Episode #66: “Changing the Story of Assisted Living” with Tony Gimbrone of Manor Lake

In Episode 63, we opened up one of the most personalconversations we’ve ever had on Frugalocity—digging into “the emotional side of caregiving, the grief, the second guessing, the stress and the unpredictability”. That episode sparked something important for us: a desire to move from the emotional weight of caregiving toward the hope,support, and dignity that the right senior living environment can offer.Of course, this curiosity led us back to a place we alreadyknew—Manor Lake Senior Living—a community that left a strong impression when we visited. And in today’s episode, we’re grateful to have Tony Gimbrone, Senior Director of Marketing at Manor Lake, join us to tell the Manor Lake story from the inside.Tony has more than two decades of experience in seniorhousing, and he shared how Manor Lake’s identity is rooted in something rare: local ownership, hands‑on leadership, and a founder who built the first communityfor his own mother. As Tony explained, “you walk into any of our communities and you may find Mr. Creekmore… talking to residents, talking to staff, speaking with families”. His personal investment shapes everything—from the vibrant atmosphere to the high expectations for care.We also explored the innovative side of Manor Lake,including their use of AI‑powered fall‑prevention technology in memory care. Tony explained that their "Augi" system analyses resident behavior, provides real-time alerts to staff, and helps minimize unnecessary hospital visits.  Ashe put it, “it’s been a tremendous help… it helps peace of mind for the families also”. In addition, Tony mentioned their “It’s Never Too Late” system that allows patients to travel virtually anywhere which helps those with memory issues. But beyond the tech, Tony helped us understand the emotional journey families go through—the fears, the objections, the desire for independence, and the need for compassion. He talked about how Manor Lakeapproaches both adult children seeking solutions and seniors seeking choice, emphasizing that “we try to make it their idea, make it not scary”.This episode is about reframing assisted living—not as“giving up,” but as gaining community, safety, engagement, and dignity. It’s about helping families see what’s possible when a place is built with intention and run with heart.And we’re genuinely thankful Tony joined us to share howManor Lake is doing that work every day.Links and Sites we follow: FrugalocityDrink Choffy, use Richard15 for a 15% discount on Choffy brewed CacoaShampoochieGeorgia Real Estate Depot Manor LakeSnoophoggyhawg and Frugalocity2Encourage Wellness and Performance