The Senior Scene

Franke Tobey Jones, a non-profit senior living community in the Point Defiance neighborhood of Tacoma, is planning to expand its capacity and services for residents and the surrounding community.

In phased development over the next five to eight years, the expansion is expected to increase Franke Tobey Jones’ residency from 190 people to about 280. In addition, classes and other services through Senior University, the senior center and wellness center will grow.

The expansion, which was announced in March, is in early planning stages but will include involvement from the residents, families and surrounding neighbors. A series of community meetings will be scheduled. Formal plans are expected to be filed with the City of Tacoma in April.

“This is an exciting new chapter in our mission to make a difference in the lives of seniors,” said Mark Gustafson, chief executive officer. “It is important to us to provide a range of services, not only for the residents and families who call Franke Tobey Jones home, but for the surrounding community that has become so much a part of our culture.”

First established in 1924, Franke Tobe Jones currently has nearly 190 residents in independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing.  It also runs the Point Defiance-Ruston Senior Center, the Senior University program and the M.J. Wicks Family Wellness Center. All are open to anyone age 55 and up, whether they’re a Franke Tobey Jones resident or not. Between the senior center and other activities open to the public, hundreds of local seniors participate in continuing-education, fitness classes and social events.

Initial plans include:

• Phase 1. A new state-of-the-art health center and memory care community, and a new Puget Sound-view independent living apartment building.
• Phase 2. A new independent-living apartment building with on-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Amenities will including and enhanced wellness center, auditorium, bistro, game room, lounge, business-computer room, library and roof-top deck. When-needed, assisted-living services will be available without the need to relocate.
• Phase 3. A renovation of the historic original building that dates to the 1920s and the Lillian Pratt building.

“Investing in this new expansion will help us serve more people with even more needed services and ensure we continue to live our mission of enriching and extending the quality of lives for seniors,” Gustafson said.

A capital campaign is planned in order to offset a small portion of the project’s expenses. A spokeswoman said the goals of the campaign are to keep financing fees down and to avoid passing on costs to residents so that people of varied economic means can utilize Franke Tobey Jones.

Marathon Development Inc., a Bellevue firm, has been hired for master planning and development services.  LRS Architects of Portland is the project’s designer.

Franke Tobey Jones current residences are on a 20-acre site near Point Defiance Park.

ConcertoHealth recently celebrated grand opening of its two newest care centers in Lakewood and Lynnwood that are focused on healthcare for Pierce and Snohomish counties’ dual-eligible Medicare/Medicaid patient population.

The new centers, which bring with them 75 new jobs, are intent on eliminating the most common barriers to appropriate and timely care, according to company officials. Merging social work with care management, ConcertoHealth seeks to improve access to primary care services by building medical centers in the communities it serves, addressing both the social and economic realities that patients face.

Through its Lakewood and Lynnwood locations, ConcertoHealth will provide clinic services for those who can get to the clinics and in-home services for those who can’t, according to a company spokesman. ConcertoHealth also has field-based care teams that can follow members through any other healthcare setting, from hospitals to nursing homes and rehabilitation faciltiies.

ConcertoHealth (formerly Fidelis SeniorCare) has more than a decade of experience with Medicare, Medicaid and complex medical-needs patients. The company is expanding and investing in Washington with the opening of the two new care centers, officials said.

Stacey Zierath was introduced in February as president of the company’s Washington market. Zierath, who has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare ambulatory operations, will head operations statewide, including care centers in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.

“Everyone deserves compassionate care that is individually tailored to their unique healthcare needs,” Zierath said.

Zierath was responsible for growth at CHI Franciscan and was operational lead for the design and construction of four ambulatory medical clinics in Puyallup, Tacoma, Bonney Lake and Auburn. She also has worked with Virginia Mason Medical Center and PeaceHealth Medical Group

For the grand-opening ceremonies Feb. 23 in Lakewood and Lynnwood, Zierath was joined by fellow ConcertoHealth staff members and representatives of Molina Healthcare.

Brian Scalabrine, a former professional basketball player, is playing a much different role these days as the co-owner of a $23 million retirement community in Des Moines.
Scalabrine is part of the team developing land in the waterfront city’s downtown area where The Adriana is being built by Village Concepts. A groundbreaking was held in January for the 101,427-square-feet, five-story building. It will have 119 senior apartments, each with a washer and dryer, when it opens this fall. Plans also call for an atrium, social and media rooms, a kitchen, a beauty salon, and fitness and computer rooms.
Scalabrine, 37, already had ties to the area before getting involved with The Adriana. A native of Enumclaw, he played basketball at Highline College in Des Moines before transferring and finishing his college career at University of Southern California. In the National Basketball Association, he played as a forward for the New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls from 2001 to 2012. While with Boston, the Celtics won an NBA championship in 2008.
Village Concepts, which was founded in 1975 and is based in Federal Way, has 15 other retirement and assisted-living communities. They include Brannan Park in Auburn, Sound Vista Village in Gig Harbor, High Point Village in Enumclaw, Alder Ridge and Mill Ridge in Milton, and Covington Place in Covington.

The 28th annual Northwest Flower and Garden Show, celebrating the National Parks Service Centennial and famous American landmarks, will be staged Feb. 17-21 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle.
Twenty garden creators will be featured in ways to jump-start gardening experiences and learn about trends that beautify and are practical, show organizers said. A marketplace will include 350 exhibitors, and regional wines and craft beers will be offered.
Show hours for the five-day event are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Feb. 20 and 9 to 6 the final day.
Admission prices range from $17 early bird for adults (regularly $22 the week of the show or at the door); $15 per person for group advance purchases (minimum of 20 tickets online or at the door); $31 for single two-day pass; $70 for single five-day pass; and $5 for children 13 to 17 years old. Admission is free for kids 12 and under.