A Home for Life
La Posada Leadership Team Values Resident-Driven Excellence
By Loni Nannini
La Posada at Pusch Ridge is dedicated to empowering active adults to thrive in body, mind and spirit.
With five decades of collective experience in the retirement care and housing industry, La Posada Communities
President and CEO Joni Condit and Executive VP of Pusch Ridge Alexis Martinez prioritize a symbiotic, resident-centric culture in the newly-constructed Life Plan community in Oro Valley.
Through a Q & A, the duo provide insight into creating a “Home for Life” that meets—and exceeds—the expectations of today’s retirees.
Q: With the completion of independent living apartments and resort-style amenities at La Posada at Pusch Ridge, what is your vision for the community moving forward?
A: Condit: Our vision for La Posada at Pusch Ridge is to be a premier senior living community that provides exceptional services and innovative programs through meaningful relationships. We empower those we serve—and those who serve them—to experience their best lives. Our board has set forth a masterplan that will guide our development over the coming years as we remain attentive to the marketplace and the needs and interests of seniors.
Q: What is your leadership philosophy and how has it contributed to the success of La Posada?
A: Condit: Leadership of a growing senior living organization is a profound responsibility – one that demands integrity, caring and an unwavering commitment to those we serve. La Posada’s long history of success (which began nearly 39 years ago with La Posada at Green Valley) is built on the trust of our residents, their family members, and our team members. It is my responsibility to honor that legacy while guiding our organization to maintain a tradition of excellence in service and innovation in programs. Our history has taught us the value of trust, and our future depends on communication, accountability and the courage to continually change and improve. My philosophy is pretty simple: when we care for people wholeheartedly and lead with purpose and vision, then growth becomes a natural outcome of our mission.
Q: How is La Posada at Pusch Ridge at the forefront of the senior housing and care industry?
A: Martinez: I always go back to the fact that we are a nonprofit rooted here in Southern Arizona with local ownership and local management. In the grand scheme of things, we plan to become an integral member of the Oro Valley community, just like La Posada at Green Valley is. Also, we are very much in touch with our residents. Our programming is resident-driven, so that allows us to be very responsive to their wants and needs and we are always open to trying new ideas. And our senior
leadership and staff are involved with Leading Age (a national association that serves as a “voice for aging” regarding advocacy and policies for older adults), and Arizona Leading Age which allows us to stay abreast of industry changes in legislation and proactively respond to changes in the aging demographics of our senior population.
Q: What practical advice can you give to seniors and their families who are exploring senior housing and care options?
A: Martinez: We need to continue to advocate for seniors by educating them so they are well-equipped to make the right decisions for themselves. Making a move can be one of the hardest things that people do in their lives. Some people are moving from a house they have been in for 40+ years, and at La Posada we work to make it the smoothest transition possible. For many people, this will be their last home and we do everything we can to make it just right.
A: Condit: We have a great budget tool we use to help people to figure out how much they are spending in their house with utilities, food, housekeeping, maintenance and other expenses. They are often shocked by the total. The house is our biggest competition. People are sentimental about their homes and don’t want to leave them, and yet those who have moved in say, “This is the best decision I ever made. It is a gift to my kids but it is the best decision I ever made for myself.”
Pictured above from left – Alexis Martinez, Executive VP, La Posada at Pusch Ridge; Joni Condit, President & CEO, La Posada Communities. Photo by Brent G. Mathis
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