WEBVTT
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:14.683
Hey everybody, welcome to the Private Club Radio Show where we give you the scoop on all things private golf and country clubs, from mastering, leadership and management, food and beverage excellence, member engagement secrets, board governance and everything in between, all while keeping it fun and light.
00:00:14.683 --> 00:00:20.364
Whether you're a club veteran just getting your feet wet or somewhere in the middle, you are in the right place.
00:00:20.364 --> 00:00:22.088
I'm your host, denny Corby.
00:00:22.088 --> 00:00:23.551
Welcome to the show.
00:00:23.551 --> 00:00:32.414
In this episode we are hanging out with Caitlin Allen, ccm Clubhouse Manager at Long Cove Club.
00:00:32.414 --> 00:00:42.622
She is a Swifty Trivia Queen, certified Disney adult and the only club manager I've met who can turn gerontology into something that sounds kind of badass.
00:00:43.164 --> 00:00:46.011
And if you're thinking, wait, what is gerontology?
00:00:46.011 --> 00:00:56.152
Again, it's the study of aging, not just biology and policy, but culture, how people age, how we treat them, what gives them the dignity and meaning in their later years.
00:00:56.152 --> 00:01:03.726
And Caitlin, she's taken that expertise and poured it into her role at Long Cove Club like it's her favorite glass of red wine.
00:01:03.726 --> 00:01:09.004
Her role at Long Cove Club like it's her favorite glass of red wine.
00:01:09.004 --> 00:01:17.612
We break down how clubs can do way more than just serve meals and plan events for some of their older members and how they can become lifelines, places of identity, connection and purpose.
00:01:17.612 --> 00:01:27.561
And we talk about how gerontology shaped Caitlin's entire hospitality ethos and career, starting with her first job as a teenage server in a retirement home.
00:01:27.561 --> 00:01:33.143
We talk about how tiny touches like backlit check presenters can have such a big impact.
00:01:33.143 --> 00:01:43.227
We hear how her club's leadership and culture crew flipped employee engagement by empowering non-manager staff as culture ambassadors.
00:01:43.227 --> 00:01:48.004
Caitlin is bold, she's brilliant and, honestly, just really fun to talk to.
00:01:48.004 --> 00:02:11.546
We had an incredible, incredible conversation and one of the moments quotes I might, you know, summarize this a little bit, but one of my favorite lines was something along the lines of Caitlin saying that hospitality isn't about what you serve, the lines of Caitlin saying that hospitality isn't about what you serve, but it's about making people feel seen, celebrated and like they still matter, and I just thought that was phenomenal.
00:02:11.546 --> 00:02:15.550
This is a great episode a different perspective, a little bit change of pace.
00:02:15.550 --> 00:02:19.546
I really, really enjoy this and Caitlin is just a great human.
00:02:20.139 --> 00:02:38.254
Before we get to the episode, I just want to give a quick shout out to some of our show partners You're going to hear about them in the ads and continuing into the episodes Kenneth's member vetting Golf Life Navigators Members First, as well as myself, denny Corby, the Denny Corby Experience.
00:02:38.254 --> 00:02:41.945
If your club is looking for one of the most fun member event nights.
00:02:41.945 --> 00:02:46.854
I've been trusted by over 350 clubs.
00:02:46.854 --> 00:02:50.346
If you want to learn more, head on over to dennycorbycom.
00:02:50.346 --> 00:02:52.287
There's excitement, there's mystery.
00:02:52.287 --> 00:02:54.167
Also there's magic, mind reading and comedy.
00:02:54.167 --> 00:02:56.828
A ton of laughs, gasps and holy craps.
00:02:57.900 --> 00:03:07.784
And speaking of holy craps, if you have not heard about my event Management in Motion, happening September 22nd at the monticello motor club, you have to check it out.
00:03:07.784 --> 00:03:10.290
Almost sold out, limited to 50 seats.
00:03:10.290 --> 00:03:13.383
We have about 18 seats left as of right now.
