{"episode":{"episode_id":3,"title":"Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association","description":"Discussing personal care homes and assisted living communities.","publish_date":"2026-03-24","duration_sec":1945,"host_names":"Lia Lando","guest_name":"Susan Saxinger","guest_title":"Executive Director","video_url":"https://vid.hellonetcdn.com/rt/146837/irt69c2c8349ac911.37334846_lrg_univ.mp4","poster_url":"https://vid.hellonetcdn.com/rt/146837/irt69c2c8349ac911.373348461.jpg"},"client":{"client_name":"HelloNation","city":"Rochester","state":"NY","accent_color":"#0f84cc","accent_light":"#7a8d9f","accent_dark":"#3d435c","bg_color":"#6d707c","logo_url":"img/logo_blue.png"},"chapters":[{"chapter_id":85,"start_sec":0.99,"end_sec":135.5,"label":"Introduction and Welcome","color":"#6366f1","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_0.jpg"},{"chapter_id":86,"start_sec":136.5,"end_sec":213.32,"label":"Understanding Personal Care Homes and Assisted Living","color":"#7c6aad","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_1.jpg"},{"chapter_id":87,"start_sec":214.32,"end_sec":322.119,"label":"Choosing the Right Community","color":"#5b7a6a","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_2.jpg"},{"chapter_id":88,"start_sec":323.119,"end_sec":482.16,"label":"Misconceptions and Transitioning","color":"#8b6f47","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_3.jpg"},{"chapter_id":89,"start_sec":483.16,"end_sec":755.979,"label":"Advice for Families and Individuals","color":"#9b5b6a","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_4.jpg"},{"chapter_id":90,"start_sec":756.979,"end_sec":828.599,"label":"Advocacy and Innovations","color":"#5a7a8b","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_5.jpg"},{"chapter_id":91,"start_sec":829.599,"end_sec":897.619,"label":"Good News and Positive Changes","color":"#6a7b5a","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_6.jpg"},{"chapter_id":92,"start_sec":898.619,"end_sec":1166.88,"label":"Interactive Segment: Hello, Goodbye Game","color":"#7a6a5a","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_7.jpg"},{"chapter_id":93,"start_sec":1167.88,"end_sec":1296.27,"label":"Personal Experiences and Final Thoughts","color":"#8a7a5a","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_8.jpg"},{"chapter_id":94,"start_sec":1297.27,"end_sec":1945,"label":"Conclusion and Farewell","color":"#5a6a7a","thumbnail_url":"thumbs/3/ch_9.jpg"}],"segments":[{"segment_id":161,"chapter_id":85,"start_sec":0.99,"end_sec":37.22,"transcript_text":"You're watching Hello Nation.Well,today we're opening the door to personal care homes and assisted living because of course we all want to live and age well,but what does that take?Such an important topic.We want to welcome you to our Hello Nation podcast.I am Lia Lando,and we are bringing you the voices of good news because we all can use","summary":"Lia Lando introduces the podcast and welcomes the audience.","keywords":["introduction","Hello Nation","Lia Lando"]},{"segment_id":162,"chapter_id":85,"start_sec":38.22,"end_sec":135.5,"transcript_text":"Joining us now as part of our Hello community.Care Series,the executive director of the Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association.We have Susan Saxsinger.We want to welcome you to the show.I also want to mention we have Tim Epner with us and Brittany Shaughnessy also from Hello Nation.The whole team is here.And Susan,you're the star of the show this time,so we want to ask you to uh share with our listeners your expertise in,in what we're gonna talk about today.Hi,Leah.Thank you so much for having me.It's my absolute pleasure to join you this morning and to provide a little bit of insight into personal care homes and assisted living communities here in the lovely state of Pennsylvania.Um,I'll tell you a little bit about myself and my role here.Uh,prior to joining PAALA,that's short for Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association,uh,I was boots on the Ground in personal care homes and assisted living communities.I was an administrator for both levels of care.I joined the industry straight out of nursing school,so I'm a nurse by education,and I hate to admit,but I now am entering my 20th year working in this industry.But the most profound thing for me in my work experience is that the passion that I.Developed very early on in my career for serving older adults and folks that rely on our communities.Um,I,I really find it a great treasure and a true privilege to be able to work with older adults and to see them thrive in assisted living and personal care homes.We are so happy to have you,and I know it takes so much compassion,and I'm sure that all of your patients,um,are happy to have you as","summary":"Susan Saxsinger is introduced as the guest expert.","keywords":["Susan Saxsinger","guest","expert"]},{"segment_id":163,"chapter_id":86,"start_sec":136.5,"end_sec":190.449,"transcript_text":"Let's start by talking about the difference between personal care homes and assisted living in Pennsylvania because there is a difference.Sure,absolutely.And that's an excellent question to start with,and quite honestly,it's a question I find myself answering the most in this role.Pennsylvania is a bit unique,um,in comparison to the rest of the nation,where folks might often think of what is a personal care home as an assisted living community.So,in Pennsylvania,we have almost 1000 licensed personal care homes and 63 licensed assisted living communities.Both fall under the oversight