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About Helen Hunsinger

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So far Helen Hunsinger has created 33 blog entries.

First Impressions Matter: Turning New Hires into Loyal Team Members

Training has a huge impact on retention, engagement, productivity, resident satisfaction, and—let’s be honest—your budget, all areas you’re managing every day as a community leader.

You’ve done the hard work: combed through applicants, interviewed candidates, and found the best fit for your community. Great! But now the real work begins—setting up logins, onboarding, and orientation. These early steps are crucial to ensuring the person you spent so much time recruiting stays and thrives in their role.

Look at your current process. How consistent is it? Are there [...]

By |2025-12-04T16:32:02-06:00December 4th, 2025|
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Cancer Database Offers Clear and Compassionate Support

For the past 40 years, cancer awareness has educated millions and has educated about types of cancer, encourages early detection through screenings and self-awareness, promotes healthy lifestyle choices, and supports research, treatment, and resources for those affected by the disease.

TALA is honored to share CMedEd, a new, free database resource for those facing cancer or other chronic disease diagnosis. CMedEd is amplifying survivor voices, connecting patients with leading physicians, and sharing life-saving information on breast cancer.

CMedEd has a series of videos with cancer experts [...]

By |2025-12-02T12:35:19-06:00November 6th, 2025|
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TALA’s 2025 Annual Conference and Industry Expo

Amidst the bluebonnets at the Kalahari in Round Rock, Texas, the 2025 Annual TALA Conference and Industry Expo kicked off with a full day of engaging nursing sessions plus a senior leadership track, a new addition to this year’s event. That evening, the TALA Board of Directors invited provider members, industry partners, and speakers to a reception at the beautiful Kalahari event barn. The board reception had record turnout! Attendees mixed and mingled, connecting with new industry contacts and reconnecting with colleagues and friends while [...]

By |2025-05-01T10:27:11-05:00May 1st, 2025|
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Peeling Back the Training Layers

Written by: Jennifer Rogers, TALA Workforce Committee Member, Director of Human Resources, Mustang Creek Estates

Past & Present Learning

Workplace training has evolved dramatically over the centuries, reflecting broader societal changes, technological advancements, and shifts in organizational culture. In addition, we all learn by way of different means, whether it is visually, auditory, reading & writing, or by movement and hands-on. Sometimes these different methods of workplace training can also go in and out of style.

Workplace training can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where apprenticeships [...]

By |2025-01-24T12:26:10-06:00January 24th, 2025|
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Study Results on the Profound Impact of Trauma on Caregivers

Have you ever taken a moment to truly consider the profound impact of trauma on our dedicated caregivers? In the insightful research study, "The Influence of Mental Health and Personal Wellbeing in the Workplace," KARE and the National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA) delve deep into this often-overlooked aspect of caregiving.[1]

The study surveyed 1,142 long-term care professionals to better understand the current state of the care force’s wellbeing in the workplace. Results shed light on the micro-traumas that individuals in caregiving roles [...]

By |2024-12-03T14:12:16-06:00December 2nd, 2024|
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TALA’s Workforce Survey Results Reveal the Heart of “Why” People Choose a Career in Senior Living

In July and August of 2024, TALA’s Workforce Development Committee conducted a survey distributed to TALAView subscribers. One hundred and three (103) individuals responded to the survey to share their stories. Below is a summary of what respondents expressed on “WHY” they choose a career in senior living.

When asked, “How did you hear about jobs in Senior Living? “respondents were most referred by family or a friend, followed by [...]

By |2024-10-09T20:08:23-05:00October 9th, 2024|
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Ruling on the FTC Non-Compete Final Rule and Texas Guidance on Non-Competes by Richard Cheng

On August 20, 2024, in the Ryan LLC v. Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, Judge Ada Brown of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, struck down a final Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule to ban non-competition agreements asserting that the rule will not be enforced by the FTC or have the ban take into effect. The Texas district court’s decision setting aside the FTC rule makes it the first court to reach a final decision.

What is the FTC Non-Competition Rule?

The FTC non-competition [...]

By |2024-09-16T10:25:17-05:00September 16th, 2024|
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HHSC Reports Exceptionally Positive Results from a Quality of Assisted Living Study

3rd Party Study Shows Positive Impacts of Texas Assisted Living 

In 2021 the Texas Legislature instructed the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to survey Texas Assisted Living communities and to evaluate their quality. The study was conducted in 2022 through a partnership between the HHSC and the University of Texas (UT) at Austin’s Center for Excellence in Aging Services and Long-term Care. Researchers conducted hundreds of on-site visits, interviewed staff, met with residents, and sent out hundreds of questionnaires with over 150 questions.

The study resulted [...]

By |2025-10-30T14:33:39-05:00May 29th, 2024|
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Leadership That Waltzes with Assisted Living – by Ty Jones

Ty Jones hosted the Leadership Intensive at the TALA 2024 Annual Conference and Industry Expo.  

First, let me say thank you to Diana, the TALA Board of Directors, and our 2024 leadership intensive sponsor LifeWell Senior Living. It was an honor to conduct the three-hour Leadership Intensive workshop at the 2024 TALA Leadership Conference. A special thanks to all the session attendees for their unselfish and proactive participation throughout the entire duration of the workshop. Collectively, as a group, we dared to do something different and [...]

By |2024-05-16T11:41:35-05:00May 16th, 2024|
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Highlights from 2024 Annual TALA Conference and Industry Expo

TALA’s signature event is the Annual Conference and Industry Expo, typically held each spring. The TALA Conference and Industry Expo brings together professionals from across the state of Texas to learn, network, and grow. The 2024 Conference featured a loaded schedule with industry experts, Nursing, Dementia, and Leadership tracks, Hero awards, an Olympian, and more. Here are a few highlights.

TALA 2024 began at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort with a packed day of engaging nursing track sessions and a leadership intensive presented by a [...]

By |2024-05-09T14:25:13-05:00May 9th, 2024|
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