How Vitality is Adapting to Today’s New Normal in Senior Living

Woman washing her hands under a faucet of running water

When it comes to healthy aging, quite honestly, there’s a lot to do. You’re supposed to make sure to keep your body active and your brain engaged all while maintaining your social connections as well. Sure, the benefits to your overall well-being are worth the effort, but retirement is supposed to be a time with less responsibility on your plate, right? Well, it turns out that in senior living you can have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. Here’s how programs like our Vivid Life make keeping active, engaged, and connected easy and fun! 

Benefits of Healthy Aging 

Good things happen when you focus on healthy aging. In addition to feeling better overall, which in and of itself is a win, other benefits of keeping active, engaged, and connected include:  

  • Improved ability to do everyday things ​ 
  • Reduced impact of illness and chronic disease​ 
  • Enhanced mobility, flexibility, and balance
  • Improved sleep
  • Increased energy level
  • Reduced feelings of depression and stress
  • Increased feelings of happiness and self-confidence
  • Reduced risk of cognitive decline 
  • Increased mental adaptability and cognitive reserve 
  • Improved memory recall and problem-solving skills 
  • Improved concentration and attention to detail  

How Senior Living Can Help 

At home, particularly when living alone, it can be hard to stay as active, engaged, and connected as you’d like. From lack of opportunity to lack of motivation to lack of transportation to mobility challenges, and more, it’s tough, we get it! That’s why we created the Vivid Life program in our senior living communities. It’s composed of three parts: Vibrant Body, Vibrant Brain, and Vibrant Connections. Here’s what each entails:  

Vibrant Body We offer amenities such as a state-of-the-art fitness center, a pool, walking trails, gardening opportunities, and even a dog park to help you stay active. A sample of activities includes:  

  • Walking club – Daily walks at different outdoor locations using pedometers to measure steps. 
  • Yoga – At least once per week for gentle yoga, and once per week for mindful breathing. 
  • Fitness classes – At least two times per week using a variety of hand weights, resistance bands, and circuit-type exercises. 
  • Tai Chi – At least once per week with a live instructor. 
  • Non-traditional exercise – Dancing, gardening, etc. at least two times per week. 
  • Physical games and sports – Golf, putting, bowling, croquet, bocce, and ping pong available daily with organized events one to two times per week. 

Vibrant Brain We offer monthly calendars filled with classes, events, creative arts, and enrichment opportunities to help keep you engaged. A sample of activities includes: 

  • Visiting lecture series – Twice per month with topics such as cultural, historical, local interest, career-oriented, etc. 
  • Creative art series – At least one per week with a theme that runs 3-6 weeks, such as poetry writing, storytelling, painting, digital photography, etc. 
  • Learning series – At least three times per month with an emphasis on learning something new such as foreign language, sign language, technology, hobbies, etc. 
  • Games – At least one time per week and may include poker, bridge, Scrabble, etc. 
  • Mindfulness – A meditation class once per week and gratitude discussion group twice monthly. 
  • Church service – At least once a week through visits by local churches. 
  • Stress reduction – At least once per month class that offers deep breathing exercises, nature walks, music appreciation, spa-type treatments, etc. 

 Vibrant Connections We offer resident-led clubs, social events, outings and volunteer opportunities for any interest to help you stay connected. A sample of activities includes: 

  • Outings – At least twice per month and may include going to concerts, art shows, museum visits, theatre productions, etc. 
  • Intergenerational programming – At least once per month and focuses on building relationships between young adults/children and residents. 
  • New resident welcome party – At least once per month to formally introduce all new residents, and includes ice breakers, social games, etc. to encourage connection. 
  • Philanthropic program – At least once per month provide residents the opportunity to give back to the community, such as volunteering for a local food bank or pet shelter. 
  • Resident-led clubs – May include game clubs, professional clubs, common interests, etc. that meet at least monthly.  

What’s more, it’s all right outside your door (or transportation is provided offsite) and all in a supportive environment with home maintenance, housekeeping, and restaurant-style dining freeing your time to make it even easier to stay active, engaged, and connected. 

Learn more about Vitality Living’s Vivid Life programs. Or find a Vitality Living community near you today to schedule a tour. 

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It’s hard to believe we are nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of focusing on the old ‘normal’ we’re choosing to look at what we’ve learned from this experience and how we continue to enhance and bring vibrancy to the lives of our residents. We appreciate the patience our families have during this time. We recognize the difficulty due to COVID-19 and ask for your continued involvement and patience as we work toward our new normal daily.

As we all continue to do our part, Vitality’s residents, team members, and families are adapting beautifully to our “new normal.” Here’s how.

Are you caring for a loved one yourself? At Vitality, we know it isn’t easy. That’s why we created a resource to help make caregiving days go a little more smoothly. The Caregiver’s Checklist: Supporting an Aging Parent covers a wide variety of topics ranging from creating a safe home environment to how to recognize the signs a senior needs more assistance. Download it with our compliments today!

caregiver's checklist

Diligently Protecting Our Residents and Team

Although businesses in your local area may be easing some COVID-19 restrictions, it’s important to remember that senior living providers must follow (and want to follow) much more stringent protocols based on federal, state and local guidelines. Our residents are the population affected most negatively by COVID-19. Their safety is our top priority, which is why we remain 100 percent committed to limiting exposure to our residents, families and team members. As such we’re asking families to remain patient with our visitation policies and asking our team members to use caution and to respect social distancing, hand washing, and limiting personal exposure while not at work.

