In this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast, Hosts James Dieter and Kip Kruger are joined by Gary Blake, CEO of Creative Solutions in Healthcare, for a candid conversation on what it takes to lead in long-term care with conviction, clarity, and accountability.

Gary explains why great leaders “run to the fire,” how he builds culture across 186+ facilities, and why he believes excellence isn’t complicated: clean buildings, great food, strong clinical systems, and leaders who show up—on every shift.

We also unpack what’s coming next: the “silver tsunami” in Texas, advocacy and coalition strategy in Austin, reimbursement realities, and how Creative Solutions is using AI and innovation to streamline departments, improve performance, and elevate resident care.

This episode is packed with practical leadership takeaways for administrators, DONs, executives, and anyone building the future of LTC.

Manual workflows in long-term care are a dinosaur—and Kelly Roberts, Senior VP at CoreCare, explains why AI is the tool that can finally unburden teams without replacing the human side of care. Kelly shares her 30-year LTC journey, breaks down what MDS is and why it matters, and paints a picture of an “MDS assistant” powered by responsible AI: faster chart review, better accuracy, real-time insight, and more time for staff education and resident-centered care. We also unpack PDPM complexity, documentation integrity, and why facilities that aren’t adopting AI will fall behind.

Pain management isn’t just about comfort — it’s about outcomes.

In this episode of Our Purpose Podcast, we’re joined by Daniel Hatmaker, NP, a pain management specialist working directly inside skilled nursing and long-term care facilities. Daniel explains how properly addressing pain impacts rehab participation, wound care tolerance, sleep quality, mental health, staffing workflows, and hospital readmissions.

We explore the realities of managing pain in SNFs, including the risks of under-treatment, the fear of overprescribing, and why pain control is often the missing link in successful therapy and recovery. Daniel also shares practical insights on communication with nursing teams, continuum of care from hospital to SNF, and how facilities can responsibly implement pain management services.

This episode is especially valuable for LTC administrators, DONs, clinicians, and operators focused on improving quality of care and resident outcomes.