To My Supervisor,

I wanted to write this special letter of thanks to let you know how much I appreciate your time and efforts and how much I really enjoy working for you and with you. Starting a new job and learning new skills can always be daunting but with your leadership and direction it has always been easy to do my job, as you have provided a clear road map, outlining the goals of my position and given me autonomy and encouragement, knowing I would do a good job. I appreciate that you offer correction through learning and positive reinforcement, and have never doubted my skills. I'm also thankful for the challenges and how you always come up with a creative yet effective way to handle them efficiently. I like that as my manager you will go to bat for a team member and even help pull us up when our numbers are down. Thank you again for allowing me to take part in your awesome leadership, as it really makes a difference when doing a job from home and working to meet the quotas and goals set forth daily. I also want to thank you for allowing me to work as an intern and providing me with additional tasks that offered me a way to connect with more leads and challenged me to step outside my comfort zone to meet the goals set for me. I have learned a lot from this internship and job opportunity and I look forward to being able to apply what I have learned at this company to another position in the future.

Sincerely,

AJ

Internship Learning Experience

Although I started this journey more than a year ago, working as a Senior Family Advisor, it was the internship that really helped me see the value in what I do everyday helping others and how rewarding it can be when you know your efforts make a difference in someone's  life. In looking back at my very first blog entry I stated that I had 3 goals in mind for my internship, and that was to learn more about the many aspects of assisted living and levels of care, work to achieve monthly company goals, and assist as many families as I possible can in their search for senior living resources. To date  I am proud to say that not only have I met the goals I set forth, but I continue to strive for more in my position and have taken on additional responsibilities to help grow the company and reach more seniors. My new tasks have allowed me to not only reach out to families via phone, but now I can establish contact via email and help those who are not in a position to discuss their situation but still need information on resources in their area. By being of service via a live chat or email it helps families who are facing emergencies and addresses their concerns with a sense of urgency. In efforts to meet my goals I also received the support and encouragement of my supervising manager who gave me words of motivation daily, that alone pushed me to go the distance everyday on every call and try new things on a call to help explain the services we provide and connect them to. I have enjoyed the daily challenges as no two days are ever alike and I have learned a lot about assisted living, care levels and techniques that help when dealing with sales over the phone.

There are many strengths in my organization, that I draw from and admire. The fact that the company that I work for was birthed out of a social mission is awesome in and of it self. I look upon the company as a pillar for the senior community because it is a free referral service that provides important information, and we help families that are usually in distress, facing a serious emergency, or in need of desperate help. In offering our services we partner with other public and governmental agencies to promote their services and work to take care of people nationwide. Our extension of help simplifies things for seniors and their family members who cannot navigate the internet and search for communities in their area. The company as a whole is very engaging and is building a name for itself all in the efforts of caring for the seniors of America.

If I were in charge of a similar organization, I would do things a little different. Our company is completely virtual with the exception of the two headquarters, I think that in order for us to join the ranks of the competition, we should have territorial representatives who can help build our brand and book of business by personally meeting with the providers to establish a relationship and incorporate them into our directory to enlarge our base of referrals that we can offer the seniors. Other than that I believe the company has done a great job in standing by what they are here to do for the long run.

As an older adult learner, I have had many experiences in dealing with career services and needed the additional input many a times to secure employment. It has been quite sometime since I have been unemployed so I really don't have a need to attend many of these workshops or events. I am juggling 32 hours of work a week, and I am enrolled in 18 units this semester and raising two children alone. I spend many of my waking hours busy from sun up til sun down. However, once I complete this degree program, I anticipate changing my field of work and looking into working with in government at either the state or local level.

The only draw back I have is with the pay that many companies offer and with the state often times you start at an entry level and progress as time and skill permits. I was recently at ASU for a meeting with my guidance counselor who gave me a few good internship ideas that could possibly lead to gainful employment with the government but it would be difficult for me to make a lateral move and take a pay cut now, as I do have bills and a family to raise. I look forward to when I will be ready to make another transition into a career that offers growth, success and the opportunity to work with others the way that I would like to.

