Back to School Time
This is the time of year when kids are headed back to school and that prompted me to think about the remaining education I need to obtain before opening Prosper in Peace; certification in dementia care is the next step in my formal learning plan. There are a few options available to me so I am investigating them now to identify the best choice to meet our needs.
When one is certified in dementia care, they go through specialized training on topics such as communicating with those suffering from memory loss, assisting with activities of daily living to help the residents maintain a sense of independence, and strategies to manage challenging behaviors.
This provides for more individualized care tailored to each person’s progression of the disease. Successfully passing an exam at the end of the course demonstrates caregiver competency.
"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." ~ Maya Angelou
All of the staff who work at Prosper in Peace will maintain current dementia care certification as a condition of employment. This will allow not only the caregivers, but also the cooks and facilities staff to engage and interact with the residents most appropriately. All staff will receive on-site training to ensure the education received meets our high standards.
Architect Tom and I communicated with a couple more builders this week and now have 3 companies preparing estimates for us. We should have the responses from all by the end of the month. I will use this time to finalize the business plan and supporting documents needed for presentation to lenders and investors.
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." ~ Carl Sagan
I met with Accountant Dave and shared the proposed financials with him. He felt they were pretty accurate from his point of view. I mentioned I was looking for a mentor who already owns an assisted living facility and he referred me to a person who has been in the memory care business for 30 years ~ a great resource!
I was able to review my budget with this new friend and get some tip and tricks on success in assisted living for those with dementia. The home he owns has very low staff turnover with some employees over 15 years, and his was one of few homes in the Tucson area that has not had a COVID resident. He was excited about the Prosper in Peace concept and we agreed to stay in touch.
"Without the opinion of an expert there's no such thing as certainty." ~ Joanna Ruocco
The attorney and I discussed investor options and she has given me the names of 2 lawyers who specialize in securities-related matters. I will reach out to them to review my investor proposals and welcome any advice they can share. My SCORE mentors are also on a hunt to find me a mentor through the program that has expertise in the financing portions of business ownership.
Additional education sessions I attended this week included an Excel tips and tricks session and one on strategic planning, including exit strategies. That term threw me off at first as I plan to keep Prosper in Peace for a while but I was relieved to discover that exit strategies can involve growth and expansion as well. Those are in the plan!
"Becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end." ~ Michelle Obama
Some fun facts about school: Do you know the term that describes the fear of going to school? It is Didaskaleinophobia. If that word is on the spelling test, I can understand why one would fear going to school.
Also, why do we give the teacher an apple? The custom dates back to 16th century Denmark, where teachers didn’t earn enough money for food so parents would send their kids to school with an apple for the teachers to eat. If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, well, I suppose it was likely considered a health care plan also.
Stay sharp this week, in your mind and with your eyes as the young ones are out again.
