Today we’d like to introduce you to Edward Craft.
Hi Edward, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I got started in the Senior Care Industry at 15 years old. My parents forced me to play my saxophone along with my church choir at several senior living communities during the holidays. At first, I was very hesitant, as I did not think so highly of seniors at that age, but after the third building we performed at, my life was forever changed.
After playing “Jingle Bells” on the sax, a 98-year-old resident in a geri chair (a specialized reclining chair), looked up, directly at me and said the “f word” and I immediately thought she was the coolest person that I ever met. I sat with her for the remainder of the church’s performance and were saying all the cuss words we knew to each other. Turns out that she had Alzheimer’s and the staff told us that was the most they had ever seen her verbalize. I became a volunteer for 4 years afterward.
At 19, I started working at a senior living community as a concierge, activities assistant, and driver, while going to school. I was quickly promoted to the activities director and have been an activities professional since. I love to share the stories of the seniors I am working for and implement them into an activities program, wherever I am working – which also acts as a reminder for our seniors of their purpose.
As a result, I have received a lot of recognition for my work – such as the Argentum Hero Award, the Argentum Best of the Best Award, the Texas Assisted Living Association’s Hero Award, featured in Senior Living Magazine, podcasts, news reports, and other media. As an advocate for older adults, I am the Chair for the United Way of Greater Houston’s Interagency Group, the Elder Service Providers’ Network; Advisor for a nonprofit organization, Great Age Movement; and Ambassador for Bridge the Gap Senior Living Podcast.
Last year, I started “Old People Are Cool Day” in Houston, TX; partnering my residents with Fabletics and the Old People Are Cool nonprofit to celebrate beauty and fitness at any age! Since then, there have been other cities that have started their very own “Old People Are Cool Day.” Currently, I am the Senior Lifestyle Director at The Landing at Augusta Woods, where I oversee the activities for our Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care, using our SPARK Program, which is based on Montessori Principles.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There definitely have been a LOT of obstacles along the way! First, starting off in my industry at such a young age (19), it was hard for others to take my line of work seriously. A lot of people think all I do is play Bingo all day with seniors – but there’s so much more to it than that! There’s a science behind personalizing activities for 120+ seniors!
COVID was also a huge struggle for me. During the pandemic, all large group activities in senior living abruptly stopped. Residents living with dementia were having trouble understanding why we were in isolation and why we weren’t as affectionate. I really had to be creative just so that my residents could see their loved ones.
As a result, I started Reverse Parades and took a maximum of 3 residents on our bus, socially distancing and masked up to their loved ones’ neighborhoods, where the entire community would stand outside their homes with balloons, costumes, horns, etc. to cheer on our residents.
Additionally, I started a card campaign with a goal of 1,000 cards to donate to the seniors in the Houston area during the 2020 holiday season. I ultimately received over 15,000 cards from all over the US, Mexico, and Canada and was featured on the local news, and was interviewed by the Ellen DeGeneres Show, prior to her receiving COVID herself.
Last, I rely heavily on utilizing my residents’ procedural memory (a type of long-term memory that helps us perform tasks without conscious awareness), and for some of my previous employers, it can be a nerve-wracking experience! (Imagine a 90-year-old man living with dementia who was an expert with using power tools given a drill to help put together a bookshelf). But as the saying goes, if you don’t use it, you lose it!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an activity professional in the senior care industry, specializing in providing residents with a sense of joyful purpose! I am known for being creative and passionate about older adults and elevating their platform, as well as being one of the most decorated activities professionals in the country.
I am most proud of the lives I have touched throughout my years in the industry. I loved getting seniors who lived a sedentary life, prior to living in one of my communities, active and involved again. I am proud of the lives I have had the privilege of honoring with special events (like having Mayor Slyvester Turner proclaim Juneteenth 2017, Al Edwards’ Day in the City of Houston for my former resident/State Representative/”Father of Juneteenth”).
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I am a huge advocate for using social media as a form of networking and showcasing my work!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.frontiermgmt.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwardesguerra/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edward.esguerra/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-craft-1042b519a
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/Mz9jXL3x3Zg
