Mini Case Study - Time to Rebound at Willow Pond
Heather Osaka had worked ten years in the hospital administration field, at two hospitals, one HMO, and one nursing home. However, she had yet to hold a chief administrator position. One afternoon, she received a text message from Jake Wofford, a former classmate who was now in the executive recruiting business. “Maybe a great opportunity for you. Get back.” said the message.

Osaka did get back to Wofford quickly. The opportunity to which he referred was a position as the director of Willow Pond, a medium-size assisted living home in the same city where Osaka now lived. “Assisted living” refers to helping older residents who are not quite able to care for themselves, yet do not require the level of care provided by the nursing home. Jake was frank in informing Heather that Willow Pond was troubled and that the previous director had been fired. Yet, the home still complied enough with state regulations to remain in operation.

The most recent problem at the home receiving publicity involved a man with a criminal record who walked into Willow Pond, sneaked into a resident’s studio apartment, and sexually molested her. To gain entrance to the living area, the intruder donned a “Friends of Willow Pond” smock designated for volunteers. Wearing the smock facilitated his roaming the living area.
Before finally accepting the position, Heather spoke with the owners, who also operated several other homes for the elderly. She also consulted with a few of supervisors and, with permission, interviewed four Willow Pond residents. The owners and Heather agreed that the following issues were among the most pressing:

The residents and their families complain that the food is poor.
Many of the residents are treated callously by the staff, and often told to “shut up” when they make a special demand, such as having a button