Erin Fjell, Sales & Marketing Director
One thing that sets senior living communities apart from their competitors are the programs offered to help enrich the lives of the residents they are serving. Renaissance has always provided an array of activities to our residents, such as organized movie nights, games, non-denominational services, exercise classes, happy hours, and overnight trips. This year, Renaissance wanted to expand the Life Enrichment programming even further and offer programs that hit all seven dimensions of wellness—emotional, spiritual, social, physical, intellectual, vocational, and environmental. These dimensions of wellness define life balance and are necessary for improving and maintaining quality of life: the body, the mind, and the spirit.
Life Enrichment Director Kathy Meyer has been serving the fantastic residents of Renaissance for the last 18 years. She is particularly excited to present these programs because, “We like to offer a variety of opportunities to fit the likes and the needs of every resident.” For instance, Renaissance offers The Great Courses, which is a series of courses offered to “lifelong learners” on a variety of different topics ranging from birdwatching, music, travel, etc. Kathy goes on to say, “It’s important to keep residents actively aging, whether that be physically, socially, or whatever motivates them so they’re not just sitting in their apartments. Stimulation is key.”
In our Assisted Living and Memory Care, Renaissance offers a technology web-based program called It’s Never Too Late (or IN2L). This program offers person-centered content to create meaningful experiences by assisting older adults to connect to the world around them. Each individual has a profile where we can upload specific content that interests each resident. Whether it’s family photos/videos, gardening tips, music favorites, or sentimental treasures.
Our amazing Life Enrichment coordinators also spend one-on-one time engaging with each individual to ensure their overall psychological welfare is being met. This also allows interaction with multiple generations of people to achieve their desire for meaningful relationships of people of all ages. Life Enrichment Coordinator Danielle Anderson says, “The lifelong lessons I have learned from the residents is something that money just cannot buy. They’ve given me so much more than they will ever know, and I cherish my time with each of them!”
In addition to in-house events, Renaissance plans one- to three-day excursions exploring the beautiful State of Arizona to places like Sedona, Prescott, Southern Arizona, and wine tasting in Cottonwood. Kathy Meyer lights up when talking about these trips and all of the wonderful memories she has had over the years and memories yet to be made. “I think you are fortunate to find a job you like. I think you are extremely lucky to find a job you really love. And I consider myself extremely lucky.”