Tips from Trestle: The Senior Living Food and Hospitality Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

On this week’s Tips from Trestle, Aaron chats with Heather Burns, a seasoned resident engagement professional, to explore innovative strategies for enhancing senior living communities. Heather shares her resident-first philosophy, emphasizing holistic well-being that foster independence and purpose. She highlights the importance of bridging departmental silos, fostering teamwork, and training staff on empathy and compassion to elevate resident care. The discussion also unveils exciting initiatives in her role as the new Corporate Director of Resident Engagement for Trestle Hospitality Concepts - like a comprehensive engagement guidebook & tailored training programs to support activities directors in creating meaningful connections and thriving communities.

Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:

• eMenuChoice
• WiseOx
• ClarkPro
• Ben E Keith Foods

#TFT407 #SeniorLiving #ResidentEngagement #HolisticCare #MontessoriMethod #ElderCareInnovation #SeniorWellness #TeamworkInCare #CompassionateCare #ActivityDirectors #EmpathyInAction #CommunityConnections #SeniorLivingLeadership #SiloBuster #TrestleHospitality

This week’s episode of Tips from Trestle finds Aaron immersing himself into the world of Residential Assisted Living (RAL) with guest Isabelle Guarino, COO of the Residential Assisted Living Academy. Together, they explore how RAL homes offer a unique, personalized alternative to traditional senior living communities by blending residential comfort with professional care. Isabelle shares insights on staffing, creative resident engagement, and the financial models that make RAL a compelling choice for families and entrepreneurs alike. With the "silver tsunami" approaching, this episode sheds light on how RAL homes can address the growing demand for senior care.

Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:

• eMenuChoice (https://bit.ly/TFT_eMenu)
• WiseOx (https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx)
• ClarkPro (https://bit.ly/ClarkPro_TFT)
• Ben E Keith Foods (https://bit.ly/TFT_BEK)

Social - RAL Academy

• TikTok: @ralacademy
• IG: @ralacademy
• X/Twitter: @ralacademy
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/residential-assisted-living-academy/
• Website: www.ral101.com

#TFT406 #SeniorLivingInnovation #ResidentialAssistedLiving #SilverTsunami #CreativeCaregiving #SeniorCareRevolution #ResidentEngagement #PersonalizedSeniorCare #SmallHomeBigImpact #SeniorLivingTrends2025 #ElderCareSolutions #FoodServiceInSeniorLiving #CommunityCareMatters #InnovativeSeniorHousing #CompassionateCaregiving #FutureOfSeniorLiving

In this episode of Tips from Trestle, Aaron reconnects with Nancy Rhodes from the GFS team at the recent Georgia Senior Living Association Conference. Nancy is a non-commercial business solutions specialist at Gordon Food Service, and a recent guest host on Trestle Tactics. Aaron & Nancy discuss the evolving concept of wellness in senior living communities, emphasizing its six dimensions, and they talk about innovative ideas for incorporating wellness into senior living through food-related activities, and the conversation highlights the importance of engaging residents, staff, and external resources to create diverse wellness programs that can drive occupancy and improve overall community satisfaction.

Tips from Trestle is sponsored by eMenuChoice & ClarkPro

#SeniorLiving #HealthyAging #FoodService #CulinaryInnovation #SeniorCare #NutritionMatters #ActiveAging #SeniorWellness #FoodieLife #HealthyLiving #SeniorLifestyle #CommunityEngagement #FoodForThought #AgingWell

Dining is a sensory experience, and it all starts with our eyes. Knowing that, are you ready to create a visually stunning and inviting dining experience for your senior living community?

Join us on Tips from Trestle this week as we sit down with Heidi Noe, a Boelter Superstore leader as we explore a critical piece of dining real estate - the tabletop. Discover how Heidi's background in retail and visual merchandising has empowered her to design captivating tabletops for senior living operators.

During the episode, Aaron and Heidi dive into the art of streamlining tabletops, considering aesthetics, functionality, storage space, staffing levels, and budget for various dining concepts.

