The Drake Insights Podcast

What is one thing we need to STOP doing in senior living, and what should we be doing differently? Live from LeadingAge 2026 in Philadelphia, I asked senior living professionals from across the country this one question. And the responses did not disappoint! In this special episode of The Drake Insights Podcast, almost 30 industry voices share their perspectives on the practices, assumptions, and approaches that may be holding senior living back—and what we can do differently. From challenging outdated perceptions of older adults and rethinking the communities we build to improving sales and marketing strategies, embracing technology, strengthening resident engagement, and putting people first, this conversation covers a little bit of everything! To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/  Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/fyi0EwE1qmU 

As more older adults face aging without traditional family support, an important question emerges: Who will be there when they need help, and how prepared are our aging services systems to support them? In Episode 40 of The Drake Insights Podcast, host Natasha Drake sits down with Dr. Sara Zeff Geber, the nationally recognized expert who coined the term "Solo Ager" and author of "Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers." Together, they explore the realities of solo aging, challenge traditional assumptions about independence and aging in place, and discuss what individuals and senior living organizations need to be doing differently to prepare for this growing population. To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/ or Sara and her work at https://sarazeffgeber.com  Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/Fs9xkWltpc8 

What if one of the biggest growth opportunities for senior living isn’t another building — but expanding how we serve older adults beyond the community walls? In Episode 39 of The Drake Insights Podcast, Natasha Drake sits down with Amanda Young, founder of MAL Consulting and a leading expert in Continuing Care at Home, to unpack a model that may be far more powerful than many senior living organizations realize. Continuing Care at Home isn’t simply home care, and it isn’t a replacement for the life plan community. It can expand an organization’s mission, strengthen its pipeline, better serve long waitlists, create new revenue opportunities and provide older adults with another way to plan proactively for their future. To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/ or MAL Consulting: https://malconsulting.co/  Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/hJQaz_MtSpw   

After several conversations with senior living operators recently, I kept hearing the same thing: confusion around what they actually need to do to reach their occupancy and growth goals. Before we start talking about leads, campaigns, direct mail, digital spend or marketing budgets, we need to answer a much more important question: What does success actually look like for your organization? Because the answer isn't the same for every community. In Episode 38, I share why senior living organizations need to start with the operational reality, historical data and business goals first — and then build a marketing strategy around what will actually move the needle. We also need to be more honest as an industry about what communities truly need, what they don't, what they're paying for and what results they should realistically expect. To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/  Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/CtcFG1chpXA 

Senior living leaders are expected to manage people, regulations, occupancy, financial performance, family expectations, culture and constant change—but many are never given the practical leadership development they need to navigate those responsibilities in real time. In episode 37 of The Drake Insights Podcast, I sit down with Erin Thompson, founder of Aspire for More with Erin and the 100% Leader program, to talk about what senior living leaders are really struggling with—and why so much of it comes back to leadership, trust and communication. Erin has spent more than 20 years in senior living, including as a sales director and executive director, and now works directly with leaders across the industry. She brings a perspective rooted not just in leadership theory, but in what it actually feels like to lead inside a senior living community. Erin also shares how investing in one leader’s growth can influence an entire team—and ultimately impact culture, retention and occupancy. To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/ or Aspire for More with Erin: https://aspireformorewitherin.com and the 100% Leader Program: https://the100percentleader.com/  Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/25ZmWeHqO0c 

A brand refresh is never just about a new logo, updated colors or modernized design—especially when an organization has more than 50 years of history, deeply rooted values and multiple communities with distinct identities. In Episode 36 of The Drake Insights Podcast, host Natasha Drake welcomes Morgan Lamphere, Senior Director of Marketing at Kendal, to share the story behind Kendal’s organization-wide brand evolution. Morgan takes us inside the thoughtful, multi-year process of modernizing the Kendal brand while protecting the culture, heritage and Quaker values that have shaped the organization for decades. This conversation is an important reminder that brand is not simply a marketing exercise. Brand is culture—and the strongest brands are built through listening, collaboration and shared ownership. To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/ or Kendal at https://www.kendal.org/  Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/GkNPaq-OFmI 

In Episode 35 of The Drake Insights Podcast, Natasha Drake welcomes back Christie Freeze, Director of Strategic Growth at SalesMail, for a conversation about what happens after a senior living lead raises their hand. Senior living organizations are investing more than ever in websites, SEO, content, AI, automation, and digital lead generation. But once the inquiry comes in, the real question becomes: How do we move from click to connection? Natasha and Christie discuss the gap between marketing and conversion — and why “speed to lead” is no longer enough on its own. Christie shares why senior living teams need to focus on speed to trust by creating warmer, more personal, and more human follow-up experiences. If you’re a senior living sales or marketing leader looking to improve follow-up, increase engagement, and create more meaningful connections after the inquiry, this episode is for you. To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/ or SalesMail at https://www.salesmail.com/  Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/VaaQ383a6l8 

Technology and AI are dominating conversations across senior living—but how do you separate real opportunities from the endless stream of shiny new tools? In this special live episode recorded at the LeadingAge PA 2026 Annual Conference, host Natasha Drake joined fellow industry leaders, Matt Reiners of Parasol Alliance, Demi Mallios of HumanGood, Ryan Galea and Meredith Wentworth of GoIcon, to discuss what it truly means to be a tech-forward organization and where communities should be focusing their time, energy, and investments. The communities that win won't be the ones chasing every new tool or trend. They'll be the ones that use technology intentionally to solve real business challenges, improve operational efficiency, elevate the human experience, and drive measurable results. Recorded live at the LeadingAge PA 2026 Annual Conference in Hershey, PA. To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/, GoIcon at https://goicon.com/, Parasol Alliance at https://www.parasolalliance.com/ and HumanGood at https://www.humangood.org/ Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/8JNXxoe7LGY 

In this episode of The Drake Insights Podcast, Natasha Drake is joined by Bryan Reynolds, co-founder of Authority Agent, to break down the top 5 content mistakes senior living communities are making on their websites—and how they’re costing you leads, conversions and move-ins. With the rise of AI search, evolving algorithms, and changing buyer behavior, your website is no longer just a top-of-funnel tool—it’s the entire decision-making journey. And if your content isn’t strategic, you’re losing prospects before they ever reach out. If you’re responsible for occupancy, marketing, or growth, this episode is a must-listen. To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/ or Authority Agent at https://authority-agent.com/home  Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/LzwF82w6bZA 

In Episode 32 of The Drake Insights Podcast, host Natasha Drake is joined by her longtime colleague and friend, Lorie Dancy, RN, MSN and Founder of Concierge Care Network, for a thoughtful and story-driven conversation about the gap in care management across senior care. With more than 30 years in nursing — from ICU to home care to senior living leadership — and after walking through the aging journey with her own parents, Lorie has seen firsthand what families assume exists… and what’s often missing. This episode blends lived experience with industry insight and challenges us to rethink what real care should look like — for families and for our entire senior care system. Because if no one is overseeing the whole picture… who is? To learn more, visit Drake Strategic at https://www.drakestrategic.com/ or Concierge Care Network at https://www.conciergecarenet.com/  Full YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/JXrmO-BZJZo