Tips from Trestle: The Senior Living Food and Hospitality Podcast

Managing agitated family members is one of the biggest challenges in senior living — and in this episode of Tips from Trestle, host Aaron Fish sits down with caregiving expert, Certified Dementia Practitioner, and founder of Inspired Caring, Michele Magner, for an honest, practical conversation that every senior living professional needs to hear. Recorded live during the January Cocktails & Conversations event, Michele unpacks why families arrive emotionally raw, how to use Brené Brown's marble jar trust-building framework to strengthen family communication, and why curiosity, communication, and compassion are the three non-negotiable pillars of caregiving. You'll walk away with real-world strategies to help your frontline teams de-escalate tension, rebuild trust fast, and turn frustrated families into confident partners in care.
Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:
WiseOx: https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx
Ben E Keith Foods: https://bit.ly/TFT_BEK
AdvantageTrust GPO: https://bit.ly/TFTAdvTrust
#TFT506 #SeniorLiving #AssistedLiving #Caregiving #Caregiver #DementiaCare #ElderCare #SeniorCare #FamilyCaregiving #CaregiverSupport #SeniorLivingLeadership #AgingInPlace #TrustBuilding #FamilyCommunication #SeniorLivingProfessionals #InspiredCaring #TipsFromTrestle

In this episode of Tips from Trestle, host Aaron Fish sits down with Chef Alan Velazquez, culinary director at Oaks Senior Living, live from the Georgia Senior Living Association (GSLA) Conference in Savannah. The conversation unpacks what makes independent living dining a fundamentally different — and often underserved — experience in senior care. Chef Alan shares proven strategies for elevating resident dining, including cross-utilization of ingredients, resident-driven menu building through a "Chef's Corner" model, and intentional kitchen design that blurs the line between care levels. He also explores QR code technology for RSVPs, smart revenue reinvestment, and his golden rule: "You can recoup a steak. You can't recoup service." Essential listening for senior living operators, executive chefs, food service directors, and culinary professionals seeking to use dining as a marketing and retention powerhouse.
Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:
eMenuChoice: https://bit.ly/TFT_eMenu
WiseOx: https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx
Ben E Keith Foods: https://bit.ly/TFT_BEK
AdvantageTrust GPO: https://bit.ly/TFTAdvTrust
#TFT505 #SeniorLiving #SeniorDining #IndependentLiving #HospitalityFirst #SeniorLivingFood #ResidentExperience #CulinaryOperations #ActiveAdults #AgingWell #FoodServiceLeadership #SeniorLivingTrends #DiningInnovation #SeniorCareLeadership #FoodAsWellness

Discover how curiosity-driven sales strategies transform senior living communities' closing rates and customer relationships. Jessica Phaup and Kelly Singleton Myers from KJB Sales Consulting reveal proven techniques for senior living sales professionals, including the revolutionary "treasure box" method for gathering prospect information and the counterintuitive power of slowing down to close faster. Learn why replacing clinical jargon with empathetic language creates deeper connections, how leveraging team expertise elevates the sales experience, and why the sales process previews what life will be like in your community. This episode delivers actionable insights for sales directors, community leaders, and hospitality professionals seeking to improve occupancy rates, enhance customer experience, and build lasting relationships in senior housing, assisted living, and memory care environments.

Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:

- eMenuChoice: https://bit.ly/TFT_eMenu
- WiseOx: https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx
- Ben E Keith Foods: https://bit.ly/TFT_BEK
- AdvantageTrust GPO: https://bit.ly/TFTAdvTrust

#TFT504 #SeniorLiving #AssistedLiving #SalesTips #CustomerExperience #SalesStrategy #Hospitality #MemoryCare #LeadershipDevelopment #SalesTraining #ActiveListening #SeniorHousing #CommunityLiving #SalesCoaching #EmotionalIntelligence #RelationshipSelling

Our second episode on 2026 trends features the operators perspective, as Aaron sits down with John Tolbert, Associate VP of Culinary for Sagora Senior Living, to unpack 2026 food and hospitality trends. They dive into leveraging GPOs and POS technology to fight inflation, cut waste, and boost revenue while still delivering restaurant-quality, home-style comfort food residents love. From personalized menus built on resident preference data to bistros, room service apps, and “high tech, high touch” service models, this conversation shows how modern senior living communities can elevate both experience and efficiency. Aaron and John also explore wellness-focused menu design, “stealth health” recipes, and flavor-forward nutrition that keeps residents happy, healthy, and engaged. It’s a must-listen for senior living leaders, culinary directors, and hospitality teams.
A special thanks to Ben E Keith Foods for hosting this episode in their corporate recording studio in Fort Worth!
Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:
eMenuChoice: https://bit.ly/TFT_eMenu
WiseOx: https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx
Ben E Keith Foods: https://bit.ly/TFT_BEK
AdvantageTrust GPO: https://bit.ly/TFTAdvTrust
#TFT503 #SeniorLiving #SeniorLivingDining #FoodAndHospitality #SeniorLivingLeadership #CulinaryInnovation #ResidentExperience #WellnessThroughFood #SeniorDining #HighTechHighTouch #POSforDining #HospitalityMatters #BoomerGeneration #MenuEngineering #GPOstrategy #HealthyComfortFood

This episode of Tips from Trestle explores how senior living communities can transform into a hospitality‑driven engine for wellness, engagement, and revenue. Aaron chats with Sharalene Roper, COO of Ignite Living leader to unpack how independent and assisted living can use intentional design, intergenerational programming, and creative use of space to combat social isolation and drive resident satisfaction. They explore practical strategies like POS systems, robotics in the dining room, always‑available wellness‑focused menus, and flexible “club‑style” grill rooms that elevate senior living foodservice. You’ll hear actionable ideas around the eight dimensions of wellness, community partnerships with schools and local government, and how hospitality‑driven design keeps residents happier, healthier, and in your community longer.
Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:
eMenuChoice: https://bit.ly/TFT_eMenu
WiseOx: https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx
Ben E Keith Foods: https://bit.ly/TFT_BEK
AdvantageTrust GPO: https://bit.ly/TFTAdvTrust
#TFT502 #SeniorLiving #SeniorLivingDining #SeniorLivingDesign #ActiveAging #AgingWell #HospitalityDriven #ResidentExperience #DiningExperience #SeniorLivingLeaders #WellnessInAging #IntergenerationalLiving #SeniorCareInnovation #FoodServiceManagement #RetirementLiving #SeniorLivingMarketing