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Page 14 — Health Care & Life Sciences Quarterly — April 2022 www.crej.com SENIOR HOUSING Let us Guide Your Senior Living Community to Success Consulting and Managed Services Call today to learn more. 720-400-3616 • Operational expertise • Regulatory compliance • Resident wellness programs • Clinical expertise • Sales and marketing • Resident satisfaction • Human resources and talent recruitment • Financial oversight • Innovative technologies • Centralized procurement • Project feasibility and development Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care | WellAgeseniorsolutions.com | 12136W. Bayaud Ave. Suite 200, Lakewood, CO 80228 C harlie Robertson, a project manager at EUA, spent time during his architectural schooling as a certified nurs- ing assistant working with older adults. I sat down with Charlie to learn more about his experience – from unique bonds he developed with residents to lessons about the built environment. (Interview edited for brevity.) n Sodo: Can you tell me about your time as a CNA? n Robertson: I was a CNA for just over three years in college. Architec- tural firms weren’t hiring interns, and I was encour- aged to become a CNA – it was a decent paying job to pay the bills. I worked primarily on dementia-spe- cific units, which was intimidating. I was trained on the night shift, and my work con- sisted of everything a CNA normally does – checking in on residents, turning bedridden residents, getting them dressed and other typical care tasks. n Sodo: Were there any experi- ences that have really stuck with you? What did you take away from those experiences? n Robertson: Growing up, my mom was an activity director at a local nursing home, and she would sometimes pull me in to help with activities. I remember going along with it, but always begrudgingly. It was an institu- tional environment and not very com- fortable. You would see people sitting sort of hunched over – as a child, it’s a frightening scene. But as an adult, it was different. I was more mature, and I also saw the residents as human beings. As a CNA, the expe- rience becomes personal. It changed everything. The buck stops with you – if they have an infection, need range of motion exercises or to ambulate with assis- tance, it all rests on your shoulders. The onus of keeping these people healthier and living better, happier lives rests with the CNAs, and I took that responsibility seriously. As a caregiver for people with dementia, a buzzword in the indus- try at the time was validation, a therapy used to communicate and connect with residents – empha- sizing emotion instead of facts to support and respect the person. There was one resident who would refuse to change his clothes and refuse assistance from the CNAs. Every night he would say “Tonight, I’m going to the moon! We have a moon base and I have to get there.” I’d respond, saying his name and suggesting, “Well, if you’re going tonight, we should probably get ready to go. It’s a really long trip, so let’s just get you some new clothes, new underwear and you’ll be set for your trip.” And he’d get dressed. While we learned this method from our training, the family would hear us talk and at first, they didn’t know how to react. They wondered why we were going along with this fantasy – but in the end, you’re not going to change his mind … this is who he is. At the end of the day, with validation, he would have new, clean clothes and would go to bed because we told him that he needed a good night’s rest for the journey tomorrow. n Sodo: With these experiences, is there an aspect of senior living design that captures your attention when working on projects? n Robertson: I try to focus on ways to design for purposeful living – whether it’s creating something university based where residents have opportunities to audit classes, or designing cafés or stores for older adults to work in their com- munity. It’s great for them to social- ize with other people to have that sense of purpose. I really believe senior living communities aren’t just places to live out our last days; Taking a trip to the moon: 5 questions with a CNA Jennifer Sodo, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Senior living market leader, EUA Charlie Robertson Senior living communities aren’t just places for people to live out their last days; they are places to live full, happy lives. Please see Sodo, Page 17