Free Write

A few months ago I was commissioned to do a special project at work that would enable me to help more seniors get the information they needed regarding communities in their area that fit their needs. I was approached by my supervisor to assist in the customer care department that answers emails for those who are unable to discuss this by phone or not in a position to talk, which happens often when they are searching for a loved one, but don't want them to know they are looking to move them due to the inability to care for them in the home still. At first it concerned me because I wouldn't have the ability to book tours and give them more input on communities. However, repetitious boredom pays off and many of the potential residents became more interested and began communicating with me via phone and email. It quickly grew my pipeline and as I started sending out info, many of the leads converted to residents and moved into the suggested communities.

I can honestly say it has become a highlight of my day to spend time working on the self qualified leads that need help just as much as the person who answers the phone. I was able to meet the company goals and quotas set for me by contacting enough people and getting move ins. I have learned a lot on email etiquette and structure letters that are appealing and get people to respond.

Free Write

 I started working with my company a little over a year ago. Since that time I have had the opportunity to learn more about the needs of seniors. I have also become more informed on the difficulties of aging and the many ailments that follow. It has been a crash course in medical terminology to say the least, and an extraordinary experience helping families in need. I enjoy the fact that we work off a script but have the flexibility with the conversation. Many of the conversations take time and can last at least 20 minutes to up to an hour. They can be very intense and even emotional especially when the person has to make all the decision for their loved one. It is the most rewarding when I can find a community that meets their needs financially and medically. It really helps to find facilities that are close in proximity to the family so they can be close to visit, and help support the needs of the loved one once they become a resident.

Since the population of aging seniors is growing there has been no shortage of work or people to assist. We are a growing company that helps to refer thousands of family weekly and hundreds daily. Many of the communities that we partner with are experiencing a influx of residents and have very long waiting lists. I see a lot of growth in many states where they are building new facilities everywhere since this have become a huge industry.

Learning Via Online Courses

I have been a fan of distance learning since its creation! I'm not sure who invented the idea or implemented it in schools but they were on to something for sure. I remember when  I started college over 20 years ago, when the internet was still known as the worldwide web, I enrolled in a distance learning class that would satisfy as a general ed course. The course was taught through video taped lectures and audio tapes, along with books. The class met every 6 weeks for a full day to go through coursework and address any questions that students would have. The classes lasted a full semester and you received 3 credit hours that were transferable upon completion. I knew then that would be the only way I could attend school and the correspondence approach to courses would allow me to get my college education, work and contend with being a single mother.

Today distance learning has evolved into online course ranging from every subject and extending far beyond just general education classes. Classes can be anywhere from 7-8 weeks or as long as 14 weeks. The evolution of the internet connects students from around the globe to schools of various majors and studies that produce sought after degrees in many fields. The easy of learning in your own home or an environment that is conducive to your schedule allows so many working adults to return to school and encourages younger students to stay connected. Now there is no excuse and learning has never been easier nor has obtaining a higher education. I just finished registering for my final semester at ASU to complete my bachelors. I am taking all my classes online because I have to work and keep up with my two teenagers.

How Caring.com Demonstrates Public Service

I work with a free senior living referral service and our efforts as a public service are to help educate families on the options for in home health care and assisted living communities in their areas. The service does more that just give information, we become one with families helping them in finding whats suits their care needs and their budgets. Many family advisors go above and beyond the call of duty to help families understand the various levels of care, the resources that offer help with care costs, and provide referrals to other external public agencies that offer programs to support the elderly. Caring.com also provides informational reading materials offering advice on how to assist an aging loved one, and becoming aware of the signs of dementia and other memory issues that need special care. The company works to create awareness about the various stages of care needed when aging, and provides assistance to those searching for information at a critical time. Caring.com also makes people aware of the rising costs of care and how to plan for the costs, which is something many people don't do, and find that when they get sick they can't afford care. That's when we give them information on services that assist in care costs and help them tour communities that might fit their needs.

