Dan Madsen has a passion for interacting with the residents at Leisure Care properties. “As my responsibilities have changed I’ve gotten further and further away from working with the residents out in the field,” he said. “But I recently took on operations responsibilities for one building [in Tucson, Ariz.] just so I could keep my hands in it.”
This love for his work is still apparent after 13 years at Leisure Care. Dan, who received a Bachelor of Arts from Dixie College in St. George, Utah, now oversees the operations of Leisure Care, which owns and operates independent and assisted living retirement communities. The company has almost 5,000 apartment units open or under development, with 32 buildings in nine western states.
Dan brings a certain vision to his company that has ensured his success. “I think the development of people is my greatest contribution [to the company],” he said. “I have a long-tenured executive staff that I’ve worked with for more than a decade. Everyone came together with different experiences and backgrounds, and we’ve held on through good and bad times with the industry and the company. I think that being able to develop people, watch their growth and nurture it is absolutely my greatest strength.”
Madsen’s attitude toward his residents and employees has led him to oversee the creation of the Prime Fit by Leisure Care program, which focuses on using health and wellness instead of just healthcare to bolster residents’ well-being. Residents also are able to travel the world with Travel by Leisure Care (TLC), a senior-oriented travel program that uses certified nurses and escorts. Residents have visited Hawaii, Alaska and Branson, Mo., and European trips are planned.
With Dan at the helm, Leisure Care will continue to focus on improving operations and hospitality-based services in the near future. “I think where we have been innovative and continue to be innovative is our hospitality-based services,” Dan said.
The company has instituted full-time concierges that take care of the residents’ physical and social needs. Leisure Care also conducts several surveys annually, including the formal opinion survey, to find out what additional needs exist. “I’ll probably get 4,000 responses [from about 80% of the residents], and I read them,” Dan said.
Leisure Care is continually acquiring and developing properties. The company currently is building properties in Los Angeles and San Diego, and has opened three since last fall, in Fresno, Calif.; Idaho Falls, Idaho; and Spokane, Wash.