of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.Both are licensed and regulated heavily,um,but a majority of what folks think of as assisted living is truly a personal care home.So,what kind of,I know we were talking about there are activities and,and other things there.What is,what is it","summary":"Susan explains the differences between personal care homes and assisted living in Pennsylvania.","keywords":["personal care homes","assisted living","Pennsylvania"]},{"segment_id":164,"chapter_id":86,"start_sec":191.449,"end_sec":213.32,"transcript_text":"Well,both personal care homes and assisted living communities provide housing,meals.They help folks with activities of daily living,um,but the real difference comes down to the care and the coordination.Uh,assisted living residences are designed for aging in place,and they can care for individuals who might otherwise need a nursing facility level of care.","summary":"Discussion on the services provided by personal care homes and assisted living communities.","keywords":["services","housing","meals"]},{"segment_id":165,"chapter_id":87,"start_sec":214.32,"end_sec":309.41,"transcript_text":"So,when families are talking about this option,what should they know?What are they going to find if they choose to go into one of these homes?Another great question.Families should really start with evaluating their loved one's care needs presently,and then also think about the future.What might mom or dad or whomever need later down the road,depending upon their individual diagnoses,health conditions,or level of independence that they're currently at.The other thing is um to pay attention to the feel of the community.So,I always encourage families to explore assisted living,explore personal care as a potential option,even if that isn't part of their present plan,so that they They can be well informed if they find themselves in a point where they have to make a decision in a quick,um,uh,in a quick turnaround time.Uh,it's really important to tour the communities and get to know the community and how they will best serve your loved one.And then also,uh,pay attention to the interactions with the staff members while they're touring.Are the staff members attended to that individual and are they approaching your loved one as an individual?Don't pay attention to the glitz and glam of the amenities.Yes,these things are all wonderful,and they elevate,certainly elevate the experience that senior living communities provide,but you want to ensure that the basic needs.needs of your loved one are being met in the best way","summary":"Families should evaluate current and future care needs when choosing a community.","keywords":["families","care needs","evaluation"]},{"segment_id":166,"chapter_id":87,"start_sec":310.41,"end_sec":322.119,"transcript_text":"As you're talking about that,I'm thinking about,I have a son who's about to tour colleges,so it's very similar,right?You need to do your research and really,you know,spend time there and see if you feel at home,right?Absolutely.","summary":"Leah compares choosing a community to selecting a college.","keywords":["comparison","college","community"]},{"segment_id":167,"chapter_id":88,"start_sec":323.119,"end_sec":396.149,"transcript_text":"What misconceptions are there about the transition and how can people help their loved one transition into a new community?I think the biggest misconception is that family members are not always in alignment with the expectations that their loved one has uh through their experience of living in a senior living community.And I'm using senior living community just to reference both personal care and assisted living.In my experience,sometimes family members will look at the robust programs and all of the great amenities that a community offers,and they're not thinking about their loved one as the person of which they are.So if mom or dad was always an introvert,and they never enjoyed big group activities.Don't expect them to move into a senior living community and suddenly want to go to bingo or suddenly want to go to a social and be in a room full of 100 people.Have realistic expectations and make sure that they're in alignment with what your loved one prefers to do,and also how they've lived their life up until this","summary":"Susan discusses common misconceptions about transitioning to assisted living.","keywords":["misconceptions","transition","assisted living"]},{"segment_id":168,"chapter_id":88,"start_sec":397.149,"end_sec":482.16,"transcript_text":"Well,I,I have a question about that.Like you,so when you talk about it and You know,you,you finally brought up like,like seniors,but for a big part of it,like,I guess I think,like what is the age of it?Cause you say personal care,and I guess my thought process changed on that to go,is it,could it be younger,you know,you talk about the needs of it,uh is there a certain age for it?Cause I like that,that you're not calling it senior living,although you did there,but really personal care.That's an excellent question.Many communities have age restrictions or age policies,and most of them do serve older adults.But what does an older adult really entail?It could be 60 plus,it could be 65 plus,it could be 55 plus,depending on the community,that organization's policies,and the target audience of those they intend to serve.Yeah,that was a very good question because I know,um,Susan,we talked about my sister who had to go into a community at a very young age in her late 40s actually,um,which is a blessing because she found a great fit for her.So,if there are,you know,if