Michael Tubbs, Senior Director of Lifestyle Engagement, Benchmark Senior Living

Michael Tubbs, Senior Director of Lifestyle Engagement at Benchmark Senior Living, has been named to the Memory Care Innovation Awards Class of 2026 by Senior Housing News.

The Memory Care Innovation Awards program is designed to acknowledge passionate and revolutionary trade members who’re shaping the way forward for cognitive care throughout behavioral well being, residence well being and residential care, hospice and palliative care, senior housing and senior dwelling, and expert nursing. To develop into a Memory Care Innovation Award winner, a person should be nominated by their friends. The candidate needs to be a high-performing worker who is aware of the way to put imaginative and prescient into motion, serving as an advocate for these dwelling with memory-related issues and the dedicated professionals who guarantee their well-being.

Tubbs sat down with Senior Housing News to share his journey caring for sufferers and residents with cognitive care wants, his ideas on the way forward for cognitive care in senior housing & senior dwelling, and way more. To be taught extra in regards to the Memory Care Innovation Awards and examine this 12 months’s winners, go to https://innovation.memorycarebusiness.com/.

SHN: How lengthy have you ever been working within the senior housing & senior dwelling trade, and what has your profession journey regarded like?

Tubbs: Since getting into the senior dwelling occupation in 2010 as a Recreational Therapist, I’ve spent greater than 16 years serving folks dwelling with dementia and supporting their households.

My profession journey has not been linear, however it has offered me with numerous experiences throughout the continuum of senior dwelling. I progressed from serving as a Skilled Nursing Memory Care Director to community-level management in Assisted Living, adopted by Executive Director roles at two stand-alone reminiscence care communities. Today, I function Senior Director of Lifestyle Engagement at Benchmark Senior Living.

Throughout my profession, I’ve targeted on constructing high-performing groups and creating supportive office cultures the place associates can thrive. I imagine that when workforce members really feel valued, empowered, and supported, they’re higher geared up to ship distinctive care.

My work has centered on enhancing the standard of life for residents, driving the adoption of revolutionary and evidence-based greatest practices, advancing person-centered and person-directed care, and serving to communities create significant experiences for these dwelling with dementia. 

SHN: What impressed you to deal with caring for people dwelling with memory-related circumstances?

Tubbs: I’ve all the time been drawn to historical past and the tales that form folks’s lives. Early in my profession, I discovered myself captivated by conversations with older adults who had lived by way of occasions I had solely examine in class, such because the Great Depression and World War II. Listening to their firsthand experiences gave historical past a private that means and helped me recognize the knowledge, resilience, and distinctive views they shared with me.

As I started working with people dwelling with dementia, I found that these life tales typically remained accessible for a very long time even because the illness progressed. Taking the time to find out about an individual’s experiences, pursuits, and id allowed me to construct belief and significant connections. At the identical time, I grew to become fascinated by the complexity of the mind and the methods dementia impacts every particular person in a different way.

Very early in my profession, I noticed that working with folks dwelling with dementia was greater than a occupation for me. It grew to become a real ardour and calling. I’ve all the time wished to make a significant influence within the lives of others, and supporting people dwelling with dementia, in addition to their households, has given me that chance day by day. Few issues are extra rewarding than serving to somebody expertise connection, goal, and pleasure regardless of the challenges of dementia.

SHN: If you possibly can describe the present state of reminiscence care in senior housing & senior dwelling in a single phrase, what wouldn’t it be and why?

Tubbs: I’d describe the present state of reminiscence care as hopeful.

Over the previous decade, now we have seen vital developments in evidence-based greatest practices, together with the adoption of Montessori ideas for dementia and growing old, which focus not solely on significant engagement, but in addition on creating environments that help autonomy, goal, and success for folks dwelling with dementia. At the identical time, there’s a higher emphasis on person-centered care, a extra educated and specialised workforce, and stronger collaboration amongst senior dwelling suppliers, therapists, hospice groups, neurologists, and different healthcare companions.

