Florida Senior Living Association

4 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 7 she observed, “and it touches so many different facets, from the corporate level all the way down to the communities.” In Florida, in order to become an administrator for an assisted-living community, an applicant must pass a state exam and take a 26-hour course, as Matillo informed. “We offer that course,” she said. “We also offer a 12-hour refresher course.” That’s all down to trainer Monica Wilson. “She’s probably the best trainer in the state,” Matillo observed. “We try to keep our education at a high level for all of our members.” Plus, as she added, there’s an annual conference for FSLA members. “We pride ourselves on that,” she said of the conference, which offers the latest information on industry-related technology, leadership, operations, clinical matters, sales and marketing and so much more. Monthly meetings, held in each of the FSLA communities, are also important when it comes to addressing hot topics for members, as Matillo informed. As examples, she cited information on how to cope with burn-out and stress. “In our industry, that happens quite a bit,” she said, “and we see quite a bit of turnover. (These meetings) have gone very well, and it’s been very popular.” As well, the FSLA will, in the near future, be getting together for a membership retreat with its counterpart associations in other states, such as Georgia and Louisiana, as Matillo informed. This will be a time to learn the latest about what’s going on and get some excellent leadership training. Grant funding is also helping make training possible. The FSLA recently received three such grants, as Matillo revealed, and on-the-job training for CNA’s (or certified nursing assistants) is just one area that will reap the benefits of this. “The course is free,” she said. “The test is free. The materials are free.” Creating career paths for its staffers is an important goal related to these efforts, as Matillo observed. “We’re the ones that need to do it, since we’re in the business,” she observed. “We want staffers to come in and work their way up, because there’s so much opportunity in our business.” Next year could see a similar program for LPN’s (or licensed practical nurses). “CNA’s can move up to LPN’s,” Matillo pointed out, “and that’s really a great career for folks who want to stay in our business.” Maintaining and in fact increasing those levels of trained staffers are crucial to future