All Posts in "Personal Finance/Consumers"

SecuraTrac, a provider of mobile health and safety solutions focused on senior safety, employee well-being and the healthcare industry, has this to say about its new mobile emergency pendant – the MobileDefender Model S:
“It’s small enough to be worn on a wrist or it can be attached to a breakaway lanyard. When at home, MD-S users can leave the main unit charging in its charging cradle, yet continue to have easy access to emergency response. The feather-light, in-home pendant also serves as a location identifier . The MD-S can detect movement in any direction so if a senior falls, he or she doesn’t have to initiate a call for help. The device will trigger one automatically.”
More information about the product and company is at www.securatrac.com.

srmedia by — September 5, 2017 in Personal Finance/Consumers

A Village Concepts caregiver and one of the administrators for the company that operates retirement and assisted-living communities in Pierce and King counties have been named by industry groups as some of the best in Washington in their profession.

The Washington Health Care Association selected Lori Harvison, a staff member at Sound Vista Village in Gig Harbor, as the winner of the WHCA Quality Award for Assisted Living Caregiver of the Year.

WHCA also tapped Michelle Strazis, executive director of Spiritwood at Pine Lake, for the Quality Award for Assisted Living Administrator of the Year.

The awards were formally presented during WHCA’s annual convention last month.

Harvison, who has worked at Village Concepts since 2005, was recognized for her innovation, achievement and capabilities as a caregiver. Susan Pfundt-O’Neill, executive director of Sound Vista Village, said Harvison has “an unstoppable and creative approach to caregiving that authentically shows her passion and true devotion to the families and residents that we serve.”

Strazis, executive director of Spiritwood since 2011, leads a team of more than 60 employees. WHCA cited her hard work, dedication and approachability. She’s known for preferring visiting with residents than staying behind a desk, chatting with residents while pouring drinks at “Winey Wednesdays,” organizing regular volunteering trips for Spiritwood or hosting political forums, including an afternoon with U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert.

srmedia by — August 16, 2017 in Personal Finance/Consumers

Are you thinking about moving into a retirement community but don’t know where to start looking or what to ask? Then the Tacoma Senior Living Community Tour might be the answer.

“We’ve hosted this tour six times in the past three years, and all to multiple van capacity,” said Jason Kitchel, sales and marketing director at Narrows Glen, one of the communities on the tour that includes guided tours by van. “It has been so rewarding to host this event.  At the end of each tour, participants consistently tell us, ‘We are so happy that we came today!  It really was informative, and it answered a lot of our questions regarding retirement living.’

“This is such a great community service for seniors, most of whom just remember what their grandma’s nursing home looked and smelled like,” Kitchel said “Retirement living and assisted living these days is so much different.”

The tour will be hosted on Aug. 16 from 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The participating communities include Franke Tobey Jones, Merrill Gardens, Narrows Glen, Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community, and The Weatherly Inn. 

“Together, we want to make sure you are well-informed about the options for senior living communities in the Tacoma area,” said Linda Lee, community relations director at the Tacoma Merrill Gardens.  “We want to help seniors find the very best community that will fit their wants, needs, desires, location and budget.”

 The program of the day is as follows:

  • 9:45a.m. Start at one of the five communities. Hear a short presentation about senior communities and the day’s activities. Tour that community.
  • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Get aboard the community van or drive your own car and go to the next community.  Each van will have a representative from that community to answer questions. Each van will stop at all five locations, or you can drive yourself and visit the communities                                                             you choose. When the tour ends, you’ll be returned to your starting community.

For more information or to RSVP, call 253-756-7562 by Aug. 14 to reserve your place on the tour and/or vans. Transportation services are limited, so RSVP today, organizers said.

“We’ve found that most of the seniors on this tour are just starting the process of looking around and seeing what communities are in the area and what they have to offer,” said Christine Hall, senior director of marketing at Franke Tobey Jones and the creator of this tour.

Hall said the tour provides a wide array of information.

“Participants can compare prices at each community, tour a few apartments, taste the food at each community, walk through some of the grounds and get a good sense of how each of them compare,” she said. “At the end of each of the previous five tours, the participants were hugging us and thanking us and so appreciative of all the information. It’s really gratifying knowing that we are providing seniors with information and options that will help them make a decision about moving to a senior living community.”

 

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Contributing Author by — August 1, 2017 in Personal Finance/Consumers

A new Wesley Homes senior living comm

Architectural rendering of the main entrance at Wesley Homes Bradley Park, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2018.

unity in Puyallup is tentatively scheduled to open in the fall of 2018.
Wesley Homes Bradley Park, which is waiting for city officials to issue a building permit, will occupy 14 acres on the south side of Bradley Lake Park. The site is between a Lowe’s home improvement store and a Kaiser Permanente medical center on 39th Avenue Southeast.
Community amenities will include a chapel, a library, a bistro, underground parking, multiple dining venues, a health and wellness center, and a beauty salon. Social programs and events, gardens, trails and 24-hour emergency staffing also are planned.
Additional information is available at wesleyhomes.org.

srmedia by — July 19, 2017 in Personal Finance/Consumers