health Care, you know I talk about. You know they have seminars and they have programs, so you know I try to attend those. They have a conference once a year as well, where they have a lot of speakers and things of that nature. There's a lot of things that now again the technology, online web, you know, webinars and all those kind of things that you can stay current with.
Speaker 2:You know, because the regulations change so often. You know there's always things coming out and you and you kind of have to always be abreast of that because you know, from month to month, and especially when we went through COVID, things changed every month. You know the, you know the regulations, the requirements, so it became a situation where you always have to. Well, what are we doing now? Are we allowing people in the building?
Speaker 1:now.
Speaker 2:Are we keeping six feet apart now? Are we doing all those kind of things?
Speaker 1:So how do you help your staff to be engaged with educating them and keeping them motivated to actually, you know, stay up to practice and stay in compliance? Okay.
Speaker 2:Obviously, we have to communicate. I mean things that I think the biggest thing, one of the biggest things in facilities that operate well, is just constant communication, and I know you do that very well. One of the things that really impressed me about you was the way you communicated, and I told you even there, as you come within AIT, that there's some things you do even better than me, but that's one of those things that that you can't. You can't keep everything to yourself. If you learn something, you got to quickly get that out to to people that need it, and so that's why you learn something. You got to quickly get that out to people that need it, and so that's why you got to either have you know. You either got to send it out in an email you got to have.
Speaker 2:I guess we have on shift. We send messages out to everybody's. You know phones, you know tablets and so forth, and we always have to have an on staff or staff meeting at least once a month. You can't miss those because you've got to get everybody together if at all possible. Share information, then I always try to even come in on the night shifts and share information too, as things change. You've got to have people be aware of it.
Speaker 1:You know, night shifts always say they'd be left out. They always do they always feel left out.
Speaker 2:You've got to think about it. You know it's night. You know they work. You know 11 to 7. And you got all staffed in at 2 o'clock. You know that's the middle of their night.
Speaker 1:I used to tell them I say you don't want to sign up for 11 to 7. Do that you got to put your lifestyle.
Speaker 2:I do it maybe once a quarter, and I tell them that's how it's going to be about once a quarter.
Speaker 1:I come in and I give a shit.
Speaker 2:I try to give you an update. I'm not a little self-person About once a quarter. I'll do that for you. That communication is key, man, you've got to do that. That's in, man, you've got to do that. And then you know, and that's in every aspect, you've got to communicate. You know, with the financial status of the building, right, right.
Speaker 1:You know what the regulations are. I learned that from YouTube. Yeah, being transparent and just understanding Right, right.
Speaker 2:You know what your regulations are and then what happened during your surveys and things like that. Because people want to know. Right, right, you People try to keep that close to the vest. It does not help you to not have people understand that, because they're the ones who have to make it work Right.
Speaker 1:You foster an engagement culture. Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:And if you have a policy or something like that, or you're trying to change something or you're doing you, had an issue let's say with a survey, and you're trying to do a plan of correction. Plan of correction involves your team. Yes, how are you going to do a plan of correction? Plan of correction involves your team.
Speaker 1:How are you going to do a plan of correction if you don't let them know what the problem was and what we're saying we're going to do to fix it, and what their part in it is? Surveyors come right back in and interview them and they say the same thing. That's right.
Speaker 2:Can I tell you?
Speaker 2:something real briefly about that. Yes, sir, I saw that it was really tragic. We had a facility one time I won't mention the facility that actually I guess had failed survey several times and had got to the point where they weren't going to be. You know, they were losing their CMS gradations, the facility was going to close down, they were losing their Medicaid and Medicare funding. So all their patients were going to have to leave this building and go to other facilities and all the staff are going to have to find new jobs. And what they were doing was because the company was hoping that CMS may come back in on an off shift or something and that they could be ready. They had the administrators and our company rotate to this facility, you know, after hours to kind of try to just if they come back kind of just be there and help if they come back to kind of just be there and help.
