Suzanne Newman continues her conversation with CEO and President Jim Godfrey at Chateau Retirement in Washington State. In this segment, Jim talks about his experiences living at the senior living community he founded.
Jim says, “I’ve been living here in Chateau now for what, 16, 17 months? And I’ve gotten to know a lot of the residents, and as of yet, I don’t know whether they’re just being nice — I don’t think so, I think they’re being honest — they say they love it here. They love the staff and they love the food. They love everything we do. So, you know, I thought, Oh God, I’m moving here. I’ll have somebody at my door every day complaining about something. It hasn’t happened.”
When it comes to improving the lives of other people, Jim says, “That’s what kept me in the business after I first tried it out. I felt it was very it was a good feeling, frankly, to be able to give these senior citizens who built their country a happy and peaceful life as enjoyable as possible, seeing your face in their life. And that, to me, seemed like – I think the Buddhists call it right to work. And I felt it really was right for doing that. So that’s what kept me in it, and I was enjoying it too.
“We focus on the residents and their well-being, not the bottom line. I mean, we we have to keep ourselves profitable and operating efficiently, and all that. But we’re not going to suddenly jump the rates 15% or 20% just to make some goal.
Jim explains, “Our mission was to work with each resident as they come in, get to know them, and then work with them to help them develop a lifestyle which they like and they want to build on. And so they can live happier, healthier and live longer, and they do it on their terms. One of my initial feelings about these buildings [decades ago], it’s sort of like an army camp where you all go into a big barracks and we all have the same routine, and I didn’t want that.
“I wanted our residents to be able to choose their own lifestyle and live life to the fullest. And I think they they do that. We have people sit down with them after they move in, and talk to them, and then try to help them meet other people, and other veterans who have maybe similar backgrounds, who they might connect, and introduce them to them. So they start to make friends. They get here for a few months and their circle starts to expand. And human beings are social, right? Yes, they are. They need friends, they want to talk, have friendships. So trying to help them make friends is a big part of it.”
Regarding the future of his communities, and setting the foundation for the next 25 years, he says, “I’ve always had [my] children working here for me. I wanted to let them dip their toe in the water and see how they liked it. And so I had two or three children, son in law, daughter in law, working for us from time to time. And then Tamra was, and then she moved out. Then one day, I got a call, ‘hey dad, what if I came back to Chateau to work?’ Yeah, you know, thank God. Cause I thought she’d have the capability to take it and run it. [I told her] I want you to go and get an MBA, as well as your psychology degree. I think we’re in good hands.”
Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington’s Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online at https://www.chateauretirement.com or call 800.960.1944.
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