Reposted with Permission from Approved Senior Network.
* Exciting Netcast News *
We were fortunate enough to have Cliff Glier, http://sencura.com on our show and he offered some great insight and #advice for other #seniorcare and #healthcare providers.
Full Transcript:
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
This is Valerie VanBooven with the Senior Care Industry Netcast, where leaders with three or more years in the senior care industry share their advice. It’s six questions in nine minutes, so let’s get to it.
In a few sentences, tell us who you are and what you do.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Hey, there, Valerie. Thanks for having me. My name is Cliff Glier. I’m the CEO of SenCura Home Care. We provide non-medical services throughout the Northern Virginia area, to include Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, and Fauquier counties.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
And you’ve been around a long time, haven’t you, Cliff?
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
I sure have. We started about 13 years ago, and it’s been a lot of fun. A lot of hard work, but a lot of fun.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
A lot of hard work.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Oh, yeah.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
Yeah, absolutely.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Absolutely.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
All right.
What’s the best thing about serving seniors?
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Well, for us, I think there are a number of things that are really good about serving seniors. I think, first and foremost, for us it’s very rewarding to be able to go in and provide services, the ADLs, companionship, really taking care of the older adults and their needs. That’s certainly one. I think we fill a very strong need. I think there’s a huge gap out there, a lot of older adults that really need our help. But perhaps, for us, overall the best thing is being able to give back to a generation of folks that really gave us a lot. So, to me, that’s probably the number one thing.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
I would agree. We have a greatest generation out there and they are way tougher than we are.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Yes, they are, and at least as far as I’m concerned, they’re also a lot smarter.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
Yeah. They did a lot of things right, right?
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Right, exactly.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
All right. You’re totally correct about that, and I would agree, they are owed dignity and respect in this time in their lives.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Absolutely.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
All right. Let’s switch gears just for a minute and talk about online marketing a little bit. I know that online marketing can be challenging, it’s ever-changing, and right now it’s really hard for us to get in front of our marketing partners in-person. We can’t really do a whole lot of that.
So what has been your experience with online marketing in general?
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Sure, Valerie. So, for us, online marketing actually started over 10 years ago. I think in terms of home care agencies, we’re one of the pioneers into the PPC world, the pay per click and online advertising. In fact, the internet and online advertising is our number one revenue stream to date.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
I think things have changed dramatically. I think the world’s changing a lot. I think one of the things we’ve noticed over the last 10 years is that people used to not mind going to websites and reading information about companies. Well, today, forget about reading. People want videos. They’re not interested in reading a lot of text.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
So the whole world has kind of shifted from text to video. So whether you’re doing Facebook, or IGTV, or wherever it is that you’re posting up, you need to have those videos out there as part of the social media. Certainly, Facebook’s been a great avenue, and utilizing your services has helped us tremendously.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
Well, thank you for that, and you’re right that people have short attention spans and they really want the fast information. So, your website being up-to-date, and your social media being up-to-date, and having some videos, and all that stuff is important, and it’s hard to be all things to all people. I appreciate the fact that you’ve used our services for several years.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
Let’s switch back to some of your wisdom about all this stuff, about senior care. I would imagine that over the course of your career and your time in the senior care industry, there have been other organizations, or leaders, or people in your life who’ve really made a difference for you or you think they just do a really good job.
Would you like to give anybody a shout-out?
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Sure. I think in terms of, from an individual standpoint, by far and away the first and foremost was my mother. She was a nurse by trade, and for many, many years worked in the nursing home environment. So I certainly had my introduction to the world eons ago, and I’m not giving you the numbers, so don’t ask.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
But secondary to that, I think for us, perhaps the … and there are a lot of individuals over the years that have been inspirations to me and to our company, but I think overall, from an organizational standpoint, for us, there’s no question that the hospice world is the number one inspiration for us. The work that those folks do is absolutely phenomenal.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
They’re coming into a time of life of individuals, the end of life. They’re working with families that, this is probably very new to them. It’s difficult, it’s just very emotional, and my hats go off to all hospice organizations. We love and respect them. They do a great job.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
You know, I’ve heard that a few times, and I don’t think we could say that enough about hospice. They are angels in disguise because those people have some of the toughest, and oftentimes, they’ll tell you, some of the most rewarding jobs in the industry. Without them, people … They just bring a sense of peace and help the family so much, the person that’s going through all this and the family. So I thank you for shouting out the hospice. There they are amazing folks.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
We can’t say enough about them.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
Yeah. All right.
What piece of advice would you give to other senior care providers?
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Well, I think there’s a couple of things. Over the years, and again, having been doing this for about 13 years, I think probably the biggest thing is to be, in my opinion, an active listener, not talker. I think the older adults, they have needs, sometimes it’s difficult for them to express those. But I think listening to what their needs are, I think, is very important.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
There are no quick fixes. I think, again, you’re coming in at a difficult time in their lives, and lots of things, lots of areas they need help in, but again, no quick fixes. Perhaps the last thing is being there for them, understanding what it’s all about, and recognize that this really and truly is a 24 hour a day, seven day a week job. It’s not 9:00 to 5:00. It doesn’t work like that. So be ready to pour your heart and soul into it, because that’s basically what’s needed, and in the long run, it’s extremely rewarding.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
Thank you. Yes, you’re right about all those things. It is a great moral compass when you get into senior care, and understanding your own moral compass, and your passion and dedication to these folks, it doesn’t stop at five o’clock, that’s true. Very true.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Now, believe me, folks think it’s kind of like a Monday-Friday thing. There are days, no question, I wish it was, but it just isn’t. It’s just the way it is.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
Sometimes, yeah. Sometimes people need help at 11 o’clock at night, or midnight, and that’s just the way it works.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Absolutely.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
We can’t predict those things.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
No.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
Okay, my last question is supposed to be fun.
When you guys have a win, whether it’s in business, maybe you are celebrating, it could be anything, a birthday, a new grandbaby. It could be a wedding. It could be a graduation. When you’re celebrating something, either in the office or at home…
How do you like to celebrate?
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
I think there are two different components of that. One from a personal standpoint and families, birthdays, weddings, vacations, and just, that’s kind of an ongoing celebratory thing, and we do a lot of that. I’m a big family, got 11 brothers and sisters, so there’s lots of celebrating going on out there.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
But from a business standpoint, new clients, new opportunities, working with new communities, we do a lot of pizza lunches and things like that. Now, clearly, we haven’t really talked a lot about it, but this COVID thing has kind of put a twist and a wrench in things, and I believe, personally, will be around for a while, and we’re doing the best we can. So we’ll continue, and hopefully we’ll get back to the face-to-face, which is really what we love and enjoy.
Valerie VanBooven RN BSN:
Yes, absolutely. It has. Yeah, celebrating is a little [inaudible 00:09:03], but we’re all working through it the best we can. So you’re right. Absolutely. Cliff, I want to thank you so much for doing this, for being on the show. I am so glad that we got to talk face-to-face on Zoom, and that you got to share your wisdom with us. Thank you so much for everything.
Cliff Glier, Owner, SenCura Home Care:
Absolutely. Well, thank you, Valerie. I appreciate it. You guys have been great over the years.