Page 34 - BusinessWest January 6, 2025

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Glenmeadow
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with the Baby Boomers reaching retirement age. So, while we’re focused on how can we best serve the needs of our current residents, we’re also thinking about how to get ahead of what the Baby Boomer generation is going to be seeking in a community like Glenmeadow.”
To that end, the community is in the final stages of an $11 million renovation aimed to entice seniors interested in maintaining a wellness-focused lifestyle into retirement, she noted.
“Trying to forecast the needs of the next genera- tion, I think, is certainly a challenge. And we’re a nonprofit, and maintaining a healthy revenue stream as a nonprofit is always a challenge. We focus on our
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“I think, too often, when you are approaching retirement, it feels like the end of something and that your best years are behind you. And we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight older adults that are doing amazing things.”
occupancy, but we are grateful for the support that our residents and local members of the community
a classroom during an internship can be truly invalu- able for individuals aspiring to work in the behavioral- health space,” said state Sen. John Velis, Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. “Yet I routinely hear from students about the very real financial challenges they face while completing an unpaid internship, which often- times keeps students from participating in an intern- ship altogether.”
Added Lydia Conley, president and CEO of the Assoc. for Behavioral Healthcare, “as the behavioral- health workforce crisis continues and the need for care throughout the Commonwealth grows, programs such as this one are essential in building a cadre of emerging professionals to provide high-quality, com-
and organizations make in supporting Glenmeadow financially so that we can continue to do what we do.”
Another industry challenge — one common to many industries these days — is recruiting and retain- ing a workforce, and on that front, Glenmeadow has been fortunate, Martin said.
“Through the pandemic and since then, our work- force has been relatively stable. We don’t have very many open positions,” she elaborated. “We focus a great deal on staff engagement, and I think that goes a long way toward that retention figure, but it’s also the interac-
tions that our staff
Glenmeadow
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Internships
managed by the secretary of Health and Human Ser- vices. Funds are used for addressing barriers to the delivery of an equitable, culturally competent, afford- able, and clinically appropriate continuum of behav- ioral healthcare and services.
Of the 37 colleges and universities receiving funds, 10 are located in Western Mass.: American Inter- national College ($310,000), Bay Path University ($695,000), Cambridge College ($460,000), Elms College ($165,000), Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($50,000), Smith College ($260,000), Springfield College ($1,045,000), UMass Amherst ($50,000), Western New England University ($180,000), and Westfield State University ($400,000).
“The experiences and knowledge gained outside of
munity-based care where it is needed the most.” Meanwhile, Linda Thompson, president of West-
field State University and chair of the Massachusetts State Universities Council of Presidents, called the funding “a strong example of government, education, and the behavioral-health sector partnering to serve a critical need in our communities. Our state universi- ties are eager to assist in filling the gaps that lead to better outcomes for individuals experiencing mental- health challenges, and are committed to working with the governor’s office, health agencies, and legislators to develop a knowledgeable, experienced workforce to ensure everyone who requires mental-health assis- tance receives the support they need.” BW
34 JANUARY 6, 2025
MONTHLY FEATURE
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