Let’s say you go out for an evening with friends or your significant other to dinner, a concert or another social event. The waiter asks how you enjoyed your meal, and you diplomatically respond. Afterwards you take a cab to your next destination. That’s when you might confess to one another your real thoughts and feelings about the delicious or not-so-delicious meal, outstanding or not-so-outstanding service, exciting or not-so-exciting entertainment, and fun or not-so-fun social gathering. And the cab driver usually gets an earful of your reviews.
The same is often true in senior living communities.
At one community I recently visited, I discovered drivers who shuttle people from point A to point B on campus had a good pulse of what’s going on within their community. The shuttle driver, just like the cab driver, many times gets an earful from residents about how they feel about community amenities and services. For example, after dinner residents may offer feedback on the new dining staff and service or changes in the menu, or after attending a social event they may share the highlights of the event and recommend having more similar events in the future.
As a leader, do you make it a point to talk with the shuttle drivers and other grounds staff, occasionally invite them to meetings, or have some other method of collecting feedback? If not, it might be something to consider, as they really do have a good pulse on your community, and can share valuable insights into the feelings of your residents.
Over the holidays, I was able to spend a great deal of time with my grandma – my role model and dear friend – who I’ve sadly watched as her memory has slowly been stripped away from her. She is one of the millions of people whom have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Like many, I’ve seen firsthand how devastating this disease is and what a toll it can take on an individual and his or her caregiver.
That’s why I found this video recently featured on CBS News to be interesting and enlightening. A nontraditional therapy for people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease is bringing smiles to both caregivers and their loved ones. The new program uses improvisational theater to help remind those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease about the roles they used to play in life, and revive old memories as more recent ones fade away.
I find improv classes for Alzheimer’s to be exciting and an alternative approach with the potential to help many people by improving their quality of life and allowing them to reclaim some dignity this awful disease is taking from them.
Do you offer improv classes or other innovative programming for memory support residents at your community?
What a year 2011 has been! A devastating tsunami hit Japan. Billions of people worldwide tuned in to the Royal Wedding. Osama Bin Laden’s death marked a significant step in the fight against terrorism. And we lost an innovator and icon with the passing of Steve Jobs. Just to name a few.
Check out this video from Google for a snapshot of some of the most significant events of 2011.
It’s been an exciting year for senior living, too. Here are some of the year’s most interesting news and feature stories about those living and working in senior living. If you have a favorite story from 2011 that’s not included in this list, or one that highlights your community, do share.
Baby Boomers: Officially, You’re Now Senior Citizens–The Christian Science Monitor The first Baby Boomer turned 65 on January 1, and an average of 7,000 per day are following suit. What will they do in retirement, and how will it impact society?
Man Learns to Read at 96, Writes Book- CNN A senior living community helped inspire Jim Henry, who was illiterate until age 96, to read. Then he wrote his own book. The now 98-year-old author says he’s “the happiest man in the world.”
Sailor, 85, Crosses Atlantic on Raft with Friends– MSNBC.com A childhood dream came true for 85-year-old British sailor Anthony Smith who dreamed of crossing the Atlantic on a raft. He and three of his friends completed the exciting journey this spring. “What else do you do when you get on in years?” he says. What an amazing tale!
Kinect Effect Reaches Into Hospitals, Senior Centers– Mircrosoft® News Center Have you tried Kinect for Xbox 360? This popular gaming device allows you to play Xbox games hands-free, but it also has applications that have nothing to do with gaming. Senior living communities and hospitals are beginning to use Kinect to help seniors and monitor their movements and prevent falls.
Keiko Fukuda Becomes 98-Year-Old Black Belt– Huffington Post Sensei Keiko Fukuda’s story reinforces that you should never give up on your dreams or passions, regardless of your gender or age. She did many things for women’s judo, and after devoting most of her life to the practice, the 98-year-old earned a tenth-degree black belt, martial art’s highest honor.
A Push to Turn ‘For Sale’ Into ‘Sold’– The Wall Street Journal Most communities are eager to help leads and prospects sell their houses. Here are some ways communities across the country are partnering with a team of experts to help older adults transition from their house to a community.
Assisted Living Communities May Be Wise to Appeal More to Men – The Washington Post Political discussion groups. Poker night. Happy hours. Fantasy football. In what ways does your community appeal to men? Today’s senior living centers may tend to focus more on women’s preferences, but this articles shows some are becoming more gender-friendly.
A Retirement Made for You (and People Just Like You)– SmartMoney Are niche retirement communities becoming a trend as Baby Boomers age? This article takes a look at this growing phenomenon and highlights communities catering to five different cultures and lifestyles.
Ohio Woman, 100, Has Bank Account Dating to 1913 – Associated Press June Gregg, 100, brings a whole new meaning to customer loyalty. She’s still has and uses a bank savings account that’s been around almost for nearly a century.
Seniors Enjoy a Bicycle Built for Two–WYFF-TV, Channel 4 Most older adults haven’t been on a bike in more than five decades, but residents at a senior living community in Greenville, South Carolina, are rolling on The Duet, a special bicycle built for two. Each week, the executive director becomes a cycling buddy for some of the residents at the community, and residents and family members are loving it.
As November rolls in, the air cools, leaves begin to fall, and the sound of squeaky sneakers fills gyms across the country. That’s right, basketball season is upon us. And while many of us will be cheering for our alma mater, here’s another team worth rooting for.
Since its inception, the Iowa Granny Basketball League has taken on a life of its own. My favorite quote from one player: “When I leave the house at night and say I’m going to basketball practice, aches and pains go away, wrinkles disappear for a few minutes, and I’m 16 again.”
And not only do they read it, they digest it, and they talk about it, and they show it to other people.
I recently had the pleasure of spending some time interviewing residents at a senior living community. The first day I met with three different individuals in their homes. Within the one-hour session, each one of them mentioned “opening their mail” to me. In fact, their stack of opened mail was neatly displayed on their coffee tables. Two of the residents even showed me items they had received in the mail that day.
Now I know mail is important to older adults, but this experience served as a good reminder of just how important it really is.
With that being said, because of the increased use of the Internet, the volume of snail mail continues to decline. And there’s been a lot of talk in recent news about likely changes coming to the U.S. Postal Service.
What effect do you think this will have on the senior population, if any? We’d love to hear your take on the issue.
Let’s say you go out for an evening with friends or your significant other to dinner, a concert or another social event. The waiter asks how you enjoyed your meal, and you diplomatically respond. Afterwards you take a cab to your next destination. That’s when you might confess to one another your real thoughts and feelings about the delicious or not-so-delicious meal, outstanding or not-so-outstanding service, exciting or not-so-exciting entertainment, and fun or not-so-fun social gathering. And the cab driver usually gets an earful of your reviews.
