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Resident Assistance Fund

Wed, August 4, 2021 Published by

The Resident Assistance Fund provides scholarships to Beatitudes Campus residents who have outlived their resources and need assistance meeting the full cost of their housing and healthcare. Planned giving is an arranged gift which will mature to benefit the campus over time. For more information, please contact Barbara Wood, Director of Development at 602-995-6136 (or x16136 on campus phone).

The Power of Women

Mon, August 12, 2019 Published by

“Women have a unique power of being able to look at the world’s problems and discover solutions that transform lives and make the world a better place.”

You can witness the power of those words first-hand at the Third Annual Power of Women: Wine, Women and Conversation event, which will be held on Wednesday, September 18, from 5-7 pm in the Life Center. We are shining a light on three women who are shaping the Phoenix community: The Honorable Kate Gallego, Mayor of the City of Phoenix; Dr. Maria Harper Marinick, chancellor of the Maricopa Community Colleges; and Dr. Judy Jolley Mohraz, trustee of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. They will be discussing their life journeys – the highs and lows and everything in between. We will hear the expansive amount of work they do for our community and how the connections and support they receive from our community has been transformational in their lives. Our own President and CEO Michelle Just and Letitia Frye, our Power of the Purse auctiontainer, author and speaker, will moderate the panel discussion.

Mayor Kate Gallego has spent her career working to find solutions to complex problems. Prior to being elected as Mayor this past March, she served for five years as the City Councilwoman for District 8. She is the second elected female mayor in Phoenix history and the youngest big-city mayor in the United States. She’s passionate about building a Phoenix that works for everyone, including her two-year-old son, Michael. Prior to being elected mayor, she worked on Strategic Planning and Economic Development for Salt River Project. Mayor Gallego graduated from Harvard University and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Maria Harper Marinick is a national leader in higher education and strong advocate for access, equity, and student success. She has served in leadership positions for 17 years at Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college systems in the U.S. serving 200,000 students across 10 colleges. She was appointed chancellor in 2016. She is the first female and the first Latina to be appointed to lead a higher educational institution in Arizona. She is originally from the Dominican Republic and came to Arizona in 1982 as a Fulbright Scholar to complete graduate work at Arizona State University, where she earned a master’s and doctoral degrees in education.

Dr. Judy Jolley Mohraz has spent her life committed to the community and education. She served as the founding president and CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, the largest private foundation in Arizona and currently serves as a trustee. She positioned the trust to be a significant partner in civic leadership, constructive change and investment in solution-focused social strategies. Prior, she was president of Goucher College in Baltimore for six years and served on the faculty and administration for 20 years at Southern Methodist University. Her academic focus was American history and she authored a book about Black education in the northern U.S. in the early 20th century. She serves on numerous boards and was a presidential appointee to the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy. She earned her doctorate from University of Illinois and her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Baylor University

Michelle Just, as we all know, is the amazing leader of Beatitudes Campus and has made enormous contributions nationally in the aging services field. Letitia Frye has been involved in Beatitudes Campus for the past five years as auctioneer at Power of the Purse. She has made a big impact on the Arizona nonprofit community and has helped raise more than $400 million for these organizations.

For those of you who attended Power of Women last year, you know how positive and uplifting this evening is. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll cheer on your new friends. I hope you will come this year!

We invite you to join us at Power of Women and be part of the Women, Wine and Conversation. Tickets are $45 (wine and appetizers included) and can be purchased by calling me (Barbara Wood at x16136) or coming to the Foundation offices. Please call me if you have any questions. I hope to see you there!

Living with Flexibility

Sun, June 2, 2019 Published by

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, internationally known author and speaker in the field of self-development, wrote a book called Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life—Living the Wisdom of the Tao in which he has written essays on the ancient wisdom of Lao-tzu.  The essay on the 22nd verse deals with “Living with Flexibility.”  Dyer says, “Having lived by the ocean for years, I’ve observed the beauty and majesty of the tall palm trees that grow at the water’s edge, often measuring 30 or 40 feet in height.  These stately giants are able to withstand the enormous pressure that hurricane-force winds bring as they blow at speeds up to 200 miles per hour.  Thousands of other trees in the huge storms’ paths are uprooted and destroyed, while the stately palms remain fixed in their rooted selves, proudly holding sway over their otherwise decimated domain.  So what is the palm trees’ secret to staying in one piece?  The answer is flexibility.  They bend almost down to the ground at times, and it’s that very ability that allows them to remain unbroken.”

