On the Myrtle site, we had two concrete pours the week of June 24th. The HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning) contractor will continue their installations and the large specimen tree will be lifted by crane and the moved to its final location this week.
We are planning to have a second concrete contractor begin working on the 17th Drive site next week. You should see the sitework contractor moving dirt for the building pads this week. The framing will continue on Myrtle with the footings for Bldg #4 being poured on the 14th. The HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning), will begin installation the week of the 24th on building #5 which was the first pad poured and the building that is framed. The project remains within budget.
Dust control is in effect at all times on all sites.
We appreciate your enthusiasm, participation and support. If you have any additional questions and information, please contact Scott Mardian,
smardian@beatitudescampus.org
We expect the pour of ready-mix/concrete for the floor slabs for building one this Friday, the 31st. The pour for the footings for the second building could be Monday the 3rd or Tuesday the 4th. Moving back over to the dirt work for the 17th Drive buildings could begin Wednesday the 5th.
The work in the east drive/Boutique Blvd. near the dumpsters just north of the community garden should wrap up in the middle of this week. There are driving restrictions while we tap into the water lines in the roadway.
Dust control is in effect at all times on all sites.
Please contact me if you have any questions about the construction of the new patio homes. We have made several improvements based upon suggestions on landscaping, layout, lighting and appliances.
We expect the second pour for ready-mix/concrete for the footings and foundations Tuesday the 28th for the second building. The pours will begin at about 3:30AM.
The underground utility work is wrapping up.
We are working in the east drive/Boutique Blvd near the dumpsters just north of the community garden. There are driving restrictions while we tap into the water lines in the roadway.
Dust control is in effect at all times on all sites.
Please be advised, Maintenance Technicians will be in all residential buildings—Central Park North, Central Park South, Central Park West, Plaza North & South, Plaza View and the Health Care Center. On Thursday, Jan 31st, between 8:00AM and 5:00PM, to change out the air filters in all resident homes. Due to the size of this task, Maintenance is unable to provide a specific time for the filter change. If you would like to be home when Maintenance changes your air filter, please adjust your schedule accordingly.
The puzzle of advance care medical planning has several factors working against it: while many of us have thought about what types of care we would – or would not — want if we were unable to communicate our wishes, only about one-third of adults have completed plans that make these wishes known. Of those over age 65, that number increases to just over half.
Like tax forms, these documents meet the needs of procrastinators nationwide. They seem, somehow, both complicated and boring at the same time, but are nevertheless essential to complete. Unlike taxes, there is no federal law compelling us to complete them. That is why April 16th has been designated as National Healthcare Decision Day, as a gentle nudge to move forward with this very personal task.
Barriers to completing this puzzle are typically either emotional or informational. We either simply don’t want to think about (or cannot imagine) a time when we are unable to exert control over ourselves and our bodies, or we aren’t sure how to go about making our wishes known ahead of time. However, the benefits of doing so far outweigh the minor inconvenience and forced introspection of putting a plan in place.
Not having documents such as Health Care Power of Attorney, Mental Health Care Power of Attorney, and Living Will compromise your independence when you need it most. We need to be able to assert our wishes so that our values can emerge even under difficult circumstances, should they arise. In this spirit, I invite you to attend the Advance Planning Puzzle 101 on Wednesday, April 12th, from 2:00-3:00PM in the Agelink Great Room. We will review the scope of these three documents, as well as how to complete them and what to do with them once completed. No need to RSVP for this event.
Upcoming Focus Group
In addition to helping you with your Advance Planning needs, I would love to hear from you about other issues or resource assistance you feel is relevant to improving your experience here at Beatitudes Campus. I will be meeting informally with interested residents on Tuesday, March 7th, from 10:00 to 11:00AM, here in the Success Matters office in the Agelink building. If you’d like to stop by, please let me know at x16117. If you can’t make it that morning, just give me a call to share your thoughts any time.
A few of us from campus were privileged to attend a very enlightening presentation this week on the 2017 economic outlook sponsored by the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. It was encouraging to hear that, we can expect a continuing good business environment and that, compared to the rest of the country, we rank 6th in our position in the recovery, up from a 20+ position a few years ago. Nonetheless, the recovery is weak compared to others, but is actually the second longest in history since 1928.
Elliott Pollack, nationally renowned as a veteran Arizona economist, informed us that education and health services should continue to boom and are not expected to be cyclical, but rather steadily increase despite market fluctuations. In fact, one of every eight new jobs will be in the healthcare industry as the Phoenix metropolitan area continues to develop as a national center of medical expertise. Employment in the health industry has actually risen 156% since 2008.
