In the know.

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Meet Joshua Lawrence, Healthcare Administrator at MRC Mirador. Josh is passionate about his family, his dogs and, of course, everyone at Mirador. Read more below!

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How did you get your start in senior living?

I started in Senior Living about 16 years ago as a comfort aide: someone who passes ice, offers blankets, snacks, and performs non-clinical tasks for elders. This was the first time I got paid to do something I love - taking care of elders!

What does a “typical day” of work look like for you? For your team members?

There are no typical days in my profession. Every day is a surprise and brings new challenges. Some days are full of activities and conversations with elders, while other days keep me occupied on a computer.

I take it all in stride and enjoy the positive times, which are many, while adapting to the challenges.

My team members also have varying degrees of challenges each day; some days tend to be very routine, while others bring surprises. Our greatest skill as a healthcare team lies in the ability to adapt.

What sets The Plaza Health Services apart from others in the area?

There are so many ways we are set apart from our competitors. Compassion for elders drives so many of our care partners and we feel an innate drive to care for people. While this can be seen elsewhere, our compassion is palpable. We offer a full continuum of care at the Plaza, and often our elders have been with us for years, moving through the different levels of care. Walking through the journey of aging with our elders is special.

Our constant desire to grow drives us to improve our community and ultimately the quality of life for our elders. Specifically, our journey with The Eden Alternative is changing how we care for elders and is shaping us into a unique community among our competitors.  

What are the benefits of coming to an in-patient community, rather than staying at home with “home health” services?

The personal attention you receive at MRC Mirador is a huge benefit over home health services. Nurses, Practitioners and Aides are able to attend many times each day to immediately address any needs that arise, whereas home health may have a lag in services that can last several days. This constant contact helps elders reach their highest level in much less time.  

What are some of your favorite aspects of the Mirador team?

The vast variety of talents each team member possesses is my favorite thing about the MRC Mirador team. We are incredibly diverse in age, culture and education, which allows us to offer so much to our community and bring new solutions and ideas that help shape our culture as a community.

When did you discover this is your passion? Tell me a little about your education and experience.

I discovered senior living was my passion very early in life, while growing up with my grandparents and great-grandparents. I was fortunate to benefit from the love and knowledge I gained from my family, and I have always identified with older generations over peers my own age. As I grew older, I saw the same grandparents experience different levels of senior living, from aging at home, living in a skilled nursing facility, and living in memory support. This allowed me to gauge what I felt was acceptable care, and build my current set of values as they pertain to rights of elders. In my early twenties, after many years of “rest” from high school, I decided to enter the senior living space as a direct care provider. For the nine years that followed, I cared for elders, furthered my education and ultimately obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration. It seemed very fluid and a natural progression to become an Administrator. For the past six years, I have led each community I have worked for to a place of balance and I hope to continue to do so at Mirador for many years to come. 

When not at Mirador, what do you enjoy?

One of my greatest joys is taking care of my two lovely dogs, Trixie and Penny. I love being silly with them and soaking up the positive vibes. I also enjoy cooking for my family at barbecues and get-togethers.  

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‍JOSHUA LAWRENCE
HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATOR

Joshua Lawrence started his career in healthcare over 15years ago. As a licensed Nursing Facility Administrator, he has extensive experience in long-term care settings including medication administration, dietary services, and regional leadership. As our facility leader, he understands the importance of recognizing the differences in each individual and seeing them as valid and unique qualities.

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