Living without flexibility in the way we act and see the world leaves us at a disadvantage.  Trying to control everything never works out in the long run.  We all know people who are rigid and set in their ways who cannot bend or budge.  I imagine that each of us have times when we are that way ourselves.  The Tao suggests that nurturing flexibility helps us to withstand the storms of life and remain open to all possibilities.  If you imagine yourself as a tall, stately palm tree—the wisdom of the Tao would say: When criticism comes, listen.  When powerful forces push you in any direction, bow rather than fight, lean rather than break.  When you live from the perspective of being able to say, “I don’t know for certain, but I’m willing to listen,” you become a person whom others identify with because your flexibility lets them see that their point of view is welcome.  Let go of having to win an argument and being right by changing the atmosphere with a statement such as, “I’ve never considered that point of view.  Thank you for sharing your ideas with me.”  In this way you give everyone permission to relax their rigidity because you have no need to prove yourself or make others wrong.  Let us live the wisdom of the Tao by being flexible in the way we act and see the world.

Redevelopment Update

Sun, May 26, 2019 Published by

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.

Redevelopment Update: Sandpainting

Mon, May 20, 2019 Published by

We expect the second pour for ready-mix/concrete for the footings and foundations this week or early next week for the second building. The pours will begin at about 3:30AM. Additional notifications will follow when the work schedule is set.

The underground utility work is wrapping up.  The blue piping is for domestic water, the black piping is for fire lines, the green piping is for sewer, the gray piping is for electrical and the white piping is for sewer lines inside of the buildings.

We will be working on the east drive/Boutique Blvd. near the dumpsters just north of the community garden next week. There will be driving restrictions while we tap into the water lines in the roadway.

This week between the hours of 6AM and 3PM from Monday, May 20th—Friday, May 24th the northeast corner of the campus will be CLOSED to DRIVING TRAFFIC due to construction from 6AM to 3PM. PLEASE USE 17TH DRIVE ENTRANCE TO ACCESS THE WEST END OF CAMPUS as you will not be able to drive around.

RESIDENTS, PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO PARK ON THE EAST SIDE OF CAMPUS IN YOUR NORMAL PARKING SPOTS AS ASSIGNED during these times. Security will be directing and notifying those who enter off of Glendale Avenue of these restrictions.

Dust control is in effect at all times on all sites. We appreciate your cooperation and patience during times of construction traffic restrictions. For questions—please contact Scott Mardian, Sr. VP of Redevelopment, [email protected].

Life Plan Communities Seen as Gift to Adult Children

Mon, May 13, 2019 Published by

One of the favorite moments in our presentations to those considering residency at Beatitudes Campus is when Jim and Marlene Plaster talk about the letter they wrote to their children alleviating them of the responsibility to make decisions for them as they progressed toward their “third act” in life.  You can usually hear a “pin drop” as they tell of the series of decisions that led them to the campus.  (By the way, I can’t tell you how much we appreciate the Plaster’s willingness to help us along the way…..Jim is our Residents Council President Emeritus, but they have also selflessly allowed their patio home to be the “model” for the future project over 220 times!)

“It’s the best gift my parents could have possibly given us at this stage of life.”  Comments like this are common among adult children whose parents live in continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), sometimes referred to as life plan communities.

Research reveals that family members who care for an aging loved one often experience clinically significant signs of depression, have less time available to spend with friends and other family members, and sacrifice financially by taking time away from their careers or retiring early.

It’s no wonder then that those whose parents are happily living in a continuing care retirement community consider it a gift. A study of 3,700 family members of CCRC residents revealed that 93% feel that the CCRC is providing good services to their loved ones and 77% would be likely or very likely to consider a CCRC for themselves in the future.

