EP# 46: Embracing the Unexpected Path: Danielle Gotta's Transformative Journey into Senior Living Hospitality
Apr 11, 2024Episode 46
Liz Lemon & Danielle Gotta
What makes Danielle Gotta with Keystone Commons a good neighbor?
Have you ever stumbled upon your life's calling when you least expected it? That's precisely what happened to Danielle Gotta, our vibrant guest from Keystone Commons, whose journey into the senior living industry began with a leap of faith away from dissatisfaction and towards a passion for helping others. In a heartwarming conversation, Danielle reveals the colorful tapestry of her life – from diving into the senior living world amidst the pandemic to settling into her own new home and experiencing the joy of pet parenthood. Her personal anecdotes mirror the individual stories of the residents she now helps, as she emphasizes the importance of finding a community that truly feels like home.
Listen as Danielle busts myths about assisted living, drawing a line between the services at Keystone Commons and the typical nursing home narrative. She paints a picture of a community that's not just a place to stay, but a hub of convenience, comfort, and companionship, where chores become a thing of the past and life's pleasures take center stage. Her tale is one of resilience, echoing her own transformative experiences from a spontaneous Florida adventure to finding her feet in Missouri. Embrace the human side of senior living through Danielle's lens, and discover how embracing change can lead to growth and strength, both for herself and the residents she serves.
What makes Danielle Gotta with Keystone Commons a good neighbor?
Have you ever stumbled upon your life's calling when you least expected it? That's precisely what happened to Danielle Gotta, our vibrant guest from Keystone Commons, whose journey into the senior living industry began with a leap of faith away from dissatisfaction and towards a passion for helping others. In a heartwarming conversation, Danielle reveals the colorful tapestry of her life – from diving into the senior living world amidst the pandemic to settling into her own new home and experiencing the joy of pet parenthood. Her personal anecdotes mirror the individual stories of the residents she now helps, as she emphasizes the importance of finding a community that truly feels like home.
Listen as Danielle busts myths about assisted living, drawing a line between the services at Keystone Commons and the typical nursing home narrative. She paints a picture of a community that's not just a place to stay, but a hub of convenience, comfort, and companionship, where chores become a thing of the past and life's pleasures take center stage. Her tale is one of resilience, echoing her own transformative experiences from a spontaneous Florida adventure to finding her feet in Missouri. Embrace the human side of senior living through Danielle's lens, and discover how embracing change can lead to growth and strength, both for herself and the residents she serves.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Liz Lemon.
Speaker 2:
Welcome to Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of some Keystone Commons? Surprisingly, it might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your neighbor, danielle Gada, with Keystone Commons. How are you doing today?
Speaker 3:
I'm doing great.
Speaker 2:
Commons. How are you doing today? I'm doing great, liz. How are you? I'm great, danielle, thank you. We're excited to learn all about you and your business, so tell us about Keystone.
Speaker 3:
Commons. So Keystone Commons, we are a 55 and older senior living community located in Ludlow, mass. We do offer independent living, assisted living and actually two different levels of our member care here within the community. How did you get into the business? So it's actually kind of funny. I kind of just fell into the job At the beginning of 2020, I was doing a work from home job that I was totally miserable at from home job that I was totally miserable at. I ended up leaving that job and maybe a week or two later the whole world shut down and it was terrible.
Speaker 3:
Trying to find employment, I had some friends who were actually working at Keystone Commons as the concierge. They were leaving to go be a nurse, to go be a teacher, and said, yeah, you know what, danielle, why don't you come and interview? There's going to be two spots available. So I interviewed, got the position as the full-time administrative assistant at the front desk and really really fell in love with the community, helping the residents, getting to learn everybody.
Speaker 3:
Of course, starting a new job in the beginning of the pandemic was pretty crazy, um, but in around I think it was in 2021, I believe, or 22 our last year living counselor, which is now my current position was leaving, so in the interim I was helping out my executive director and everybody helping prospective residents move into the community and then also interviewing for the position. Um, and then november again, I think it was 2022. That's when I officially got my promotion and again I couldn't be happier getting to help prospective residents and their families find suitable homes for them in a community where they can thrive, be safe and really build lasting friendships within the community. It's a really awesome job.
Speaker 2:
That's important. What are the myths and misconceptions within your industry?
Speaker 3:
So I think that a lot of people can and of course from experience having families come in and talk with me think that assisted living communities are a lot like nursing homes, when with us here at Keystone it's very, very different. We don't have a five-year look back period looking into finances or anything. Since we are a residential community, rent is due just like a regular apartment complex. On the first of the month we just provide the daily care activities and take care of all of those chores that really no one wants to do, like mowing the lawn and shoveling the driveway when it snows good old New England cleaning the dishes, meal prep, all of that stuff that our current residents, prospective residents they've earned the right to pass that on to someone else.
Speaker 2:
Of course, outside of work, what do you do for fun?
Speaker 3:
So I actually just bought my first home in September of last year with my boyfriend, and then we got our first dog in November. So, needless to say, my time is pretty consumed with him. I actually am lucky enough to bring him to work with me a few days a week. So he's here with me now sleeping, thank goodness, so he's not barking like crazy. But yeah, no, I like to spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer. I love going to the beach, just getting away and really enjoying life.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely enjoying life. Yeah, let's change gears just for a moment. What is one hardship or life challenges that you rose above that you can now say because of it, you're better and stronger? What comes to?
Speaker 3:
mind. So when I was 21, back in like 2017 or so I was young and dumb I decided to move to Florida on a whim. I ended up getting a pretty cool sales job there and ended up relocating to Missouri about a year and a half after that.
Speaker 3:
So not knowing anyone besides my coworkers that I was working with and relocated with, not knowing any of the states, really anything that was going on. Having to learn a brand new job All of that kind of piled into one on top of going through so many different life changes on my own, that was, that was hard. It definitely taught me a lot. I'm moving back up here to Massachusetts where all of my family is. I look back on those experiences from a few years ago and definitely proud of the woman that I've become in that timeframe. Again, I've learned so so much from those experiences. Regret some of them, but again, I learned a lot from them as well. So it made me who I am today, that's for sure.
Speaker 2:
Better and stronger. What is the one thing you wish our listeners knew about Keystone Commons?
Speaker 3:
So we are a very, very fun, vibrant community and we're always putting our residents' safety, their rights and fun first. If anyone ever has any questions, I'd be more than happy to have a phone call or meet in person just to discuss everything that we have to offer here at Keystone.
Speaker 2:
And how can our listeners learn more about Keystone Commons?
Speaker 3:
So kind of like I just said either giving me a call, booking a tour with me. So kind of like I just said, either giving me a call, booking a tour with me, even just email correspondence. We do events from time to time. We send out emails mailing things in the brochure, but the best would either be by phone or by booking a phone call or tour with me through our website. Is there a phone number you'd like to share? Yeah, so the phone number is area code 413-206-7004. And our website is wwwkeystonecommonsslcom.
Speaker 2:
Thank you, Danielle. We thank you so much for joining us on the show today. We wish you and your business the best moving forward Awesome.
Speaker 3:
Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPPalmercom. That's GNPPalmercom, or call 413-414-5940.