QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Creating a CDAL Culture: Ideas for Encouraging Certification
By Sara Wildberger E
arning the Certified Director of Assisted Living (CDAL) certifica- tion is a major achievement. But
it’s not simply an individual achievement. It elevates a community, a company, and the industry overall. That means organizations can benefit from
investing in a culture where the CDAL certifi- cation is recognized and appropriately valued and where every employee knows its value. “Once industry leaders emphasize this
inside their companies, Executive Directors will be banging on their doors asking to be- come CDALs,” says Brenda J. Bacon, pres- ident & CEO, Brandywine Living. “And we all benefit as companies and as an industry.” Here, CEOs and Senior Living Certifica- tion Commission (SLCC) executive director John Schulte share ideas on making CDAL certification part of your community and company culture. Manage expectations. This may be the
most important point: The CDAL test is highly rigorous. It takes significant prepa- ration. Merrill Gardens’ president David Eskenazy says it’s comparable in difficulty to the CPA exam (and he knows whereof he speaks, having himself become a CPA.) When he heard some managers feared
going for the CDAL because they thought it would have career consequences if they didn’t pass, he made it a point to commu- nicate the right perspective. “We talk openly about the failure rate,”
he says. “It puts it on a par with the CPA exam and the bar exam. “When they understand it that way, they
recognize two things: One, that it’s a sig- nificant accomplishment if you get it; and two, that it’s not embarrassing if you don’t.” Make it a requirement. At Merrill Gar- dens, every general manager with the com-
26 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MAY/JUNE 2019
pany is expected to be CDAL certified: “It’s not an option.” Eskenazy established this requirement
from the beginning of the program. The company sends email reminders about cer- tification and follows through with human resources. “When you monitor something like that, people get the understanding that it must be important,” Eskenazy says. “It raises the level of importance accordingly in the organization.” Requiring professional certification is not
unusual in other industries, he points out, so it makes sense that CDAL certification should be a requirement in assisted living. Offer help—or ask for it. Several compa-
nies offer assistance such as reimbursement for study materials, time off to study, and help finding study groups. Eskenazy makes it clear to Merrill Gardens general managers that “they won’t have to lay out a penny.” If you’re a prospective CDAL concerned about costs or time, ask about help. Be the motivation. Tie the certification to
things Executive Directors care about, such as improving residents’ quality of life and making a difference. Consider sharing your own story of a risk that was worth it. Put it on the agenda. Add a mention of
CDAL to the monthly meeting list, put a reminder in internal communications, or send out an occasional email about the cer- tification to keep it top of mind. This way, certification becomes something customary and expected, not a far-off aspiration. Communicate the seriousness. Send the message that this means far more than just checking a box; it’s a life investment. “An executive director or general man-
ager may say, ‘Why do I need more initials after my name?’” says Brenda J. Bacon,
president and CEO at Brandywine Living. A director may say, “’I've been doing
this job for five years, I'm not going to get a raise, it takes time to study, and what will my boss think if I fail the test the first time?’" Her answer goes to the heart of the mat-
ter: “What we are going for here is that this is not a ‘job’; it is a career. It is a profession.” “Being a Certified Director of Assisted Living connotes that you intentionally chose to be an expert and leader in the business of senior living, and it is a business ... as well as a calling ... but skills are necessary, and skills should be recognized.” Put it on hiring requirements. A tight mar-
ket for professionals doesn’t mean leaving CDAL off your hiring requirements. This helps create consistency in the industry overall. Conversely, an offer to help can- didates earn the designation could attract strongly motivated candidates. Celebrate it. Have a party or ceremony
for the new CDALs. Announce it in internal communications or through email to the full organization. Merrill Gardens issues a pin and awards a bonus of $1,000 for those who get the certification. Tell the public. Whether you’re a company
leader or a new CDAL, you can share the news through a press release sent to local me- dia and regional business news—the Senior Living Certification Commission website
slcccertification.org has a format ready to use. Put the credential on business cards and community websites. Use it in networking events and in presentation templates. Finally, those who have earned the CDAL
certification should use it. Stay up to date and check in with CDAL peers at events and in the LinkedIn group. The SLCC page gives directions on how to use the credential and stay updated in the certification records.
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