Cited as the most important features of the community were transportation services, availability of a fitness center, housekeeping services, walking paths, emergency call systems, and the availability of assisted living and healthcare services.

Of course, we always tell our prospects that whether you are considering a CCRC for yourself or a loved one, finding the right fit requires doing proper research and due diligence. Generally, that includes speaking with our Resident Ambassadors who have been through the very same evaluation process.  Contract details and pricing can vary dramatically from one provider to another. It is important to be sure that the community you are considering is a good match for your lifestyle, finances, and cultural preferences, and that it is well-managed, both operationally and financially.

One of the very best parts of my job is making sure we connect folks about these considerations.  With over 30 years in senior living services, I have had wonderful options to provide, but none as comprehensive and “resident-centric” as this campus.  How proud I am to let our standards speak for themselves through the authenticity provided by our Ambassadors and so many more.

Thank you for always giving a warm welcome to those visiting campus and letting them know why living here is restorative, powerful, fulfilling, purposeful and exciting (some of your “B” words on your badges)!  By the way, we will be working with your building reps to get everyone’s name badges updated with the new logo and your “B” word in the next few months—stay tuned for the updates coming in the next few weeks.

What an exciting time it is for the campus!  Our new patio homes are under construction with twenty-nine committed, our Promenade Residences priority B V.I.P. membership program has over 75 members and the campus redevelopment program is comprehensive and a testament to listening and planning for the best in senior living.  I am so proud to be a part of this process!

Redevelopment Update

Sun, May 5, 2019 Published by

The Planned Urban Development (PUD) application with the City of Phoenix was unanimously approved. Thank you  again for your excellent support throughout this process.

We have completed just over 16% of the construction on the patio homes.  We are still performing underground utility work and we expect to begin delivery and pouring of ready-mix/concrete for the footings and foundations within two weeks. The large boxed specimen tree (Chinese Pistache) is leafing out and we hope to move it successfully to its final location between two of the new Myrtle Patio Homes within the next two weeks.  Work start times have shifted one hour earlier to 6AM to accommodate the higher daytime temperatures.

Again, our team, Orcutt/Winslow, their consultants, The Weitz Company and SRP appreciate your enthusiasm, participation and support in the project approvals. Additional questions and information?  Contact Scott Mardian,

smardian@beatitudescampus.org

Clear Site—a Redevelopment Update

Sun, March 3, 2019 Published by

Thank you for the excellent turnout to the groundbreaking ceremony.  Your enthusiasm for the project only serves to fuel the contractor’s momentum.  We have completed just over 10% of the construction on the patio homes.  We are still performing underground utility work.  Once we are out of the ground, there will be a burst of visible activity.

Work has resumed on the Garden apartment demolition without the rain, and will wrap up this week or next.  Dust control is in effect at all times.

Again our team, Orcutt/Winslow and The Weitz Company, appreciate your enthusiasm and participation in the groundbreaking and beyond. Questions and information?  Contact Scott Mardian, [email protected]

More comics at http://www.louielouie.net

 

Excavation, a Redevelopment Update

Sun, February 17, 2019 Published by

The underground utility work on 17th Drive has halted to avoid a 4” Century Link fiber optic cable.  The 17th Drive northbound traffic has been re-opened during this delay. The underground utility work will shift over to the Myrtle site while the fiber cable is worked around.  The demolition of the Garden Apts. is progressing quickly and will wrap up this week or next.  Dust control is in effect at all times. Some very good news—SRP believes they can provide a transfer switch that will mitigate our risk during a severe power outage. We are hoping that this switch would be provided at little or no cost to the campus. SRP, Orcutt Winslow and Weitz are continually proving to be outstanding partners.

Courage and Joy

Sun, February 17, 2019 Published by

Fifty-five years ago, the visionaries and pioneers of Beatitudes Campus held a historic groundbreaking on undeveloped farm land, bought for $25,000 an acre, with a vision to change the face of nursing homes of the 1960s—to build  a place where older adults could live, learn and play for the rest of their lives. They created a vision so big and so bright that it lives on from generation to generation.

