RetirementHomes.com - retirement homes

One doesn't live to eat, but eats to live.

aadmin — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 09:11:36 +0000

“Freedom from Want” Norman Rockwell’s 1943 painting is the Iconic American Dinner with Family centered around an abundance of food in a typical American dining room with smiles, engagement and life.

For most seniors this is what dinner is supposed to be. Moving to assisted living changes everything with family missing & being replaced by strangers, the dining room turned into the restaurant and food that is meant for nourishment versus to be enjoyed.

By definition Food means a substance that can be ingested in order to maintain life and grow. By this definition this could be anything that helps keep you alive but adds no value to your life.

Eating by definition means to take into the body by mouth or absorption. The act of eating in itself does not offer pleasure, connection or satisfaction.

In order to understand the smiles in the Norman Rockwell painting you need to feel the warmth of the setting, hear the conversations and smell the turkey and pie. “Freedom from Want” the title of the painting is what senior living supply’s at a minimum but I believe the title misleads us into thinking that having food equates to the happiness in the painting. I propose that the Italians understand the concept better and we would be wise to follow their lead.

There are several Italian sayings that apply to the idea of eating and happiness:

Chi mangia e non invita, possa strozzarsi con ogni mollica. (He who eats alone and invites no one, will choke with every crumb.)

Chi mangia solo crepa solo. (He who eats alone dies alone.)

But the best is:

Non si vive per mangiare ma si mangia per vivere.
One doesn't live to eat, but eats to live.

The play on words is critical. It is about living life to its fullest not sustaining oneself.

Connection is critical to the Italian meal. If you happen to be sitting alone at a table in Italy it won’t be too long before you are asked to join another table.

While eating is seen differently in most cultures, everyone agrees when you break bread with others it creates a bond that is otherwise difficult to create.

Couple these facts with the understanding that today’s seniors were not part of the fast food generation. Per Harvard Magazine May-June 2013 The Way We Eat Now by Craig Lambert “The 1950s were also an era in which the kitchen—not the television room—was the heart of the home.”

Careful consideration needs to be taken in providing multiple dining options as the Breakfast nook or table was different for most seniors than the dinner table. Lunch could mean either place depending on the formality and who was invited. Yet most senior living still offers one space for dining that looks more like a restaurant than a home.

Couple the change in environment for meals with the change in menu per environment and add fantastic food that you would want to eat at daily and we transform “Freedom from want” into “One doesn't live to eat, but eats to live.”

Tags:

Health and Wellness

retirement homes

senior care

Categories:

Management

Marketing

Senior Living Professionals

6 Ways Nutrition Pros Need to Be Leading Now

aadmin — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 10:29:47 +0000

All the recent emphasis on resident-centered care, liberalizing diets, and implementing QAPI has many food and nutrition professionals wondering, “What is my role in all this?”

In some ways, we will be doing what we’ve always done: working to help people understand the connection between nutritious food and good health. In other ways, we’re being challenged like never before to support positive clinical and emotional outcomes for residents and provide community leadership.

Help lead your community to greater success by:

Teaching people to enjoy healthful eating. The move to liberalize diets requires we create fun, positive educational programs that teach residents and staff about healthy food choices. We can’t assume folks know about nutrition basics; many don’t. Helping people embrace nutritious food and enjoy it is now an essential part of our work. Encourage development of a cooking club, plant a community garden, or "travel the world" together by exploring healthy foods from a variety of ethnic traditions. Use your creativity to promote healthy eating as something desirable, not something "the dietitian says we have to do."
Embracing your changing role in resident-centered dining environments. Change is often emotionally challenging, especially for people who feel they have little control over their environment and life. Stepping out of our clinical focus, taking a more holistic approach, and demonstrating positive attitudes about resident-centered dining will support residents and staff who are struggling to adapt to the changes in our dining rooms.
Honoring resident food preferences. RDs, DTRs, CDMs and chefs need to work together to plan healthy dishes that honor residents’ food preferences. You might not be able to convince a retired rancher to order a plate of tofu stir fry for dinner, but he could be very accepting of some turnip mashed in with his potatoes. Ask residents about healthy foods they already like. Perhaps they've been wishing for a certain vegetable dish or miss red beans and rice for supper. Highlight menu items that already work well, talk them up.
Helping identify issues and solutions. QAPI requires communities identify problems and find preventative, forward-thinking solutions that are systems based. Be an early adopter. When food and nutrition professionals take an active role in the QAPI process, we are better positioned to ensure residents’ mealtime needs are being met, which is a key factor in residents’ well-being and satisfaction.
Creating hospitable dining environments where staff help meet residents' emotional needs and both truly enjoy mealtimes: When the dining room is a pleasant, social place, residents eat better because they are dining for quality of life as well as nutrition. Communities that focus on nurturing genuine hospitality during meals, report fewer residents refusing to eat and lower rates of unexpected weight loss because residents feel more connected in the dining room and staff are more skilled at honoring residents' preferences.
Fostering interdepartmental teamwork. It’s easy to get stuck in our individual orbits, focusing on our own perspective and departmental needs, but the organization-wide changes demanded by QAPI and other new regulatory and industry standards require taking a wider look at the care our communities deliver and teaming up to raise standards. As community leaders, food and nutrition professionals are key influencers. Model and encourage teamwork across departmental lines to help other staff members adopt new, more resident centered, cooperative attitudes and behaviors.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of good nutrition and meeting residents’ social needs at mealtimes. A great deal of their health and well-being depends on what happens at the table. For their sakes, the leadership of food and nutrition professionals matters more than ever.

About the Author

Cindy Heilman, MS, DTR has over 30 years of experience enhancing hospitality and food service quality. She is CEO of Higher Standards, LLC, author of Hospitality for Boomers: How to attract residents, retain staff, and maximize profitability, and creator of Kind Dining® curriculum, her unique program that improves serving staff in senior living communities. She’s active in Oregon’s culture change coalition, has been recognized as Oregon’s Dietetic Technician of the Year, and received the American Dietetic Association (ADA) National Award for Excellence in Dietetic Technology. She speaks, trains, and consults nationally on raising service standards in senior living communities.

Tags:

Categories:

Senior Living Professionals

5 Brilliant Marketing Strategies to Fill your New Residence

aadmin — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:50:16 +0000

1. Onsite Sales Trailer

2. Model Rooms in the property 3-6 months prior to the opening

3. Go Viral

4. Open House

5. Decorator Show House

Business plans have wonderful data that if you ask most businesses never comes true, or rarely how it was supposed to. Expectations are often too lofty, and little emphasis is placed on how much money will be lost on a daily basis if the building does not open on time, or fill at the rate that was dictated in the proforma to make the numbers work, and obtain financing.

I am not saying that people manipulate numbers to get financing. The numbers are researched and well thought out, but often bogus. The data comes from self-reporting, and everyone wants to look good, so it’s like asking a woman how much she weighs……….you’re never going to get the truth even if you’re looking at the scale!

The most brilliant ways I have seen to get your home full as fast as possible are deceptively simple. What is it that they say? “Don’t confuse simple with easy”.

Onsite marketing Trailer
Why do you need an onsite sales trailer? American’s (or at least the majority of them) prefer to see, touch and feel prior to buying. That’s why we have so many car dealerships. We love to build and see the progress and there is no better view than from the parking lot of the new senior living home.

The key is to make the trailer not feel like a trailer. Fit it out with the same carpet, wall covering, drapes, artwork and furniture that will be in the home. Deck out the exterior with shutters, plants and easy access. Give them a taste of what their new home will be and start a dialog of trust. This is not a scam where their deposit will never be seen again! This is reality and care has been taken in design even though this is temporary space.

Model Rooms in the property 3-6 months prior to the opening
Building out a portion of the new senior living for tours is not easy. Contractors, Designers and code officials all need to coordinate to accomplish this. Temporary walls need to go in place as well as safe entrance access that may need to be torn up later. Furniture, Wall covering, Artwork, Flooring, Drapes and accessories all need to be ordered ahead of schedule and coordinated.