00:03:13.383 --> 00:03:16.491
If you want to learn more, head on over to privateclubradiocom.
00:03:16.491 --> 00:03:18.762
Slash management in motion.
00:03:18.762 --> 00:03:33.817
We're going to be tearing up Monticello Motor Club with BMWs M2, 3s and 4s, autox, drag racing, drifting and more, all while learning relevant education from fellow club leaders and peers.
00:03:33.817 --> 00:03:35.485
It's going to be such a blast.
00:03:35.485 --> 00:03:36.689
Enough about all that, though.
00:03:36.689 --> 00:03:39.389
Let's get to the real reason why you're here, which is for the episode.
00:03:39.389 --> 00:03:43.443
So, private Club Radio listeners, let's welcome to the show, caitlin Allen.
00:03:43.604 --> 00:03:44.866
It's great, it's been wonderful.
00:03:44.866 --> 00:03:46.486
This is the time in Hilton Head.
00:03:46.486 --> 00:03:47.228
It's paradise.
00:03:47.508 --> 00:03:50.592
Yeah, when's the prime time?
00:03:50.592 --> 00:03:51.532
Is it now?
00:03:51.532 --> 00:03:54.556
When is your hot spot?
00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:01.661
We really heat up in October, september and then March, april.
00:04:01.661 --> 00:04:03.622
That's when the weather's the nicest, it's when all of the locals are here.
00:04:03.622 --> 00:04:07.245
You have a few of the tourists, but a lot of the locals get out of town.
00:04:07.245 --> 00:04:12.449
They fly north for the summer, they head up your way and, yeah, it slows down a little bit.
00:04:12.449 --> 00:04:20.855
But we have a lot more full-time year-round members than we did three, six, eight years ago.
00:04:20.855 --> 00:04:22.497
So it's a nice trend.
00:04:25.206 --> 00:04:26.192
Did COVID change that?
00:04:26.192 --> 00:04:28.744
Was it like around that that time shorter shifted there?
00:04:29.708 --> 00:04:31.052
yeah, definitely a big shift.
00:04:31.052 --> 00:04:38.992
A lot of people working from home and have the ability to go live wherever they want to live and retiring so yeah and the holiday season.
00:04:38.992 --> 00:04:40.983
It's an average level of busyness.
00:04:40.983 --> 00:04:44.107
I I definitely think the spring and the fall is that's our bread and butter.
00:04:44.666 --> 00:04:48.151
Nice, nice, you guys have a wait list.
00:04:48.151 --> 00:04:49.814
Do you care about a wait list?
00:04:49.814 --> 00:04:52.141
Y'all just vibing out having a good time.
00:04:54.004 --> 00:04:54.485
I love that.
00:04:54.485 --> 00:04:55.908
No, no wait list.
00:04:55.908 --> 00:05:01.588
So, being a bundled community, our membership is directly tied to home sales.
00:05:01.588 --> 00:05:06.521
So depending on how many homes are on the market, that's how we get our new membership.
00:05:06.521 --> 00:05:12.482
So interestingly and this was kind of a learning curve for me no member vetting process.
00:05:12.482 --> 00:05:15.689
If you can buy the property, you can be a member.
00:05:15.689 --> 00:05:23.017
So culturally that certainly has a little influence on the demographic of membership that's coming through.
00:05:23.017 --> 00:05:24.262
So it really is a tapestry.
00:05:24.262 --> 00:05:28.132
It's all sorts of interesting people from all over the country really.
00:05:28.620 --> 00:05:31.468
And you and you know how I feel about vetting.
00:05:31.468 --> 00:05:36.310
You know our friends, my friends, kenneth's member vetting huge, huge fans.
00:05:36.310 --> 00:05:38.567
Now does people just I just there's clubs.
00:05:38.567 --> 00:05:44.644
I think sometimes just don't just put a little bit of effort into looking at who's who's coming in.
