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The Front Porch Podcast

The Front Porch Podcast

Di: Anna Hall
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A proposito di questo titolo

 Welcome to the Front Porch Podcast! Join us as we uncover the extraordinary stories of people who are part of Front Porch Communities and Services—a dynamic not-for-profit organization that provides high quality services through senior living communities, affordable housing communities and other programs and services. In each episode we'll explore how intergenerational connections and purpose in community shape our lives, how creative engagement builds belonging, and how each of us contributes to a thriving community culture. From young professionals just starting their journeys to lifelong learners pursuing new passions, our guests' experiences reflect the heart of Front Porch—a place where innovation and compassion come together to reimagine what's possible in retirement communities and beyond. Together, we'll explore how purpose, creativity, and community shape us all, with stories that will inspire you to discover your own unique contribution. Host – Anna Hall Producer & Editor – Carmen Elena Mitchell Theme Music – Geoven Snaer and Dianne Kay Enrique Recording Engineer – Jeff Gall Show Art Design – Joseph Escobar Production and Marketing Support – Laura Darling The Front Porch Podcast is a production of Front Porch Communities and Services. Front Porch is a dynamic not-for-profit organization, dedicated to empowering individuals to live connected and fulfilled lives through community and innovation. In support of this vision, Front Porch provides high quality, accessible and welcoming human services through senior living communities, affordable housing communities and other programs and services. The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered, legal, health, tax, or professional advice. Always consult a licensed professional for specific advice related to your situation.2025 Scienze sociali Successo personale Sviluppo personale
Episodi
  • "It's Not Just Housekeeping": What Gives Work Meaning? A conversation with Randi Jorgenson

    "It's Not Just Housekeeping": What Gives Work Meaning? A conversation with Randi Jorgenson
    Jan 12 2026

    Randi Jorgenson began her career as a housekeeper at Spring Lake Village and now leads a team of 36 employees while overseeing 400 resident apartments in her role as Housekeeping Manager. In this episode, Randi reflects on how opportunities for growth and advancement, respect for each team member's unique contributions, and a strong community culture are essential ingredients in nurturing team members' commitment to an organization. From everyday moments of connection to navigating fires, evacuations, and COVID, she shares what it truly means to serve with purpose and heart.

    Chapters

    00:44 - Rethinking Community in Senior Living
    Host Anna Hall reflects on how community functions as an interconnected ecosystem.

    04:19 - Meet Randi Jorgensen
    Randi's 35-year journey at Spring Lake Village, from housekeeper to housekeeping manager.

    04:50 From Job to Calling
    What drew Randi to senior living and why she stayed.

    06:22 Leadership, Trust, and Follow-Through
    How consistency and reliability build trust with residents and staff.

    08:24 - Housekeeping as Care Work
    The role of housekeeping staff as the "eyes and ears" of the community.

    09:02 - Moments That Matter
    Stories of resident connection, appreciation, and aging in place.

    11:44 - Crisis and Commitment
    Navigating fires, evacuations, and COVID as essential workers.

    12:48 Purpose, Growth, and Gratitude
    What Randi has learned about life, work, and staying open to growth.

    13:25 - Looking Back with Pride
    Reflecting on a career built on service and community.

    Key Takeaways

    • Employee retention grows where people feel valued, trusted, and respected.

    • Purposeful work often comes from everyday acts of care, not job titles.

    • Housekeeping plays a critical, relational role in senior living communities.

    • Opportunities for growth and advancement encourage long-term commitment.

    • Strong communities are built through follow-through, presence, and heart.

    • Crisis moments reveal the depth of care, resilience, and shared responsibility.

    Guest Bio:

    Randi Jorgenson is the Housekeeping Manager at Spring Lake Village. After joining Spring Lake Village as a housekeeper in May 1990, Randi has been serving Spring Lake Village residents with increasing levels of responsibility ever since. She was first promoted to lead housekeeper, scheduling the maintenance of (then) 260 cottages and apartments, before being promoted to Housekeeping Manager overseeing the teams that clean homes for the more than 400 people who live at Spring Lake Village. Randi has a passion for animals and enjoys spending time with family and friends. She has a daughter and has been happily married for over 25 years.

    Host Bio:

    Anna Hall is a purpose-driven leader with over 25 years in senior living, spanning employee engagement, life enrichment, training, and innovation in age-tech and program design. A certified life coach and dynamic speaker, she helps people connect with meaning and motivation at every stage of life. She is the creator of The Purpose Equation®, an evidence-informed framework that empowers individuals to define and activate their unique purpose to enhance wellbeing, engagement, and collaboration. As Chief Culture & Community Officer at Front Porch Communities & Services, Anna leads initiatives that foster belonging, creativity, and human thriving—building communities where everyone feels valued and inspired to make a difference.