From the first apartment built after that groundbreaking (Plaza South), so much has been built, and 16,000 seniors have lived vibrant and fulfilled lives at Beatitudes Campus.

Ten years ago, another historic groundbreaking occurred—the building of the Central Park Apartments and creation of our Town Plaza. At that groundbreaking ceremony, our founder, Rev. Dr. Bill Nelson, offered an invocation:
“…Never let the mystery keep us from plunging into the future with courage and with joy…may we turn the sod over and rearrange the world in more human ways…”

I have never forgotten those words, and they seem especially pertinent as we prepare for another chapter in the life of the campus—an eight-year master plan of redevelopment. We are rearranging the world—in ways that allow our residents to live empowered and purposeful lives, in ways that nourish and strengthen our neighborhood and community, in ways that allow our staff the privilege of servant leadership. I am honored, and humbled, to follow in the footsteps of my predecessors—Dr. Nelson, Rev. Everett Luther, Rev. Ken Buckwald and Peggy Mullan—to build on the firm foundation they have laid and embark on the biggest redevelopment the campus has seen. And, I am so privileged to serve our residents and our future residents and learn from you the lessons of hard work, of survival amidst momentous change, of sacrifice and of honor.

Our master plan is not just an investment in Beatitudes Campus. It is an investment in our community-in the lives of residents and future residents and in the staff who answered the call of service to others. We have grown from a dozen staff members to our 450 dedicated staff who have a sacred responsibility of service to 650 residents. The growth of the campus to become one of the largest employers in North Central Phoenix and in the Top 100 in Phoenix, is a testament to our vision to be a leader in aging services and serve the broad middle class. Our focus is not only confined to our campus – the campus is also a major contributor to our community’s economy. More than half of our expenditures to vendors is  returned to our local community businesses that are headquartered in Arizona, most of whom are located in Maricopa County or are small businesses.

As Dr. Nelson so clearly stated ten years ago, we must plunge into the future with courage and joy. It takes courage to redefine senior living as we are doing each and every day, but the joy I feel when you thrive and contribute to our community is life affirming. Our redevelopment and expansion speak to the heart of our campus mission.

We will celebrate this new chapter in the life of the campus with a Groundbreaking Ceremony on Thursday, February 21 at 10AM. Residents and staff can watch the ceremony live from the Luther Life Center, followed by a reception and refreshments from 10:00—1:00PM with our special guests and future residents. The Beatitudes Campus Board of Directors and I invite you to share with us, and each other, this important milestone in the evolution of the campus and feel the joy along with us.

Permitted, a Redevelopment Update

Sun, January 13, 2019 Published by

Earthwork will begin this week on the 17th Drive site.   You will see earthmovers scraping up 18”-24” of existing soil trenches and then lay it back down with proper compaction. The permits for the patio homes may be issued this week.

The abatement of the Garden Apts will finish up this week.  The demolition of the Garden Apts will be scheduled for the end of this month.  For every tree we remove, at least one replaces them.  On a separate note: An Eagle Scout Project will install a Bocce Ball Court in the grassy quad west of Plaza View and north of the Administration Conference Room.  Additional questions and information? Contact Scott Mardian, [email protected].*

TOWN HALL Recap for December 5, 2018

Sun, December 16, 2018 Published by

Rev. David Ragan, Sr. VP of Resident Services, called the meeting to order at 2:15PM, wishing all a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Joyous Holiday Season. David also asked residents to be sensitive to those who may have lost a loved one recently or have other reasons to be sad over the holidays. A kind word or deed can make a big difference. He shared the spirit of the holidays by showing some pictures of staff, both now and in previous years. Staff Christmas photo cards from years past of Michelle Just, Joe Kane, Mike Smallwood, Peggy Roberts, Jon Schilling, Barbara Wood and many others brought gales of laughter from residents. How we do change over the years!! David called attention to the Welcome Coffee held the fourth Wednesday of each month, but taking a break in December, with the next Coffee on Wednesday, January 23rd.

