Tips from Trestle: The Senior Living Food and Hospitality Podcast

What if your dining room was actually your most powerful sales tool? In Part 2 of our "flip the mic" episode, Kelsey gets Aaron to unpack why the industry's biggest missed opportunity isn't in marketing or technology — it's on the plate.
Aaron breaks down:
Why dining rooms should be run like restaurants (not "restaurant style")
How using hospitality can get a mid-sized operator a gain of nearly $2 Million in additonal revenues annually
Why memory care dining is the most neglected — and highest-impact — area in senior living
How standards actually elevate hospitality instead of killing it
The cap rate math that gets an increase of $1M in asset value
Whether you're an operator, investor, ED, or culinary director, this episode will permanently change how you think about the relationship between hospitality, revenue, and resident experience in senior living.
Keywords: senior living dining, memory care hospitality, senior living revenue, assisted living operations, hospitality standards, senior housing investment, dining with dementia, senior living leadership
#TFT515 #SeniorLiving #SeniorLivingLeadership #ElevateTheExperience #HospitalityInSeniorLiving #SeniorLivingOperators #ResidentExperience #AssistedLiving #AssetValuation #RevenueGeneration #SeniorHousing #FoodServiceLeadership #ThreeLeggedStool #DiningExperience #SeniorLivingConsulting #HospitalityLeadership #TipsFromTrestle

What if the biggest problem in senior living isn't the care — it's the culture?In Part 1 of this special role-reversal episode of Tips from Trestle, host Aaron Fish gets interviewed by Trestle Hospitality”s Kelsey Wilkinson — and the result is one of the most candid conversations the show has ever produced. Aaron shares the origin story behind Trestle Hospitality Concepts, including the now-legendary bathroom mirror moment that brought the brand to life. He unpacks the philosophy of "elevating the experience" in senior living and makes the case that the industry has been operating through only two pillars, while it truly is a three-legged stool. This episode is a must-listen for any senior living operator, culinary director, or community leader ready to think differently about how they serve residents.Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:- WiseOx: https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx- AdvantageTrust GPO: https://bit.ly/TFTAdvTrust- Dining With Dementia: https://bit.ly/TFT_DwD- 100% Leader: https://bit.ly/TFT_10000:01:30 — Why This Episode Is Different00:02:00 — The Origin Story of Trestle Hospitality Concepts00:04:00 — The Bathroom Mirror Moment00:06:30 — What Trestle Represents00:07:00 — From the Broadmoor to Senior Living00:08:00 — Where "Elevate the Experience" Came From00:09:30 — Every Touchpoint Counts00:10:30 — The Moments That Crystallized the Philosophy00:12:00 — The Pureed Meal Nobody Recognized00:13:30 — When Dining Sells the Apartment00:15:00 — Why Senior Living Resists Hospitality00:16:00 — The Three-Legged Stool Framework00:17:00 — Where the Time Actually Goes00:18:00 — Qualitative vs. Quantitative Metrics#TFT514 #SeniorLiving #SeniorLivingLeadership #ElevateTheExperience #HospitalityInSeniorLiving #SeniorLivingOperators #ResidentExperience #AssistedLiving #AgingWithDignity #SeniorCare #FoodServiceLeadership #ThreeLeggedStool #DiningExperience #SeniorLivingConsulting #HospitalityLeadership #TipsFromTrestle

How do you honor meat-and-potato nostalgia while nudging residents toward Blue Zone–style longevity?In this episode of Tips from Trestle, host Aaron Fish sits down with hospitality leader John Baillie Jr. to unpack how Blue Zones principles can transform senior living dining into a true engine for longevity, connection, and joy. They explore what a Blue Zone–inspired menu really looks like in senior living—more beans, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats without taking away beloved meat-and-potatoes comfort foods. John shares practical strategies for introducing plant-forward options, honoring food nostalgia, and using mealtimes as daily rituals to reduce loneliness and build community. From resident ambassadors to staff eating with residents and families joining those first few meals, you’ll hear actionable ideas for operators, chefs, and sales teams who want senior living dining to drive wellness, occupancy, and long-term engagement.Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:- WiseOx: https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx- AdvantageTrust GPO: https://bit.ly/TFTAdvTrust- Dining With Dementia: https://bit.ly/TFT_DwD- 100% Leader: https://bit.ly/TFT_100#TFT513 #SeniorLiving #SeniorLivingDining #BlueZones #PlantForward #HealthyAging #FoodAsMedicine #SeniorLivingLeadership #HospitalityDrivenCare #LongevityLifestyle #DiningExperience #SeniorLivingCommunity #CulinaryLeadership #WellnessInAging #FoodAndHospitality #TipsFromTrestle

In this powerful episode of Tips from Trestle — the senior living food and hospitality podcast — Aaron revisits an amazing convbersation he had with friend of then podcast Joseph Cope, nationally recognized speaker and "The Empathy Guy," to dismantle one of leadership's biggest myths: that empathy is a soft skill. Joseph redefines empathy as a fierce, measurable leadership competency that directly drives employee retention, team morale, and organizational culture. Together, they explore self-empathy, the neuroscience behind stress and creativity, how to hold teams accountable with compassion, and why human connection is the true currency of future business success. Whether you're a senior living executive, culinary director, or mid-level manager, this conversation will challenge you to lead from the inside out.
Senior living leadership | empathy in the workplace | employee retention strategies
Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:
WiseOx: https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx
AdvantageTrust GPO: https://bit.ly/TFTAdvTrust
Dining With Dementia: https://bit.ly/TFT_DwD
100% Leader: https://bit.ly/TFT_100
#TFT512 #EmpathyInLeadership #SeniorLiving #LeadershipDevelopment #TipsFromTrestle #EmployeeRetention #WorkplaceCulture #HumanConnection #SeniorCare #ElderCare #EmpathyAtWork #FierceLeadership #SeniorLivingLeadership #HealthcareLeadership #HospitalityIndustry #MentalHealthAtWork

From KGB interrogations to Bedouin tents in the desert, the Traveling Nanas are living the kind of “retirement” most people only dream about.
In this episode of Tips from Trestle, Aaron welcomes Sandy & Ellie - the “Traveling Nanas,” two remarkable older adults who turned loss into a launchpad for adventure. The Traveling Nanas share how they visited roughly 50 countries and all seven continents after 80, from journeys and intrigue on the Trans‑Siberian Railway to dodging check points as war erupted in Syria. Their stories challenge every stereotype about aging, senior living, and long‑term care, proving that curiosity and courage don’t retire. Aaron connects the Traveling Nanas’ bold journeys to everyday senior living operations, exploring how leaders can design truly inspired social experiences, meaningful engagement, and intergenerational programming that pull residents out of the easy chair and back into life.
Get their book “Here We Go” here: https://a.co/d/0bCs5gU7
Tips from Trestle is sponsored by:
WiseOx: https://bit.ly/TFT_WiseOx
AdvantageTrust GPO: https://bit.ly/TFTAdvTrust
Dining With Dementia: https://bit.ly/TFT_DwD
100% Leader: https://bit.ly/TFT_100
#TFT511 #SeniorLiving #ActiveAging #PositiveAging #SeniorLivingLeadership #SeniorLivingMarketing #ResidentEngagement #IntergenerationalLiving #SeniorLivingFood #SeniorHospitality #TravelingNanas #AgingBoldly #SeniorTravelGoals #LifeAfter80 #LongTermCareInnovation #SeniorLivingCommunity