Speaker 2:So I was there, I had one night that I did it and I'm there and I'm kind of talking to some of the staff about it, you know, and it was like two weeks out from when their building was going to be closed and one of the saddest things they told me, which I took back to my building and told them, was we never knew that it was this serious. Nobody ever told us that we had failed reserving serious. Nobody ever told us that we had failed reserving. We didn't know until now. We get notices that we can apply at other facilities and all that kind of thing. So that's never going to happen in the facility I'm at. You're going to know what the situation is. You're going to know what we did right, what we did wrong, because communication is the only way you can do this thing.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, that's a great story and it happens. And that's a great story and it happens. And that's sad too. For the staff as well, it's sad.
Speaker 2:And that building was closed for more than a year. You know the building I'm talking about, but yeah, it was closed for more than a year and you know, then they reopened, you know, changed the name, did some things, but the sad part was that some staff were saying that they never knew.
Speaker 1:Right, right. So I know you stated that the gentleman that you met when you moved to Alabama down here, clarence Ball, clarence, mr Ball, yes, sir, he was an inspiration for you. Yes, he was Did that sort of help you when you saw the opportunity to become a preceptor? That was one of the things.
Speaker 2:That was one of the things. Another thing was my AIT experience. My AIT experience I got an AIT. I didn't really tell you a lot about it but, like I said, I was in Catskill, new York. This gentleman had, uh, had agreed to take me on, but from the time I got there he was very much. He had never had an AIT before, so he didn't know how to really be a preceptor and he was very closed up with information Very. He almost was as if you know you're there but I don't trust you with any information.
Speaker 2:You know, I don't you know you're here, you got to do your time here, you know, but you kind of got to do it on your own kind of a thing. You know what, the things I have to tell you I'll tell you things I don't you know kind of have to get on your own. So, um, what I did was I kind of, you know, I was assigned to each department and one of the things I did I took a pad with me and I went to each department. One of the things that I would ask them, because I was just kind of observing I'd be in that chair, like, well, you know what, what things do you see? I go to the manager and I'm like what could be better? You know what's going on? What's better? What things? You, you know, because each one of them was teaching me something, because he wasn't.
Speaker 2:And, interestingly enough, another thing that went on and started while I was there was there was a union organizing campaign that started, which made it a little worse as far as my interaction with him, in that, you know, they had a lot of closed door meetings and I was on inside of those meetings. So I was kind of out there, you know, dealing with staff, even though I wasn't management. I wasn't staff either, so I was asked questions, and when people would tell me things, you know, if he was a little more open I could have helped him. I could have told him why they were bringing a union in.
Speaker 1:Cause I learned all these things. You know, as I was dealing with the staff, cause I was talking to them, they were telling me they were telling me what the issues were of what this gentleman is.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean. You can learn what to do and what not to do. I learned from him what not to do. So that was one of the things that, when I had the opportunity to become a preceptor and I actually became a preceptor in Georgia before I came to Alabama was, yeah, I wanted to open up opportunities for people and I wanted them to know the you know, shortcut some of the process and not have to. You know, they have to learn some stuff on your own, which you know. You know you had to do those things, but I didn't want to be somebody that you know you couldn't get any information from me. Find out on your own, find out like I did that kind of thing. I was never going to be that kind of person. So I think that's one of the things that prompted me to become a preceptor.
Speaker 1:That's a great story too. So I will say you were very transparent, open, definitely you know, share with the staff, but also with me, allowing me to engage and be involved in meetings. You did a good job with that too. Yes, I appreciate it, Like you said that second-string quarterback. Oh yeah, Yo man, Second-string quarterback. Yeah, I'm there, I'm shining bright, you know it.
Speaker 2:You're doing that. Okay, there's the facility calling me now, but anyhow can I just text her real quick.
Speaker 1:Yes, sir, I'm going to tell her, keep going.
Speaker 2:Sherry, what do you want? To do Okay, keep going Okay, I'm just going to text her and just let her know I'm doing a podcast.