    Resources Mentioned

    • Spring Lake Village – A Front Porch community in Santa Rosa, California

    • Front Porch Communities and Services – Nonprofit organization supporting engaged senior living and community services

    The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered, legal, health, tax, or professional advice. Always consult a licensed professional for specific advice related to your situation.

    #FrontPorchPodcast
    #PurposeThroughWork
    #MoreThanHousekeeping
    #EmployeeRetention
    #MeaningfulWork
    #SeniorLiving
    #CommunityCare
    #LeadershipWithHeart
    #FrontlineLeadership
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    15 min
  • Welcome Love, Welcome the Stranger - with David E. Jackson (Part 2)

    Welcome Love, Welcome the Stranger - with David E. Jackson (Part 2)
    Dec 29 2025
    After losing his beloved wife of 50 years, David embraces a new chapter of life. From leading inclusive Shabbat services at St. Paul's Towers, to teaching a class of boisterous first graders, to learning to fall in love…again, David shows us how acceptance of loss and grief, as an essential part of life, can lead to healing and transformation. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction Anna Hall sets the stage for Part 2, "Welcome Love, Welcome the Stranger." 00:27 – Opening to Love Again David describes falling in love after loss and how relationships evolve with age. 04:01 – Creating Inclusive Shabbat at St. Paul's Towers How David stepped into a spiritual leadership role and built a welcoming, accessible service for people of all backgrounds. 06:33 – "Welcome the Stranger": The Most Repeated Phrase in the Torah David explains the ancient and deeply relevant Jewish teaching about hospitality, belonging, and shared humanity. 09:28 – Growing Older: Freedom, Fragility & Meaning David reflects on aging, mortality, creativity, and the shift from ambition to purpose. 11:27 – The Joy of First Graders How teaching Torah to first graders became David's purest form of love—and what children teach us about openness and wonder. 14:39 – Rebuilding Community in Later Life On courage, vulnerability, and the necessity of connection as our social circles shift with age. 16:30 – Acts of Kindness That Sustain Us A moving story about receiving rides to rehab from neighbors—many of them strangers. 18:22 – Vulnerability as Strength David shares why becoming more vulnerable has made his later years richer and more meaningful. 19:18 – Being Present at the End of Life Parting wisdom: the profound gift of simply showing up for a loved one at the threshold of death. Key Takeaways Love can return in unexpected and deeply authentic forms—especially when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable. Shabbat as sanctuary reminds us to rest, reflect, and create moments apart from the world's heaviness. "Welcome the stranger" is a foundational Jewish teaching, urging compassion, hospitality, and solidarity across differences. Aging brings clarity—less striving, more meaning, creativity, and connection. Children remind us how to love freely, listen deeply, and engage with curiosity. Community is essential to well-being, especially later in life; kindness, even in small moments, matters profoundly. Being present at the end of life is a sacred act that deepens our own sense of humanity and purpose. Resources Saint Paul's Towers – A Front Porch Community in Oakland, CA Spring Lake Village – A Front Porch Community in Santa Rosa, CA Front Porch Communities and Services Guest Bio After a career in education, Dr. David E. Jackson retired as Head of School for the San Francisco Day School in 2015. He and his wife joined the Spring Lake Village community in Santa Rosa before moving to St. Paul's Towers in Oakland in 2020. A widower after 50 years of marriage, David re-enacts his love of teaching by sharing stories from the Torah with young children at his local synagogue. Host Bio Anna Hall is a purpose-driven leader with over 25 years in senior living, spanning employee engagement, life enrichment, training, and innovation in age-tech and program design. A certified life coach and dynamic speaker, she helps people connect with meaning and motivation at every stage of life. She is the creator of The Purpose Equation®, an evidence-informed framework that empowers individuals to define and activate their unique purpose to enhance wellbeing, engagement, and collaboration. As Chief Culture & Community Officer at Front Porch Communities & Services, Anna leads initiatives that foster belonging, creativity, and human thriving—building communities where everyone feels valued and inspired to make a difference. If David's story inspired you, share this episode with a friend, family member, or colleague. Subscribe to The Front Porch Podcast for more stories of purpose, belonging, and community — and discover how we can all contribute to a life of connection. Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered, legal, health, tax, or professional advice. Always consult a licensed professional for specific advice related to your situation. #GriefAndHealing #LoveAfterLoss #WelcomeTheStranger #Shabbat #SpiritualJourney #AgingWell #CommunityMatters #ElderStories #JewishWisdom #TeachingKids #FrontPorchPodcast #Resilience #VulnerabilityIsStrength #LifeAfter50Years
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    21 min
  • Who Shall Live? Growing Through Grief with David E. Jackson (Part 1)

