LINN — Nearly two decades after leaving India to begin a new life in the United States, Roystan Pais has come full circle in his healthcare career.

A physician by training who transitioned into healthcare administration after arriving in America, Pais is now the owner of Harbor Place Retirement Living, formerly Harbor Place Estates in Linn, bringing with him years of experience managing senior living communities while embracing a philosophy centered on personal relationships rather than large institutions.

“I really fell in love with this place,” said Pais, who lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Angela, and daughters, Kinsley, 12, and Brielle, 10. “I just want to continue that legacy.”

Angela is from Eldon, and earned her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from UMKC at Kansas City.

Roystan Pais came to the United States about 18 years ago after practicing medicine in India. Rather than continuing as a physician, he earned an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and entered the administrative side of healthcare.

Over the years, he managed nursing homes for several large organizations, including Brookdale Senior Living in Kansas City, oversaw Missouri’s Veterans Homes, and later managed a nonprofit nursing home in Columbia.

Those experiences ultimately convinced him that bigger wasn’t necessarily better.

While working in Columbia, Pais toured a small 15-resident assisted-living community called Lake George Senior Living. Watching staff members interact with residents left a lasting impression.

“I really liked that model instead of these 100-bed or 150-bed facilities,” he said. “The staff knew all the residents. They knew about them. I really liked that.”

When the owner retired, Pais purchased the facility in 2022.

His introduction to Harbor Place followed a similar path. Pais had known Bruce Wiley, who founded the facility in 2018, for several years and had seen the Linn facility while considering building something similar in the Jefferson City area.

“I visited him, and I really liked this property,” Pais said. “Linn is a small town, very welcoming, and this was run really well. It had a good staff. Gina was the director here. I really fell in love with this place.”

For roughly two years, conversations about a possible purchase remained informal before becoming serious about six months before the sale. Pais officially acquired Harbor Place on May 1.

Rather than making sweeping changes, Pais said preserving what already works is his highest priority.

“My goal is to continue,” he said. “They’re doing an awesome job. There is no reason to change any staff here.”

Director Gina Huckstep will remain in her leadership role, providing continuity for residents, families, and employees. Pais said Harbor Place’s approximately 25 staff members have all chosen to remain with the facility, something he views as one of its greatest strengths.

Huckstep noted that staff members hired at Harbor Place either have experience or are trained to be L1MA. “It is very important that staff understand and respect residents they are caring for,” she said. “Good leadership is where the care starts. Leadership needs to be involved in the care, be involved, and support the staff in the facility. If leadership is good to the staff and respect them, staff will respect residents, families, and the leadership.”

Huckstep acknowledged that she was worried about the change. “Why wouldn’t I be? Bruce was behind the scenes, and trusted me to care for Harbor Place Estates for almost eight years,” she added.

There was nothing else she really wanted to do. “Harbor Place is my second home and I wouldn’t want to change,” said Huckstep. “So, here I am still caring for the ones I love, and I love who works for us. I love the facility I have cared for. I pull in the parking lot in the mornings thinking I am blessed to say that I made Harbor Place Retirement Living the place it is today. Our staff members are behind me for all the decisions that I make, and I am behind them.”

Other staff members are part-time LPN Suzanne Massman, L1MAs Abby Reeves, Marissa McCurdy, Ava Warren, Brenda Lange, Monica Rost, Marjorie Shoults, Greg Reeves, Trinity Phillips, Autumn Baker, Chapel Dobbs, Ellie Monnette, and JoDee Bock, assistants Claire Helmig, Anna Plume, and Brenna Ocheskey, and Dietary employees Cassey Dudenhoeffer, Sherry Niederhelm, Mary Kay Pope, and Amy Holtschneider.

Although daily operations will remain familiar, Pais hopes to gradually expand healthcare services available to residents without changing Harbor Place’s home-like atmosphere.

Among the possibilities are arranging for a primary care physician to make regular visits at the facility, expanding nursing coverage, and introducing consultant pharmacy services to review medications and reduce unnecessary prescriptions.

“When people get older, they want to see the doctor more often,” Pais said. “If I can bring that primary care physician to the facility, they can get those services without leaving.”

He also hopes that additional on-site medical support could reduce unnecessary emergency room and urgent care visits while allowing residents to receive care more comfortably.

Pais also hopes to utilize the expertise of his wife, Angela, a geriatric consultant pharmacist for CVS who reviews medication regimens in nursing homes.

He said she may eventually provide monthly medication reviews at Harbor Place, helping physicians identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary prescriptions while improving resident care.

Pais emphasized that conversations with residents, families, and employees will guide any future improvements.

“My main thing is that I’m still new,” he said. “I want to talk to the staff. I want to talk to the residents here, and I want to talk to their families. I want to know what they really want.”

Underlying every decision, he said, is a belief that smaller communities create better care.

“I don’t want to have 100 residents,” Pais said. “Smaller is better because the staff knows these people. They know this person gets up at 7 o’clock. They know this person shouldn’t be awakened until 10. When you have constant staff turnover and very large facilities, no one wins.”

Having managed facilities with hundreds of residents, Pais said Harbor Place represents the kind of environment he wants to build his future around.

“I’ve done that,” he said of larger operations. “If you’re looking only at the money, that’s one thing. But if you’re looking at providing good care, this is the model.”

She agrees with Pais that knowing each resident is important. “I usually can look at a resident and say hey you don’t feel good or you’re in pain,” said Huckstep. “I know our residents. I wish some of the physicians would realize we know what the residents need. Roystan has met with some of our family members, residents, and staff. He has found out that our residents are special along with family and friends. Now, for our staff we are all crazy and love to have fun. As I said in the beginning, I am here to take care of residents, family, and our staff.”

Two months into ownership, Pais said he has already been encouraged by the community’s reception.

“Linn is very welcoming,” he said. “It’s a small community, but very welcoming.”

The 13,000 square foot facility is a single-floor brick building, with a screened porch, patio, and sidewalk encircling the structure so residents can walk. Harbor Place was constructed by RS Construction of Holts Summit.

Each private suite has ample storage space, a flat-screen television, cable TV, and wi-fi (both included in the monthly cost), a small refrigerator, and a private bathroom and walk-in shower. An emergency call system is in both the bathroom and bedroom areas. In-room heating and air-conditioning systems allow for individual comfort.

The residential care facility also includes a state-of-the-art fire-suppression system with smoke alarms, water sprinklers throughout the building, and auto-dial to the local fire department.

Harbor Place of Linn provides three home-cooked meals a day, served restaurant-style, along with snacks and beverages, housekeeping and personal laundry services, an activities program designed to stimulate senior citizens and provide fun and entertainment, and supervised care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services from local churches and civic organizations are also available.

Harbor Place also provides physical and occupational therapy (PT/OT) services to residents after obtaining physician’s orders for such therapy.

Harbor Place Estates represents more than another business acquisition. It is an opportunity to continue a model of senior care he believes allows residents to be known as individuals rather than by room numbers.

“It’s already a great place,” he said. “Now I want to make it even better.”

For more information or to schedule a tour, contact Huckstep at 573-897-2100.