Michelle Just, President and CEO, also wished residents happy holidays and provided updates on several items. She thanked residents for their participation in the Holleran Survey and said the findings will be used by Senior Staff, the Board of Directors and others in planning for the future. Michelle also thanked residents for their generosity in raising over $165,000 for the Employee Appreciation Fund. The staff party with be on Friday, December 7th, and employees are very grateful for the money they receive from the Fund. It will definitely make a difference for Christmas. As for the redevelopment, residents have no doubt noticed that the homes along 17th Drive and Myrtle Avenue have been demolished. Abatement will be started tomorrow in regard to the old patio homes. They will not be demolished until sometime in January and residents will be duly notified of the date so that they may party on their balconies. A new name has been given to the Courtyard buildings. It is to be called the Promenade Residences. In response to letters received and rumors, Michelle assured residents that the Mall would not be closing down for this phase of the redevelopment. That will not occur until the Promenade Residences are built 2 ½ years down the road. She has also received word that residents are very happy with the Holiday decorations and she assured us that the Poinsettia tree in the Life Center will remain lovely without watering as the flowers are silk! Michelle asked a favor of residents—that some residents (in their Beatitudes T-shirts) would attend the Alhambra Village Planning meeting on December 18th at the Washington Adult Center. More information will be available in the Roadrunner.

As Barbara Carpenter came forward to report on the Residents Council, David noted that there had been a Barbara Luncheon. Barbara said that 18 Barbaras attended and had a lovely time.

Barbara reported on the November Residents Council Meeting, noting that David Ragan welcomed the Representatives, Committee Chairs, Staff and Residents. He had updates on the demolishing of the new patio home and garden apartment sites, the Community Channel and a new loop system for the Life Center. Bylaws and Elections Chairman, Herb Komnick, reported that the elections went smoothly, each building has elected representatives, and over 60% of independent living residents voted. Dining Services Chair, Pat Dellisanti, shared the mostly positive comments that the committee had received on our dining venues. Bette Henriques, Employee Appreciation Chair, announced that the 2018 fund had broken the previous record and she, too, thanked all who participated so generously. Enviroment Chairmen, Gerald Roseberry, said that servers in Buckwald’s and Elaine’s will be offering water on request as part of our conservation effort. It was approved for the Recycling Sub-Committee to move to the Facilities Committee. Facilities Committee Chairman, Roger Benson, and his committee are working with our Director of Plant Operations on the serviceability and appearance of the campus facilities. Committees reporting in December include Communications, Community Relations, Health and Wellness, Life Enrichment, Spiritual Life and Welcome. Representative, Nils Larson, of Plaza View welcomed new representative, Dick Tucker and reported on happenings there. Kathleen Hall of Plaza South and Hollister Newlin of Central Park South each reported about good things in their buildings and all independent living areas will be celebrating the season with holiday events starting next week. Donna Ellis reported for the newly formed Diversity and Inclusion Action Council, which will be working to promote these values, a part of the Beatitudes Promise. The Residents Council will be appreciating all our 2018 volunteers, electing new officers and seating our new representatives next week so join us for an exciting glimpse into 2019 on Wednesday, December 12th at 2:00PM. Cake and coffee will be served. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2018!

Jessica Meyer, Director of Success Matters, announced a Courtney Cookie Send-off to be held on Thursday, December 20th from 10 to 11AM. Courtney Ramos has completed her internship at the Beatitudes and we thank her for her work on Campus and wish her well in her upcoming career as an occupational therapist. Courtney, who has now completed her Master’s Degree, thanked the residents for being so welcoming and expressed her feeling that this is a wonderful community.

