By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

For Joe LoCascio, executive director of Ann’s Choice, every day is a new opportunity, a new chance for his employees and residents to expand their horizons.

“I love my job,” LoCascio says with a smile. “I have an opportunity every day to make a diff erence in the lives of our residents and our staff ,” he says. “So I like to empower them and put them in the driver’s seat.”

As the mayor of sorts for the community, he interacts on a daily basis with employees and residents and keeps the community running smoothly. “The challenges every day are exciting,” he says. “And because it’s never the same thing each day, I think that keeps me fresh. I love stepping on campus each day because of the opportunity it holds.”

‘Let’s give it a try’
LoCascio says the people who live at Ann’s Choice exhibit the  openmindedness he loves.

“I see retirement as an opportunity to get back in touch with the things that you truly believe in. And that means bettering oneself emotionally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually. It means pursuing the interests you didn’t have the time for before.

“All of our residents here at Ann’s Choice are adventurous and open-minded people. They are always willing to try something new, something fun, and to get involved. They always say, ‘Let’s give it a try.’ That’s the real reason why I love Erickson communities,” he explains.

LoCascio says he believes that his residents and employees should have a voice and says he and his team always consider the opinions of the community’s Resident Advisory Committee before making any decision.

“The residents are the people who know our campuses best,” he says. “We always follow the laws and rules of the land when we consider anything new, but resident input is crucial. It’s what helps us tweak things to get them right and keep this ship afloat.”