“Weird” is the word Dillion Johnson, Lifespark Community Liaison, used to describe his career path to the health care industry. After getting a degree in information systems, Dillion landed a full-time job at a global company based in St. Paul. But six months in, he just wasn’t happy. “The job wasn’t scratching the itch I had to help people, which is something I’ve always known about myself,” he said. Although he had no idea what his next life move was going to be, he quit the company and decided to start from the ground up.
Three weeks after he started his new job as a dishwasher and server at a senior living community, the staff took him aside. “They told me I should be in front of the clients, not in the kitchen, that I paid attention to details, like proactively bringing sweet tea to a resident when I saw her approaching the dining room,” he said.
Dillion was quickly promoted to Therapeutic Recreational Activities Assistant, a role he thoroughly enjoyed for 18 months until the facility closed. His next job search led him to Harrison Bay Senior Living, a Lifespark community, where he was spent the following three years as their Activities Director.
In 2022, Dillion was recruited to join Lifespark’s intake team, a job that involved navigating the complexities of the health care industry. During his two years as an Intake Specialist, he developed a deep understanding of the referral process and how to be a great resource for our referral partners, so when he was offered the position of Core Servies Community Liaison, he jumped at the chance. “Knowing what our intake team needs and what’s going to make it easy on senior living communities, hospitals, and transitional care units (TCU) is a real advantage in this job,” he said.
Ensuring a smooth transition
One of the benefits of partnering with Lifespark, Dillion said, is having access to a full range of integrated senior services, including Lifespark Senior Living, Community Home Care, Skilled Home Health, and Hospice, with one phone call. “We’re a one-stop shop which makes life a lot easier for our referral sources who often may need to coordinate multiple services for a single client,” he said.
Sometimes a client is ready to discharge but isn’t yet able manage on their own at home. In those case, Dillion, and a nurse, when appropriate, will meet the client at the hospital or TCU to provide a consultation and an assessment. “Our nurses will often lead the discussion with the family and the client, while I focus on what services they might need,” he said.
After the assessment, Dillion connects the referral source with Lifespark’s Intake Specialists to set up the services that will ensure a smooth transition home to their apartment, house, or senior living community. He also follows up with the discharge planner or referral source to let them know how the meeting went and to give them his contact information so they can reach him directly with questions, concerns, or future referrals.
Multi-pronged role
Dillion sees his role as a combination of educator, sales representative, client advocate, and problem-solver. “Even though many of our long-time referral partners know what Lifespark has to offer, others may be new to the health care industry or to that particular facility, so part of my job is to educate them about who we are and how our integrated system of services can benefit them and their clients,” he said.
Dillion also offers insights into reading a client’s readiness for services. “Managing their clients can keep social workers and Directors of Health Services extremely busy, so they might miss a cue that a client could be ready for in-home care or hospice services,” he said. “For example, if an older adult says they just want to go home and don’t want to be hospitalized anymore, that should prompt a conversation about hospice.” What’s important is giving clients and families the information they need to make the best decision for them, he added.
Dillion checks in regularly with his 60+ accounts to make sure they know about Lifespark’s free monthly CEU discussions (virtual and in-person), to see how clients are progressing, to ask if there are any tough cases he might help them with, or to provide information for loved ones and clients. “My ultimate goal is to prove our value,” he said.
If there is anything that Dillion’s degree in information systems has in common with aging magnificently, it might be his steadfast dedication to finding the best possible solutions for complex problems. “I love helping people and I have a job that lets me do that every single day,” he said.
To learn more about Lifespark’s core services and how we can support you and your clients, visit us at Lifespark.com.