people do need to look for a community like this before they had planned,what's your advice to them and,and,and how do you talk to your loved one?About transitioning to this community if they didn't think they were ready","summary":"Discussion on age restrictions and policies in communities.","keywords":["age restrictions","policies","communities"]},{"segment_id":169,"chapter_id":89,"start_sec":483.16,"end_sec":707.15,"transcript_text":"Yeah,that's,that's a great question.And I think the important thing again is to really think about the individual um that will be moving into the community and ensuring that the,what the community offers is going to meet that person's needs.These communities pride themselves on providing Person-centered care.So ask the questions that are specific to your loved one,regardless of their age.There are a number of personal care homes and assisted living communities that care for younger adults,just like your sister.Um,so,it's important that you're asking the right questions to ensure that it's a great fit.I got to imagine it's gotta be tough because I know my grandma didn't want to move in.And it's funny because something happened to her house,had to go in for uh,uh,an,a personal care facility.And she fought it tooth and nail,but then when she's there,she's got friends,she's got this,and couldn't wait to get out,but it's like,why,why wouldn't you want that lifestyle?And then I gotta also imagine.For the family,that's a peace of mind for them.Like you have to see that all the time,Susan,right?Absolutely.You know,when older adults in my interactions with folks that are contemplating moving into a senior living community,um,the greatest hang up that I hear is they don't want to lose their independence.And I think that the important thing is that personal care homes and assisted living communities.Really focus on maximizing the greatest level of independence for each individual.This is not somewhere where you are going to be forced to sit in a corner and wait until a nurse directs you to your next step or your next activity.These are communities where people go to thrive.They create social connections while having their daily needs be met.Yeah,let's talk about some of the fun aspects,the fun amenities that many of these communities offer.What,what kind of uh entertainment do they have?Absolutely.Um,the amenities are endless depending on which community you choose.And,um,I think it's important to,uh,evaluate the program offerings and ensure they're a great fit for the loved one.Many communities have transportation services.They schedule excursions out into the greater community so that folks continue to have a sense of connectedness to the greater community,whether it be an outing to the local theater or to their their local religious organization.Senior living providers understand the importance of all of these types of programs and ensuring that their residents have connections,um,and the right connections to be tailored to their likes and dislikes.Do you have any advice for listeners who are gonna,you know,listen to this podcast and realize they do need to talk to their mom,their dad,their loved one about potentially going into a community eventually,but they don't know how to start that conversation.How would you recommend that they do that?It's a tough conversation to have,right?So we'll be very realistic going into the conversation and um explain to your loved one that even if this is not part of their plan,it's important to explore all options,so that,again,when the point in time comes where you might be faced with making a decision that you never anticipated,you have the information already in front of you.You may not want to go to personal care or assisted living,but you know,X Community down the road has these particular offerings that are of interest to you.So if you do have to go somewhere,you can make an informed","summary":"Susan advises on how to talk to loved ones about transitioning to a community.","keywords":["advice","transition","conversation"]},{"segment_id":170,"chapter_id":89,"start_sec":708.15,"end_sec":755.979,"transcript_text":"Any advice for people listening who say,I don't know if anyone else is gonna take care of this for me,so perhaps I should do my own research?Do you ever deal with people who come individually and say,I want to plan for later in my life?Absolutely.In my career,I have worked with a number of individuals that are the sole decision makers that make all of the decisions on their own behalf.Perhaps they don't have children or they don't have an extended family to support them in the decision making.Um,Again,I think the The best tactic is exploring,exploring all options,and I wouldn't suggest that only for senior living communities.Explore independent living communities,skilled nursing facilities,and all of the options that are available to older adults or folks who might be needing some support in their daily living.","summary":"Susan offers advice for individuals planning their own future care.","keywords":["individual planning","future care","advice"]},{"segment_id":171,"chapter_id":90,"start_sec":756.979,"end_sec":828.599,"transcript_text":"Any changes or innovations or programs or advocacy efforts perhaps that you are the most excited about?That's a,that's a great question and a loaded one.And I will say that um the association,one of our highest priorities is advocating for assisted living in Pennsylvania to be covered by Medicaid.waiver coverage.So our state is very unique in the fact that personal care and assisted living