Speaker 1:What's going on? Man Can I call?
Speaker 2:you back. All right, just let her know.
Speaker 1:Because you know he can edit this out. Okay, All right. Huh, Are you pausing or something?
Speaker 2:Huh.
Speaker 1:Huh, want me to answer it? Yeah, yeah, go ahead. Okay, let's answer it. Okay, all right. So, ridge, so what advice you would give to someone aspiring to become a nursing home administrator?
Speaker 2:OK, I would give them the advice of you know, making sure it's kind of what they want to do. I mean, I would tell them to definitely come in, meet with, you know, administrators, kind of like you did, Maybe, tour some buildings, things like that, Talk to a couple of different people because, as you know, it is a 24-7, seven-day-a-week commitment and the responsibilities are, you know, you're responsible for people's lives and that kind of thing, Right, right. So I advise them that you know, first, make sure that's what you want to do. Do Second, I would say, to definitely learn. You know, learn how to deal with people.
Speaker 2:And I say learn how to deal with people because everybody's, you know, going to be different and everybody has a different skill set.
Speaker 2:So what you need to do is figure out you know what your skill set is and figure out how to utilize whatever your strengths are to get other people, Because, again, your job is to get your job done through somebody else, and everybody's not a people person. So you'd have to if this is what you want to do, because, at the end of the day, the people that you're trying to get them to do the job are the people that are responsible for these very frail, elderly or these very sick people that are, I mean, at your building, because they have this need the neediest of all or the frailest of all and so you have to figure out in yourself you know how am I going to do that? Is there something that I want to take on? Do I want that responsibility? If you say yes, then the next thing I would say is all right, then now you need to. These are people who are already administrators or just wanting to get in Just wanting to become an aspiring administrator, then again, look for a mentor, like how we talked about.
Speaker 2:Look for somebody who you think that you can get with, because you're going to need that kind of, you know, guidance and you know if that's what you want to do, try to find that and then, if you can't, it takes you a while if you can't find that, then you know, go to I mean go to agencies like Florida Healthcare, some other organizations, and kind of find what resources there are to at least give you enough background or guidance. Because I think, as a new administrator, young administrator, the regulations are going to be one thing that you're going to learn. You can't memorize the regulations. That's going to be something you're going to focus on, yes, but the fact that you can at least get that guidance or find somebody that you can mentor or that can be a mentor.
Speaker 2:So at least give me some advice. Personally, I would say do that first, Just get out there and don't have anybody that you can call for advice or that you can go to. I think you need that. At least you know something, to kind of at least get you started.
Speaker 1:Right, right, what are some foundational pieces you would say that could help and I know I don't think we sort of dealt with that during my AIT program because I know it was a little personal but I would say what advice you would share with someone that's becoming a nurse home administrator or is in a brand new role as a nurse home administrator, of how to balance their professional life and personal life.
Speaker 2:Okay, I think that's so important. I think that a lot of people don't know how to do that, and even me initially and as I've gotten older and talk to my family and things now, there's a lot of times that wasn't balanced. You know, if I had to look back over time now or to say some things, I would have done differently. That would probably be one of them, because, as you know, early in your career and then especially early in the facility, it's all consuming.
Speaker 1:You lose a lot of family time.
Speaker 2:You lose a lot of important events in your kids' lives and things like that. I have to give my wife a lot of credit because, again, I have three adult children now who are all very successful, and things of that nature. I have to give most of that to that because a lot of things I miss. So I would give advice to definitely not neglect that part of it.
Speaker 2:So, yes, you've got to be tied in. You're an administrator, you've got things that have deadlines that you've got to do. But when you get some things done, go home. Because some of the things are going to be there the next day.
Speaker 1:Yes, you always have something to do.