Perhaps most encouraging is the shift away from custodial fashions of care. More communities are shifting past passive television-based programming and risk-averse practices that prioritize security on the expense of high quality of life. Instead, there’s a rising deal with serving to people dwelling with dementia preserve selection, independence, goal, and significant connections.

Families at the moment even have entry to extra info, assets, and help than ever earlier than. While there may be nonetheless a lot work to be carried out, the trade’s dedication to innovation, schooling, and person-directed care offers me large hope for the way forward for reminiscence care.

SHN: What is a very powerful lesson you’ve realized in your profession caring for people with cognitive wants?

Tubbs: The most essential lesson I’ve realized is that individuals dwelling with dementia are doing the most effective they’ll with a fancy and progressive illness. Rather than anticipating them to adapt to our world, we should be keen to adapt to fulfill their wants.

When we decelerate, are curious to know the particular person behind the analysis, and construct relationships primarily based on connection and belief, we are sometimes capable of scale back misery and create extra constructive outcomes for everybody concerned. I’ve realized that with the correct help, atmosphere, and care strategy, folks dwelling with dementia can proceed to expertise pleasure, goal, autonomy, and a way of belonging. 

SHN: What is one change you’ll most wish to see throughout the reminiscence care panorama in senior housing & senior dwelling at the moment?

Tubbs: I want to see a shift from task-focused care to person-directed dwelling.

Too typically, we deal with finishing duties and conserving to schedules moderately than on significant engagement, goal, and high quality of life. I’d like to see each reminiscence care neighborhood really constructed and evolve round every particular person’s historical past, strengths, pursuits, and retrained skills in order that residents can proceed to expertise moments of success, independence, management, and connections at each stage of the illness.

SHN: Looking forward 5 years, what do you assume could have the best influence in your means to ship revolutionary, high-quality cognitive care?

Tubbs: Looking forward 5 years, I imagine the best influence on our means to ship revolutionary, high-quality cognitive care will come from two areas: expertise and workforce growth.

Technology will proceed to advance, however I see it as a device to boost what we do, not an answer that may exchange human connection. Innovations comparable to predictive analytics, AI-driven automation of administrative duties, fall-risk detection, dehydration and sickness prediction/prevention, and cognitive help applied sciences will assist care groups work extra effectively and proactively. By lowering administrative burdens and offering earlier insights into potential well being issues, these instruments can allow associates to spend extra significant time constructing relationships and delivering personalised care to residents.

More importantly, will probably be our means to recruit, develop, and empower a talented workforce. The high quality of dementia care finally relies on compassionate, well-trained professionals who perceive the illness and the particular person behind the analysis. Organizations that put money into schooling, management growth, and creating purpose-driven profession paths will likely be greatest positioned to ship distinctive outcomes for folks dwelling with dementia and their households.

SHN: If you possibly can give your self recommendation in your first day serving the cognitive care wants of your senior housing & senior dwelling residents, what wouldn’t it be and why?

Tubbs: Focus on constructing relationships, keep curious, and by no means underestimate the influence of kindness, persistence, and real human connection.

SHN: In your view, what qualities outline a Memory Care Innovation Award winner?

Tubbs: To me, the Memory Care Innovation Award acknowledges somebody who is rarely glad with, “We have always done it this way.” It is a pacesetter who is consistently exploring new evidence-based practices, analysis, and applied sciences that may improve the lives of individuals dwelling with dementia. They encourage others to assume in a different way, problem the established order, and embrace steady studying and progress.

More importantly, they don’t innovate for the sake of innovation. They thoughtfully consider new concepts and lead their groups in implementing approaches that enhance high quality of life, promote dignity, help associates, and create significant outcomes for residents and households.

True innovation isn’t just about introducing one thing new. It’s about offering the management, imaginative and prescient, and help essential to create lasting constructive change and assist folks dwelling with dementia proceed to expertise goal, connection, and high quality of life.