00:05:44.644 --> 00:05:53.449
But yeah, that has to create a very unique challenge in terms of culture and fit, because, even worse, you can't just kick them out right.
00:05:54.350 --> 00:06:07.288
No, you can't just be like all right see ya, no, I mean, we had an incident last year and their club privileges were suspended so the family couldn't come to the clubhouse, couldn't golf, but you can't kick them out of their home.
00:06:07.288 --> 00:06:12.129
So it is interesting, but I'm learning a lot being in this sort of environment.
00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:13.923
Yeah, yeah.
00:06:13.923 --> 00:06:16.190
Are you consuming anything good lately?
00:06:17.461 --> 00:06:23.978
In terms of food and drink, or are we talking content and books, books shows, audio books, podcasts, I don't know.
00:06:23.978 --> 00:06:32.310
Well, aside from private club radio, I've been getting back into the Huberman Lab podcast.
00:06:32.579 --> 00:06:32.759
Andrew.
00:06:32.781 --> 00:06:33.221
Huberman.
00:06:33.221 --> 00:06:36.911
He's brilliant in terms of health and wellness.
00:06:36.911 --> 00:06:45.245
He's got a new book coming out in a few months called Protocols, and recently my husband and I did I don't know if I told you this we just finished a 75 hard challenge.
00:06:45.788 --> 00:06:46.550
Did you, we did.
00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:51.783
And it was our second time doing it together, and part of that.
00:06:51.783 --> 00:06:56.812
As you know, the rules include reading 10 pages of nonfiction a day.
00:06:56.812 --> 00:06:59.709
And so you get through a lot of books that way.
00:06:59.709 --> 00:07:17.288
So I reread, I revisited I'm actually just about to finish um, unreasonable hospitality, which it's like the Bible, but uh, yeah, so that's, that's it in terms of reading and uh audio Nice, nice, I'm going to send you a book.
00:07:17.329 --> 00:07:19.454
I recommend the third door.
00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:21.781
Third door.
00:07:21.781 --> 00:07:22.663
Writing that down.
00:07:23.165 --> 00:07:27.274
It's just a great audio to listen to because the author speaks it.
00:07:27.274 --> 00:07:32.052
It's just a good feel-good story with a good message, meaning and all that stuff behind it.
00:07:32.052 --> 00:07:35.209
It's a good outlook and way of thinking.
00:07:35.209 --> 00:07:35.692
I don't know.
00:07:35.692 --> 00:07:36.999
I like that.
00:07:38.341 --> 00:07:43.033
I like content that challenges your way of thinking, if you can look at something a little bit differently.
00:07:43.033 --> 00:07:59.468
Another podcast I listen to just out of habit is Dave Ramsey, and I don't always agree with him as a human, but I love his teachings and his philosophy on personal finance and managing your money and real estate, and so that's a get out of my comfort zone kind of.
00:07:59.468 --> 00:08:02.726
I'm listening to it because I enjoy it and how can I think a little bit differently?
00:08:03.350 --> 00:08:09.365
yeah, interesting, interesting, yeah, huh how about you?
00:08:09.365 --> 00:08:20.211
So it depends on like who, what, where, when, why and like what I'm doing is like how I'll kind of consume it a tiny bit, uh, but smartless, actually just finished.
00:08:20.211 --> 00:08:24.788
Uh, they had on gordon ramsay and I love all of his stupid shows.
00:08:24.788 --> 00:08:30.983
I love it Like Hell's Kitchen, all the shows, kitchen Nightmare he has a brand new one out.
00:08:30.983 --> 00:08:32.067
I love them all.
00:08:32.067 --> 00:08:35.485
So that was just a fun listen to.
00:08:35.485 --> 00:08:44.565
Sometimes some Daily Stoic, every now and then A couple magic ones.
00:08:46.230 --> 00:08:49.567
Of course you know it all varies.
00:08:49.567 --> 00:08:55.799
Yeah, my current commute to work is about 30 minutes, depending on traffic.
