Get to Know Our Health Services Administrator

 Doctor sitting at desk with patient discussing healthcare optionsAs we age, the topic of healthcare becomes an important one. We don’t know if we will experience health problems 10, 20 or 30 years down the road, but we know we need to make a plan for it.

At The Admiral at the Lake you will find our Health Services Administrator, Mark Dubovick, is working hard to continuously improve our healthcare and wellness program. We sat down with Mark and got to learn more about him and the exciting project he has been working on at The Admiral.

Get to Know Mark

Originally a native of Dallas, Texas, Mark moved with his family to Chicago when he was 14 and has been living in Chicago for 26 years. He attended high school in Chicago and decided after graduation to hold off on college and get on the job training.

After obtaining an Associate of Arts degree from the City Colleges of Chicago, Mark went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in management from Loyola University Chicago in 2017. His experience in long-term care goes back to 2001. He has been a licensed emergency medical technician since 2001 and a licensed Nursing Home Administrator since 2007.

Mark loves spending time with his wife and four sons and enjoys living in the West Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago.

A Fulfilling Career in Long-Term Care

What inspired Mark to build a career in long-term care?

“My grandmother suffered from Alzheimer’s and resided in an assisted living community,” he explained. “I was able to visit her and help out as much as I could.”

Mark credits his volunteer work from his youth that inspired him to go into a long-term care career.

“When I did volunteer work in my youth, some of the volunteering included visiting and helping residents at assisted living communities,” he said. “I love people. I love to learn more about them and help them out as much as I can.”

Mark’s wife also has family members who have also made a career in long-term care and was a great source of learning and inspiration.

The Admiral’s Health Services Administrator

Mark’s overall focus as The Admiral’s Health Services Administrator is to oversee the operations of The Harbors health center with additional involvement in the wellness and general healthcare support within The Admiral at the Lake. The Admiral at the Lake includes The Harbors (assisted living), Skilled Nursing and Independent Living at The Admiral.

Mark has been busy working on some new projects at The Admiral at the Lake to continuously improve healthcare in the community. One of those projects is the Alzheimer’s Awareness program, Project Echo.

“We are excited to be one of the 13 communities in the nation to participate in this program,” Mark said.

The six-month program is designed for leaders and staff from assisted living communities to attend sessions focused on key topics of dementia care. These peer to peer collaborative projects helps establish best practices for the care of Alzheimer’s and dementia residents.

“We are also excited about some new changes coming to The Admiral’s healthcare,” he said. “We came up with a whole new idea for our Wellness Clinic to utilize it to its full potential. Our staff brainstormed an idea to have an in-house wellness coordinator, a social worker, a dietician and medical staff for convenient access for the residents.”

“In January, our medical director, Dr. Eric T. Mizuno, will have a walk-in clinic available to residents 5 days a week. We are also working on bringing in more in-house screenings. This is all to help residents keep everything in-house and convenient for them”

Finding Happiness at The Admiral

Even having only started working at The Admiral in 2017, Mark has found joy in being a part of The Admiral family.

“We are a happy group,” Mark explained. “Healthcare can be depressing. The residents here are upbeat and like to continue their lives while still being open to new experiences. There have been many times I have come up to the skilled nursing floor and find residents having spontaneous singing sessions with staff.”

Mark also enjoys working with the staff at The Admiral.

“We want to make sure that each member fits The Admiral culture. You will find that the staff want to be helpful and want to build a relationship with the residents. For example, we have a staff member that works in the kitchen but is very good at playing the piano. During his breaks, he will sit and play the piano for the residents. He wasn’t asked to, he wants to.”

Advice to Those Considering The Admiral

What advice does Mark give to those considering a lifecare community?

“Make the move sooner. The Admiral has so much to offer. Not only are you getting on-site, priority access to all levels of care, but you are also gaining new family members!”

Ready to see what The Admiral at the Lake has to offer you? Schedule a tour with us and see for yourself. We also offer a Be Our Guest program where you can experience the lifestyle at The Admiral for a few days. Call us at 866-919-9072 or fill out our contact form to schedule.