FHCA President Anita Faulmann has been a leader in the long term care profession for more than 30 years. She started her health care journey in therapeutic recreation and began her long term care career as a recreation therapist. She quickly rose up the ranks to become a nursing home administrator, and her experience as a peak performing manager in both the clinical and operational side of the business prepared her for managing mulitifacility level operations for skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in multiple states. Today Anita serves as the Regional Director of Operations for Excelsior Care Group, which operates 9 nursing centers in Florida.
Anita has always been passionate about the profession and, as she worked her way up the leadership ladder in the association, she realized how important it was to leave a legacy that influenced others in a positive way. Inspiring future generations to take a leap of faith and choose this career path is an important part of her presidency. And for Anita, it’s not just a platform. She inspired her son Cort to follow in her footsteps and, today, he is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator and serving as the Operations Manager at Morton Plant Rehabilitation Center on the west coast of Florida. So many of the friends and colleagues that Anita surrounded herself with also inspired their children to choose a similar path. Like Anita, they too recognize that working in long term care brings a sense of purpose, turns residents and caregivers into family, and can be a great steppingstone to kickstart a successful career in health care.
When asked about how she advanced so quickly in the profession, Anita reflected on the decision to attend an FHCA district meeting so many years ago. “Never could I imagine it would have such an impact on me personally and professionally,” she said. “I’m so grateful for the leaders who came before me for pulling me along and helping me see the value in giving back and being part of something bigger than yourself. That’s what working in this profession is really all about.”
The long term care profession can be a rewarding experience, with so many opportunities to make an impact. FHCA can help you find your path. Learn more about how you can choose a career in aging at florida.carefortheaging.org.