Residents Who Shape Culture: The Relational Approach with Rose Lamb and Lou Watson

The Relational Approach: In Seniors' Care

What if the most powerful voice in the hiring process isn’t the manager but the resident?

In today’s episode, Rose Lamb and Lou Watson show us what it looks like when residents aren’t just living in a seniors’ community, they’re shaping it. As a 92-year-young resident at The Village of Taunton Mills, Lou brings wisdom, wit, and a clear voice to the hiring table - literally. Together with Rose, Senior VP at Schlegel Villages, they share how involving residents in the interview process strengthens culture, trust, and connection.

This episode is a powerful reminder that when we see residents as contributors, not just recipients, we create more meaningful, human-centered care environments. From the "Wisdom of the Elder" program to the five pillars of Schlegel’s “Connect the Dots” philosophy, Rose and Lou walk us through what a relational approach really looks like in practice.

You’ll hear:

• How involving residents in hiring decisions can strengthen culture and connection
• What Lou looks for in a candidate (and why it’s not just about the resume)
• Why “value-added” is Lou’s north star when it comes to team fit
• How Schlegel Villages builds their relational culture through “Connect the Dots”
• Why honoring grief, autonomy, and different personalities matters in resident engagement

This is a rich, honest conversation about leadership, legacy, and why wisdom belongs at the center of how we build culture in seniors’ care.

You can learn more about Schlegel Villages here

You can read Rose and Lou’s bio’s and access the full show notes here