The result however is exponentially better than a sales trailer that can be hooked up to a truck and disappear in minutes. This is REAL. No guessing, No Excuses. Potential residents will see exactly what they will get and this helps to seal the deal for those still on the fence. The Model rooms also have another benefit. They serve as a full scale mock-up to work out all the design details up front which makes the senior living home even better. Think of a Marketing trailer as seeing the clothes on the rack and the Model Rooms as being able to try on the clothes.

Go Viral

Seniors are one of the largest growing markets on the internet. Photos of progress and even a live web cam will be shared from early residents to all of their friends (your target market) and family via Facebook, and email if you give them access.

Build excitement and celebrate those who have made the decision to move out of their home and go on their journey with you. Facebook was created to connect roommates prior to moving in together. It’s perfect for this move from being alone to reconnecting with other people who will be on the same journey.

Open House
There are three types of open houses – don’t confuse them.
· Open Houses for potential residents

· Open houses for potential staff

· Open houses for referrals of potential residents

When you mix up the true intended guests of the party you will get lack luster results and then sit back and say that open houses don’t work and are a waste of time and money. You need to make them feel special and have the guest speakers, food, entertainment, time and date perfect for who you are targeting.

Decorator’s Show House
I am aware that this has not been done. You’re showing off a new home right? Why not make it into a Decorator's Show house giving local decorator's apartments to mock up and show how wonderful their new home could be? You could get TV and Radio coverage and have a ton of fun in the process.

Have speakers stationed throughout the home on topics like: Downsizing, Working out, Computer Skills, Banking and Retirement, Wii Bowling, Senior Supplements, Hearing, Moving, etc. Think of anything or anybody that a senior may need to have a wonderful quality of life. The speakers can even help to underwrite the event. If done well this could be a breakthrough event for potential residents that may have never considered themselves a fit for senior living.

Tags:

Categories:

Senior Living Professionals

Toronto Nuns Go Green in Retirement

aadmin — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:21:48 +0000

For 58 elderly nuns in Toronto, Canada, a fitting retirement is at hand. They have selflessly cared for the poor, sick and disadvantaged for a lifetime, now they are receiving a well-deserved thanks in retirement.

Even after a working life the sisters can contribute with a prayer partner, contact new immigrants to offer advice or assist staff and visitors.

The retirement building where they live is deemed by the Toronto Star to be "a marvel of modernity, built to the highest standards of environmental sensitivity: solar panels, rain-collection barrels, geothermal heating and cooling, a green roof and even permeable pavers in the parking lot to reduce water runoff."

The Sisters of St. Joseph wanted a building with proximity to nature to enliven their work and prayer lives. The views from the rooms are expansive and accessible to the smells and sounds of nature.

“We wanted simplicity,” Sister Margaret Myatt told The Star. “We wanted it to be as green a building as possible, to respect nature, and to be efficient and sustainable.”

The 4-story building has a ground floor area with a lobby. The second and third floors are utilized as a care center for residents. The top floor is an assisted-living area for the nuns.

In 1891, the Sisters of St. Joseph of founded St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto which has become an internationally-renowned health care facility. As well, they founded Toronto's St. Joseph's Hospital.

Tags:

assisted living

older people

retirement homes

Categories:

Family and Personal Care

Will the real Senior please step forward…….

aadmin — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:58:12 +0000

Designers, Architects, Operators and Owners are all challenged with this question. Who we are designing for has never been this daunting. The data is not only complex but also confusing in the 21st century of senior living.

Some key factors that muddies the waters are:

Seniors are living longer than ever
Society is no longer split between agricultural and industrial
Generational shifts from “WE” to “ME” Expectations Vary Greatly and the Age of Entitlement
The Onset of cheap Travel and Air-conditioning
The Six Million Dollar Man & Healthcare improvements
The American Demographic Shift
Global Communication, Living and the Information Age

Seniors are living longer than ever.

Seniors ages range now from 55-120 years of age. This is the largest span of approximately 65 years to be considered seniors since Noah and the flood. With this age range we are dealing with major generational differences, interior tastes, entertainment tastes and health issues. A recent cover of AARP featuring Bruce Springsteen points this out all too clearly.

