Show notes
As we honour and celebrate the life of Ron Schlegel, we're sharing this conversation again. Ron sat down with us on the Green Bench for Episode 7. Listening back now, it feels like a gift. His voice, his joy and his belief in the wisdom of our elders are all here, and they still guide everything we do.
Episode #7 | A look back, a look ahead and a look inside with Ron Schlegel.
The Green Bench and the Schlegel Villages Wisdom of the Elder signature program both come from Ron's message about the importance of tapping into the wisdom around us.
"The greatest untapped resource in Canada, if not the world, is the collective wisdom of our elders."
What is wisdom? Ron talks about his father, Wilfred, and the role model he was to Ron and his grandchildren. He also shares what it means to run senior living as a family business, and the roles his sons Jamie, Brad and Rob play.
Learn how the design of Schlegel Villages retirement and long-term care homes in Ontario came to be. Ron wanted each Village to be a social place that gives people purpose and joy. You'll also hear how the Villages got their names.
"It doesn't matter whether one is 35 or 85, we should be enjoying life to the fullest."
Ron gives advice to business leaders, talks about servant leadership and explains why research drives innovation. "It's not what we do, it is what we enable others to do."
A twin mix-up: hear how Ron MacLean mistook Jamie for Brad during an Olympic hockey final, and more stories from the 1992 Olympics.
"Be yourself, be true to yourself, don't try to be something you are not." - Ron Schlegel
Thank you, Ron, for teaching us to sit down, listen and learn from one another.
If this episode means something to you, please share it with someone who knew Ron or who would have enjoyed meeting him. You can also share your memories and thoughts on social media using #ElderWisdom.
The Green Bench is a symbol of elder wisdom. In person or online, the bench invites all of us to sit beside a senior, share a conversation, and give or receive advice.
It challenges the stigma seniors face and the ageism that is still so common in society. It reminds us how much wisdom our elders have to offer, and in doing so, it helps restore them to a place of reverence.
"The greatest untapped resource in Canada, if not the world, is the collective wisdom of our elders." - Ron Schlegel
This podcast is brought to you by Schlegel Villages, retirement and long-term care homes in Ontario, Canada.
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