Recharging Retirees in Retirement Communities

A well-rounded activities calendar is the key to success in an independent living retirement community. When I think about having a program that is "well-rounded," I think about having something for everyone. Now, I know after 25 years in the field that I will not have everyone participate, nor enjoy everything that they are involved with, but I make every effort possible. I am lucky enough to have the best of both worlds. I am a one person department and yet I have co-workers to share the workload. My company owns two other communities within a 10 minute drive of one another. Each community has an activities department and we share a common transportation department. Because of the buses and because of the needs to have escorted outings, we have learned to pull our resources together and create a well-rounded program for all three communities. It is a win-win situation for us and for the residents who we serve. Don't get me wrong.... it is not the same calendar at

As an animal lover, I understand why it is wonderful for residents to have a pet in their apartment when they come to a retirement community. As a department manager, I see the problems that come in time when a resident can no longer take care of their beloved pet. And, as the Activities Director in the community, I program for those residents who want to share the love of their pets with others in the community. Check out my blog on the annual dog show that we have each August. But, there are other interesting topics that need to be covered when we think about pets and senior adults. The first is pet therapy in nursing home. This can be done formally or informally. Since I work with the independent living residents, I see how those with dogs choose to have them interact with fellow residents (or not). Those residents with the pets get a lot of enjoyment from sharing their loved one with others, the animal usually enjoys the interaction, and the resident who choose to stop