are presently are both private pay environments,and I think that is something that is very important to note for family members and those that are considering senior living now or in the future.There is no financial structure to support someone living in either setting in Pennsylvania present day.So we spend a great deal of time educating Pennsylvania lawmakers on the importance of personal care settings and assisted living settings and how their support in having assisted living be covered by Medicaid funding would be critical to keeping folks in a home-like setting that is more cost-efficient than some other institutionally-based settings.","summary":"Susan discusses advocacy efforts for Medicaid coverage in assisted living.","keywords":["advocacy","Medicaid","coverage"]},{"segment_id":172,"chapter_id":91,"start_sec":829.599,"end_sec":897.619,"transcript_text":"Well,sticking with the theme of good news,any other good news that you want to share?Perhaps uh something that's changed over the,you said you've been in this industry for,for 20 years.Anything um positive that you want to highlight?Anything else?You know,Leah,this is all about helping people live well,um,at,at,at whatever point they find themselves in life's journey.Uh,so the good news here is that we know the assisted living model works really well.Um,and I am incredibly passionate about educating people on assisted living and personal care because when families understand their options,they can make informed decisions and Oftentimes they're faced with making these decisions in such critical points in their life,right?The communities support older adults by promoting independence,connection,and a meaningful quality of life.That is the most important factor.And we need to make sure people have access to all of those things.So grateful for your expertise today,and this is a good time for us to,to play a game.","summary":"Susan shares positive changes and the effectiveness of assisted living models.","keywords":["good news","positive changes","assisted living"]},{"segment_id":173,"chapter_id":92,"start_sec":898.619,"end_sec":908.859,"transcript_text":"So,it's,it's called Hello,Goodbye.And what I'm gonna do is I'm going to read a statement and if you agree,if it is true,you say hello and elaborate on why.If it is not,you say goodbye.","summary":"Leah introduces the 'Hello, Goodbye' game to discuss various statements.","keywords":["game","Hello, Goodbye","statements"]},{"segment_id":174,"chapter_id":92,"start_sec":909.859,"end_sec":1166.88,"transcript_text":"the first one is,uh,continuing education for professionals,residents,and family members is crucial.Hello.That is absolutely true.Education is key to quality care,whether it's informing family members of the options that are available to them or the resident that is considering the next level of care to best meet their needs.As an association,as I mentioned,we spend a great deal of time educating lawmakers so that.They can make informed decisions when they're considering legislation that would influence or support personal care homes and assisted living communities.Communication is so crucial here.So the next question,and is this hello or goodbye,personal care homes and assisted living programs are a one size fits all approach to care.That is a big goodbye.It could not be more false.As I've mentioned multiple times throughout our conversation,these communities are designed to provide person-centered care,and the care is really tailored to each individual's needs,their preferences,and their lifestyle.The next one,personal care homes in assisted living are only for residents who are completely dependent.Hello or goodbye.Goodbye.Uh,that is a common misconception.When we do education,one of the key takeaways we try to leave with folks is that personal care homes and assisted living communities are not nursing homes.So,um,residents are independent.We support the maximum level of independence,and the goal is always to support folks at the highest level of independence as long as possible.All right,the next one,assisted living in personal care homes can be short and long-term care options.Hello.That's,um,that's a great point,and yes,they can serve the short-term and long-term care options.Oftentimes folks think of this as a permanent transition,but many personal care homes and assisted living communities offer respite stays if a family that serves as a primary care.Giver,if they're traveling,they can have their loved ones stay in an assisted living or personal care community for a temporary stay.And it also gives that individual uh the opportunity to try it on for size,right?See if they like the,the community setting to best meet their needs.Is that known more?That's incredible.Like,I feel like that one's got to be the one to get out there.It absolutely should be,uh,you know,in my experience at the community level,we largely promoted our respite stays and we encouraged folks to come try us on for size.And when they do,do you find often they stick around or come back?Yes,we would have repeat visitors,so maybe the first experience was great and the individual appreciated that it was short-lived,but when it came to the point in time that that family needed to make a permanent transition,we would find those folks returning back to our community.Yeah,that's a really good point because that could make the conversation easier for our listeners to have.They could say,perhaps mom,dad,or to their other loved one.Let's go try it out.Let's see what you think.Let's use it as an opportunity to go on