00:08:56.121 --> 00:09:04.808
And it's over a bridge over the beautiful marshland and my previous commute was about two and a half minutes, so that was an adjustment for me, but I have really found.
00:09:04.808 --> 00:09:19.336
You know, everyone says it's your time to get in the right headspace and decompress after a long day, but I really cherish that time because I get to listen to podcasts and, you know, try new things, listen to new people, call a friend and I really expect that.
00:09:19.336 --> 00:09:30.051
I was kind of dreading having to spend an hour of my day at least in a car when I really was not used to that, but that's kind of magic time right there it, it is, it is and I like what.
00:09:30.091 --> 00:09:33.205
What you said is like challenge the thinking.
00:09:33.205 --> 00:09:37.480
It's like just like push through it and just be like oh, like why don't I agree?
00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:41.389
And just and just chat, like just ask yourself the questions.
00:09:41.389 --> 00:09:43.820
Um, yeah, it's what I've been.
00:09:43.820 --> 00:09:48.792
There was I was just reading a magic book and part of like the thing was like we stopped.
00:09:48.792 --> 00:09:50.616
You know, magicians are just.
00:09:50.616 --> 00:10:01.321
You know, people, us in general, stop thinking way too soon we, we get to the method or we get get to a you know a way of doing it, and then we just stop, we, and then we just stop.
00:10:01.321 --> 00:10:03.565
We don't continue on like oh, but what if we did it this way?
00:10:03.565 --> 00:10:07.591
What if we just continued having some fun with it and just stopped asking what if?
00:10:08.153 --> 00:10:10.787
Yeah, I love poking holes in things.
00:10:10.787 --> 00:10:12.245
That's how you avoid staying stagnant.
00:10:12.505 --> 00:10:14.604
Yeah, yeah, so that's just been a fun thing.
00:10:14.604 --> 00:10:20.309
Now, how do you properly pronounce it?
00:10:20.309 --> 00:10:24.009
Is it gen-tra-l, gen-ra, gen-ra?
00:10:24.009 --> 00:10:42.784
You're right, there it is gerontology gerontology, gerontology geriatric, yep gerontology, older gerontology, nailed it yeah now there's just a couple words, like just the way the brain it just goes, we're not gonna do it and I and I'm like, oh boy, okay, gerontology.
00:10:42.784 --> 00:10:49.754
Especially those ologies You're there, and for someone who speaks for a living, it's like, oh, gerontology.
00:10:52.056 --> 00:10:52.196
Yeah.
00:10:52.620 --> 00:10:53.745
The science of aging.
00:10:54.700 --> 00:11:01.629
Gerontology is not just about medicine or policy, but to me it's more about the culture of aging.
00:11:01.629 --> 00:11:09.585
It's what we value, it's how we treat people as they get older and that culture informs how we serve them.
00:11:09.585 --> 00:11:18.273
Private clubs often serve an older demographic, especially in places like Hilton Head, the South coastal towns.
00:11:18.273 --> 00:11:24.067
We're not just providing dinner, we're providing purpose, a reason to gather, to move and to connect.
00:11:24.067 --> 00:11:28.066
To me, it's about dignity dignity, routine and identity.
00:11:28.066 --> 00:11:35.328
Uh, I believe a club part becomes part of someone's personal culture as they age, and that's awesome that we get to do that.
00:11:36.611 --> 00:11:36.893
How did?
00:11:36.893 --> 00:11:48.402
How does like, how old were you when you were like yes, cause, like that's like a very specific topic, because like that's like a very specific topic.
00:11:48.442 --> 00:11:49.625
Yeah, it is like what sparked it.
00:11:49.625 --> 00:11:50.186
I will tell you so.
00:11:50.186 --> 00:11:57.606
15 year old caitlin, in high school, mom and dad told me if you want to do things with friends, you need to have some spending money.
00:11:57.606 --> 00:11:58.509
So what did I do?
00:11:58.509 --> 00:12:10.024
I got a job and there was a retirement community in our community and they were hiring servers and I thought I like food, I could carry a plate.
