Refuge with friends
Senior living communities look good amid pandemic
Wallace Paprocki, nearly 80, was ready to move out of the rural home she shares with her husband, Ted, and into a community for older, independent adults. The fact there was a pandemic underway did not slow her down. Paprocki hardly had any concerns about moving during the pandemic, and noted not only how friendly the staffers were at her new home, the Summit at Saratoga, but also how she picked up on their positivity. She was certain it was the right time to move, and felt comforted by "little touches" like coming home to a prepared meal in the refrigerator the day they moved in.
“Where else were we going to be reassured?” Paprocki said. “We wanted to be somewhere safe, where people were all around. And with masks and social distancing, it’s a very reassuring place to come into.”
According to the National Institute on Aging, social isolation and loneliness put people at risk for a variety of physical or mental illnesses, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, anxiety or cognitive decline. So, while staying home this past spring and summer was the safest option for the majority of Americans, seniors were still risking their health and wellbeing.
“People were initially fearful while isolating in the beginning of the pandemic, as we all were,” said Jennifer Nelligan, director of marketing and sales at Summit Senior Living, a 55-and-up community with five locations in the Capital Region. “What ultimately happened was people realized how lonely they were and how their world became smaller, which was more frightening.”
Nelligan said the phone continued to ring with new inquiries throughout the pandemic, which initially surprised her. The Summit team facilitated virtual tours and were faced with new health-and-safety related questions about their communities. People wanted to know what group activities and opportunities for socialization were offered with social distancing.
“When things were shut down outside, there was an entire life going on inside of the Summit community,” said Nelligan. “And that was attractive to people. We needed to make sure residents could still be connected to each other.”
The Paprockis don't have family living locally.
“We wanted a major change,” said Paprocki. “We were kids in our 30s when we bought that house and
I’m almost 80 now. We just can’t do the things we used
to do, and we were very remote out there [in Greenwich].”
Paprocki is active, though, so she wanted a community atmosphere with people around and services available if she or her husband needed it. And since moving during the shutdown, she’s now enjoying the Summit’s offerings with a fresh perspective and no comparison of how things were done PRE-COVID.
“I was one of the first people to book an appointment at the hair salon here, and what a lovely surprise that was,” Paprocki said. “The movie theater is open and clubs are beginning, things like that. My husband has been more of a joiner than I; he’s part of a book club and does tai chi. I’m pretty independent.”
At The Spinney Group, a Delmar-based property management company with two 55+ communities, it was important to provide residents with the same level of activity as before, with added modifications to make
health and safety as big a priority as community culture.
“Our Spinney lifestyle offers residents a unique atmosphere that seeks to extend the period of independent self-care of our 55+ residents,” said Morgan Ruthman, president and CEO of The Spinney Group. To ensure that lifestyle could continue throughout the pandemic, The Spinney Group published a Sanitation, Access, Functions, and Engagement (SAFE) plan, followed by a rollout of both virtual and in-person activities that abided by the state’s guidelines.
“We understand staying active and socially engaged is critical to a healthy lifestyle for our senior population,” said Ruthman. “In May and June, our lifestyle directors shared resources for residents to participate in videoconferencing programs on art, culture and exercise, and by July we were able to offer safe, socially distanced events outdoors.”
And while in-person gatherings are allowed with the proper protocols in place, Ruthman also acknowledges not every resident might be ready for that level of activity — and that’s OK, too.
“While many residents seek social interaction, we are mindful that many have health concerns and do not feel comfortable in group settings yet,” he said. “Being cognizant of the various comfort levels, we have developed a diverse monthly calendar of events that engage residents in a variety of ways, from home or in-person.”
A flower arranging class is a popular new activity that’s easily been adapted into a socially distanced format, Ruthman said. Residents can pick up the supplies and engage in the lesson virtually from home, or attend in person on the patio.
So for the active senior looking for a lively world during a shutdown, the pandemic proved as good a time as any to ensure their social calendar safely remains full without social outings or frequent family get-togethers.
Since March, two of the Summit Senior Living properties reached 100 percent occupancy and moved in dozens of new residents like Paprocki and her husband.
“Now more than ever, the spotlight is on what the value is in coming to a property like ours,” said Nelligan. “People can
ON THE COVER
Provided An outdoor exercise class at the Summit at Eastwyck Senior Independent Living Community. Local older adult living communities have seen an influx of residents, despite the pandemic.
choose to stay in their home or move to a regular apartment complex, but this is part of a larger personal and emotional decision.”
Nelligan reminds nearly everyone who inquires about Summit Senior Living that the choice is theirs to make. “To have the social safety net while still being able to remain independent is huge, but it’s ultimately up to them if it’s a fit. And when we are not the solution, we promise to help people figure out what is.”
Aside from the active adult, there is another part of the senior population, those who need more consistent, handson assistance from caretakers or family members, that also had to relocate midpandemic to stay safe and well.
“People had no choice but to move if they were no longer safe at home,” said Kristina Dott, community relations coordinator at Elderwood Village at Colonie. At Elderwood, requests for tours and information mostly come from the family members responsible for caring for their
elderly loved one who may no longer be able to advocate for themselves.
“The pandemic made it especially difficult for individuals to provide care if it wasn’t going to be safe to see family members,” Dott said. “They really had to trust us.”
As an assisted living facility, Elderwood provides a range of services to its residents beyond meals or group activities, from laundry and housekeeping to medication management, memory care and physical therapy.
In addition to ensuring health and safety standards were met to keep residents and staff safe, the Elderwood team was also tasked with updating its visitation policy and taking on a new, even more important role as a caretaker for these individuals.
“Family members used to come in and lay out outfits, bring snacks or rearrange and decorate,” said Dott. “We had an open door policy where they could visit whenever they wanted or be able to take them out to celebrate something like a birthday,” said Dott. “Now, we are all they have --we are their family. It’s all hands on deck.”
Dott says the staff has provided extra TLC that’s made family members feel at ease during the moving process, including facilitating Facetime sessions, helping “around the house” with certain tasks including bathing and personal hygiene, and truly offering anything else to maintain the level of confidence knowing their Elderwood resident is as safe and supported as they would be with family.
“It’s been a huge compliment and an honor for people to place their loved ones with us at Elderwood during this time,” Dott said. “This is hard for everyone, but the fact our residents and their families are comfortable and happy — it speaks volumes.”