Sunrise Villa Culver City Executive Director Earns National Distinction
October 11, 2018
MCLEAN, VA–The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) has named Sahar Edalati, executive director at Sunrise Villa Culver City in Los Angeles as Administrator of the Year for 2018. Sahar is one of four recipients of NCAL’s 2018 Awards Program, which recognizes exemplary assisted living caregivers and programs.
“I am incredibly honored to receive NCAL’s 2018 Administrator of the Year award,” said Sahar. “I feel very fortunate and humbled to be surrounded by such a supportive team, both here in our community and among our Sunrise leadership, all of whom have played a role in helping me to learn and grow in my career. This award is the result of a collective effort among a gifted group of team members who strive to provide personalized care to each of our residents at Sunrise Villa Culver City.”
Sahar earned his bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Aging in 2012 and a master’s in Long-Term Care Administration in 2013, both from the University of Southern California. During his practicum, he lived in an assisted living community where he was affectionately known as “the youngest resident.”
Since becoming executive director at Sunrise Villa Culver City in 2017, Sahar has led the community to attain high employee engagement marks and earn a Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award through NCAL and the American Health Care Association’s National Quality Award Program earlier this year.
One of the ways Sahar helps to enhance residents’ quality of life is by running a monthly poetry class, “Poetic Voices,” for residents as part of Sunrise’s Live With Purpose programming. These eight signature activity programs bring together residents, team members, families, and volunteers, turning each day into an opportunity for everyone to engage in meaningful programming that enriches the mind, body, and spirit.
“Since the very beginning, residents have been at the core of my enthusiasm for working in assisted living. Playing a role in championing quality of life for all seniors is my definition of making a real difference in the world,” said Sahar. “This award reflects the encouraging work environment and quality initiatives that everyone at Sunrise strives to achieve, and serves as yet another dose of encouragement for our team to continue delivering on our commitment: to provide individualized care in a community that is warm, loving, and best represents the interest of our residents.”
That positive work environment was recently demonstrated, as Sunrise ranked No. 7 on Great Place to Work® and Fortune’s list of Best Workplaces for Aging Services, highest among any other like-sized senior living operator.
“Sahar’s enthusiastic dedication to his role as executive director has made a significant impact in the lives of both residents and team members,” said Jeff Slichta, senior vice president of Operations for Sunrise. “We are proud of the way Sahar embodies our Sunrise culture, and we look forward to all that he is destined to accomplish for seniors throughout his career.”
Sahar was recognized along with three other 2018 NCAL Award Program recipients at a luncheon on Sunday, October 7, during this week’s AHCA/NCAL Annual Convention and Expo in San Diego, CA.
As of October 1, 2018, Sunrise Senior Living operated 326 communities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, including 21 Gracewell Healthcare communities, with a total unit capacity of over 29,100. Sunrise offers a full range of personalized senior living services, including independent living, assisted living, care for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of memory loss, as well as nursing and rehabilitative services.