00:12:10.024 --> 00:12:10.988
Sure, let's do it.
00:12:10.988 --> 00:12:13.421
So that was my first job ever Even.
00:12:13.421 --> 00:12:14.706
I mean, I didn't really do much babysitting.
00:12:14.706 --> 00:12:15.946
It was a waiting table.
00:12:16.059 --> 00:12:19.764
So I was in food and beverage from the beginning and I loved it.
00:12:19.764 --> 00:12:27.227
I had grandparents up in Canada who lived in a very similar facility and it kind of reminded me of my grandparents.
00:12:27.227 --> 00:12:42.666
I got to spend my days not just learning, you know, the art and the science of food and beverage, but being around people who are inspiring for all sorts of different reasons and listening to them and their stories that they have to tell it was magic and I really enjoyed that.
00:12:42.666 --> 00:12:45.019
I know I told you this story stories that they have to tell it was it was magic and I really enjoyed that.
00:12:45.019 --> 00:12:45.200
Um, I did.
00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:46.765
I know I told you the story there.
00:12:46.765 --> 00:12:51.102
Um, there was a bit of a scandal at that particular facility when I was working there.
00:12:51.102 --> 00:13:10.946
There was some some ugliness happening with the nursing staff in terms of um abuse to the residents a bit of physical, um, yeah, violation of human rights, getting themselves written into wills and property, just misappropriation of a lot of things.
00:13:11.025 --> 00:13:12.833
So I didn't know what the heck was going on.
00:13:12.833 --> 00:13:15.042
I was 15 and I didn't really know what that was.
00:13:15.042 --> 00:13:20.201
But up until that point in my life I'd never really experienced that kind of ugliness in the world.
00:13:20.201 --> 00:13:27.014
So that's what sparked the interest in becoming my original goal geriatric lawyer.
00:13:27.014 --> 00:13:34.601
And I said this is what I'm doing with my life, is I'm going to defend those who can't stand up for themselves.
00:13:34.601 --> 00:13:37.688
So that kind of mapped my course from there on out.
00:13:37.788 --> 00:13:45.392
I left that facility, obviously, and I went to work for a different company, brookdale Senior Living and it was incredible.
00:13:45.392 --> 00:13:52.208
It was everything, it was meaningful, enriching life, and it was where I was meant to be.
00:13:52.208 --> 00:13:59.988
And so I went off to college Kansas State University, proud Wildcat and I knew I was going to law school.
00:13:59.988 --> 00:14:09.628
So I got an undergraduate degree in political science with a secondary in gerontology and because that was a program they offered at K-State.
00:14:09.628 --> 00:14:21.288
And I realized about two weeks into the political science classes that I was not cut out for political science and not for me.
00:14:21.288 --> 00:14:28.484
I had a professor who was monotone and maybe that played into it, but it was not economics.
00:14:29.105 --> 00:14:30.748
I could not grasp it.
00:14:30.748 --> 00:14:33.533
And the teacher was just the worst.
00:14:33.533 --> 00:14:40.927
And you're just like and then it's like you know it's not nothing helps, and yeah, so it was.
00:14:41.067 --> 00:14:43.054
It was going to be a long four years.
00:14:43.054 --> 00:14:46.106
I thought if this is what it's about, I need to reevaluate my priorities.
00:14:46.106 --> 00:14:50.346
So I called my parents, my dad, in a panic and I said what do I do?
00:14:50.346 --> 00:14:53.708
And dad gave some wonderful advice.
00:14:53.708 --> 00:14:57.370
He said you get to go to law school with any undergraduate degree.
00:14:57.370 --> 00:15:01.270
I mean, if Elle Woods can do it with fashion marketing, you can do it with whatever the heck you want.
00:15:01.270 --> 00:15:10.506
So I was taking an intro to hospitality class and it resonated and fell headfirst, head over heels, in love with hospitality.
