At Senior Lifestyle, we believe exceptional senior living begins with compassionate leaders who inspire their teams and make a meaningful difference in the lives of residents and families. Harlan Dunn, executive director of Walden Place in Cortland, New York, is one of those leaders, and his peers across the state have taken notice.
Harlan has received the Empire State Association of Assisted Living (ESAAL) All-Star Award, a statewide honor recognizing individuals who go above and beyond in their commitment to assisted living.
Since joining Walden Place in November 2024, Harlan has focused on building a supportive team culture, strengthening relationships with residents and families and creating a community where everyone feels safe, supported and right at home. His leadership reflects Senior Lifestyle’s HEART values.
A Passion for Serving Others
Before entering senior living, Harlan built a career in nonprofit management and human services. He worked in residential programs for at-risk youth and for adults experiencing homelessness or housing instability, as well as in domestic violence programs. That experience serving individuals and families helped shape his approach to leadership.
“I shifted toward senior living after personal experiences drew my focus to making senior living better for my family and community, with this being my passion for the last eight years or so,” Harlan said.
Today that passion guides his work at Walden Place, where he is dedicated to creating a great place to work and a great place to live.
Leading with HEART
At Senior Lifestyle, our HEART values of Hospitality, Excellence, Appreciation, Respect and Teamwork guide every interaction and decision, shaping how we serve residents and support one another.
For Harlan, strong leadership starts with empowering team members to succeed.
“I focus on creating a positive and healthy work environment that promotes the strengths of my team and putting them in a position to be at their best and succeed,” he said.
In practice, that means recognizing and reinforcing good work and learning how to overcome challenging obstacles. It also means spending quality time with every member of the team, whether to provide coaching, offer support or share a laugh.
“The real secret to our success is that our program is rooted in love, hospitality, excellence, appreciation, respect and teamwork to foster a real family atmosphere with strong values,” Harlan said.
Asked what going above and beyond looks like in senior living, Harlan kept his answer simple: hard work, patience, understanding and accepting a responsibility that means putting others first.
Making a Meaningful Difference for Residents and Families
One of the most rewarding parts of Harlan’s role is helping families step back from managing daily care so they can simply enjoy time together.
“It is the most rewarding feeling when we see the family dynamic change for a senior moving into our community, where we can take on the caregiving role and allow families to spend their time together reminiscing on old memories and making new ones,” he said.
Residents and families also have a real voice in how Walden Place runs.
“The residents and families are the people I answer to,” Harlan said. “We have several platforms in place for them to influence our leadership team, and they really do have the steering wheel in how we manage the house, set rules, how we eat, play, enjoy each other’s company and so much more.”
At the heart of these relationships is one essential value: trust.
“Residents need to trust that we have their best interests first and will honor their person-centered service plan,” he said. “Families need to trust that we will take care of their loved ones like they are our very own, and our team members need to trust in ourselves and each other to be at our best.”
Celebrating the Team Behind Walden Place
While the ESAAL All-Star Award is a personal honor, Harlan is quick to credit the team members whose dedication makes Walden Place a special place to live and work.
“I am always proud of my team for all of their tireless hard work and dedication to the residents and families,” he said.
He is also proud of Embrace, Walden Place’s memory care program, which uses evidence-based programming models to support residents living with cognitive and memory challenges. The goal, in Harlan’s words, is to help residents “strive for the perfect day and live their best life.”
Harlan also expressed gratitude for the many families who trust Walden Place to support their loved ones, recognizing the responsibility and privilege that come with that trust.
Recognizing the Value of Assisted Living
Reflecting on the purpose behind assisted living, Harlan emphasized the importance of helping older adults maintain their quality of life, build meaningful connections and receive support before a crisis makes a transition necessary.
For families considering senior living, exploring options early can provide more opportunities to make informed decisions and find a community that aligns with their loved one’s needs and preferences. This perspective reflects a broader commitment to helping older adults experience the benefits of community, connection and personalized support.
Better Together
Receiving the ESAAL All-Star Award is not only a personal achievement but also an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the people, programs and experiences that make Walden Place unique.
“It is always meaningful to be recognized by my industry, organization and colleagues. I am excited that it could bring more attention to our wonderful community at Walden Place, and to bring more awareness to the greater Cortland community on how special and valuable Walden Place is.”
Looking ahead, Harlan hopes Walden Place’s commitment to quality care and services will inspire continued excellence throughout the local senior living industry.
“With Walden Place setting such a high bar for quality care and services, we want to uplift other providers to meet the same standards and quality of service for all seniors in the greater Cortland community, not just those residing within our walls.”
At Senior Lifestyle, we are proud to celebrate leaders who demonstrate the power of compassionate service and strong community connections. This well-deserved recognition reflects the dedication, teamwork and commitment to residents and families that help make Walden Place a place where people feel at home.
