C-SPAN Media Specialist Steve Devoney and Marketing Representative Jeremy Art began the visit with an educational presentation in the Glenridge Performing Arts Center. The presentation highlighted the history of this educational television network and the spin-off networks it inspired. Throughout the presentation, C-SPAN representatives involved the members in their very informative and entertaining media presentation.

Following the presentation, members toured the high tech C-SPAN bus. Those participating in the tour were impressed both by the capabilities of the technology and the willingness of the representative to respond to questions.

She remembers sitting around the dinner table at The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch, listening to her friends share childhood memories, college adventures and world travels. If a story caught her attention, she would point a finger at them and say, “That’s a voice.”

Calvert’s finger pointing meant something — she wanted to be able to hold all of the voices in her hands.  After one year in the making, she and 51 Glenridge residents published their first 196-page book, “Voices of the Glenridge: Reflections on Lives Well Lived,” and were honored in a book-launch party Sept. 15, which also celebrated The Glenridge’s fifth anniversary.

The party was a happy one — a spunky crowd of people who became giddy when copies of the book were placed into their hands. Everyone raced around the room in a frenzy to ask for autographs. Each author received a special ribbon badge and a copy of the book, both of which made such an impact that some authors continued wearing their badges the following day.

“There are so many interesting lives and fabulous people here that add to the generation we are,” Calvert said. “The idea was to leave our mark here.” Calvert stalked the floors of The Glenridge for nearly one year and obtained 75 essays written by 52 residents, each of whom could submit up to two essays, which were edited by Rennie Carter, event coordinator. The published stories are 350-word snapshots of a moment in their lives.

“When I see a member, I think of their story,” Carter said. “One of our members told the story of a member in our memory unit. She interviewed her and got this story out of her and wrote it down. Then, she went back and read the story to her, and the woman said, ‘I remember that.’”

The book is on sale for $8 at The Glenridge Kiltie Café.

Original Source:
YourObserver.com
by: Loren Mayo | Staff Writer

The Glenridge Residents who Participated

At the headquarters of a Florida development company in Jacksonville, a creative team of industry professionals gathered to ask why. Why has the average at which people move to “retirement communities” continued to increase over the past three decades? Why is the most common reason for not considering a community, “We are just not ready yet?” – A question that would not be asked if considering a move to a golf community or condominium.

Grounded in the belief that choosing any community should be a positive and joyful experience regardless of age; the PRAXEIS LLC team asked, “If the essence of any community is its people and not its buildings, shouldn’t builders focus at least as much on the culture as they do the brick and mortar elements? They concluded that older adults were more likely to consider communities where members are involved in significant ways and their wisdom and life experience was valued.

This is not to imply that amenities were not important. PRAXEIS research indicated that maintenance-free living, quality health care services, social and educational programs were still important. Today’s consumers also desire a fitness program, creative arts, and sports activities such as tennis as well as the traditional golf. The missing ingredient was a non-institutional, member-driven culture that counters aging and “retirement” stereotypes. Simply stated, the goal was to create a community that did not feel like a retirement community. By carefully listening to future community members, a unique model took shape and the Life Fulfilling Community^® (LFC) was born.

The team working on the culture quickly realized that “retiring” negatively affects how some people feel about themselves. When a person leaves their job behind, they may lose a feeling of purpose and see “retirement” as a time of decline and loss. When older consumers hear the term “retirement community,” many think of an institution with many rules and regulations, further damaging one’s self-image. This image of life’s last stop is a major barrier to those considering “retirement” communities. To stand out from the traditional alternatives, creating a positive, empowered culture of active, involved members became the most important element of the new model.

To avoid creating unintentional negative perceptions, PRAXEIS avoids the use of words that sound institutional or might trigger negative mental images. Managers and operating team members are encouraged to use members instead of residents; residences or homes instead of units, beds, or apartments; and neighborhoods instead of facilities. These are just a few of the words included in the growing Life Fulfilling Community Vocabulary to help redefine community living for those over age 60. They avoid using words like senior, elderly, continuing care, or retirement community altogether. The test is simple “if a word, title or description sounds institutional, negative, or ageist” do not use it.