00:15:10.506 --> 00:15:15.585
I kept the secondary degree in gerontology and I loved it.
00:15:15.585 --> 00:15:27.664
I continued to work in the retirement home, but then I got my first internship at a club the first summer after my freshman year of college and, spoiler alert, I did not make it to law school.
00:15:27.725 --> 00:15:35.427
That did not happen because I really I found a niche in private club management yeah, oh, I love that.
00:15:35.869 --> 00:15:36.450
I love that.
00:15:36.450 --> 00:15:40.664
I remember when we first talked, you said something.
00:15:40.664 --> 00:15:48.605
It was like along the lines of like, hospitality isn't just service, it's about dignity and purpose, or something like like that.
00:15:48.605 --> 00:15:51.893
Where does where does that come from?
00:15:51.893 --> 00:15:52.940
What does that mean?
00:15:54.542 --> 00:16:00.587
Well, I mean, you have to understand aging is age, Aging is emotional.
00:16:00.587 --> 00:16:12.331
And hospitality, you're, you're, you're not just creating a menu and uh, it's a place for them to gather and to live their whole full lives.
00:16:12.331 --> 00:16:14.357
And you know, it's it.
00:16:14.357 --> 00:16:22.904
It isn't service, it isn't transactional, it's how can you enhance a person's life at any age, you know, not just those of a, of a, of an older age?
00:16:22.904 --> 00:16:23.166
How do you?
00:16:23.166 --> 00:16:27.533
You make everybody feel feel relevant and seen and cared for?
00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:37.520
yeah, because, yeah, do you feel like sometimes they get some older members can kind of fade into the background?
00:16:38.962 --> 00:16:46.375
yeah, I think, um, you know, in a community club like ours, any of those older members, they're on fixed income.
00:16:46.375 --> 00:16:51.720
So even the topic of dues increases, that can be scary to them because that's not just okay.
00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:53.225
We have to drop the club membership, that's.
00:16:53.225 --> 00:16:58.673
We might have to move, we might have to uproot our life, so, but we know how clubs are.
00:16:58.673 --> 00:17:10.167
You have to be thinking and planning for the future and dues increases is just kind of part of it, and so you have to make it a space where people are willing to continue to pay the money.
00:17:10.208 --> 00:17:21.548
I mean, it has to be relevant for them and unfortunately, or fortunately, one of the things we get to do is be all things to all people, and it's especially sensitive with that group.
00:17:21.548 --> 00:17:31.813
When we're redesigning our clubhouses, are we doing it in a modern, trendy way that doesn't really listen or care about what that population thinks?
00:17:31.813 --> 00:17:34.826
Do we look at the branch ladies differently?
00:17:34.826 --> 00:17:39.125
Because all they do is come in and sip on the free tea and the free snack, mix and play cards.
00:17:39.125 --> 00:17:42.981
They're not hosting parties, having weddings, coming to the big events.
00:17:42.981 --> 00:17:50.250
So you have to zoom out and look at the entirety of the membership and be all things to all people.
00:17:51.201 --> 00:17:55.693
Yeah, how have you handled that situation?
00:17:55.693 --> 00:17:57.640
So, like to rewind, how have you handled?
00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:03.702
You know people on a fixed income and it's getting tight and you know they have the memory what.
00:18:03.702 --> 00:18:08.646
What situation have you seen play out like, have you like what's what's happened there?
00:18:08.646 --> 00:18:09.849
Like how do you have those convert?
00:18:09.849 --> 00:18:12.884
Like, how do you what's like, what's the play?
00:18:12.884 --> 00:18:15.490
Or, and like, how do you plan for that?
00:18:15.490 --> 00:18:18.984
Like, have you like, are you able to now see that coming a little bit more?
00:18:18.984 --> 00:18:24.148
Like, because you've been there so long, you kind of like see, like the writing on the wall and Do you get ahead of that?
00:18:24.148 --> 00:18:28.401
Is this even?