vacation.There you go.Yes,vacation.All caregivers need respite,right?Caregiving is a tough job.No matter what capacity you serve in,everybody deserves a break at some point in time.Um,some of the communities offer,um,You know,the day in the life of a resident at said community.So that's another thing to ask about when families are touring or visiting communities and considering them.One final hello or goodbye question.So,when people think of community care,personal care homes and assisted living should be in the picture.This is a hello.Um,again,personal care and assisted living are essential parts of the continuum of care in Pennsylvania's long-term care structure.Um,don't discount the setting.The setting is a social model that helps people thrive and gives folks,uh,a sense of purpose in their daily","summary":"Susan agrees that continuing education is crucial for quality care.","keywords":["continuing education","quality care","professionals"]},{"segment_id":175,"chapter_id":93,"start_sec":1167.88,"end_sec":1265.81,"transcript_text":"You've been in this for 20 years,like you're clearly the expert in it.What is Sometimes it's hard to like have just one.What is your favorite memory that,uh,like gives you chills still thinking about it,like this is why you do what you do,or the story that you heard from somebody that you're like,that really is,that resonates with you.And maybe it isn't even you,like it could have been a story from some of the other members of your association that like reminds you and others,like,this is why we do what we do.I had the privilege and challenge of leading a community through the COVID-19 pandemic.And I think the most profound experience for me during that point in time was being able Sorry.I'm gonna try not to get emotional here.Being able to be connected with folks when they couldn't physically be connected to their family members.Being able to offer um moments of love and compassion.To spend time with people when they truly needed social connections will probably be my greatest takeaway in my entire career.Susan,thank you so much for all you do.Um,I know that all of us talking right now and people listening realize how important it is to have someone who genuinely cares,caring for our loved ones,so thank you.My pleasure.Is,is anything else you wanna add?","summary":"Susan shares a personal story from her career during the COVID-19 pandemic.","keywords":["personal story","COVID-19","career"]},{"segment_id":176,"chapter_id":93,"start_sec":1266.81,"end_sec":1296.27,"transcript_text":"Explore all options available to you and to your loved one when you're thinking about the next steps in life's journey.And know that there are communities out there ready and willing to care for you or your loved one to the best of their ability while partnering with meeting individual needs.Yeah,they really become your family,and I know that's the case uh for my sister too.Everyone taking care of her is like family to us,so.","summary":"Susan advises exploring all care options and emphasizes community support.","keywords":["explore options","community support","advice"]},{"segment_id":177,"chapter_id":94,"start_sec":1297.27,"end_sec":1945,"transcript_text":"Susan,thank you so much.Thank you for your time today.We truly appreciate it.We know our listeners appreciate all of your expert advice and we wanna thank all of our listeners as well for joining us for Hello Nation,where good news travels fast and we'll see you back here soon.Thanks for watching Hello Nation.","summary":"Leah thanks Susan for her insights and concludes the podcast.","keywords":["conclusion","farewell","thanks"]}],"topics":[{"label":"Understanding Assisted Living","query":"What are the differences between personal care homes and assisted living?","emoji":"🏡"},{"label":"Choosing the Right Community","query":"How do families choose the right assisted living community?","emoji":"🔍"},{"label":"Misconceptions About Senior Living","query":"What are common misconceptions about transitioning to assisted living?","emoji":"❌"},{"label":"Advice for Families","query":"What advice is given to families considering assisted living?","emoji":"👪"},{"label":"Advocacy and Medicaid Coverage","query":"What advocacy efforts are being made for Medicaid coverage in assisted living?","emoji":"📢"},{"label":"Innovations in Senior Care","query":"What new programs or innovations are discussed in senior care?","emoji":"💡"},{"label":"Respite and Short-term Stays","query":"Can assisted living be a short-term care option?","emoji":"⏳"},{"label":"Personal Experiences in Assisted Living","query":"What personal stories are shared about working in assisted living?","emoji":"❤️"}],"questions":["What is the difference between personal care homes and assisted living in Pennsylvania?","How can families evaluate if a personal care home or assisted living community is the right fit for their loved one?","What are some common misconceptions about transitioning to a senior living community?","How can families start the conversation with their loved ones about moving into a personal care or assisted living community?","What are some of the fun amenities and activities offered in personal care homes and assisted living communities?","Why is it important for assisted living to be covered by Medicaid in Pennsylvania?","What advice does Susan Saxsinger have for individuals planning their own future care needs?","How did Susan Saxsinger's experience during the COVID-19 pandemic impact her view on the importance of personal care and assisted living communities?"]}