As quoted from the website:
Caring.com is the leading online destination for those seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses, and other loved ones. Our mission: to help the helpers. We equip family caregivers to make better decisions, save time and money, and feel less alone -- and less stressed -- as they face the many challenges of care-giving. To make that journey a little easier, we provide personal, one-on-one guidance with a Family Advisor, thousands of original articles, helpful tools, a comprehensive local Senior Care Directory, and the collective wisdom of an involved community. Caring.com's carefully researched and expert-reviewed content includes advice from a team of more than 50 trusted leaders in geriatric medicine, law, finance, housing, and other key areas of healthcare and eldercare.

Earthquakes in Arizona

On Sunday evening after many hours of studying, I decided to retire for the evening. As I lay in bed drifting off to sleep I never imagined that I would be awakened by an earthquake that was a 4.1 magnitude here in Arizona. It was surprising and shocking and even in my sleep I knew what I was feeling. Having been born and raised in California, I am no stranger to the effects of an earthquake and can quickly recognize the feeling immediately. At first I thought I was dreaming because I was still in a half awake state but it felt like the building was swaying. I live in a two story condo so the higher up you are, the more you feel it. The bed was shaking, the windows were rattling and the mirrored closet doors in my room at the foot of my bed were rattling and shaking too. I almost panicked, actually I did because it was in that moment that I realized Arizona is no longer utopia. I'm not free from earthquakes and the dangers they present and I didn't have an emergency preparedness kit. I laid there until the tremors stopped scared and in disbelief. The next day I decided to put together and emergency kit and an evacuation action plan for my family.

I  started looking online for a list of things I needed to put together in an earthquake preparedness kit, in the hopes that this would benefit me and my children should we be stuck in an earthquake or any other natural disaster. Here's a list of things I came up with and put in a package that can easily be grabbed and we can start our lives all over again quickly. First I got water, canned foods and dry foods, a standard first aid kit, some tools and supplies like candles, matches, flash light, batteries, knife, utensils, change of clothes and copies of all pertinent document like birth certificates, social security cards, ID's, cash, credit card info. I also sat with my children and we made an escape plan to exit our building and agreed on a safe meeting place should we get separated. It is never to early to put a plan in place and in fact it works best to do so that way everyone can be protected and stay safe.

Seasons Change

I'm always grateful when this time of year comes around. The seasonal change offers more motivation to go out doors. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the heat any day, but I also look forward to the cold too! I especially enjoy when I go outside and quickly have to come back inside for a jacket because its chilly in Arizona. The winters are worth looking forward too, the weather is great for cooking out in the back yard and entertaining around the fire pits at night.

Although the time does not change here in Arizona, (I can never get used to that, since I grew up where the time does fall back one hour every year) you can feel the shift of the days growing shorter and nights longer. Its starting to get dark around 6 pm and the temperature changes rapidly making morning and nights much cooler yet the days are still nice and warm. Again I think it's the perfect weather, especially to bring in the holidays.

Leadership

Leadership is a quality one must exude in order to confidently approach a task and see it to completion. Being a leader in my position is one the skills that makes our job so important. I get to display leadership in every call I answer. I am poised as an expert in my position and its my job to take the reins and provide direction and information so that families and seniors can make the decision of a lifetime. I often have the task of informing and prompting those who need extra information and or direction. I have the task of also following up to make the appropriate community was assigned so they can tour. In addition I often have to contact the communities and initiated dialogue to get families the financial assistance need to make a transition. As a family advisor I lead the way for families in dire need as well and help them make choices that benefit them in the future. 

I have an awesome supervisor who displays leadership to the fullest. Each day when I arrive at work virtually I check my email to read her motivational message that encourages the team to be our best and do our best. Her resilience an management style exemplify leadership and the dynamics it takes to keep team moral and help catapult us to success. I can honestly say that many a day I have checked in and found so much inspiration in the ways she conducts herself in the face of adversity and how she invokes changes in our attitudes that I can do nothing more than follow her direction with a smile knowing the outcome will be great. She leads the way with positive reinforcement and one on one discussions that where we set goals and are held accountable and that is one of the best ways that she demonstrates her leadership capabilities. 

