How The Philadelphia Protestant Home Strengthened Support Services with Coreworks

OVERVIEW

At The Philadelphia Protestant Home (PPH), a positive resident experience depends on more than excellent care. It also depends on the operational teams working behind the scenes to keep the community running every day.

As part of EverTrue’s management partnership with PPH, Kelli Mills, Vice President of Operations, oversees PPH’s day-to-day operations and helps identify opportunities to strengthen performance. Having previously worked with Coreworks, she recognized the value its specialized expertise could bring to PPH, particularly in leadership development, staffing, and long-term planning.

That experience led PPH to partner with Coreworks, bringing focused operational expertise to environmental services, facilities management, security, and life safety.

OPPORTUNITY

Caring for older adults sits at the center of every senior living community, but the teams working behind the scenes shape the resident experience every day. Environmental services, facilities management, security, and life safety all contribute to a community that feels safe, welcoming, and well maintained.

Like many senior living organizations, PPH’s department leaders were balancing staffing, compliance, facilities, and the demands of daily operations.

With so much attention focused on keeping the community running, there was little opportunity to step back, evaluate long-standing processes, or introduce new approaches that could strengthen how departments worked together.

The organization saw value in bringing in a partner with dedicated experience in the operational side of senior living.From staffing benchmarks and industry best practices to life safety expertise and purchasing resources, PPH wanted access to tools and knowledge that could help departments work more efficiently while continuing to deliver the level of hospitality residents expected.

Our core service is providing care to older adults. Cleaning the building, managing plant operations, and securing the perimeter are not. Coreworks brings the expertise we need in those areas so we can stay focused on our mission.

Kelli Mills
Vice President of Operations | EverTrue

SOLUTIONS

The partnership began with an evaluation of PPH’s support services to better understand how each department operated and where additional expertise could make the greatest impact. Rather than applying the same approach across every department, Coreworks worked alongside leaders to understand what was working well and where changes would make the biggest difference.

The first improvements focused on the work happening every day. Clearer staffing expectations, better communication, and simpler processes reduced administrative work, giving supervisors more time to spend with their teams instead of behind a desk.

That also gave leaders the chance to look beyond the immediate demands of the day. With more time to evaluate their departments, they could strengthen life safety readiness, improve consistency, and make decisions with a longer-term view.

Throughout the transition, communication remained a priority. Keeping leaders and frontline teams informed helped build trust, making it easier to introduce changes while preserving the culture that already existed at PPH.

BENEFITS

The changes were felt across the organization. Leaders had clearer expectations for their departments, while more consistent processes made it easier for teams to stay focused on the work in front of them instead of constantly reacting to new challenges.

Residents noticed the difference as well. Frontline employees became more visible throughout the community, creating more opportunities for everyday interaction while maintaining the hospitality and quality PPH is known for.

If you want to do it right and well, you really need a partner who has your back and can build team members up to what you need them to be.

Kelli Mills
Vice President of Operations | EverTrue

BUILDING A STRONGER FOUNDATION

Today, PPH has stronger processes, more confident leaders, and a team that’s better equipped to support the community day to day. By bringing hands-on operational support to critical departments, Coreworks has helped create meaningful, lasting change that benefits both employees and residents.

For PPH, the partnership allows leadership to stay focused on what matters most, providing exceptional care for older adults.

OUTCOMES

• Stronger department leadership with clearer expectations and ongoing coaching
• More consistent operations across environmental services, facilities management, security, and life safety
• A proactive approach to life safety and survey readiness
• More time for leaders to focus on their teams instead of administrative tasks
• Greater visibility and recognition for frontline teams throughout the community
• A transition that preserved community culture and employee engagement