Speaker 2:Things that you can. Yeah, You've got to prioritize and you have to actually be intentional about the fact that you want to have a balance. Yes, If you're not intentional about that, you won't have it, because the job can take everything. They can do that, yes, In that kind of industry. So you have to be intentional about the fact that I got to have balance. You know I've got this plan with my family. I got this. Then take that time to do it. Yes, you know, let the company know this is what I'm going to do. You know I got PTO for a reason. I've worked life balance for a reason. Take it, you got to do that.
Speaker 2:If you don't, early in your career you'll be burned out. Yes, yes, it's going to happen because it's just. I mean, it's that kind of industry. You know, and you know you've got several regulations. You've got surveys that pop in. Unannounced Surveyors are popping on and announcing all the time. You got things happening. You may have your day totally planned about what you want to do. You get in the morning. You're in the morning meetings. Somebody comes in and says the state's here, Everything's thrown off.
Speaker 1:Oh, I used to have my little to-do list. I used to try to feel good about myself. I do about two or three other things on there. I try to maintain an organization, but it's always you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's one of the things I admire about you too, as well is your organization. That's one thing. You're definitely better than me, because we talked about that.
Speaker 2:You were man, one of the things that we talked about, and I don't want to go backwards, but I have to now, since we brought that up was that in your AIT experience and I've had several AITs One of the things about you you know, was you know you and again, how, when I say find a mentor and find how you mess with somebody, one of the things that when you and I mesh, we do some things the way I did some things didn't necessarily mesh with how you, you know were were operating and so you, you actually took the time, which is good. That was that like you know, it's better for you. You see what's happening. If I have you know more structure as to what we're doing, because I would go and I fly by the seat.
Speaker 1:Do we? Everything's gonna be different what happens gonna happen.
Speaker 2:We're gonna make it go right, yeah, but but again, you know, as I thought about it too, because you're trying to learn too at the same time. Yeah, so you need to see, you know what's happening here, what's happening here, what's happening here and not just go with it.
Speaker 2:At this point, One of the things that you did as far as trying to even structure like, look, okay, I got you, we're trying to do this All right. Well, I'll spend this money with this one, but do this with this and again, if this meets your approval, it's what you're doing and I was like that's wonderful, norm, that's good but I'm saying that's the thing, you've got to get into it and yeah, you want to be organized and if you organize, things will go better.
Speaker 2:But this industry, because of the way it operates and because you're taking care of people and there are people with so many different illnesses and situations and you're managing staff and all your staff are different. You've got all different cultures. You've got all different personalities. You got everything that you have to deal with. You go in and your plan for that day may be A, but it turns to B very quickly.
Speaker 1:You know.
Speaker 2:And then also we're in Florida where you know, certain times of the year you know we've got the hurricanes that come up and all of a sudden now you're playing good old Florida, yes, where you're having to evacuate your facility. You're having to either accept people in your facility but you have to have a plan for it, and that kind of thing. So I would definitely tell a young administrator to make sure they plan for that other balance. Right, right, so you take that time, get away from it, unplug, do that.
Speaker 1:Right, right, because you need it. I think the key piece, as you said, is definitely obtaining a mentorship, and I'm understanding that in my life in general now like different aspects of my entrepreneur space and what I'm trying to become, and I like different aspects of my entrepreneurs based on what I'm trying to become. Right Is mentorship is, is is really important. I have a guy, a person that just you know consult with and you know, give me some pointers and tips, and so what are the top three areas? I know what you told me a brand new administrator, or any administrator, should focus on it as operations.
Speaker 2:Ok, yes, you got to. You need to understand that with the, with the facility, as far as their survey history you know, so that's you know. You basically have to know that. So if you go to a facility and I know we talked about that so you can actually plan what you want to do, operation in the facility, if you go in and look at two, at least two sets of pieces of paper, first and foremost you look at that survey, most recent survey, kind of see where the state has signed a facility and then look at their financial state. If you do that then that'll tell you kind of where you know if the facility's being profitable, if it's not, where their weak areas are, those kinds of things. So those, those are the two, two key things, first and foremost. And then you said what's the third thing?
