At Jaybird, Teamwork Makes ‘Dare to Dream’ Program Work
July 16, 2021
Shirley Cagle, a 90-year-old resident of Milestone Senior Living in Faribault, Minn., is a longtime, die-hard Minnesota Twins fan. At Milestone, which is a Jaybird Senior Living community, residents and staff know when the Twins are playing because Cagle hikes the volume on her television to make sure she can hear the broadcast. Cagle has…
The Infection Preventionist: A Role with Increasing Importance and Impact
July 16, 2021
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is “creating a safer world through the prevention of infection.” APIC (apic.org) has approximately 16,000 members across the United States and in 70 countries. They include nurses, physicians, public health professionals, epidemiologists, microbiologists, medical technologists, and more, who daily do everything from crunching and reporting…
Building The Future of Senior Living
May 5, 2021
The future needs for long-term care are daunting: By the end of the decade an additional 20 million Americans will be over age 65, and by 2060 nearly 95 million Americans will be age 65 or older. This aging population, especially those over 85 who are most in need of long-term care, is expected to…
Dream Flights Seeks WWII Vets For an Autumn Adventure
May 5, 2021
A nationwide project is in motion to honor and celebrate veterans of WWII with free flights in vintage biplanes. Dubbed Operation September Freedom, the two-month barnstorming tour will take place this August and September across the United States. The event is the brainchild of Darryl Fisher, founder and president of Dream Flights. The nonprofit has…
Residents Take a Test Drive With Brain Health Pilot Program
May 5, 2021
Getting the first chance to try out health programs and technology is a lesser-known fringe benefit of senior living. But increasingly, developers and researchers consider senior living communities to pilot and fine-tune AI, robotics, and virtual reality as well as diet and exercise programs and memory care approaches. Inspīr Carnegie Hill, Maplewood Senior Living’s new…
The Story Behind a Complex But Lifesaving COVID-19 Treatment
May 5, 2021
Despite the apparent success of vaccination, the COVID-19 danger is by no means over. People are still contracting the virus and at risk; some people can’t be vaccinated or missed getting vaccinated; occasionally, someone doesn’t develop immunity. What was true at the beginning of the pandemic is still true more than a year later: Older…
Each One Reach One
May 5, 2021
When Brenda Gibbons worked as a hairdresser, she saw herself as someone who served her community. Her work gave her a sense of purpose. After retirement, she moved into The Hidenwood, a Retirement Unlimited community in Newport News, Va. There, she became a member of the Pink Ladies Club, a group of residents who help…
A Resource Designed to Help Cope With COVID’s Emotional Fallout
March 10, 2021
Ensuring physical safety was top priority during the pandemic. But many also saw immediately that mental well-being would also be a health and safety challenge. Isolation, uncertainty, grief, and lack of control take a toll. Many of the usual comforts and coping mechanisms are out of reach. That’s what led to the How Right Now…
Change Agent Profile: Trauma Touches Everyone, and An Informed Approach Can Help
March 10, 2021
According to a 2013 study in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, 90 percent of adults in the United States have been exposed to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Think of how many in your community might have gone through a natural disaster just in the time they have been residents there—and then…
Thought Leader Profile: For a Safe and Healthy Community, Your Buildings Can Get a Checkup
March 10, 2021
Whitney Austin Gray, PhD, LEED AP, WELL AP, senior vice president at the International WELL Building Institute, wants you to think about a fact: You spend about 90 percent of your life indoors. And she’s dedicated to making that 90 percent a healthier experience. While there are multiple standards for sustainability, cleanliness, and function of…
Communicating Safety
March 10, 2021
Pre-COVID-19, safety didn’t have to be explicitly communicated to prospective residents or prospective employees—it was a given, not a differentiator. But the pandemic brought not only legitimate concerns for health, but a swirl of changing information—and misinformation in some cases—that left prospects and potential workers confused, overwhelmed, or even mistrustful. Now, letting prospects know that…
Managing Swallowing Disorders During COVID Takes Extra Effort
March 10, 2021
Even in ordinary times, managing swallowing disorders can require complex coordination and care in senior living communities—and these are not ordinary times. With the limitations and precautions the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed, senior living operators have had to make adjustments to ensure residents who suffer from swallowing disorders continue to receive the close attention that…