As we covered in previous posts on socializing and wellness, engaged minds and bodies go along way in creating the quality of life we want for our members. Today, I’d like to focus on some ideas for entertaining events and outings that will help give a boost to your senior community and help fend off feelings of isolation and tedium. For far too long senior communities offered shelter, food and health care along with some minor diversions. Today’s mature adults are looking for much more. They want to keep life interesting, socially-focused and moving ahead. They are drawn to fun…

There was a time when civil discourse was the accepted way for those with differing opinions to learn about each other’s point of view. Civil discourse was written about as far back as the late 17th century in philosopher John Locke’s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Fast forward to 2011 and the U.S. Supreme Court determined that civil discourse is a “robust, honest, frank, and constructive dialogue and deliberation that seeks to advance the public interest.” However, with the proliferation of social media and the anonymity it provides, it’s become ok to treat those with different opinions rudely and with…

Our Members entrust us with their daily safety, security and well-being. This is our number one responsibility and we are mindful of every step toward ensuring a healthy and obstacle-free campus and community. The Plant Operations team is continually focused on building safety and rapidly responding to any concerns. Here’s how you can also lend a helping hand: Please take care when coming out of stairways, or approaching entrances/exits. We find that being mindful in these particular areas help our Members avoid collisions and falls. Immediately let Plant Operations know of any needed repairs, whether in the vicinity of your…

The benefits of staying active as we age are well-documented. At Vicar’s Landing, we put a major emphasis on health and wellness for both mind and body. We’ll keep you in shape with a wide array of activities to keep you moving, learning and making friends. Our on-site fitness center offers organized exercise classes such as Tai Chi, aerobics, and yoga, as well as training equipment, weights, treadmills, and stationary bicycles. Here are details on a few of the classes available: Tai Chi is a gentle form of exercise that can help maintain strength, flexibility, and balance, and could be…

If you are retired or nearing retirement, be careful you don’t become a PIP! I am not referring to Gladys Knight’s Pips on the Midnight Train to Georgia. Rather, PIP is an acronym for Previously Important People. In American culture, we place a great deal of emphasis on our work as our identity. It is understandable considering how much time we spend at work and the connection our work provides with other people. When meeting someone new, we usually ask “What do you do for a living?” What happens when the work is not there? This can create an identity…

Vicar’s Landing values its employees and the dedicated care they offer all of our members. For 35 years, the Boutique at Vicar’s Landing has been selling donated items at attractive prices to raise money for the employee scholarship fund. Totally organized and overseen by volunteers, the Boutique sales have helped many grateful employees continue their education and improve their lives. All funds raised from Boutique sales are distributed as scholarships and grants to employees who work in the Vicar’s Landing dining room, as health aides and other employees who support services that benefit our community. In addition, the housekeeping department…

At Vicar’s Landing, we’ve always been a premier retirement community, but now we are also a public school! The last few years have presented several challenges to industries across the board, most notably when it comes to staffing. Senior living is not immune and while investigating ways to overcome staffing challenges, we found an interesting opportunity. The St. Johns County School District supports a Life Work Transition program for students who have met all high school graduation requirements but have deferred their diplomas to “develop the skills required for successful employment, social skills, and independent living.” Life Work is part…

“Why does everything have to change?” “Why is change so hard?” “Why can’t things stay the same?” We have all heard these cries before, and we will often think the same thing. If you consider it, though, why do we think change is such a difficult thing? Only thirty years ago or so, I was thrilled to get a pager so that my friends could get in touch with me at any time. Now, I hold a computer in my hand that allows me to video conference in real time with anyone in the world. To get to that point…

All of us at Vicar’s Landing work to be as energy efficient as possible around our community. There are many ways that members can assist and we’ve compiled this list as a resource for you. ● Check your thermostat set-up: Try to keep your thermostat on AUTO. This means the fan will run only when required, resulting in more efficient, less costly cooling and heating and fewer air filter changes. ● Use only LED bulbs: We recommend switching to LED bulbs whenever possible since they use less energy and last longer than standard light bulbs. ● Watch your windows and…

The term “planned giving” was coined in 1969 by Robert F. Sharpe, Sr. a widely-respected consultant in the philanthropic sector. He wrote, “A donor usually considers a current gift to your institution as a cash outlay now. To make a deferred gift, a person decides to give at some future date, either a number of years from now or at death. A deferred gift is a present decision to make a future gift, evidenced by a legal contract. While the name ‘deferred giving’ is best known to professionals in the field, it is not a term that communicates very much…