PRAXEIS found the LFC model to be most attractive to what one insight calls a Type-A consumer. The Type-A is a lifelong planner who plans to control decisions that affect them, both now and in the future, regardless of their health. The Type-A planner does not want a family member, attorney, or hospital discharge planner deciding where they are going to receive long-term healthcare if ever necessary. These planners are seeking the peace of mind that comes from knowing they are protecting both their future autonomy and assets, as well as pursuing an active, healthy lifestyle.

People often believe a better alternative is a plan to stay in their home regardless of what the future might hold. Yes, with a good long-term care insurance policy or sizeable assets, that is certainly an achievable goal. Unfortunately, many people discover that, when they need care, the challenge is finding trustworthy, dependable caregivers. With the wrong caregiver(s) and limited socialization and intellectual stimulation, a home can quickly become a comfortable prison.

To address the desire people have to control the decisions that affect them, the LFC model offers a Type-A Health Assurance GuaranteeSM. The Guarantee assures members that a private room will be available right on campus (their home) should they need assisted living, rehabilitation, memory support, or skilled nursing services. Whether there is a need for short-term recovery or a long-term stay, the LFC member is in control of where and who provides the care.

Now the best part – if healthcare services are necessary, members will be paying 60% less than market rates. This is possible by including pre-paid services into the initial membership fee, which can be up to 95% refundable. Depending on one’s circumstances, the amount of that pre-paid healthcare may even be deductible from Federal income taxes. For these reasons, planners consider the LFC Type-A Health Assurance Guarantee a win-win investment, as well as a great life decision.

At the first Life Fulfilling Community, The Glenridge in Sarasota, Florida, members eagerly embrace the new culture and give freely of their time and talent. The members appreciate that, according to research, a positive aging self-image and an active, well-rounded lifestyle increases the odds they will live an average of 7.5 years longer. Fostering a positive self-image and active lifestyle is the heart and soul of the Life Fulfilling Community model.

The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch in Sarasota received a Gold Award for Best Adult Community offering a full continuum of health services; and Silver Award for Best Clubhouse/Community Center at the 2008 annual meeting of the National Active Retirement Association (NARA) in Myrtle Beach, SC on October 2^nd. The National Active Retirement Association (NARA) is an informational clearinghouse and networking organization for those interested in learning more about the trends and opportunities in the baby boomer, empty nester and retirement industries.

“We are proud of this award from a national organization that focuses communities serving a new generation of older adults seeking the most out of life’s next chapter,” said Glenridge CEO Howard Crowell. “I believe our members are the new pioneers who will forever change the way people look at ‘retirement’ communities.”

The NARA Awards recognized the senior living industry’s best communities, web sites and marketing campaigns. Life Fulfilling Communities^® developed and managed by PRAXEIS, LLC of Jacksonville, the company who developed and manages The Glenridge, were clear industry leaders during the awards ceremony.

The Glenridge Ambassadors will gladly arrange a tour for any interested parties. To arrange a tour or request more information, call 888-999-4536 or visit www.theglenridge.com.

In January 2009, The Glenridge added Brainercise^sm to the comprehensive wellness and fitness programs available to members. The Brainercise program now offers two cutting-edge, computer-based brain fitness programs from Posit Science^® of San Francisco. The first program, Brain Fitness^® improves hearing (auditory processing speed) and memory. Users of this program report improved memory and attention by an average of 10 years according to standardized measures while also improving mental processing speed and cognitive function.

The second Brainercise program, InSight^™, improves memory and visual acuity, which according to research helps older adults improve their driving skills as well. Allstate Insurance recently began offering the InSight program for visual processing and memory to select auto insurance customers over age 50. Allstate recognized that InSight improves not just visual processing but also driving performance. Those benefits include: cutting crash risk in half, reducing dangerous maneuvers by more than 35%, improving stopping distance by 22 feet (at 55mph), and helping people safely maintain their driving frequency and confidence.

