Geriatric Social Worker / Memory Care Program & Business Development Director

About Vista Springs - Center for Memory Care & Rediscovery

Vista Springs is seeking a compassionate, mission-driven, and highly capable Social Worker / Memory Care Program & Business Development Director to help lead the growth, implementation, and market positioning of our Center for Memory Care & Rediscovery at Timber Ridge Village in East Lansing, Michigan.

The Center for Memory Care & Rediscovery is being developed as more than a traditional memory care environment. Our vision is to create a thoughtful Brain Healthy Living and Alzheimer's Support program that combines dementia support, family education, personalized engagement, wellness, and a longevity-focused approach to daily life.

This is an opportunity to help shape a distinctive program model that supports people living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia while helping families rediscover connection, confidence, dignity, and meaningful support.

About the Role

This is a unique leadership role for someone who understands the emotional journey of families facing dementia and also has the ability to help build a trusted program in the marketplace.

The right candidate will serve as a social worker, memory care program leader, family advocate, referral relationship builder, educator, and business development ambassador for Vista Springs' Center for Memory Care & Rediscovery.

This role is ideal for a master's-level social worker or similarly qualified professional with a strong background in dementia care, family support, care coordination, community outreach, admissions, and senior living business development.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Implementation

• Help lead the implementation and ongoing development of the Center for Memory Care & Rediscovery program.
• Support the evolution of CMR into a Brain Healthy Living and Alzheimer's Support environment.
• Build upon Vista Springs' existing Remember Me program while helping introduce additional program elements focused on brain health, longevity, family support, and meaningful daily engagement.
• Partner with nursing, medication technicians, lifestyle, culinary, caregiving, and leadership teams to create a consistent and coordinated resident and family experience.
• Help ensure the program is delivered consistently in daily practice, not just described in marketing materials.
• Train and coach team members on dementia communication, redirection, behavioral support, family sensitivity, and best practices in memory care.

Family Support & Social Work

• Serve as a trusted point of contact for families navigating Alzheimer's disease, dementia, placement decisions, care transitions, and emotional adjustment.
• Provide supportive counseling, education, and guidance to families before and after move-in.
• Lead or coordinate family meetings, care conferences, caregiver support groups, and educational sessions.
• Assist with resident assessments, psychosocial reviews, transition planning, and ongoing family communication.
• Help families understand disease progression, changing care needs, grief, caregiver stress, and available support resources.

Business Development & Referral Growth

• Build and maintain strong relationships with referral sources, including physicians, hospital discharge planners, social workers, neurologists, elder law attorneys, hospice providers, home care agencies, senior advisors, and Alzheimer's Association contacts.
• Represent Vista Springs and the Center for Memory Care & Rediscovery as a knowledgeable, compassionate dementia care and brain health resource in the marketplace.
• Support tours, discovery calls, assessments, and family consultations with a focus on trust-building, education, and program differentiation.
• Help convert inquiries into move-ins by clearly communicating the value, quality, and uniqueness of the Center for Memory Care & Rediscovery.
• Participate in outreach events, educational seminars, caregiver support events, and professional networking opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Associate Managing Partner on occupancy goals, census growth, retention, and reputation-building.

Program Quality & Culture

• Monitor program effectiveness and recommend improvements based on resident outcomes, family feedback, staff performance, and market needs.
• Help create a culture where residents feel safe, known, engaged, respected, and meaningfully connected.
• Ensure that the Center for Memory Care & Rediscovery reflects Vista Springs' commitment to dignity, family partnership, hospitality, and Full of Life™ living.
• Support a team environment built on compassion, consistency, accountability, creativity, and excellence.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work, Gerontology, Psychology, Counseling, Human Services, or related field preferred.
• Licensed Social Worker preferred.
• Experience in Alzheimer's disease, dementia care, memory care, assisted living, hospice, geriatric care management, behavioral health, or senior services strongly preferred.
• Experience with business development, referral networking, admissions, marketing, or senior living sales highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of dementia progression, family dynamics, grief, transition stress, caregiver burden, and resident-centered care.
• Ability to educate families, referral sources, and team members in a compassionate and credible manner.
• Excellent communication, presentation, relationship-building, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with nursing, caregiving, lifestyle, culinary, medication management, and leadership teams.
• Passion for serving older adults and families with dignity, empathy, and professionalism.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate can sit compassionately with a worried daughter, confidently educate a referral source, inspire a care team, and help build a memory care program families truly trust.

You are heart-centered, highly organized, creative, and results-oriented. You understand that excellent memory care requires more than safety and supervision. It requires empathy, structure, education, meaningful engagement, family communication, referral trust, and a compelling program identity.

Why Join Vista Springs

At Vista Springs, we believe memory care should be more than a place people go when dementia progresses. It should be a thoughtful, uplifting, relationship-based experience that helps each resident feel known, valued, connected, and supported.

This is an opportunity to help lead and grow a meaningful Brain Healthy Living and Alzheimer's Support program through the Vista Springs - Center for Memory Care & Rediscovery at Timber Ridge Village, while making a lasting difference for residents, families, team members, and the greater East Lansing community.

Compensation

Competitive salary based on experience, credentials, and leadership background.