    Who Shall Live? Growing Through Grief with David E. Jackson (Part 1)
    Dec 16 2025
    David E. Jackson spent his career as an educator, but some of his most profound "life lessons" have come out of navigating loss and grief. After evacuating his Santa Rosa home during the Glass Fire and relocating to St. Paul's Towers at the height of Covid, David faced the heartbreaking loss of his beloved wife of 50 years to cancer. Yet in moving through the process of grief, David discovered something unexpected: a spiritual awakening, a new appreciation for life and love, and the sustaining power of community. Stay tuned for Part 2, Welcome Love, Welcome the Stranger, where David reflects on his renewed connection to his faith, the joy he finds in teaching first graders and the journey of opening his heart to a new love. Chapters 00:45 – Episode Theme: Growing Through Grief Anna opens with a heartfelt reflection on the first resident she lost in her career and the recent passing of her father and how her community has supported her through grief and gratitude. 03:30 – Introducing Dr. David E. Jackson Anna welcomes Dr. David E. Jackson, retired Head of School at San Francisco Day School and now a resident of Saint Paul's Towers in Oakland. 04:10 – The Night of the Fire David recounts fleeing the 2020 Glass Fire with his wife, Phyllis, who was undergoing cancer treatment—and the small act of kindness that helped them escape. 05:48 – "Who Shall Live, Who by Fire" As Yom Kippur dawned the next morning, David found new meaning in an ancient prayer about life, loss, and survival. 06:36 – A Community That Opened Its Doors Saint Paul's Towers welcomed David and Phyllis in the midst of the pandemic, offering refuge and compassion. 07:36 – Becoming a Caregiver David reflects on caring for his wife through her illness, the return of her cancer, and the emotional intensity of that journey. 08:52 – Hospice and Compassion in Community He describes the quiet, wise support of neighbors and staff who knew how to offer comfort without asking for explanations. 10:12 – The Final Two Weeks David recounts the profound connection he felt as Phyllis neared the end of her life—two souls joined in presence and love. He shares the moment of her passing and how it reshaped his understanding of life, death, and the mystery beyond. 13:19 – Grief as a Life Force He explains why he sees grief not as sadness, but as an active, transforming power that happens to us, not by us. 14:13 – "This Grief" – A Poem by David E. Jackson David reads his original poem written three days after Phyllis's passing, exploring grief as both pain and blessing. 16:07 – Learning to Be With Grief David and Anna discuss how our culture avoids grief and how sitting with it—doing "nothing"—can lead to healing and self-understanding. 18:14 – The Necessity of Hard Things Together they reflect on the inevitability of grief and the human design for emotional growth through hardship. 18:26 – The Loss of Ancient Wisdom David laments how modern life separates us from death, depriving us of the deep connection that comes from being present with those we love at life's end. 19:50 – Closing & Transition to Part Two Anna thanks David and invites listeners to join Part 2: "Welcome Love, Welcome the Stranger," where the conversation continues about renewal, purpose, and finding love after loss. Key Takeaways Grief is not sadness — it's a force that transforms. It shapes us, opens us, and connects us more deeply with others. Community matters. The compassion of neighbors and caregivers at Saint Paul's Towers helped David through unimaginable loss. Love transcends life and death. Presence at the end of life can reveal the purest forms of connection. Ancient rituals still speak today. The Yom Kippur prayer, "Who by fire, who by water," took on new meaning through lived experience. We are meant to grow through difficulty. Avoiding grief postpones transformation; embracing it leads to wisdom. Resources mentioned Saint Paul's Towers – A Front Porch Community in Oakland, CA Spring Lake Village – A Front Porch Community in Santa Rosa, CA Front Porch Communities and Services Guest Bio After a career in education, Dr. David E. Jackson retired as Head of School for the San Francisco Day School in 2015. He and his wife joined the Spring Lake Village community in Santa Rosa before moving to St. Paul's Towers in Oakland in 2020. A widower after 50 years of marriage, David re-enacts his love of teaching by sharing stories from the Torah with young children at his local synagogue. Host Bio Anna Hall is a purpose-driven leader with over 25 years in senior living, spanning employee engagement, life enrichment, training, and innovation in age-tech and program design. A certified life coach and dynamic speaker, she helps people connect with meaning and motivation at every stage of life. She is the creator of The Purpose Equation®, an evidence-informed framework that empowers individuals to define and activate their unique ...
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    21 min
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