A risk management and culture change program for senior living is allowing operators to create targeted intervention strategies to align family expectations, enhance transparency and build trust before those issues escalate into formal complaints or legal disputes.
Guide Path, founded by Rebecca Adelman of the Adelman Law Firm and Claims Management firm in Memphis, TN, released its first annual report, looking at how evidence-based certification programs, community partnerships and research-based solutions are driving change, improving communication and setting new standards in resident and family care.
“Across the senior living ecosystem — providers, caregivers, residents, families, insurers and policy leaders — there is a collective recognition that the way we approach aging must evolve,” Adelman said in the report. “The issues facing the senior living industry — litigation, workforce challenges, regulatory burdens, and the evolving expectations of residents and families — are not insurmountable. They are, in fact, the catalysts for change.”
Founded in 2021, Guide Path was created to address the disconnect between resident and family expectations, provider operations and risk management.
By capturing real-time feedback and addressing risks early, Adelman said communities have experienced reduced complaints, improved satisfaction scores, and built stronger relationships with families and care providers.
By integrating expectations management into compliance programs and staff training, she said, Guide Path is moving senior living to a proactive, solutions-oriented approach, which is leading to enhanced trust and transparency.
“The future of senior living depends on more than just regulatory compliance and operational efficiency — it depends on creating environments where residents, families and providers work together in a shared commitment to quality care,” Adelman said in the report.
Through the Guide Path Certification Program, senior living communities embed culture change into operations by blending education with practical implementation. The nationally accredited program provides continuing education credits for senior living professionals, having been approved by the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards and the National Continuing Education Review Service.
Guide Path also is partnering with professional and business organizations to expand its impact, including the North Carolina Assisted Living Association, SAGE and SAGECare.
In 2024, Guide Path launched its first international certification pilot in Nigeria. The initiative focused on creating a community-led, sustainable senior care framework; integrating intergenerational engagement; developing customized community commitment plans to respect local traditions while embedding global best care practices; and training on Guide Path’s learning modules.
As a result, Guide Path will focus on scaling certification and training programs for diverse aging populations, bringing community commitment plans to new regions, and advocating for policy advancement that prioritize equity, dignity and quality care in senior living worldwide.
Looking ahead
Guide Path’s 2025 strategic priorities will focus on expanding the certification program into more communities and global markets, leveraging data and analytics to improve risk management, strengthening advocacy to influence senior living policy and regulation, and advancing thought leadership in senior living.
“Guide Path is more than solutions — it is redefining culture change, risk management, and person- and family-engaged care in senior living,” the report concluded.