Society is no longer split between agricultural and industrial
Are you a farmer, factory worker, home-maker, merchant, academic or white collar worker? These all fit nicely into what was portrayed on the Archie Griffin Show. With the Information age taking hold we now have Betty White with her new show “Off their rockers” which pits seniors playing practical jokes on the younger population. Some seniors are tied into Facebook and others still read the newspaper.

Generational shifts from “WE” to “ME” Expectations Vary Greatly and the Age of Entitlement
A recent book Pendulum: How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future by Michael Drew, tracks the We and Me generations and how important it is that you understand which you are marketing too. Guess what? You’re marketing to both! The main point defines 20 year cycles. “We” Avoid Hype and pretense. To understand this better think about James Bond and how he has changed through these cycles.

The Onset of Cheap Travel and Air-conditioning
What could this possibly have to do with seniors and better yet Retirement and Senior Living? Air-conditioning opened up the west. Places like Vegas, Phoenix, Florida would not have been retirement havens without the invention and affordability of Air Conditioning. How many seniors do you hear about retiring to a “colder” climate?

Cheap Travel shored up these moves by allowing seniors to reduce their guilt when moving to the Sunshine states by being able to affordably travel back or have others travel to them with cost effective flights and car travel. The impact on this is tremendous as Designers and Operators no longer have a pulse on how their clients grew up, what they did for a living and what it comforting to them and important. When designing in Detroit for instance it is a much better bet that I can understand the culture of residents than the seniors in Naples, FL. Colors, Style, mannerisms and scale of space are all impacted by where we grew up and raised our kids. As designers we are trying to achieve that feeling of driving back into your home town that is both familiar and comforting.

The Six Million Dollar Man & Healthcare improvements
We are not only living longer but with the advent of 3-D tissue and kidney printing, Joint Replacements and Neuroplasticity the game is changing almost as fast as the doubling capacity of the mircochip. Changes will get faster and faster with researchers being able to connect and collaborate worldwide via the internet. Most of your residents are already some type of cyborg with hearing aides, knee and hip replacements, lens replacements and dentures. Add in Pacemakers and insulin ports automated by a computer system a state away and we have truly surpassed Steven Austin.

The American Demographic Shift
Private Pay Senior living 20 years ago was primarily white Christian. We are starting to see a massive shift depending on where you live in North American and this will change the interiors requirements and aesthetics of a home. Healthcare experienced this several years ago when waiting rooms had to be greatly increased when Hispanic patients were admitted as their family unit was much larger from a standpoint of how many came to support a loved one during a procedure or visit. Religious spaces will also become more definitive as a “Christian” type chapel will no longer work for the majority in some cases.

Global Communication, Living and the Information Age
The largest impact to how we market and design comes from living in the information age and the global connection we have to news, research, wars, technology and advice. This is apparent when you see that Wii Bowling, Luminosity, I pads, Hulu, Skype and Senior Products purchased online. Show a senior how to access and use these tools and entertainment and if they see value they adopt almost as quickly as a teenager. The future will see growing senior communities with online brain games, dating services and second opinions for health concerns.

With all of this information which is sometimes conflicting it’s no wonder that there is never a shortage of opinions regarding what seniors want today. The key is too look deeper and build in flexibility. The changes are happening faster and faster to what is possible and who we are designing for and yet a chair is still a chair. It may be able to aide you in getting out of it but for now but it still is a place for you to sit. So who is the real senior? They are everyone in a different time and place. We need to think past designing for ADA and think into universal design. A peek into the future reveals that Robotics will change forever how seniors are cared for in the next ten years but that is a discussion for another day.

Tags:

management

retirement homes

Categories:

Management

Senior Living Professionals

Value Engineering Your Interior Design Project

aadmin — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:06:45 +0000

As and Interior Designer it is my job to give you great ideas for your buildings' interiors. We do the design presentation and everyone is excited about how the project is going to look. We start construction, we do some renderings and marketing, and then you receive the dreaded call that in construction they ran into a change order from the GC or contractor, and we must “Value Engineer”.

