As the Chief Development Officer for the Vicar’s Landing Foundation, I often get questions about the various ways of making charitable contributions. Today, I am going to discuss contributing directly from an individual retirement account (IRA). Under current regulations, most individuals 72 and older must take an annual required minimum distribution (RMD) from their IRA. This distribution is taxed (excluding any non-deductible contributions to the IRA). It’s possible to delay or minimize taxes on your RMD by donating all or some of your distribution to a qualified charity, such as the Vicar’s Landing Foundation. These are called qualified charitable distributions…

How does Vicar’s Landing remain relevant? It’s important for a community like ours to recognize its many strengths but continue to progress and build on those strengths as time passes. Creating a new master plan for the campus every seven years helps ensure that we keep up with new technology, adapt to changing member needs and desires, and update the appearance of our campus regularly to remain fresh and inviting. We last renovated the Vicar’s Landing campus seven years ago. A major planning effort is currently underway for our next refresh. We are busy interviewing and vetting several respected architects…

There are moments in life where time stands still. Moments in the routine when something stops you in your tracks and you face your greatest fears. Suddenly, things that seemed so important recede into the background and you see with a new perspective. I recently had one of those heart-stopping experiences. My daughter is an excellent student, a competitive western equestrian, and a worship leader. On horseback, she has earned a spot in her national championships for the past several years and has placed nationally in her category. She plays guitar and piano in worship bands at church and school…

There are no sweeter words to the ears of a senior community activities director than the title of this post. When our members find enough social, wellness, educational and cultural events to get them motivated to join in at least a few group activities, then we have done our jobs well. Engaged minds and bodies go a long way in creating the quality of life we want for our members. Over the next several weeks, I will share some easy to execute ideas for activities and events to satisfy just about everyone. Today, let’s focus on socialization, which is crucial…

Here are answers to basic questions my colleagues and I get quite frequently regarding membership costs and ongoing financial situations in the community. I hope you find this helpful. You can always reach out to us in the accounting department for more detailed or specific information. How much does it cost to get on the waitlist? When do I pay the entrance fees? Great questions. To get onto the current waitlist, we require a $2,500 deposit, which is refundable if plans change. Once on the waitlist, you can tour the property, find the perfect apartment layout, and review the entrance…

Like most industries, senior housing is constantly evolving thanks to advances in technology. These advances are helping more seniors age in their own homes and technology has been integrated quite effectively into senior communities. But there are many considerations for successful operators. Resident-facing technology should be easy to read and easy to use. Staff-facing technology should be intuitive and should help create efficiencies over manual processes. Above all, technology must not replace the human touch which is so vital in a community setting. Resident-facing Technology Check your unconscious bias at the door! You might be surprised to find that most…

Assisted living vs. skilled nursing? What kind of therapy is right? How do I know if I need more support? I get these questions frequently, so I have provided brief answers here. You can always reach out to us if you need more information on any of these topics or others. What is the difference between assisted living and skilled nursing? Assisted living communities give older adults personalized care in a residential setting. They’re for individuals whose health or well-being requires a higher level of support than living alone. The community determines this need through a health assessment. Assisted living…

At the End of the Rainbow: Pot of Gold or Crushing Waterfall? As I look at the future of senior housing, I see a beautiful rainbow created by strong demographics and longer life expectancies. The workforce needed to provide the needed care and services is in a generation that exceeds the size of the Boomers. However, if we are resigned to how things have always been done, we must be cautious about what is at the end of the rainbow. The Greatest Generation, Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials all bring a different perspective and culture based on…

While you are hunkered down indoors during the coronavirus stay-at-home order, we came up with a few ideas of what you might do to have some fun while enjoying the comforts of home sweet home. Try at least one. It will be fun! You could even shoot a short video of your adventure and post it on your favorite social media page. Here goes … 1. Take out an old photo album and reminisce. Memories are so precious. 2. Handwrite a note to someone you care about. Tell them how you feel. Mail it. Everyone loves getting mail, and they…