Senior living is evolving.
Grace Management Inc., which has operated senior living communities for 40 years across 23 states, recently hosted a webinar that explained how approaches to senior living communities are entering a new era.
The webinar, titled “A New Era of Senior Living: How Design, Programming and Dining are Shaping Life Today,” allowed top executives at Grace Management to share how changes are improving the communities they own, from revamping how activities are planned to curating dining menus.
Kara Latham, Grace Management Inc. vice president of marketing and communications, moderated the event, emphasizing that the goal of the webinar was to spark conversation.
Jennifer Boyer, Grace Management Inc. national director of resident experience, began the presentation by explaining how planning fulfilling activities for residents has changed — pointing out that most people feel 10 to 20 years younger than their chronological age.
“Often we don’t see ourselves (as the age we are),” Boyer said. “That helps me to understand, to some degree, the way our residents feel. The residents that we now have in our community grew up with the Beach Boys and Bob Dylan.”
The best way to get insight on how to create an active and intelligent experience for residents is by having genuine conversations with diverse groups and conducting surveys at various locations, Boyer said. She often asks residents, “If you could curate your lifestyle, what would that look like?”
“We need to question our own beliefs and thoughts about what is possible for our residents,” she said. “We need to shift the thinking we bring to the programming we make to understand who our residents are. With that perception, we can shift the experience our residents get to have every day. We are curating a lifestyle and get to create really meaningful experiences for them.”
Boyer advises individuals who want to find a senior living community that is the right fit to ask themselves, “If I move here, will I become more of myself or less?
“Senior living is not cookie cutter and it shouldn’t be at all,” Boyer said. “It doesn’t matter your age — these are human needs and that is what senior living needs to move toward. It’s about helping residents to feel vital and alive now, not what it was like when they were younger. Start shifting language around the program — making appropriate modifications because of their physical ability, not because they are a certain age.”
Features to look for in a senior living community include diverse programming, programming that matches who seniors are now, language focusing on ability and possibility not limitation, and a mix of current culture and meaningful traditions, she said.
Jenna Johnston, Grace Management Inc. divisional vice president of operations, was the next speaker, explaining what is the center of the new era of senior living being ushered in.
“We are still caring for people, that never goes away,” Johnston said. “We ask, ‘How can we give them care and elevate that? How can we give them vibrant living and how can we make them feel valued in the future while still providing all their needs and all their care?’ I think that is the shift we are seeing.”
Having events, activities and seminars be open to or led by nonresidents helps fully integrate Grace Management Inc. senior living communities into the neighborhoods they call home, Johnston said.
“We are a hub,” Johnston said. “We are part of the community and can bridge the gap between being the senior living place and being the place where people want to come and where our residents are proud to bring people. We are part of the external community — we aren’t separate, we are a part of it.”
Johnston ended her portion of the presentation with a group challenge based on how she challenges herself daily.
“It’s really easy to get into the habit of ‘We’ve always done it this way’ or ‘My building is full,’ but is it good enough — could it be better?” she said. “Just because it’s how we’ve always done it, is it how we should always do it? I think that’s where the future comes in and the change comes from. Challenge what you know and challenge what you’ve always done.”
Ken Migneault, Grace Management Inc. dining services director, ended the presentation by explaining how dining at senior living communities has evolved over the years.
“Food is part of the community,” he said. “(It) is breaking bread with friends and family. The question isn’t how do we feed them, it’s how do we nourish them and delight them on a day to day basis? Our residents are world-traveled. They talk about gut health and they know what their body should feel like. They expect fresh ingredients, vibrant colors. They are expecting global influence and thoughtful presentation.”
Migneault explained how he works to exceed expectations.
“We’re not taking stuff away, we are just swapping,” he said. “We are swapping refined grains for whole grains. We increase legumes in their soup and salad. We are making vegetables the star of the dish, not an after thought and having a 4- or 5-ounce piece of chicken. Making naturally sweetened desserts like chia seed pudding.”
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
