Beatitudes Community

Life Plan Communities Seen as Gift to Adult Children

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!

A Clinic is Coming, A Clinic is Coming

A CLINIC IS COMING…We are happy to share that Mobile Valley Physicians (MVP) will be joining us on campus in the next couple of months, offering primary care services, podiatry, home health and rehab referrals and coordination, chronic disease management, end of life care planning and hospice coordination. Beginning around July 1, 2019 they will be staffing couple days a week until caseload increases to be able to add more days. They hope, in time, to be open Monday through Friday. Look for more info coming soon…

The Most Exciting Times

Beatitudes Campus is truly entering one of the most exciting times in its 54-year history as we celebrate the beginning of construction of our new 34 patio homes. I thought you might be interested in a little of the planning background for this new addition on the north and west perimeters of campus and we are so excited to welcome this new group of residents.

Research has shown and our history supports that this is one of the most often requested accommodations in a continuing care retirement community or life plan community, as we are now known. Many coming to see our presentations looked at a condo setting as they considered selling their larger homes and have reported five significant differences between patio homes and condos.

  1. Patio homes found in a senior living community, such as ours at Beatitudes Campus, are built specifically for post-career adults. Our patio home residents must be age 62+. At a condo, who will be your neighbor now and into the future? You have no control over that.
  2. Patio homes often include additional services and amenities. While you may pay a fee that you don’t have with a condo, you typically gain home maintenance, housekeeping, dining, daily activities, an aquatic center, etc., that are included within the senior living community. Home responsibility, maintenance and repair costs remain yours with a condo.
  3. Patio home floor plans typically do not include a basement nor stairways. They are designed for low maintenance with easily accessible garages, walkways and safety/security features.
  4. By being part of a community living neighborhood, a patio home comes with built-in security. For example, our patio homes are located within a gated community with security features throughout the campus and in the homes. You also gain a sense of neighborhood protection when you are part of a community. It can be hard to find this in a condominium unit or any stand-alone neighborhood.
  5. Patio homes often include services and amenities on site. We are a life plan community and our new homes have the continuing care benefit that so many find important. Within our campus, we offer services and accommodations for rehabilitation, therapy, assisted living, memory support and skilled nursing.

Most of our residents move into an independent living patio home while they are younger, healthy and active. If or when assistance or care is needed, they can stay within the community but move into an assisted living apartment or other care arrangement.

Being a life plan community allows our residents to always remain living in the community where they have built friendships, know the staff and feel at home.

At Beatitudes Campus, we have 3 different floor plans for one- or two-bedroom designs. Our patio homes feature attractive finishes, fully equipped kitchens, attached garages, and plenty of outdoor space both in the front and rear of each. We are excited to formally celebrate “spades in the ground” on February 21st at 10 A.M. as Michelle Just, CEO, the board, executive staff, the construction company, architects and our twenty -seven depositors all meet for a brief ceremony at the Myrtle Avenue sight that we are going to live-stream to the rest of the campus in the Life Center.

Please join us in the Luther Life Center anytime from 10:00AM—1:00PM for a come and go celebration complete with a light brunch menu. We will have numerous displays of information and our consultants and staff will be on hand to join in the festivities and answer questions. There will be more information posted on the community channel as we get closer to the date. In the meantime, please RSVP to Ali Shreeve, marketing assistant at 18467 so that we can plan appropriately. It’s going to be a great day!