00:18:28.601 --> 00:18:31.364
a question you want to answer or go into.
00:18:31.364 --> 00:18:47.545
Yeah, yeah, you know how old people are and you know when people start to decline physically and if somebody loses a spouse, for example, that's their identity and sometimes the club might be their only support system on the island in the region.
00:18:47.545 --> 00:19:00.730
You know these people might have moved down here and all their family is is elsewhere and that might make an easy decision of okay, well, I'm moving back up to chile, scranton, pennsylvania, to live with my, my kids, because that's my only option.
00:19:00.730 --> 00:19:02.304
But we, we want there to be options.
00:19:02.304 --> 00:19:12.181
We want you to feel that at long cove you can put an elevator in your house, you can utilize the, the ramps that exist at the physical space of the clubhouse.
00:19:13.002 --> 00:19:20.628
Um, we do offer a legacy membership if somebody does have to move out of the community, but they've been a member for a certain length of time.
00:19:20.628 --> 00:19:25.565
They do get to maintain some club privileges at a reduced uh due structure which, but you have to have been a member for a for a length of time.
00:19:25.565 --> 00:19:28.815
They do get to maintain some club privileges at a reduced due structure, but you have to have been a member for a length of time.
00:19:28.815 --> 00:19:31.596
So that's kind of a way to keep them engaged.
00:19:31.596 --> 00:19:33.489
We program around them.
00:19:33.528 --> 00:19:42.162
We have obviously bridge, mahjong, all the like, but beyond that we have an entire cultural association, uh, dedicated to.
00:19:42.162 --> 00:19:50.950
It's really members educating members and it's for all ages but, um, a lot of people in that demographic enjoy it because it is it's fulfillment in its community.
00:19:50.950 --> 00:19:57.842
We have things like tap dancing classes, where I don't think there's anyone younger than 65 who taps uh.
00:19:57.842 --> 00:20:14.031
Physical wellness, we've got water aerobics, we've got yoga, book clubs, bible studies, knitting groups, singers, actors so giving them a reason to continue to come to the club and be with their people as long as they possibly can.
00:20:14.031 --> 00:20:17.227
I mean, same logic applies when you're planning a menu.
00:20:17.227 --> 00:20:25.352
Are we taking into consideration what the dietary restrictions might be and what the meal preferences might be, and not to say chef would ever?
00:20:25.633 --> 00:20:28.346
design a menu that is bland and boring.
00:20:28.346 --> 00:20:36.881
Unfortunately I worked in nursing homes so I know you got the little seasoning MSG packets on the table because the food has to be planned for people in that demographic.
00:20:36.881 --> 00:20:46.494
But I would even commend our chef with his, his thoughtfully designed menus that really do appeal to all audiences and offering some variety.
00:20:46.494 --> 00:20:56.548
So to answer to answer the question you asked, we try to create a space and programming and a community around keeping folks members as long as possible.
00:20:56.548 --> 00:21:09.604
We realize ultimately sometimes there's there's no need for a single 95-year-old woman to live in her massive multi-story house at Long Cove if physically it doesn't make sense for that person anymore.
00:21:09.604 --> 00:21:13.732
But we try to keep the community alive and give them reasons to stay.
00:21:13.732 --> 00:21:17.165
It is tough when the dues increase.
00:21:17.165 --> 00:21:19.372
I know that's a big reason is I'm on a fixed income.
00:21:19.372 --> 00:21:27.042
I can't afford that increase and maybe we transition them to legacy membership at that point and keep them in the fold, so to speak.
00:21:27.584 --> 00:21:39.528
Yeah, yeah, how, how can, how can clubs build like real connection with aging members beyond like the occasional, just normal stuff?
00:21:40.048 --> 00:21:43.974
You know you have to go into school for gerontology.
00:21:43.974 --> 00:21:47.929
It taught me what to anticipate with with aging folks.
00:21:47.929 --> 00:21:56.872
But you know hospitality is is anticipation, and you know you have to understand that people's needs change over time.