IT’S NO LONGER YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S RETIREMENT HOME-LFP as a Case Study in the Evolution of Sr Living
Today’s retirement community bears little resemblance to facilities focused on older adults in the last century. With a combined total of almost 50 years of professional experience in the field of Senior Living, Glenn Brichacek and Paisley Valentincic will delve into the retirement living option that is becoming increasingly popular given demographic shifts in aging that have been occurring over recent decades. They will briefly review the roots of the retirement community concept and then focus on a prevalent incarnation today: the Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), more recently labeled the Life Plan Community.
The business model of a Life Plan Community (CCRC) is actually a complex amalgam of four different types of businesses—hospitality, residential real estate, health care and insurance—with options in services, fees and contracts from which to choose. Paisley and Glenn will use Lake Forest Place — one of the premier independent living Life Plan Communities on Chicago’s North Shore — as an example of how the Life Plan Community (CCRC) has evolved in recent years and how it fits into the current trends in Senior Living communities and services.
Glenn Brichacek, Executive Director of Lake Forest Place, a Presbyterian Homes community
Glenn has been the Executive Director of Lake Forest Place since February 2017. He has spent the past 26 years in executive positions in the field of senior living, working ten years at Mather LifeWays in Evanston and then serving The Admiral at the Lake on Chicago’s north lakefront for 15 years. Glenn earned a PhD from Northwestern University, an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, an MBA from Northern Illinois University and a BA from Millikin University. He lives in Fort Sheridan with his wife, Julie, a psychotherapist in private practice. They have two children, a son, Kyle, who is completing an engineering degree at Northeastern University in Boston and a daughter, Elena, who lives in Fort Sheridan with them. In his spare time, Glenn enjoys reading, photography, jogging and cooking, as well as anything having to do with Northwestern football.
Paisley Valentincic, Director of Sales and Marketing at Lake Forest Place
Paisley Valentincic started with Lake Forest Place in 1994 as a member of the pre-sales and marketing team. Once construction began in 1995 her role changed to Facilities Coordinator, overseeing the options and upgrades process for incoming residents. She became Director of Sales and Marketing in 2001, where she manages the sales and Marketing efforts for 282 Independent Living apartments and cottages.
Paisley graduated with a Gerontology degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She lives in Lake Bluff with her husband, Chuck, and their three children. She is fortunate to be part of such a wonderful community both professionally and personally.
Host: Russ Clark