Didi Cruz and Monica De La Rosa, Life Enrichment Specialists, combined forces to remind residents of several upcoming opportunities such as the Holiday Light Tour Off Campus on Monday, December 17th and Wednesday, December 19th at 6PM. Call x12905 to reserve your seat. There will be a trip to Organ Stop Pizza on Tuesday, December 18th at 3PM. Organ Stop Pizza accepts CASH ONLY and to join this trip, call 12905 by Friday, December 14th. If you plan on decorating your balcony, and don’t mind having folks stop by around 6PM on weekdays, call Didi at 18473 by Thursday, December 13th. Those who participate will be entered in a raffle to win a $25 gift card. Free gift wrapping is available on Saturday, December 15th from 9AM to 5PM. Volunteers will be available to help wrap your gifts. All supplies are provided and please schedule a time by calling Monica at x18526. If you would like to be a Town Crier, and be available from 8 to 8:20AM to announce the events/classes going on for the day and the following day, and answer questions regarding the events/classes, contact Korry Nelson, Communications and Media Design Specialist at x18493 or talk with a Communications Committee member. You can volunteer for one day a week, or two days a week or whatever you might be able to do.

Michael Smallwood, Fitness Specialist, provided riddles and jokes along with good news about keeping fit. It seems that as Americans continue to live longer, we also are aging better and thriving more in later life. Seniors are more satisfied with their standard of living, worry less about finances, have a significantly higher sense of well-being and have reduced amounts of stress in their lives than their younger counterparts. Hawaii ranks as the #1 state for older Americans well-being, followed by ARIZONA, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Colorado. The least happy states were Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky and West Virginia. So stay here at the Beatitudes and join a workout and wellness class! The B-Fit winner for December is Norma Dieffenbach.

Tena Alonzo, Comfort Matters Director of Education and Research, introduced John Czaplewski, a Doctoral student, whose dissertation project involves the cognitive examination of people at least 90 years old. John said that participating in the project will require 20 to 30 minutes of activities such as puzzles, identifying pictures, remembering a short list of words, drawing pictures and connecting the dots. If residents participate, they will be a part of something that will benefit the care of others, create something new, represent individuals 90 years-old and over and impact the field of Neuropsychology. There is no other research like this in the country. If you are interested in participating in this important study, contact Tena at x16182.

David said that the DirecTV installation is complete and Cox is terminated throughout the campus. If Cox is trying to bill you for the white boxes that were in your apartment, tell them to cease doing so as they are part of the bulk account between Beatitudes Campus and Cox and this does not involve you. Always put in a work order should you have any issues involving your television or internet from now on.

The Arizona Republic is for sale in the Bistro for $2.00 a copy, including Sunday. Remember the Hootenanny takes place each and every Wednesday night in the Life Center. Bring your friends and enjoy the music. Wednesday Sundaes with Dave will take place on December 19th from 2 to 4PM in the Bistro. Enjoy a free yogurt sundae and share your thoughts with David. A big Thank You to Gregory’s Fresh Market for the bags of fruits and vegetables given to residents as they came to Town Hall on Wednesday.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL. The next Town Hall will be at 2:00PM in the Life Center on January 2nd, 2019.

Redevelopment Update

Sun, December 16, 2018 Published by

As Many of you know:

Several trees from the demolition of the residences on Myrtle have been boxed and moved to the west end of the Nelson Property.

The trees are on an automatic watering system.  There is one large specimen Elm that has been boxed and remains in place.  It will be moved to the nursery on the Nelson property using a crane in a few weeks.

Those trees that survive the boxing and move, will be replanted according to our landscape plan.

The geotechnical testing of the properties along 17 Drive and Myrtle has begun.  You can see the drill rig there now.

The testing has been completed, and abatement of the Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) of the existing Garden Apartments has begun.

More information on the Patio Home project and the Garden Apartment demolition will appear here every two weeks. *

Our Leaders’ Journey

Sun, July 15, 2018 Published by

If you had a hard time finding any of our campus supervisors, managers, directors and executives last Monday, It’s because I had them all, 62 of them to be exact, in the Life Center for a two-hour meeting to kick off a new initiative on leadership development.

It has been a priority of mine to establish a consistent and regular program for developing our leaders. Through ATLAS, a capacity-building grant we received from the Piper Charitable Trust, I am excited to announce that we were able to start this program this year. My vision for this group is to gather as a whole two to three times a year for full-day summits on the various aspects of leadership, while subsets of the group—whether they be by department or management level—will convene throughout the year, working on leadership competencies and management issues.