Supervisors Profile

I work and intern with a company that is a senior living referral service. The work we do can be tedious and yet rewarding, as we assist families in finding a community to fit their care needs. In this assignment, I conducted an interview of my supervisor at Caring.com and she was very informative and gave me a lot of insight into her duties and how she got into the position. After questioning her for good amount of time this is what she shared with me:



Main Job Responsibilities: Daily I manage our speed to lead for customer contact, one on one coaching sessions with FA's, small group training sessions, team meetings, manager's meetings, interviewing, marketing planning, manage and plan based on metrics, evaluate QA scores for Qualification and Not Qualified ranges, take care of provider complaints and lead concerns, performance improvement plans for low productivity areas, manage performance goals for monthly move ins (research, crediting, reporting).


How did I choose this?: I have been in many industries in management type positions (classroom teacher, principal, state test writer, international sales team leader and trainer, Top 100 Direct Sales trainers 3 years running) and quickly after becoming an FA I was asked to join the management staff. I have had the opportunity to infuse my style and content into this system and see positive change. I really made this choice to be a short term bandaid with the benefits as I had been an entrepreneur and business owner the previous 10 years. This company allowed me to have the benefits, still work from home and offer advancement opportunities.


Education: I personally have a Masters Degree + 75 hours as well as my Dr. of Divinity and Dr. of Metaphysics. I am certified in NLP through Tony Robbins as well as many advanced sales method training, positive thought impacts. I have extensive formal and experiential training as well as 15 years in the personal coaching and counseling space. All of that is not required for this position. We don't have any formal education requirements. It is more the experience in the field/company and the skill set that you have or have developed. They are most interested in proven track records of success with quantifiable results- improvement of sales, closing, customer engagement, etc.


Advice: Be prepared for massive change every single day. The only thing consistent in my position is that it is never consistent. The industry changes, provider wants change, script engagement, reporting processes, etc. are under constant change. It is also important to also remember that I am a salaried position so expect at least 60 hrs p week and more likely to be 80+ weekly. It is also important to realize that the workload is ever increasing, duties that weren't yours now are, etc.


Trends: Within Senior Living I do see certain trends- they follow moon cycles, when medicaid and SSI payout in the month, holidays and weather. All of these things create drastic and measurable changes in lead flow and lead quality. We also know that the 2 largest months across this industry are January and July- again they follow the seasons and weather. We have also seen a dramatic increase in the need. The baby boomers are hitting retirement age and many of their parents are still alive as well. We see in many areas that communities, even those who are private pay, are maxed to capacity. We also know the #1 form of building in America right now are Assisted Living and Memory Care facilities. Alzhiemers and dementia are also probably the biggest changes we see, more and more people need that higher level of care now.

The end of Fall Break

Fall break is not long enough, it came and went so fast that I feel like I blinked and now I'm back to doing homework again. In fact I had to complete a policy paper over the break and then prepare for two additional classes. I'm already feeling the angst of staying on top of all my assignments  in addition to family and full time work responsibilities. I day dream and fantasize of when this will all be over and my only concern will be to just go to work and come home to enjoy my family!! I want to sleep in on weekends and enjoy going out with my friends instead of cramming for a test and submitting a last minute assignment. Yes, the pay off is worth it but I'm getting tired as this my fifth consecutive semester without a break. I can't wait until May for graduation then I can have a real vacation.

~Free Write~

I really enjoy eating good food. I grew up as a vegetarian and a conscientious eater so I look forward to eating whole grain foods, as well as fresh fruits and veggies. I also enjoy cooking new dishes and feeding my family healthy and nutritious meals. I am usually very picky as to where I shop for food, how I prepare my food and the way it should taste. I live for seasonings and spices and hot sauce on most of my meals. I dare not eat fast food due to lack of nutritional value and the fact that is always just fried junk. I don't like fried food and avoid frying things at home too.

I also enjoy eating out at nice restaurants that appeal to my taste buds and food sense. Lately I have been stuck on seafood. I truly enjoy shrimp, fish, mussels, clams, oysters, and my all time favorite is crab legs!! I love to eat crab legs at least once a week. It is my go to comfort food. I usually partake in crab legs at the Angry Crab in Phoenix. They serve the boil in a bag that is just delicious. You get to pick your seasonings, protein, and the level of heat that you like as well as any sides you may want to go in the bag like sausage, corn or potato. I truly can't enough of the stuff, and definitely a place worth trying for seafood.

