Our Purpose - The LTC Podcast

On this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast , co-hosts Kip Kruger and James Dieter welcome Christian Reinarz , Senior VP of Operations at HMG Healthcare , for an in-depth conversation on leadership, culture, and the future of long-term care. Christian unpacks what it’s like to take over a facility after a beloved administrator, how that experience reshaped his view of leadership, and why bein...

In this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast , host Kip Kruger , along with co-host and Principal Health Systems CEO James Dieter , sits down with Garrett King , owner and CEO of Valor Hospice , to explore what it truly means to help people die with dignity . Garrett shares his journey from growing up in a hospice family, to working in large corporate hospice systems, to launching a family-own...

In this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast, hosts Kip Kruger, James Dieter, and Chris Light sit down with administrator Eric Wood to uncover what it really takes to lead in long-term care. From small-town roots to building five-star facilities, Eric shares his journey of caring for his own community, navigating turnover, and finding purpose in a role that demands both heart and resilience. Y...

DON of the Year Kierstan Diefenderfer shares the playbook behind a CNA-first culture : training pipelines with local schools, de-escalation that prevents crises, daily systems that keep providers in sync, and aging-in-place strategies that reduce avoidable hospitalizations. We dig into morale builders (yes—dance parties), “fair and firm” leadership, and the faith that fuels resilience in long-term...

In this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast, hosts Kip Kruger, James Dieter, and Chris Light sit down with Marjorie Dorrow, President and COO of Cascade Health Services, to explore what it truly means to lead with heart in the long-term care industry. From her beginnings in social work to running award-winning facilities, Marjorie shares how a simple philosophy — “Always Be Kind” (ABK) — tran...

Family-owned. Purpose-driven. Momentum Skilled Services VP of Finance Forrest Threadgill breaks down how a mission-first approach can still win on operations and the bottom line. From acquisition strategy to why building layout can save millions in staffing , we dig into the real levers of successful SNFs. In this episode: Growing from 1 to 10 communities without “growth for growth’s sake” How fac...

Inside the Heart of Long-Term Care: Ashlea Ondrusek on Purpose & Growth Executive leader Ashlea Ondrusek (Avir Health Group) explains how her team scaled rapidly across Texas while protecting the essentials: patient dignity, staff culture, and measurable outcomes. We cover higher-acuity care in SNFs (in-house dialysis, vent units, NP coverage), PDPM adoption and documentation, survey/regulator...

Texas Long-Term Care at a Crossroads THCA President & CEO Travis Clardy joins us at THCA’s 75th convention to break down the state of Texas long-term care: funding progress (PDPM, QIPP ), a troubling rise in Immediate Jeopardy citations despite improving quality metrics, the day-to-day realities of HHSC/CMS oversight, and the urgent need to recruit and retain a bigger, better-prepared workforc...

Welcome to Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast , where the people behind skilled nursing and long-term care share their stories. In this episode, hosts Kip Kruger, James Dieter, and Chris Light open up about the real challenges inside the industry—stress, staffing, patient outcomes, culture shifts, and the day-to-day details that make the difference. From handwashing and wound care to navigating Medicai...

We’re excited to introduce Our Purpose! The LTC Podcast —a new space dedicated to conversations that matter in the long-term care industry. In this short trailer, you’ll learn: What inspired this podcast Who should tune in (healthcare professionals, administrators, caregivers, and anyone passionate about improving patient outcomes) The kind of voices and stories you’ll hear in upcoming episodes Ho...