Future Age – March/April 2010 - 29

offer	an	acupuncture/acupressure	clinic,	 and	a	chiropractor	makes	monthly	visits.	 A	part-time	nurse	on	staff	provides	blood	 pressure	checks	and	other	basic	services.	 “We	try	to	give	residents	a	lot	of	choices	 in	how	to	take	care	of	their	health,”	Storti	 says. That’s	not	all.	Residents	can	enroll	in	a	 memory	class	series,	and	soon	Northaven	 hopes	to	buy	a	computerized	version	that	 residents	could	use	whenever	they	choose.	 A	physical	therapist	teaches	a	class	in	fall	 prevention	techniques.	Plus	Northaven’s	 full-time	wellness	director	teaches	exercise	 classes	and	brings	in	guest	instructors.	She	 also	leads	a	weekly	walking	group	and	a	 hiking	group	that	treks	up	to	five	miles	a	 week.	Even	residents	not	up	to	outdoor	 walks	or	longer	hikes	can	be	seen	walking	 up	and	down	Northaven’s	hallways	with	 their	walkers. Motivating	residents	to	participate	in	 such	activities	can	be	a	challenge,	especially	if	they’ve	never	paid	attention	to	diet	 and	exercise	before.	Injecting	humor	and	 fun	into	the	programs	goes	a	long	way,	 Storti	says,	and	residents	who	have	benefited	from	wellness	practices	are	visible	 proof	to	inspire	others. In	generating	enthusiasm	for	health	and	

wellness	as	keys	to	maintaining	independence,	“a	lot	depends	on	word	of	mouth,”	 Storti	points	out.	“[Health	and	wellness	have]	become	part	of	the	culture	at	 Northaven.”

integrated,	efficient	system	of	long-term	 care	and	supportive	services.	SASH	is	 starting	in	affordable	senior	housing	sites,	 but	ultimately	the	model	could	serve	 whole	communities. 	“What	we	want	to	prove	is	that	this	 Casting	a	Broad	Safety	Net system	both	saves	money	and	improves	 In	any	community,	parents	know	where	to	 outcomes	for	seniors,”	Eldridge	explains.	 find	local	public	schools	for	their	children.	 “Then	we	can	expand	it	to	serve	geoNancy	Eldridge	envisions	a	day	when	it’s	 graphic	areas,	rather	than	just	congregate	 just	as	straightforward	for	older	adults	to	 housing	sites.” locate	useful	services	to	help	them	age	in	 A	basic	premise	behind	SASH	is	that	 place. “100	percent	of	the	future	growth	in	long“It	won’t	be	a	matter	of	calling	10	difterm	care	will	occur	in	the	home,”	Eldridge	 ferent	numbers	and	maybe	getting	an	 says.	“There	will	be	no	growth	in	nursing	 answer	eventually,”	says	Eldridge,	executive	 homes.	In	Vermont	we’ve	already	seen	a	 director	of	Cathedral	Square	Corporation,	 lot	of	nursing	home	closings	or	delicensSouth	Burlington,	Vt.	“We	need	a	system	 ings.” that	meets	people’s	needs	when	they’re	at	 SASH	focuses	on	coordinating	health,	 the	other	end	of	life.” wellness	and	other	services	for	older	 The	beginnings	of	such	a	system	are	 adults.	The	model	calls	for	housing	sites	 underway	in	Vermont,	in	the	form	of	a	 to	have	on-site	service	coordinators	and	 program	called	Seniors	Aging	Safely	at	 wellness	nurses.	In	fall	2010,	SASH	will	be	 Home	(SASH).	Some	20	organizations— rolled	out	at	six	senior	housing	sites	across	 including	the	Vermont	Health	Foundation,	 Vermont.	Housing	sites	then	can	become	 housing	organizations,	academic	research- hubs	to	serve	older	adults	living	in	the	surers,	PACE,	the	local	Area	Agency	on	 rounding	communities. Aging,	hospitals,	the	Visiting	Nurse	AssoAs	of	early	2010,	a	live	design	of	the	 ciation	and	mental	health	agencies—have	 SASH	model	was	in	place	at	Heineberg	 come	together	to	create	and	evaluate	an	 Senior	Housing,	an	82-unit	affordable	

Insight. Inspiration. Ideas.
blog.glynndevins.com
More than 1,000 senior living professionals check out our marketing blog every month for insights, inspiration and ideas, drawn from our 23 years of experience in this field. To know what they know, subscribe to blog.glynndevins.com today. Or, if we can help you tackle your marketing and advertising challenges right now, give us a call at 913.491.0600.

Advertising. Marketing. Understanding.

913.491.0600 • www.glynndevins.com
futureAge	| March/April 2010

29
Future Age – March/April 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Future Age – March/April 2010