Speaker 1:you said, but you asked me three things, three areas Okay.
Speaker 2:And then the third thing I would say is is is look and see who, what, what your staff, your staffing kind of situation is, what managers you have, you know where you have openings, you know what the, you know how the staff moves as far as getting along with each other. You know that kind of thing.
Speaker 2:What kind of team you've got the culture of the facility and say wait, you know what you've got to do when you first get there, because that'll tell you a lot. Your survey history, you, you know, you've been signed. Actually, my first facility I went to in georgia. Coming from alabama, I went to a facility and it was in brunswick, georgia, a small facility that, uh, had, apparently it had a terrible survey history because of what they were talking about and it actually had been run by a church organization and I was hired by a company that would go in and fix problems, you know. And so I was hired by this company. They sent me to this facility and at this facility, this facility was, I want to say, 40 beds. They gave me the survey report because they had to come back and the survey report was 40 pages. Okay, so all right. So I'm reading through 40 pages of deficiencies for this small facility. And that was back then too. That was in. Yes, that was like probably 91, early 90s.
Speaker 1:That was like three.
Speaker 2:I was three round yeah, so yeah, a very young man, but you were a very, very young man. Thanks for that.
Speaker 2:Okay, but yes, so yes, I went to this facility in berkeley, new orleans and uh, you know, and the staff you know, and I walked in the building. Actually what I did just to tell you they, uh, before I went I was going going on Monday. They brought me in on that. I came over there, they put me up in a place on the weekend, so I went in, like on Saturday I was in jeans, just kind of walking around the building and again, they weren't a lot of black administrators around period then, and so I was just walking through the building just kind of seeing how they interact, that kind of thing and I saw a lot of people just, you know know, sitting around not doing much.
Speaker 2:Walked around, looked, you know, I saw patients, you know hanging out of bed and all this kind of stuff. I'm like wow, receptionist wasn't at the desk. Nobody didn't say nothing to me, nobody stopped me, walked around, just wandered in like I'm going to strange off the street, walked around, walked all the way to the back of it, looked around, nobody said anything to me, walked back out, went back to my hotel.
Speaker 2:So Monday when I came, as administrator we had a meeting on Tuesday, and when I had a meeting on Tuesday, I had the 40-page deficiency report. And so I got up from the room and I said look, you know, the community, the state, everybody thinks we're a terrible facility. This says we're a terrible facility. You know, I don't know how you guys feel about it, you know, and I don't want anybody to have to take it personally, but this is what the public sees. And with this we're not. We got a whole lot of problems we got to clean up. We're not, we got a whole lot of problems we got to clean up. Um, then, plus, I came in saturday I walked around and I saw kind of a lot of things that that was showing that, you know, we got a lack of care here.
Speaker 1:oh yeah, yeah, you know, um and a long way, with your staff too. Yes, yes, coming on a saturday yes, yes, but you?
Speaker 2:but by looking at that, that report, like, just show me the guidelines first. We got to get started. Right now there's that stop, we don't have the room to play. We got to get this corrected and the state was going to come back for a survey anyway. So you know, that's, like I said, very important that you have those kind of pieces to guide you, so at least you know where to start. Yes, okay, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you've impacted so many lives, from in the elderly community to families, loved ones, to individuals in the industry as well.
Speaker 2:What would you say is your most memorable or highest compliment you've received? Wow, well, I think that's one of them right there. You said that. I think you know. I've had some people say to me you know, andre said the same thing that you said there. It's life-changing man, what you did for me was life-changing and again, I didn't do it thinking that, but the fact that that's how it turned out, it's probably one of the highest compliments you get and I coined the name Florida's the Black Godfather the merciful administrator.
Speaker 1:Black Godfather. That's going to be the title too okay, no problem, I appreciate you doing it. I mean it, man. So last question here before we get into our game portion is what's the best life advice you've ever gotten? All right, that's a good question, and who did you hear from One of?
