Dan Johnson accepted the Kal Michels Outstanding Leadership Award at the LeadingAge Minnesota Institute. Pictured (l to r) Mark Anderson, Board Chair, LeadingAge Minnesota Board of Directors; Dan Johnson; and Gayle Kvenvold, President and CEO, LeadingAge Minnesota.
Dan Johnson, Catholic Eldercare President & CEO, Receives Top Leadership Award
Saint Paul – (February 13, 2018) – Dan Johnson, President and CEO, Catholic Eldercare Inc., was recently honored by LeadingAge Minnesota with the Kal Michels Outstanding Leadership Award.
The award recognizes a leader in older adult services who has provided excellent leadership to their staff and organization, enhances the quality of life for the residents in the community, and provides exceptional community service.
“Dan’s commitment to insuring needed supportive services for our community’s older adults is demonstrated by the strategic evolution of Catholic Eldercare into a community-centered continuum of aging services,” said Mary Broderick, PhD, RN and Health Professions Education Specialist. “Dan is a collaborative leader who recognizes the critical importance of teamwork in providing health care and housing services to a vulnerable client population in partnership with families, health professionals and the community.”
During Johnson’s time at Catholic Eldercare, he has led significant initiatives to facilitate a more coordinated approach to quality care and expand the organization’s capacity to better serve the needs of older adults in the community. Those efforts have included the creation of expanded therapy services and a 40,000 square foot addition and remodel to the main campus that includes a new Adult Day Services area and a new transitional care unit. Additionally, a new 69-unit independent living building is in the works to provide affordable age-restricted housing in a neighborhood that has seen a surge in population among developers and renters.
Recognizing the value of socialization to the well-being of older adults, Johnson helped create an award-winning community engagement program called Northeast Neighborhood Socials that brought together at-risk older adults for a series of weekly group meetings centered around Social Circles. The Social Circles allowed area residents to discuss their lives and relationships within the Northeast Minneapolis community. The program has since been distributed to other organizations including the Twin Cities United Way, Catholic Charities and the Hennepin County Community Health Improvement Partnership.
“All too often we do not recognize those who truly give the extra effort of excellence and lead by deeds, not words. Dan Johnson has earned the right to be honored for his successful leadership at Catholic Eldercare,” said Michael Rainville Sr., resident and 30-year board member fo St. Anthony West neighborhood.
Johnson accepted the award at the LeadingAge Minnesota Institute, the state’s largest and most comprehensive aging services conference. More than 4,000 professionals in all aspects of older adult services attend the annual three-day event to learn about new and innovative programs, share best practices and network with their peers. For more information, watch Dan Johnson – 2018 Kal Michaels Leadership Award.
About LeadingAge Minnesota
Driven to transform and enhance the experience of aging, LeadingAge Minnesota works alongside its members, caregivers, advocates and consumers to collectively shape the future of aging services and ensure older adults in every community live with dignity, meaning and purpose. Together with more than 50,000 caregivers, LeadingAge Minnesota members provide quality services and supports to nearly 70,000 older adults in independent senior housing, assisted living communities, adult day services, in-home care and skilled nursing facilities.