Breakdown the Brick Wall & Live Your Dream

"Though brick is a very strong building material, it's porous and can crack, crumble, or break..." Wisegeek.org

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a dream is: 4:a: a strongly desired goal or purpose. One of my assisted living residents reawakened my dream of earning my Nursing Home Administrator’s license through a simple conversation in my office and by facilitating my residents’ monthly book group.

My office was originally a small sitting room off the lobby area in our continuing care retirement community (CCRC) so imagine two chairs for residents their loved ones or team members to sit, and desk is in an L-shape with a bookshelf against the wall, forming a short, narrow isle.

 My assisted living residents, named Jackie pushed her four-wheeled into my office, where I sat in my chair behind my desk. She faced the walker seat towards the bookshelf. As she reviewed the books, Jackie mentioned that the assisted living residents have a monthly book group as she removed a book with a DVD from its place.

 “Julie, have you read The Last Lecture by Dr. Randy Pausch and watched the movie?” Before I could answer, Jackie continued, “You can show the movie on a Monday afternoon and then lead the book group on Tuesday morning.”

I learn from my residents by looking through their eyes and listening to their words. Their stories allow a time
of reflection, provide a parable, and sometimes offer pause where a new chapter for my life begins through the conversations. After my residents discussed three themes from the book and DVD:  Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams, Brick Walls, and Enabling the Dreams of Others, I was taken back when another resident named Jackie asked, “Well, Julie, have you lived your dreams?”I recognized at that moment the necessity to look through my eyes and contemplate my dreams. So, I did not answer the question. I deflected by questioning the group, “How can you still enable or have you enabled the dreams of others?”

As I mapped out where I have been and where my dreams are leading me, the overall focus has been serving and advocating for the senior population and others in need of health care and rehabilitation services.

A dream was in the making when a nursing home administrator, who believed in my abilities, hired me for my first position in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) as a Director of Marketing and Admissions.  I then joined a CCRC as their health center’s Activities Director, and I was one of the two staff that opened my previous organization’s newest CCRC’s licensed areas. The above-mentioned were small steps in realization of my dream.

I was offered three administrator-in-training (AIT) positions as the doors opened for the licensed care, and this had been a dream of mine since my first SNF position.  I turned down all three AIT positions without hesitation because I made a commitment to open the health center, assisted living, and memory care, and to serve our residents by providing quality care through activities of daily living. The organization appears to have more stability. So I have moved on, and it is time for me to move forward with my dream.

 I am presently seeking an AIT position; however, I have not located one. As Dr. Randy Pausch wrote, “…The Brick walls are there to stop the people who do not want it bad enough. They’re there to stop the other people…Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

How do I remove the brick wall and move forward? I have received acceptance into a National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) approved online master’s degree in health care administration. I would prefer an AIT due to the cost and securing a funding source, and the training within a SNF setting would be invaluable because I would work within a team and serve residents and their families as I learn and live my dream.

The first avenue would be to complete my masters as I work as an Assisted Living Executive Director. I would complete two goals achieving my master degree and becoming a NHA, while working with anganization and serving others.

The second step in living my dream is to share my inquiry letter with you.

To whom it may concern:

I am seeking an Administrator in Training (AIT) position, and I have enclosed my resume for your review and assistance.

My work in marketing, community relations, and admissions for a skilled nursing facility, sales and consumer education for durable medical equipment and providing services to seniors and those in need within hospitals and continuing care retirement community (CCRC) has provided a strong foundation. I am recognized for my enthusiasm, patience, motivation and compassion as well as leadership and team building abilities.

I believe in serving and advocating for the senior population and others in need of health care and rehabilitation services. Many times, caregivers and family members do not understand the services available to them to enhance the quality of life and provide activities of daily living for their loved ones. I have worked with others in different socioeconomic status and health conditions in meeting their physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and social needs that is value added in the skilled nursing facilities. I understand the business aspect of creating community by providing outstanding customer service through serving others, which in turn builds census and generates financial stability for an organization.

My strong interest in an AIT position is based on my abilities and performance of working in various positions for the Presbyterian Retirement Communities Northwest, which have not been included on my resume: Interim Social Worker, Interim Admissions, Interim Activities Coordinator, Interim Move-In Coordinator, Marketing and Event Management to name more than a handful so we could successfully open our most recent CCRC, Skyline At First Hill and The Terraces At Skyline, which includes the licensed areas: Memory Care Unit, Assisted Living, and Health Center (SNF).

Please feel free to contact me at XXX-XXX-XXXX if you have questions or require additional information after reviewing my resume.

I would like to thank-you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to talking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Julie L. Shaffer

I have sent inquiry letters with resumes to a number of  preceptors with no response. 

Since enabling the dreams of others is a gift, I encourage you to forward my dream to others. I would welcome someone to guide and help me remove the remaining brick wall.

Or they will be inspired to enable a dream of a loved one or even a stranger. Or you will realize your dream, and live it!