According to Dr. Ken Brummel-Smith, chair of the Florida State University College of Medicine’s Department of Geriatrics, “Brain fitness programs are essential to healthy aging. The more we research the so-called ‘normal changes of aging,’ the more we find out that aging itself explains only about a third of the changes. Another third is due to clinical or sub-clinical disease, which is all too commonly missed or under-treated, in part due to physicians believing it’s just your age.”

The final third of the so-called “normal changes of aging” are completely under the individual’s control, according to Brummel-Smith. He explains, “Medically the term “de-conditioning” is used to describe lowered heart capacity due to lack of exercise, but recent research shows de-conditioning occurs mentally and socially as well. Just like people who exercise maintain cardiovascular health, people with active, stimulating (and especially new or novel) mental activities maintain cognitive function. Brain fitness exercises also may prevent major diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.”

Although normal age-related cognitive decline usually starts around age 30, groundbreaking research has revealed that the brain can “rewire” itself to strengthen its capabilities. Brain plasticity is the term used to describe the brain’s ability to rewire itself, and scientists now believe that brain plasticity has the potential to change millions of lives in areas as diverse as memory loss, Parkinson’s disease and chronic pain.

The Posit Science programs are engaging and aim to restore, strengthen and sharpen brain functions at any age, without medication. In essence, the programs can help strengthen and sharpen the brain’s ability to receive, process, and store information to ensure that the brain operates to its full potential.

When putting operation plans to paper a decade ago, the visionaries planning The Glenridge wanted to create something different. The architectural design and amenities were world class; but resort type communities were plentiful – not unique. While buildings had changed as older adults gained in financial well-being, the operating cultures were still grounded in the paternalistic, medical-model of the nursing home industry.

What existed in all too many communities, and still exists today, were institutional settings where dependency had been unwittingly but flagrantly encouraged by management systems and processes. The professionals at PRAXEIS, the company developing the Glenridge, understood that even the well-meant protectiveness of caring people gradually undermines personal initiative and autonomy.

Rather than mindlessly accepting the model of retirement communities as places where “old people go in their declining years,” planners mindfully listened to why many older adults viewed the prospect of moving to a retirement community as threatening to their personal significance and represented a shrinking world – a smaller home with fewer personal possessions and fewer meaningful opportunities. The image of restricted dining hours, housekeeping schedules, reduced privacy, and rules and regulations threatens one’s autonomy. To move to a “retirement community” is to accept being classified as old (translation: frail and dependent). Even the amenities and programs of “resort type” communities are little compensation for perceived losses to personal autonomy and self-esteem.

Today’s older adults are increasingly interested in pursuing a future of successful aging rather than checking out and moving to the sidelines. This new generation of “seniors” has a positive attitude and commitment to lifelong personal growth and involvement. They prefer to follow a positive life plan that addresses all of the dimensions of well being: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, occupational, and environmental. These dimensions are the foundation upon which the operational philosophy and culture of The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch is being built.

The vision of those who planned The Glenridge was to create a place unlike anything society has come to know as a retirement community. While building this unique, life fulfilling community culture is a work in progress, the focus is on prevention of health care programs whenever possible is key. While offering the finest long-term health care, memory support and assisted living services right on campus, the operating team does everything possible to insure members will never need them; and if they do, will work hard to return those with a health crisis to optimum independence in the shortest time possible. At The Glenridge, members stay in their own home or neighborhood surrounded by a carefully crafted healing web of services even if extensive long term health care is needed…and will be provided at approximately half the rates charged by other skilled healthcare centers in all private rooms for those with a life care contract.

At The Glenridge, management and community members alike believe that by mindfully pursuing positive aging, later life will once again come to be perceived as the crown jewel of the human experience. PRAXEIS, the innovative company managing The Glenridge, created and trademarked a very special designation for its communities, which celebrate positive aging in empowered, community cultures. That designation is the Life Fulfilling Community®. At The Glenridge, the community celebrates the uniqueness and worth of each individual and encourages members to discover the joy that comes from giving, serving, and growing — using their time and talents to improve the lives of others and make a difference in the world around them…for all life can be.