We also discuss the significance of creating tailor-made tabletop setups for different care levels, with a focus on visually appealing and inviting dining experiences for residents in skilled nursing and memory care settings. Moreover, uncover the potential revenue source of high-quality room service experiences, providing added value for communities and convenience for families.

Don't miss this insightful episode that elevates your tabletop game to a whole new level!

Heidi Noe is Boelter Superstore Leader at their Glendale, WI location and has been with the company for over 6 years. In addition to her time as a superstore leader, she also worked at the Boelter corporate office providing executive level support to their operations.

Tips From Trestle is a podcast focused on discussion about senior living food & hospitality. Hosted by Trestle Hospitality Concepts Founder & CEO Aaron Fish, he shares his thoughts, musings and discussions about the food & hospitality operations, trends and happenings in the senior living industry. To support the podcast, click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/tips-from-trestle/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TFT is sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Boelter Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigator GPO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠eMenuChoice POS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Links:

Aaron Fish: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/aaronfish/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trestle Hospitality Concepts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.trestlehospitalityconcepts.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Heidi Noe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-noe-a2977694/

The Boelter Companies: https://www.boelter.com/

Ever wondered how you can easily optimize your purchasing decisions and develop an amazing partnership at the same time?

Join Aaron for this episode of "Tips from Trestle" as he delves into the world of Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) and the key role of trust in this realm.

We speak with Brian Lopp of Navigator Group Purchasing, who shares his journey from the food industry to the GPO world, highlighting the benefits of GPOs in aggregating spending to secure better prices and contracts with manufacturers. Throughout the conversation, Aaron and Brian emphasize the importance of building strong relationships with GPOs to effectively manage costs and deliver exceptional services to residents. Trust and accountability are key pillars in this partnership, and finding a reliable GPO to rely on can make all the difference in optimizing contracts and providing the best value.

Don't miss out on this enlightening episode! Tune in to unlock the secrets to successful GPO collaboration.

Brian Lopp has been with Navigator Group Purchasing since March 2018 and is currently the Vice President of Operations. He has 26 years’ experience in the food industry which includes operations, distribution, GPO and government. He is responsible for multiple areas of the Navigator organization including GPO operations, contracts, field implementation and market baskets. Brian graduated from the New England Culinary Institute with a BA in Culinary Arts, and Hospitality and Restaurant Management.

Tips From Trestle is a podcast focused on discussion about senior living food & hospitality. Hosted by Trestle Hospitality Concepts Founder & CEO Aaron Fish, he shares his thoughts, musings and discussions about the food & hospitality operations, trends and happenings in the senior living industry. To support the podcast, click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/tips-from-trestle/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TFT is sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Boelter Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠Navigator GPO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠eMenuChoice POS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Links:

Aaron Fish: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/aaronfish/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trestle Hospitality Concepts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.trestlehospitalityconcepts.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian Lopp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-lopp-28747513/

Navigator:

• Web: ⁠https://www.navigatorgpo.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigator-group-purchasing-inc/

Ready for an extraordinary virtual adventure?

Join Aaron on this well-traveled podcast episode as he talks to Susan Black, Founder and Chief "Wow" Executive Officer of Wowzitude. Aaron & Susan unveil the magic of Wowzitude, a game-changing live stream virtual tour service designed with an eye on supporting You'll learn how residents can be immersed in captivating destinations, engage in real-time interactions with knowledgeable guides, and discover Food & Beverage trip kits packed with local recommendations. Wowzitude collaborates with senior living communities, creating an authentic and engaging experience that fosters social connections and fuels our innate sense of exploration. So, don't miss out on this fascinating conversation that breaks barriers and brings the world to your fingertips. It's time to kick-start your virtual journey with Wowzitude today!

In 2021, Susan Black launched award-winning Wowzitude, live-streamed virtual travel, for thousands of armchair travelers, experiencing interactive guided walking tours in 100+ cities around the world. SUsan was able to accomplish this as a high-energy entrepreneur, accomplished strategist, with a distinguished career successfully launching businesses and reinvigorating established brands within the travel industry. Throughout her career, she's led transformative customer-focused strategies for start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, generating $10MM to $10B in revenues. Susan’s 60+ travel clients have brought her across 37 countries and six continents and have included leading brands in travel and tourism. Susan is a graduate of Rutgers University and holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in Urban Planning from University College London (UCL).