We’re also following these guidelines in our communities:

Residents

Engagement is limited to small groups and in settings where 6 feet of distance between individuals can be maintained.
Residents are asked to wear masks when out of their apartments.
Assisted Living and Independent Living residents have the option of limited distanced-dining or room service in their apartment.
In Memory Care, dining areas are set-up to accommodate social distancing of 6 feet between individuals.
All residents have their temperature checked multiple times daily and oxygen saturation is tested at the same time.

  • Engagement is limited to small groups and in settings where 6 feet of distance between individuals can be maintained.
  • Residents are asked to wear masks when out of their apartments.
  • Assisted Living and Independent Living residents have the option of limited distanced-dining or room service in their apartment.
  • In Memory Care, dining areas are set-up to accommodate social distancing of 6 feet between individuals.
  • All residents have their temperature checked multiple times daily and oxygen saturation is tested at the same time.

Team Members

  • Frequent disinfecting of commonly touched environmental surfaces to decrease environmental contamination.
  • Team members providing direct care wear PPE.
  • All team members are equipped with proper PPE in the event of a positive COVID-19 case.
  • Team members complete the screening questionnaire and have temperature taken as well oxygen saturation tested daily.
  • Must strictly adhere to CDC hand washing and hand sanitizer guidelines.
  • Frequent disinfecting of commonly touched environmental surfaces to decrease environmental contamination.
  • Team members providing direct care wear PPE.
  • All team members are equipped with proper PPE in the event of a positive COVID-19 case.
  • Team members complete the screening questionnaire and have temperature taken as well oxygen saturation tested daily.
  • Must strictly adhere to CDC hand washing and hand sanitizer guidelines.

In addition, current residents and team members who exhibit potential symptoms and/or who have had potential exposure are tested for COVID-19. Potential new team members are also tested before their start date.

Continuing to Enjoy Life, Safely

Our mission at Vitality is to create vibrant communities where residents, families and team members can be themselves, live purposefully and experience a profound sense of belonging. We’re proving that we won’t let COVID-19 stop us from fulfilling that mission as our team members continue coming together with creative ways for our residents to find joy in each day including:

Encouraging independent leisure activities by passing out cards with recommended exercises on them as well as games and puzzles.
Creation of a virtual series called Vitality Talks that provides live and recorded content to enhance the lives of seniors. It’s available to non-residents and families too!
Use of technology that gives residents the opportunity to enjoy virtual field trips and concerts as well as making computers and/or devices available to connect residents with friends and families through FaceTime and Skype.
Drive-by parades where families and others in the local area participate with signs of love and support.

  • Encouraging independent leisure activities by passing out cards with recommended exercises on them as well as games and puzzles.
  • Creation of a virtual series called Vitality Talks that provides live and recorded content to enhance the lives of seniors. It’s available to non-residents and families too!
  • Use of technology that gives residents the opportunity to enjoy virtual field trips and concerts as well as making computers and/or devices available to connect residents with friends and families through FaceTime and Skype.
  • Drive-by parades where families and others in the local area participate with signs of love and support.

In communities where in-person visits aren’t yet available, we offer window visits between residents and loved ones and even encourage fun conversation topics as well as games like window Tic Tac Toe and Show & Share. All visits need to be scheduled. Contact the community for specifics and to schedule your visit today.

Check out our community Facebook feeds to see other creative ways we’re keeping life vibrant while staying safe! We also provide daily updates via Facebook in each of our communities.

Landmark Lifestyles at Tupelo

Maristone of Franklin

Maristone of Providence

Maybelle Carter Living

The Gardens of Germantown

Traditions of Mill Creek

Traditions of Smyrna

Traditions of Spring Hill

Vitality Court

Vitality Court Texas Star

Vitality Living

Vitality Living Madison

YourLife of Coconut Creek

YourLife of Palm Beach Gardens

YourLife of Pensacola

YourLife of Stuart

YourLife of Tallahassee

YourLife of West Melbourne

YourLife of Wildwood

Ensuring Confidence for New Residents

We know it can be stressful to consider a move to senior living right now, but we also know that the need for care often isn’t something that can be postponed. We are also learning how vital it is to be around others and that social isolation has many negative effects.

It’s our desire that potential new residents and their families to feel confident in choosing Vitality with these move-in protocols:

New move-ins are tested 72 hours prior to move-in date and on day 7 after move-in.
New residents are asked to shelter in their apartments until after the second COVID-19 test is negative.

  • New move-ins are tested 72 hours prior to move-in date and on day 7 after move-in.
  • New residents are asked to shelter in their apartments until after the second COVID-19 test is negative.

What’s more, you might be surprised to learn that senior living offers a number of ways to limit exposure to COVID-19, potentially even more so than at home including:

Having everything needed under one roof so residents avoid public touchpoints.
Safety checks for those entering the community as well as limited visitor access to the community.
Strong supply chain so residents never have to worry about out-of-stock necessities.
Trained healthcare staff experienced with outbreaks and 24-hour staffing to watch for symptoms and offer prompt support.
The most up-to-date cleaning and social distancing protocols are followed.

  • Having everything needed under one roof so residents avoid public touchpoints.
  • Safety checks for those entering the community as well as limited visitor access to the community.
  • Strong supply chain so residents never have to worry about out-of-stock necessities.
  • Trained healthcare staff experienced with outbreaks and 24-hour staffing to watch for symptoms and offer prompt support.
  • The most up-to-date cleaning and social distancing protocols are followed.

As always, we are closely monitoring the situation and will adjust policies as set by state and federal officials. To learn more about senior living at Vitality, contact us to schedule a virtual tour.

Vitality Living half Blossom
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