Free Write - Fall Semester

This semester I'm carrying a full load, I have decided to stretch myself just so I can graduate in May. In order to do so I have to take five classes this semester and five classes in the spring. I'm really enjoying my course of study and the classes are motivating me to continue with my education. I look forward to finishing all these classes and utilizing my education to better myself and have something viable to contribute to society.

Even though the classes are inspiring and motivating, I am starting to feel the pressures of deadlines and assignments and staying organized to complete tasks. It's no easy feat to stay on top of all my classwork and make top grades. I pride myself on making A's and staying on the Deans list.  It's taking extra effort for me to keep up with working 32 hours a week, along with holding 15 units. In addition to that I'm a single mom with two children, one in high school and one in college. So when this semester is over I will be happy to take a brain break and enjoy the holidays with my family.

Career Services

I have gone to a few career exposes at ASU, where employers come out in the hopes of enticing young, ambitious graduates to come on board and make a significant contribution to their company. However, the events are overwhelming for me as a much older adult returning to school after a long hiatus. I walked through swarms of people and tables set up with marketing materials and information on potentials positions of employment. I was curious about a few employers that were in attendance but upon speaking with the representatives, I realized that my age and work experience was a factor that would make it uncomfortable for me to go and work for someone else. My entrepreneurial spirit keeps pushing me to create a new business that will contribute good to the world. I've found that going to these events help to solidify my goal to work in the community and help others, but not as an employee. The events are great for the young and ambitious with little to no experience. It is a great way to meet employers and get information on different industries that would appeal to work in.

~FREE WRITE~

 I made the decision to return to school after 20 years of being an entrepreneur and working in the Real Estate industry. I have always enjoyed my work and independence and never dreamed of going back to school, that is until the market tanked and continued to spiral out of control. That's when I decided I should have a back up plan and look toward my future. So I begin to look into other career opportunities that would be suitable for me and I mapped out a plan to go back to community college to complete my degree that I started and never finished. It took me two semesters to complete the degree program and transfer to ASU. I'm so glad I made the decision to go back, because I enjoy school immensely! I have always enjoyed learning new things and my major fits my passion and understanding. 

~FREE WRITE~



I've read some really interesting blogs in this class so far. I have enjoyed the sharing of  experiences, and different perspectives. This semester all my classes are online, so I have discussions all the time. However, this is different and a more relaxed forum to post and exchange. Honestly, I have never blogged before. I guess because I get tired of typing and I find it to be too much exposure on the internet,and it makes feel uncomfortable to communicate and socialize this way. I rarely post online or engage in social media. I know it sounds unreal in today's world of technology and daily Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snap chat interaction but its true.

~FREE WRITE~

I made the decision to return to school after 20 years of being an entrepreneur and working in the Real Estate industry. I have always enjoyed my work and independent and never dreamed of going back to school, that is until the market tanked and continued to spiral out of control. That's when I decided I should have a backup plan and look toward my future. So I begin to look into other career opportunities that would be suitable for me and I mapped out a plan to go back to community college to complete my degree that I started and never finished. It took me two semesters to complete the degree program and transfer to ASU. I'm so glad I made the decision to go back, because I enjoy school immensely! I have always enjoyed learning new things and my major fits my passion and understanding.

I am currently doing my internship as a Family Advisor, with a company called Caring.com. Caring.com,is  a subsidiary of Bankrate.com, and is a rapidly growing company with a social mission. We are the leading online destination for people searching for answers, support and community to care for aging parents, spouses or loved ones. We provide critical information, emotional support and access to local care resources. We serve over 2 million unique families and caregivers per month who visit our site or call us.  As a Family Advisor I qualify families and educate them on their options, provide resources and personal assistance in finding senior living communities. We are able to offer this valuable service at no charge to families based on referral fees generated from partner communities when a customer moves in from a Caring.com lead.