The Future Leaders Awards program is brought to you in partnership with PointClickCare. The program is designed to recognize up-and-coming industry members who are shaping the next decade of senior housing, skilled nursing, home health, and hospice care. To see this year’s Future Leaders, visit https://futureleaders.agingmedia.com/.

Megan Eyrich has been named a 2023 Future Leader by Senior Housing News.

To become a Future Leader, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be a high-performing employee who is 40-years-old or younger, a passionate worker who knows how to put vision into action, and an advocate for seniors, and the committed professionals who ensure their well-being.

Eyrich serves as the corporate marketing director for Baptist Retirement Communities of Georgia, Inc.

Senior Housing News caught up with Eyrich to discuss his time in the industry along with where he sees the industry headed, including the need building a sense of community for residents.

What drew you to the senior living industry?

The mission and passion of BRCGA to honor others through ministry and servanthood is what drew me to the senior living industry. It’s about aligning with a vision to set the course and meet the needs of this group of incredible people that we love and serve. It’s a decision to add value to the lives of seniors by serving, empowering, protecting and focusing on providing the resources needed for a fulfilled life.

What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in this industry?

Looking back over the last three years, senior housing has overcome some of the most difficult days that the aging population has ever faced. One important takeaway is that it takes a true team committed to serving the community that we love to succeed well. Every staff member is carefully selected for their specific strengths and talents to fulfill their role as a member of our team. It is essential that opportunities for growth with training, team building, connection, encouragement, fairness, consistency, and resources are available. This is what we do well at BRCGA and why I believe we continue to see growth in our communities, even during difficult days.

If you could change one thing with an eye toward the future of senior living, what would it be?

Fostering a sense of community is crucial to enhance the lives of senior adults now and in the future. As a company we continue to enhance our communities, amenities, and campuses and are proud to provide a “Beautiful Place to Call Home.” This is all important in the industry of senior living but means nothing if we do not “Put the HEART in Independent Senior Living” through the care and love our teams provide.

What do you foresee as being different about the senior living industry looking ahead to 2024?

Through the information provided by our local census presented at resource meetings, I foresee a great influx in senior housing needs soon. Moving comes with physical and emotional stress and once settled into a new community adding to the fear of the unknown can be overwhelming. There are incredible strides made towards enhancing individual personal in-home care and connection within independent senior living communities. It is inevitable, the industry will continue to change, and the next ten years are likely to bring challenges that we will likely need to adapt to quickly to continue serving seniors well. What are we missing? What can we do better? What do we do well? These are questions we assess weekly. We continually make decisions, plan, and budget to mold and shape what we offer as an independent senior living community now and in the future.

In a word, how would you describe the future of senior living?

Home. The future of senior living should encompass all of the things that make residents feel at home. Home isn’t just a place of residence but is defined as a place of familiarity where family is formed, a place of care, comfort, and a place where you want to return. We are not just friends. We are family. We are HOME.

What qualities must all future leaders possess?

Future leaders should have compassion, integrity, empathy, determination, fairness, patience, respect, and gratitude. Leaders must stay connected within their circle of providers and work together to meet the needs of senior adults throughout their communities. It is of utmost importance that we strive to enhance lives through senior living. We serve those who have gone before us, and it is my honor to be a part of bridging the gap by offering an enriched lifestyle as our seniors leave a legacy of a life well lived!

If you could give advice to yourself looking back to your first day in the industry, what would it be and why?

Stay connected. I strive daily to be a resource for our residents and local community during this delicate stage of life. I do this by staying connected with the professionals in our niche and our community team who serve seniors to meet the needs of our community both on and off campus. Senior living is more than just a business. Senior Living is an opportunity to enrich the lives of senior adults and provide hope, stability, peace, and support for their friends and family. It is my honor to walk alongside seniors in this journey of their lives. It is imperative that we succeed in offering our residents a life filled with joy, peace, wellness, fun, opportunities, community, and purpose. It is crucial that we offer the stability of a place to call home so that residents can focus on a life well lived.