Speaker 2:the first ones, I guess the best professional advice. I got my first facility in Tuskegee, alabama professional advice. I got my first facility in Tuskegee, alabama. My medical director was an old doctor named Dr Dow and I was a 28-year-old administrator, newly moved, you know new into Alabama. Just, I mean, you know new in my role. He walked in my office and at that time, you know, everybody thought I was very professional. We would call you Mr and Mrs. I was probably the youngest person in the building you know, and he said to me he said Mr Eldridge.
Speaker 2:I said, yes, sir, dr Dowd. He said you don't ever have to supervise anybody. I said okay. He said as long as you're going to take responsibility for whatever they do, as long as you're going to take responsibility for whatever they do. And he just walked out. So I was sitting there thinking okay. So I guess what he's saying is I better supervise some people. Because, as I thought about what he said, he said, if I don't supervise. I'm still responsible, he's still responsible, it doesn't matter.
Speaker 2:You don't have to do it, but my responsibility is for whatever they do. So I mean, as far as professional advice is probably, you know, carried on throughout life and and, as you know, as an administrator, we're responsible for everything that happens in the building. We talk about 11 to 7. We can be home in our bed, sleep. Some happens on 11 to 7. We're still responsible for it.
Speaker 1:Something happens on 11 to 7, we're still responsible for it. Yes, so, and just thinking back, the health and rehab center at Dolphinsview oh yeah, over there South Pasadena, oh yeah, it's on them late night calls. You know it, man, that was my first facility, so I thank Consulate Healthcare for giving me that opportunity.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that was probably the most professional advice. The other thing my mom said to me I still and again it came up with, kind of when I was talking about trying to get along with people. My mom told me years ago let's see exactly how does she word that, let's see. I want to say it had to do with, you know, trying to to. I can't remember the exact wording that she had, I tell you. So you asked me that I was going to say, but anyhow, it had to do with getting along with people, um, even if you have conflicts without being confrontational. So her exact wording, and I can't remember what it was right now but it had to do with being able to, you know, not always agree, but to not be, not to do it in a way that was always disagreeable, kind of a way of putting it. You know, if I was my sister right now, she'd remember the exact wording of that.
Speaker 2:But she told me that until you asked me that I can't remember. But, again those two pieces of advice you know, one professional and one you know personal.
Speaker 1:Right, right pieces of advice, one professional and one personal, right here on the let's Get Comfy podcast. As I stated, we sponsor a sponsor of peace, joy, love and happiness. We have to end on a high note. We have a game we're going to play here that's called the Seven Versions of Me. It'll be the seven versions of Ridge. You get going to play here. That's called the Seven Versions of Me. Okay, so it'll be the seven versions of Ridge. Okay, all right, and you get seven seconds to answer each one of these, all right.
Speaker 1:The first one is Ridge as a husband.
Speaker 2:As a husband, all right, as a husband I am. My wife would say something different. I mean, I try to be a little more understanding. I don't listen enough, you know. So I'm trying to learn, as an old husband now, to be more understanding.
Speaker 1:Good, ok, all right, red as a father.
Speaker 2:I've also had to learn again, because I said that you know I do appreciate one of my kids are doing things very well, they're always very successful, but I needed to, and now have been learned more of. I guess empathy is another thing that I think I've learned over time. I can give you an example, but I don't want to change the game?
Speaker 1:Go ahead. No, no, okay.
Speaker 2:All right as a young person and I talked about kind of my father moving and that kind of thing and I had to move. There was one situation where grades one through six I was in Rochester, new York, and everybody in the school looked like me. Every person that I went to school with from grade one to six was black student like me. In my seventh grade year, at age 12, my dad took a job in central New York and I went to a school that started from seven to 12. And I was the only black student of 1200 students the only one and I was a seventh grader.