At the kickoff last Monday, the group had fun learning about each other’s personality types and how that plays into our interactions with each other. The next gathering will be a full-day retreat held in August on two different days to ensure proper management coverage and will focus on the six critical practices for leading a team. I chose that topic because the manager and employee relationship is a key component of staff retention and therefore the heart of our service to you.   This program is going to guide campus leaders in how to best motivate and support employees for professional growth while also teaching them how to provide productive feedback to enhance the employee performance.

Additionally, each campus leader will have access to online leadership content on a variety of different topics to support her or his leadership journey. The content is on-demand and offered in a variety of formats and time windows to enhance your leadership, management and supervisory skills.

A leader’s journey is never complete. It is important to me to continually grow as a leader, as well as help those around me do the same.   It is also my proud duty as CEO to prepare our organization’s team for the next step in their career, whether it be here at the campus or another company.

I am so excited about what this leadership program will do for all of our leaders and for the campus collectively. I look forward to our summits in August and as always, I would love to hear your feedback, as residents, as you observe our leadership culture evolving.*

Going Places

Tue, May 16, 2017 Published by

One of the toughest decisions that older adults make is to give up driving. Cars mean independence. However, younger generations are finding they may not be so eager to buy a car. There may be economic reasons for this, but there are also new technological developments that let people of all ages get where they want to go without the full cost of owning a car.

Where Are The Shovels?

Tue, May 16, 2017 Published by

At this month’s Resident Town Hall, I had the opportunity to provide attendees an update on the campus’ master planning work. You’ve heard for months now our team is working on the future campus redevelopment, yet I often get asked “when are we going to put a shovel in the ground?” Well, just because you aren’t seeing dirt diggers here, please know that there is significant and detailed work going on behind the scenes!

National AMD & Low Vision Awareness Month

Wed, February 1, 2017 Published by

February is National Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month, and many of the residents at Beatitudes experience low vision in various forms. Macular degeneration causes loss of central vision and is one of the most common low vision diagnoses amongst older adults, but others on campus have glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, and numerous other visual conditions. What many don’t realize, however, is that almost all older adults experience age-related changes in vision.  These age-related changes frequently include increased sensitivity to glare, diminished ability to see contrast, increased sensitivity to light changes, decreased depth perception, diminished visual acuity or sharpness, and decreased ability to see in dim light.  For example, according to University of Kentucky researchers, an 80 year-old needs four times the amount of light to see things as clearly as they did in their 20s!  Thankfully, there are a number of great resources in place to assist residents at Beatitudes Campus to navigate age-related vision changes.

The Low Vision Support Group meets on the second Friday of each month at 1PM in Boardroom East to share resources and support for those who are coping with varying degrees of vision loss. This group is open to ALL residents, and it publishes a reference list of eye doctors, optometrists, specialists, and local organizations that provide services for the visually impaired. In addition to sharing news and information about the latest developments in eye care and vision technology advancements, the Low Vision Support Group makes buttons available to residents with low vision, so that they can easily identify themselves to others.  You may notice your friends and neighbors wearing a button that says, “I HAVE LOW VISION.”  When you see others wearing these buttons, please be mindful of the fact that they may not be able to see your face clearly and may need extra time to orient themselves to their surroundings.  As a courtesy to all residents on campus who may have low vision (whether or not they wear the button), please identify yourself when you say hello.

As an occupational therapist and Director of Success Matters, one of my roles also includes working with individual residents to help make their environments more visually accessible —  from home lighting to computers.  For individualized information on setting up your apartment for improved visibility, feel free to call me, Jessica Meyer, at x16110.  Please contact Mark Pelkey at x15586 or Mary Lou Philips at x18371 for additional information about upcoming Low Vision Support Group meetings.

Forward Looks to the Future

Mon, October 17, 2016 Published by

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.

gobeyondcreativityElliott 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!”