I moved here at THD in June, 2023. Since then and to the present, I witnessed numerous employee turnovers ( some voluntary. others involuntary). I have written a few postings on micromanagement and its toxic effects several times in my blogs. A lot of my Co-residents informed me they agree with my postings. Others cautioned me, that it is not my job to discuss Staffing and THD Leadership. I agree it is none of my business, but my sense of justice and fairness does not stop me to write on this topic. The rapid employee turnover does not only affect the morale of the Staff but also the Residents, who are the Clients, Paying Monthly Rent for the Operation of the Community. Thus this posting: ( An E-mail-from a former Employee). 
I saw your post and wanted to thank you so much. I just wanted to make sure you knew that --- and I truly loved working for you all. Our passion for the residents at The Heritage was genuine — we had so many creative ideas to share, but unfortunately, that enthusiasm was quickly stifled.
The biggest challenge we faced was the constant micromanagement from leadership. We were never really allowed to do our jobs freely or use our creativity. Despite working overtime, skipping lunches, and doing everything we could to meet our goals each day, we were often told we weren’t doing enough. There was little trust or flexibility to try new approaches — everything had to be done in one specific way, which made it difficult to grow or improve programs for the residents.
Even small things, like adding fresh flowers in the lobby or attending a resident-led talk on Alzheimer’s, were criticized as “wasting time.” That was especially hard for me, as my father passed away from Alzheimer’s, and I genuinely wanted to support that resident and learn from their perspective.
The Heritage has so much potential to be a thriving, joyful community again with supportive, open-minded leadership — people who encourage creativity and trust their team. Unfortunately, that’s not the environment there right now. Many wonderful staff have left because of the stress and lack of appreciation, and it’s heartbreaking to see.
As an example, --- and I had organized two excursions — one to the de Young Museum and another to the Winchester Mystery House — and had already purchased the tickets for nine residents each. Both trips were canceled, which felt like a waste of resources and a missed opportunity for the residents. I also had planned a Day of the Dead celebration to honor Hispanic and Latin culture — complete with sugar skull crafts, a guest speaker, and the movie Coco — but that idea was also shut down.
I genuinely hope today’s Halloween party goes well. I was the one who planned it, though I didn’t get to decorate. I even offered to come in and help to ensure the event went smoothly, but was told no. I just want everyone to enjoy the day and remember why we do what we do — for the residents.
Please keep this between us, but if you feel it’s right, you can share what’s been going on more generally with other residents — just please don’t mention my name. I’m sharing this because I care deeply about The Heritage and everyone there, but I don’t want any conflict or misunderstandings.
There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes — the lack of transparency, the restrictions on staff having real conversations with residents, and the overall environment that leaves employees feeling undervalued. I believe honesty and transparency are the first steps toward making positive change.
If there’s ever a way to help The Heritage move forward, it would be by helping the owners understand that these management issues are hurting both staff and residents. The turnover alone — so many activity directors and front office staff leaving — clearly shows there’s a deeper problem that needs attention.
At first, working there is exciting — you come in full of energy and ideas — but over time, that enthusiasm gets crushed. --- can vouch for everything I’ve said.
Am I upset? Yes, but only because I cared deeply about my job and the residents. I didn’t want to leave, but I couldn’t keep working under constant criticism and micromanagement.
Thank you again, David. I truly hope The Heritage finds its way back to being the warm, joyful community it’s meant to be.
No naming names above but you know who we are talking about.
Personal Note: I would have loved to go to the De Young Museum or Winchester House!
and watch the Movie, Coco.
Regarding Excursions: Limited only to 9 Residents since the Mini-bus is not Functioning. There were a lot of excursions I want to attend, but most of the time I am just a day too late to sign since only the first 9 residents can be accommodated in the Van.
My Take: I am posting this, not to criticize THD management, but they should be aware that rapid employee turnover not only affects the Staff but also US- The Residents who are the CLIENTS and Pay rents to keep the organization going!
Lastly, My Food For Thought For Today:
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