Speaker 2:So it was probably a year of defining year for me and trying to figure out, you know, my identity for one thing and trying to adjust a whole new environment. It was a stress for you. It was a stress for you. I don't think I took that into account as much when you know as an adult, going on my jobs and how the change would be for my children and as they got older I learned more about that. So I guess, as a father now, I guess I feel more empathetic to kind of how they were coming up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's good, that's a good example, reg as a sibling.
Speaker 2:As a sibling I was an older sibling, so you know, I kind of was the boss. I felt my two younger siblings again both doing well. Now we're more on a level playing field than we were as I'm coming up.
Speaker 2:So again, as adults, we're doing pretty well. We stayed in touch. We actually like each other. Good, that's good. I read you as a son, as a son, as a son, especially now. My mom is very much. She's elderly, obviously, and struggling. She lives closer to my sister up in Carolina. My father's passed. I tried to again learn some of my lessons and being, like I said, I started out kind of problem kid early on to now seeing my aging parents be more as a, I guess, as their caregiver. My sister and I both are caregivers for them now. So at this stage I am now that's kind of how I am as a son.
Speaker 2:All right and as an entrepreneur, as an entrepreneur, I think one of the things that I think is important and I always listen you know you kind of always kind of be open to other ideas. You know you don't have all the ideas. You kind of got to put yourself in position to where, if something comes available or you networking with people just like you kind of talk about that kind of thing, if there's an opportunity you that you can cash in on it or that you can at least be involved in it, you know. So I think as an entrepreneur, you always have to be open. You have to not close yourself off to. You know it's not health related.
Speaker 2:But this is not this you know you have to be open to, because you never know what the opportunities are.
Speaker 1:Which is another thing I'm proud of you about.
Speaker 2:Thank you, sir, you know you're not limited.
Speaker 2:So, again, another thing I'm proud of you about Thank you, sir Good as a friend. As a friend, yeah, I think that's very important. I think you don't really have. You know, if you have true friends, you know and nobody can have, you know I got 50 friends. Well, you know I got 50 friends. Well, you got 52 friends, people that you can really count on or that you really can be there for and that they can be there for you. If you've got some of those people in your life, I think that you live well. I think that that's that's important.
Speaker 2:And the final version Reg's impact on his community. All right, well, my impact on the community has primarily been, like I said, through healthcare. You know I've been minister of several facilities and I've had so many different. You know numbers of staffs. You know I don't know hundreds of people that you know I've been administrator of or have impacted their lives in some way or the other, that I've been administrator of or have impacted their lives in some way or the other. And also, I guess, trying to be involved in other organizations as well, through churches and through civic organizations. I try to involve myself as well. I don't want to limit, you can't just register as a nursing home administrator.
Speaker 1:Right, right, right.
Speaker 2:And plus I still have a lot of involvement with my military friends and others. So I think that's kind of how I impact the community.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, all right, and the last game we have, reg is called. That's my Answer. So you get three seconds. It's a this or that type of game here, okay, and it's referred to your preferences. Okay, all right. So bad breath or body odor? Oh, I got to pick one. You got to pick one of those Bad breath or body odor. Which one is your preference?
Speaker 2:It's going to be bad. Yeah, which one are you going to pick? I have to say bad breath, they're both going to be bad. Yeah, what's wrong with you, dad?
Speaker 1:I have to say bad breath, they're both going to be bad, bad breath, okay, bad breath, okay Red, all right, all right. So punch or slap.
Speaker 2:All right, I'm going to have to say slap, because I mean you know hey.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, okay, chicken or seafood Chicken, okay, five shots of tequila or three long islands.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna do the three long islands, three long. Yeah, I've tried the five shots of tequila.
Speaker 1:God, you guys you're mixing with long island and you have three of those. Well, there's five shots of the killer yeah, I, I I've done the shots yeah, okay, I've done that. Uh, dancing or singing.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm going to do either. Well, but I probably would say, maybe singing.
