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:
(
00:23) 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
What is Hearts of Excellence?
Most people think they know what a nursing home is, but they’ve never heard the voices inside.
The quiet moments of compassion. The stories of resilience. The people who show up, not just because it’s their job, but because it’s their calling.
Brought to you by Majestic Care, Hearts of Excellence shares what it truly means to live and work in long-term care. Through real, unscripted conversations with our care team members, leaders, and resident families, we reveal what excellence looks like in action, and, most importantly, why it matters.
Behind every resident is a family who wants to know they’re cared for. Behind every caregiver is a heart that chose this work for a reason.
Long-term care isn’t the end of the story. It’s just the beginning.