From a large skilled nursing facility operator spanning several states to a Midwest-based group of health care providers, Brickyard Healthcare’s rebranding comes at a time when many in the industry face a crossroads.
While Brickyard Healthcare isn’t the only company working to recover its occupancy and rebuild its brand after the COVID-19 pandemic – on top of managing a staffing crisis – President and CEO Wesley Rogers said the transition from Golden Living was made with those challenges top of mind.
“We wanted to create a sense of belonging not only for our residents but our staff, and so we’re trying to bring it all together,” Rogers told Skilled Nursing News.
Roger’s biggest priority for Brickyard’s 23 facilities across the Hoosier State is “recovery” – he’s seen improvement in almost every building.
He’s not, however, shying away from potential options for growth. Brickyard Healthcare’s services currently include short term rehabilitation, long-term care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
“We’re always open to evaluating opportunities,” he said.
Brickyard Healthcare gets the green light
Changing culture can be a tall order for anyone, let alone a company that has been in business for almost 60 years.
The Golden Living brand has maintained a good reputation in the state of Indiana, according to Rogers, but the company is looking to start the next chapter and develop a new culture.
As the company moves toward a more regional focused model, Rogers sees it as a “community-based business.”
The name “Brickyard” was chosen as a nod to Golden Living’s ties to Indianapolis and the state. Brickyard will only operate the Indiana facilities, not any communities outside the state that were formerly part of Golden Living.
Rogers said Brickyard tries to take an entrepreneurial approach, allowing the leaders to manage the business and “find that path to success” – one that’s different for everyone.
It’s a model that is familiar to the skilled nursing space, as many in the industry are attempting to take a more centralized approach.
“For me I believe that there’s a different recipe for success for every single nursing home, and it’s not how you fix it or how you operate it or maximize the potential to provide quality care and financial results, it’s different in every situation,” Rogers said last week during a panel the eCap health care summit in Doral, Fla., just outside of Miami.
Part of Brickyard’s focus on recovery involves managing its staffing challenges. Rogers said before the pandemic his facilities had never used staffing agencies but that is no longer the case.
To recruit and retain staff, Brickyard Healthcare has instituted $15,000 tuition reimbursements for any employee. Additionally the company has increased wages and is offering retention bonuses, Rogers said.
He pointed to the skilled nursing industry’s high turnover rate as a key roadblock when trying to build culture.
“Culture is the hardest thing in the world to drive change and build. You want all those good things and you want people to enjoy coming to work and there’s just lots of challenges,” he said.
Rogers has also spent a significant amount of time and effort on advocacy, hiring a full-time dedicated team member as the operator works to get more involved on a grassroots level at the state and federal level.
Every building leader has contact lists for their state and federal leaders. Over the last year various political figures have visited five then-Golden Living buildings, Rogers said.
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