This call then typically means getting rid of all the nice stuff that was presented in the Interior Design package to the client. Right away everyone wants to find cheaper flooring materials, delete the wall-covering accents, decrease the artwork, and find furniture that looks the same but for 50% less. This usually happens in a rush, so construction is not delayed, and everyone reacts fast. I’m here to tell you what you should do and not do when you face this same situation. Reacting fast is not the answer and may get you a building that looks nothing like you signed off to have built. I have been too many site visits where projects have been “Value Engineered” and the interior designer was not involved. Yes- Disaster. Follow the simple steps below.

1. Contact your Interior Designer, Architect, and GC and set up a meeting to discuss the following. Give the Interior Designer a week to prepare to discuss the other items below.

2. The Interior Designer should contact all their sales representatives and see if there is anyway to get finish products that were specified for less. This may mean doing the same carpet with a different backing or yarn system, but you can keep quality and the look. At the same time the GC should be working with all the sub-contractors to see if they can tighten their labor bids. Another option when it comes to finishes is to go simple and less expensive in non-common areas. Keep in mind flooring is the foundation of the design, and usually is the one material that stays in a building the longest, so you want to keep quality flooring in key areas.

3. Have the interior designer go over the quality difference on items such as vinyl plank, vinyl tile, and sheet vinyl. Sometime terminology on these items can be confusing and you need to make sure they are going to last in the environment they are specified. An easy switch to make it vinyl tile that looks like stone –VS- porcelain tile. This can save a lot of money. If tile is required per code in your state then do the plumbing walls only in designated spaces as needed.

4. Paint can be fun and decorative, so it is ok to delete some of the wall-covering accents. I suggest us fun paint accents, and to keep textured wall-covering accents only in a lobby or reception area.

5. Plastic laminate is ok to be used on work surfaces and is available in some fun inexpensive patterns. Use granite and engineered stone only on transaction counters and areas where food equipment may require a harder material. Never let anyone talk you into cultured marble or plastic laminate for food service areas, it will not last a year. There are new cultured marbles on the market that look like granite and natural stone that can be used on vanity tops for half the cost.

6. See if there is millwork in the project that is not necessary in areas that will not be seen by the general public. This can be hidden money when you need $ to keep items in your lobby and reception areas. See if there is a cheaper wood in your area. By using a species that is more abundant in your area you may be able to save money. Look at options of pre-finished doors and millwork that may be less. Also look at the price difference for painted wood –VS- stained wood. Also is there a space that the cabinetry can be replaced with a furniture piece for less, a perfect example of this would be a hospitality station could be a console server –VS- cabinets with a countertop.

7. Artwork is important, so look at changing out the framing with your designer and art consultant, or going with less matting, or different glass. Buy only stock prints –VS- originals or expensive prints. If you still have to decrease the budget, work with your designer to designate an area for resident artwork, or local artists to display work. Recently my daughter’s school did pieces and they took the top 5 in each class and had them framed and installed at a local medical building. The staff said they got more comments on that art than the old art prints they use to display. It also can be beneficial to work with the local historical society to see if they would like to display pieces and work and change it out monthly.

8. Look at less expensive signage that still goes with your design and brand.

9. Lighting is important to any project, and I suggest you keep the decorative fixtures, but ask your lighting consultant to make suggestions for areas like the units, storage, closets, secondary spaces, and areas the public does not see. One thing to keep in mind, do not value engineer the over-bed light in the units, this can be an eyesore to a great design.

10. Furniture can be the most tricky when trying to cut dollars. My advice is make sure the replacement is still ergonomically correct for seniors. Stay with a protective finish such as Crypton with a less expensive pattern. Find ways to keep the best fabric in each space, and re-select the accent pieces or the actual manufacturer of the furniture to get the same vision.

11. Window treatments can also be tricky. Simple sophisticated valances can be a nice replacement for drapery. Sheers in common areas are going to be less than faux wood blinds or solar shades.

Most of all work with your design and construction team as a group, when these items are looked at together, the outcome is sure to be one you are happy with.

Tags:

Categories:

Senior Living Professionals

Austin Texas Develops Senior Urban Village

aadmin — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:22:49 +0000

The board of the Rebekah Baines Johnson Center in Austin, Texas, is looking for a partner to redevelop 18 acres of prime real estate overlooking Lady Bird Lake. The American-Stateman wrote that the housing project is intended for low-income senior citizens in East Austin.