Tips From Trestle is a podcast focused on discussion about senior living food & hospitality. Hosted by Trestle Hospitality Concepts Founder & CEO Aaron Fish, he shares his thoughts, musings and discussions about the food & hospitality operations, trends and happenings in the senior living industry. To support the podcast, click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/tips-from-trestle/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TFT is sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Boelter Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Navigator GPO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠eMenuChoice POS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Clark Food Service Equipment

Links:

Aaron Fish: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/aaronfish/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trestle Hospitality Concepts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.trestlehospitalityconcepts.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Susan Black: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanblackassociates/

Wowzitude:

• Web: https://wowzitude.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wowzitude/

Have you ever wondered...what exactly is Speech Therapy is and what is the crucial role it plays in senior living?

On this week's TFT, Aaron sits with Adria Thompson. Adria shares her journey into the senior care space and discusses her work with individuals facing communication, swallowing, and cognition disorders. Adria unlocks the secrets of how speech therapists can impact the success of your dining operations and the pivotal role they play in improving the quality of life for seniors.

Adria also shares her journey to becoming a leading social media influencer, with nearly 130,000 Instagram and 146,000 TikTok followers for her message and support for those providing care to those with dementia.

Adria Thompson is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with over 9 years of experience in dementia care. She is the owner of Be Light Care Consulting, where she creates educational content for professional and personal caregivers on social media platforms. She holds a master's and bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders from Eastern Kentucky University.

Tips From Trestle is a podcast focused on discussion about senior living food & hospitality. Hosted by Trestle Hospitality Concepts Founder & CEO Aaron Fish, he shares his thoughts, musings and discussions about the food & hospitality operations, trends and happenings in the senior living industry. To support the podcast, click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/tips-from-trestle/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TFT is sponsored by: - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Boelter Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigator GPO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ eMenuChoice POS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Links:

Aaron Fish: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/aaronfish/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trestle Hospitality Concepts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.trestlehospitalityconcepts.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Adria on Socials

• TikTok: @belightcare
• Instagram: @belightcare

Adria Thompson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrialthompson/

Be Light Care Consulting: https://www.belightcare.com/

Have you ever wondered how food can truly build community among residents in senior living? It starts with a fundamental question: What is the purpose and expected outcome of the dining experience?

In this engaging episode of Tips from Trestle, we dive deep into the transformative power of food in senior living communities. Join Aaron & Matt Perez as they explore the insights and experiences they have had with developing a strong purpose and advocating for creating meaningful dining experiences. Through his contagious enthusiasm, Matt emphasizes the importance of getting others fired up about food as a catalyst for fostering connections, and collaboration and inclusivity take center stage as Aaron and Matt discuss the keys to crafting dining experiences that resonate with residents. They shed light on the need for flexibility and versatility in food programs, ensuring nutrient density and wholesome food choices that nourish both the body and the soul.

So are you ready to make a positive impact in senior living communities through transformative dining experiences? Tune in to this inspiring episode and discover how local produce vendors, well-defined training programs, and prioritizing the team can create an environment where community and connection thrive.

Matt Perez is currently the National Director of Dining Operations for MBK Senior Living.  In his role he supports and leads the dining strategic direction for the company, additionally supporting each community culinary & service programs to create a best-in-class resident experience.  A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley, Matt’s prior roles included, VP of Hospitality at Vineyard Luxury Communities, National Director of Dining at Kisco Senior Living, Principle of Fork Fusion Consultants and Executive Chef / Partner at TS Restaurants.