Speaker 1:Singing. Okay, yeah, they're going through a little battle right now Drake or Kendrick Lamar. I think Kendrick Lamar is winning that one, kendrick. Yes, I agree with that. Yeah, all right, now you know, don't get in trouble here, red, uh-oh.
Speaker 2:Card. You know, don't get in trouble here Red Carter B or. Sixer Red Okay, okay, so I have to pick one or the other. You got to pick one or the other For the purposes of this, yes, yes, okay. And again, this is for purposes of Norm's game. I have to say, wow, that's a good one. I guess it's Carter B. I guess Carter B. Okay, carter B has a little more talent, all All right. Biggie or Tupac oh, wow, ok, I like both of them. I think I'm going to Tupac. I think. Tupac.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm with both of them, though. All right, you know they have their little situation. But Will Smith or Chris Rock, all right.
Speaker 2:Chris Rock was totally wrong. Yeah Right, I mean, will, they should not have done what he did. So so if I had to pick one, I think, I think, oh, wow, I'm gonna. Well, in that case, I'm gonna have to go with that's. That's, that's ugly, I'm gonna go with Chris he's, it's, it's the jokes, it's cause he's a comedian, right, you know, he Will took it.
Speaker 1:I think he took it in a way that yeah, it's just when she looked at him because he was laughing at Frank, that's what it was.
Speaker 2:He laughed to a window.
Speaker 1:I'm staying with Chris. Okay, plies or Jay-Z.
Speaker 2:Okay, jay-z is a legend. I'm going to have to go with Jay-Z Kevin. Hart or Cat Williams. Wow, that's another good one, man, another good one. Yeah, both of them are good comedians. Cat is wow, and I only have a few seconds so I can't really explain my answer right, you can Go ahead Go ahead.
Speaker 2:Okay, Explain, Explain my answer, Cat. I think Cat is more, again, as far as you know, with the street and with the folks, whereas Kevin is more commercial. And I really I like, like I said, I like both of their humor and I like the fact that Kevin, you know, is an entrepreneur as well and doing all those things. And if I had to choose a career, I would probably choose Kevin's career, Just as an individual I'd probably go with Kevin.
Speaker 1:Kevin, okay, own a jet or own a plane To own. To own one, which one would you own? A jet or a plane? Probably a jet Jet. Okay, why? I want to know, why I don't know? Okay, I think that Because I watched Soul Plane. That's how I came up with this answer, okay.
Speaker 2:I think a jet anyhow, because I'm thinking about trying to you know. A plane, I think needs too much other stuff to you know if I want to be somewhere, I think yeah. Yeah, you know I can just shoot up the jet and just go Plane. You got to do a whole lot of other prep and everything else prior to doing it. I'm thinking the jet can get in, go to a little smaller airport so I can land anywhere. I don't have to land at a big commercial airport and all those kind of things.
Speaker 1:Hunt for food or fish for food. Hunt for food or fish for food.
Speaker 2:Hunt for food or fish for food, or food. Which one? Well, now that I told you that I have gone fishing, I'm going to go with the fish Fish.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right. Rush hour, chris Tucker or Friday Chris Tucker. Which one do you take?
Speaker 2:Rush hour.
Speaker 1:Rush Hour. Rush Hour, yeah, okay, and the last and final one Beyonce or Megan Thee Stallion.
Speaker 2:So you let them do this, you let them do this.
Speaker 1:Yes, all right.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, yes, all right. Well, you know what? Yeah, okay, I think I'm going to have to go with them. Do this, all right, okay, okay, yes, all right. Well, you know what? Yeah, okay, I think I'm going to have to go with Megan on this.
Speaker 1:You're going to go with Megan on that, I think so Okay, all right, we're going to just let the answer stay that way. We'll leave it at that. Yes, sir, so man and peace, but most of all comfort, all right, this podcast is about empowering others, empowering the community with knowledge and resource to age comfortably, but we bring an edutainment to it. I'm Norman Harris. This is Reginald Eldridge. Thank you Good job there Norm.