The center also provides housing for people with disabilities. The increase in units will provide new residential, retail and commercial development.

Austin Geriatric Center, a nonprofit corporation, which owns and manages the Rebekah Baines Johnson Center, told the American-Statesman that it will seek proposals from developers with proven track record and finances to assist the board in the redevelopment of the site.

Nearby diversification via grocery stores, restaurants, a health clinic and skilled nursing facilities, will create a veritable senior housing urban village. The goal is to incorporate retail and commercial development for residents and the surrounding community.

The city is creating a master plan for 100 acres of green space near the RBJ project which could galvanize developer interest on the national level. The Rebekah Baines Johnson Center opened in 1972 and was named for President Lyndon B. Johnson's mother.

An Austin real estate expert noted that the location and size of the parcel should enable the development of another catalytic project on the near east side.

Many Assisted Living and Continuing Care residences are moving towards the urban village concept.

Tags:

assisted living facility

retirement homes

Categories:

Assisted Living

CCRC Continuing Care Retirement Communities

Senior Living

Stress increases risk for Alzheimer's

aadmin — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:04:03 +0000

Researchers from the University of Minho in Portugal and Germany recently concluded that adverse life events, such as stress, can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease by releasing hormones that accelerate the growth of some biochemical and behavioral effects.

They also found that stress can trigger a surge in beta-amyloid proteins, which have been linked to the neurological disorder as well. The hormones released by the emotion in part have a severe impact on tau proteins that can lead to physiological and mental changes.

"Our findings show that stress hormones and stress can cause changes in the tau protein like those that arise in Alzheimer's disease," said researcher Osborne Almeida.

"Viewing stress as a trigger of Alzheimer's disease offers exciting new research possibilities aimed at preventing and delaying this severe disease."

The Alzheimer's Association estimates that there are currently 5.4 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Healthy retirement living means reducing stress levels as much as possible. While it may not be possible to control the events in life, it's possible to control the reaction to them. Retirees should seek ways to cope with stress so that their golden years can be healthy and happy.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories:

Young and old are next door in NJ communities

aadmin — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:04:03 +0000

It's not uncommon to see a new mother walking down the sidewalk with a stroller full of children in Lakewood, New Jersey, one of the fastest-growing towns in the entire state, according to The Asbury Park Press. Just like it's no surprise to see an enormous softball team of players age 65 and over competing against one another in Manchester township.

It is a strange contrast. On one hand, Lakewood is the town with the highest percentage of residents under the age of 5 in New Jersey, while the median age of Manchester is 65.1.

In part, Manchester's aged populace is due to the propensity of local retirement homes. There are 16 senior living communities in the area. Lakewood itself also has a high percentage of older adults, with 21 percent of the population aged 65 and over.

Ceil Rubino, 72, has lived in Manchester with his wife since 1994. He regularly plays softball for Crestwood Village's league, competing against other communities in the area.

Those who are looking at retirement living options may want to start with an internet search. This can be an easy way to compare the different housing areas available, as well as look at different prices and amenities.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories:

Dressing up a home for sale

aadmin — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:04:03 +0000

Many baby boomers are thinking about moving to retirement living communities in the coming years, especially as children graduate from college and move out of the house. Fixing up a home to attract buyers may seem like it will be a pricey maneuver, but with the right finesse, the project can be affordable and easy.

Catherine Silverman, a professional home stager, recently showed how homeowners can make their residence stick out from the rest.

She says that it's all about one thing - staging. If older adults can manage to make their homes look brand new, then renovations are probably not necessary.

The first step is to tour the house as if one is a prospective buyer. Analyze every room and corner like they're unfamiliar sights. This can help give homeowners perspective on what works and what doesn't.

Silverman recommends taking out personal possessions such as family photographs or collections. The idea is to make it a home where the prospective buyers can envision themselves living. Kitchen counters are one of the most important parts of a home to keep organized.

Experts suggest that packing away - or donating - items can be an emotional experience when one is moving to a retirement home. Try to take pictures of treasured valuables and scenic neighborhood spots so that they're easier to remember.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories: