Colorado Assisted Living Association (CALA)

–by Thomas Kinrade, President

That’s a question that I asked myself six months ago. CALA had been around since 1982, it was conceived by a group of small assisted living providers on the Western Slope to “Assist, Promote, Inform and Educate” the assisted living community. CALA has had its moments of greatness, hosting some great conferences and working for the betterment of the assisted living community. During 2009 something exciting started to happen. A few providers and some associate members looking for a catalyst for promoting the assisted living community discovered CALA again.

I was a member of CALA in the past and when I was approached to become a member again I asked myself this question: “What’s in it for me?” I’m sure that’s a question that we all have asked and that’s okay because I won’t expect anyone to join an organization or invest in a project that didn’t have a return. With that in mind, I ask you these questions:

Have you ever wondered?

• Why is the CDPHE doing what it is?
• Do you know what really happened at the state ALF advisory meeting?
• Do you know what the surveyors are looking for this month, week or year?
• Have you ever wondered when that rule was changed?
• Do you know what is happening in the State and/or Federal Government and how it affects you?
• Do you know why Medicaid rates are being cut?
• Have you wondered how or when a rule got passed and why you weren’t aware of it?

Maybe you’re just looking for answers to questions like:

• Where can I get more training for my staff?
• How can I get more residents?
• How do I get a web site?
• What’s the latest technology available for assisted living homes?
• What are Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin and how can I use them?
• What other ideas are out there that could help my business?
• How can I cut cost and save money?
• Who can I call for advice or just to bounce some ideas off of?

 Are you frustrated with what you see as problems with the assisted living communities?

• Do you have new ideas that would make all of our communities better?
• Are you driven to make life better for our aging population?
• Do you have skills and talents that are going untapped?

 If any of those questions or other questions like them have ever crossed your mind then, at the risk of sounding pushy, you need CALA. CALA is a community that is coming together to help each other to Assist, Inform, Promote and Educate.

CALA needs you:

We at CALA continue to ask “How do we deliver more value and how do we show the value we currently offer to our members?” CALA represents only assisted living communities and associates that serve those communities; we have no paid employees.  Everything that CALA does for your community is done by folks just like you. We know that you have talents, skills and ideas that we can use, become a member and if you’re a member become a leader.

(Letter from the President article from the CALA Newsletter-January 2010 issue)