Construction is doing well as evidenced by the substantial amount of home building as well, apartments and our unemployment rate is at a historically low level. Significantly, for those of us in the senior living industry, we are more in a seller’s market than any time in the last eight years with values up and inventory slightly less than demand. Sales of existing homes are on track to finish 2016 as the strongest year since 2008 and prices of homes should continue to rise. That is good news for those exiting home ownership to come to a campus such as Beatitudes. Most interesting, was Mr. Pollack’s observation that there will be a “tsunami of eligible buyers in five years as bankruptcies fall off of credit reports.”
Despite all of the good business environmental factors, we continue to look for ways in which we provide opportunities for our campus to thrive in other ways which make a difference in, not only the quality of life of our residents, but our community as a whole. I recently read an article by Debra Wood, R.N., that highlighted that giving time to improve another person’s life, or the greater community, offers benefits far beyond the good deeds done by volunteers. It creates feelings of self-worth in those doing the giving and can improve their outlook and well-being.
“Volunteering gives us another reason to get out of bed in the morning, because we look forward to getting together and doing this,” says Carol Jenkins, a resident at Parker and McCarrick in Somerset, NJ, and secretary of its Living with Purpose Club. “It makes us feel good helping others.”
I had the pleasure of watching this in action this past Friday evening, October 7th, at the Open Door Fellowship Church which hosted the formal kick off of the 19 North neighborhood association group. Jim Elliott and his wonderful group of campus volunteers have been an integral part of taking an idea surrounding completion of the light rail on 19th Avenue, and potential concerns about the development of the neighborhood, to a solid coalition of stores, shops, restaurants, city recreation centers, churches, hospitals, schools and us, as the sole senior living provider, to a movement solidly committed to strengthening our one-of-a-kind community. 19 North is encouraging each to take pride in our area and make it better by contributing ideas, energy and passion……..and interacting with each other in meaningful ways.
It was a privilege to set up our booth and talk with hundreds of interested community members, many of whom expressed interest in learning more about Beatitudes Campus. But the true joy was seeing so many of our residents in action – speaking, working at the display, interacting with other members of the coalition and formulating plans for additional volunteerism in churches, schools and community services. That is a significant demonstration of our vision and one of the great ways in which Beatitudes Campus becomes more than just a place to live, with a solid business environment. We are now advertising in the Sunnyslope Plus newspaper which is being retooled with entire 19 North pullout. What a thrill to be on the ground floor of something so significant for our neighborhood and to work with such a committed group of volunteers! Once again, I have to observe “my cup runneth over!”
I can’t believe it’s already four and a half months since I came to Beatitudes Campus! It has been a great time of assessing where we have opportunities and tooling up for our future. What a pleasure it is in my many travels on behalf of the Campus to speak of our many unique characteristics and determination to serve as many seniors as possible in meaningful ways.
During these first few months, we have been able to kick off a number of projects and initiatives – a few that have been contemplated for some time and others that have been developed to distinguish Beatitudes in our rather active marketplace. The First Impressions project, funded by the Beatitudes Foundation, has begun in earnest and is already making an impact on the environment around the property.
As you might well imagine, on a campus with buildings that span from less than ten to over fifty years old, many opportunities for improvement in the look of furnishings, colors and floor coverings have presented themselves. So about three months ago, we took an entire inventory of where we were and how we could best tune up image and surroundings to benefit our valuable residents and those who are considering residency. It may not surprise you to learn that the tab was very, very high if we were actually able to do each and every item on the wish list, but undaunted, we went about breaking it down into phases and ways in which to achieve the best “bang for the buck.”
About $66,000 had previously been set aside for flooring in the Foundation and they generously granted an additional $271,000 for the project which includes not only carpeting and wood vinyl, but also replacement of a good deal of furniture, artwork and accessories in the Health Care Center, Plaza View Assisted Living, Plaza North and Plaza South as well as the Central Park buildings. To date, we have seen completion of new wood vinyl flooring in all of the Central Park lobbies and elevators, as well as new paint schemes in those lobbies and throughout the upper floors at the entrances of resident apartments. We have also completed the replacement of all upper floor lounge carpets in Plaza North and Plaza South. A two tone painting scheme in hallways separated by a chair rail is underway in those buildings. The big news is that the remodel of the first floor lobby begins the week of September 19th with the removal of the desk/counter as well as carpet. It is all going to be replaced with our new flooring selections as well as a great executive desk, credenza and hutch, which our volunteer staff will continue to staff as they do in other buildings on campus. We have also completed the installation of new flooring in Plaza View’s upper floor elevator vestibules and lounges and then the first floor dining room and activity room will see their new carpet installation start around the first of October. Last, but certainly not least, 200 new multi-purpose, colorful chairs for use throughout the campus are starting to hit the scene. As a result, we will be retiring a lot of the extraneous and dated seating that has survived through the years.