Tips From Trestle is a podcast focused on discussion about senior living food & hospitality. Hosted by Trestle Hospitality Concepts Founder & CEO Aaron Fish, he shares his thoughts, musings and discussions about the food & hospitality operations, trends and happenings in the senior living industry. To support the podcast, click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/tips-from-trestle/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TFT is sponsored by: - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Boelter Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigator GPO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ eMenuChoice POS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Links:

Aaron Fish: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/aaronfish/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trestle Hospitality Concepts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.trestlehospitalityconcepts.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Katie Griffith: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-j-perez-3156a149

MBK Senior Living: https://www.mbkseniorliving.com

"The past is over; the present is fleeting; we live in the future." - Ray Kurzweil

When we're talking about technology trends in senior living and dining, we often discuss robots and point-of-sale systems. But what would it look and sound like if we push the envelope and embraced the most cutting edge of technology and futuristic endeavors in our operations?

That's the focus for host Aaron Fish and his guest Katie Griffith on this week's episode of Tips from Trestle. They dive into a few possibilities on how the latest and most cutting edge technologies could amplify our services and better empower both residents and employees in creating a community focused on meeting the needs of everyone that it serves. It's a fascinating dive into technology such as AI and autonomous vehicles, and how they could shape the senior living communities of the future - and how they can expand the hospitality and food services that we provide as well.

Katie Griffith started Bright Solutions, a technology consulting firm exclusively serving senior living, eight years ago when she saw a need for senior living providers to have an unbiased third party help them evaluate and implement technology in their communities. Their experts help leaders of senior living communities create a technology plan that attracts the next generation of residents and employees. They have their finger on the pulse of senior services tech with the knowledge of what’s working, what’s not, and how to maximize value from every dollar.

Tips From Trestle is a podcast focused on discussion about senior living food & hospitality. Hosted by Trestle Hospitality Concepts Founder & CEO Aaron Fish, he shares his thoughts, musings and discussions about the food & hospitality operations, trends and happenings in the senior living industry. To support the podcast, click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/tips-from-trestle/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TFT is sponsored by: - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Boelter Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigator GPO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ eMenuChoice POS⁠⁠⁠⁠

Links:

Aaron Fish: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/aaronfish/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trestle Hospitality Concepts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.trestlehospitalityconcepts.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Katie Griffith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiebrightsolutions/

Bright Solutions: https://www.brightsolutions.co/

Are you interested in elevating your senior living dining experience using the power of your strategic partnerships with your vendors?

Join us on Tips from Trestle as we dive into the transformative power of partnerships in the food service and senior living industries. In this episode, we speak with Brit Gala-Ploeckelmann, who shares her expertise in creating exceptional dining experiences for seniors. With a wealth of experience in hospitality and a passion for customer service, Brit discusses the importance of building long-term partnerships, customized solutions, and providing transparent communication. Discover how she helps to bring to life The Boelter Companies' partnership-based approach to help senior living operators elevate their dining programs, enhance resident satisfaction, and stay ahead of industry trends.

So are you ready to take your community's dining experience to the next level? Don't miss this conversation about how you can use your partnerships to elevate your residents' culinary journey and create a lasting impact.

After many early years of diverse foodservice and hospitality experience, Brit Gala-Ploeckelmann spent 10 years focusing on Senior Living, working for a private healthcare company as a Senior Foodservice Consultant, working with customers to customize selections for commercial kitchen equipment and smallwares, with emphasis on layout and design. She then expanded her experience by traveling abroad and working with global companies in retail food operations and commercial cooking equipment manufacturing to manage complex business projects and bids.

Brit’s deep passion for customer service and exceptional client experience brought her back to Senior Living and Boelter to provide value-added solutions, continued support to national and key accounts, and innovative problem solving for all our Senior Living valued customers.

Tips From Trestle is a podcast focused on discussion about senior living food & hospitality. Hosted by Trestle Hospitality Concepts Founder & CEO Aaron Fish, he shares his thoughts, musings and discussions about the food & hospitality operations, trends and happenings in the senior living industry. To support the podcast, click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/tips-from-trestle/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TFT is sponsored by: - ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Boelter Company⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigator GPO⁠⁠⁠⁠ -⁠⁠⁠⁠ eMenuChoice POS⁠⁠⁠

Links:

Aaron Fish: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/aaronfish/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trestle Hospitality Concepts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.trestlehospitalityconcepts.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brit Gala-Ploeckelmann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brit-gala-ploeckelmann-cfsp-54b8546

The Boelter Companies: https://www.boelter.com/