Excellence in long-term care can begin when someone is willing to challenge norms.

In this episode, host Chelsey Gheyara is joined by Majestic Care’s CEO, Paul Pruitt, and Jeannie Sage, an industry-leading executive in nursing leadership, for a conversation that peels back the layers of real change inside nursing facilities. From removing traditional nurse stations to hiring an epidemiologist, Jeannie shares the bold decisions that helped turn around a struggling building.

Along the way, she speaks to the role of compassion, connection, and clinical depth in transforming outcomes and restoring dignity to care.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How antipsychotic use dropped through personalized care
• Why rethinking care teams improved resident engagement
• What happened when the dementia unit became more human-centered

Highlights:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:23) Meet Jeannie Sage

(01:17) The Moment That Sparked Jeannie’s Nursing Journey

(02:57) Family Lessons In Advocacy And Dignity

(04:09) Turning Around A Facility In Crisis

(05:16) Hiring An Epidemiologist Instead Of Following Tradition

(07:25) Putting Residents First In Every Decision

(09:36) Compassion As Action And Calling

(12:25) Building Clinical Excellence In Nursing Homes

(15:52) Why Nursing Students Overlook Long-Term Care

(17:59) Challenging The Mindset Of We Have Always Done It This Way

(19:54) Supporting Care Teams And Addressing Mental Health

(24:11) The Quiet Honor Of Being There At Life’s End

(26:49) Transforming Dementia Units Into True Homes

(32:03) Rebranding Long Term Care And Embracing Innovation

(37:20) Building Safe Teams And Living Core Values

(41:03) What Excellence In Leadership Really Means