Major activity will begin on October 10th when we will begin to see the furniture, artwork and lamps delivered throughout the campus. We are also hosting the 2nd annual PASRS (Professional Association of Senior Referral Specialists) conference on October 13th when we will enjoy the company of about 300 visitors on campus who will be looking at us for potential placement of their clients. Of course, we are putting out the welcome mat, but also will be working feverishly to have our décor in place to present ourselves well, in addition to our mission and outstanding care services. Some of the items will not be delivered until November, but once all of this work is completed by Thanksgiving, Phase I will essentially be complete.
All of the remaining areas of need have been collected into a Phase II process which will occur through our upcoming fiscal year (October 1st, 2016 – September 30th, 2017), funded by both the Foundation as well as largely by our campus operations. Our board approved the plan this last week, but capital expense budgets are only possible by well executed operations, so we will also be working diligently to meet all of our occupancy and expense budget targets. The completion of the First Impressions plan is scheduled through quarters one through four this coming year and we are tremendously excited about the impact that all that we are doing is making on campus.
So that brings me to the new Friends and Family Referral Program that we have kicked off as of September 7th. For every qualified referral that you provide to the marketing department, that has not been previously identified to us or toured, we are anxious to pay you, our valued residents (or members of your family) $1000 for the first successful admission, $1250 for the second and $1500 for the third. That’s $3750 that you can earn per year! In addition to the prospects not having been previously in our marketing database, they must complete three months of residency and be current on their account. It’s that simple! Think about former neighbors, members of your church or members of your own family that you would recommend becoming a part of Beatitudes Campus and provide their names to the marketing department. The program runs all through next fiscal year to September 30, 2017 but I urge you to hurry. As I write this article, there are 23 apartments that are “sold” and not yet occupied between rentals and entry fee (Central Park). Even though we will experience some residents that will transition to higher levels of care, there are a few apartments to fill and enjoy this opportunity. I will say I honestly cannot wait to hand out that first check at a Residents Council or Town Hall meeting to someone who has referred a successful admission under this program! And, I want to keep handing them out…….again and again throughout this year. I love working together with you – simply the finest Life Plan Community I have ever known. Together, we are creating the community of choice in, not only the Phoenix metropolitan area, but the southwest U.S. – full of choices, opportunities for service and a place of love, acceptance and fellowship. Please be sure to get in touch with me if you have any questions…… call Marketing at x18487 or myself, at x16107.*
The campus was blessed a year ago, when the Nina Mason Pulliam Foundation awarded the campus with a generous grant to create a sensory garden outside the entrance to the Health Care Center for residents to enjoy with their families and caregivers. After months of planning and design, the garden will become a reality soon, when construction begins this week. The garden will be named in memory of the mother of Harriet Ivey, the founding CEO and president of the Pulliam Foundation who is now retired. Harriet’s mother died many years ago from Alzheimer’s disease and Harriet recalls having no place to visit with her mother other than in the facility where she lived. That situation was distressing to Harriet, her mother and her family. From this, the idea was born to create a sensory garden at Beatitudes Campus.
A sensory garden is a garden environment that is designed with the purpose of stimulating the senses
A sensory garden is a garden environment that is designed with the purpose of stimulating the senses, courtesy of plants and the use of materials that engage the senses of sight, smell, touch, taste and sound. The majority of the garden will be completed in the next three weeks. A water feature for the garden is scheduled for completion in the fall. A formal dedication of the garden, which will be named for Harriet’s mother, will take place in the Fall.
The Phoenix-based Parsons Design Studio, a landscape architecture and urban design studio that specializes on urban infill and adaptive reuse projects, designed the garden. EnviroScape, a landscape construction and installation company in Glendale, is the constructing the garden.
Start date: July 6, 2015
Completion: TBA
The garden will be open for the enjoyment of all residents, visitors, and staff. The garden will feature two water features, an arbor, seating areas, an infinity walkway, potting benches, and plants designed to attract butterflies and birds.
The main entrances to Buckwald’s and the Health Care Center will remain open. The resident smoking area will be relocated within the porte-cochere that is south of the large fountain.
