Month: September 2021

Categories
Making the Decision

Continuing to “Sleeve Up” with COVID-19 booster shots

Older woman receiving a vaccine from a nurse

At Atria, protecting the well-being and safety of our residents and staff has always been our highest priority. We were among the first senior living companies to provide the COVID-19 vaccine when it became available in late 2020. Now, in partnership with CVS, we’ll be offering both the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 booster shot to Atria residents and employees at on-site clinics as soon as the booster becomes available.

Currently, 99 percent of employees and residents have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on when the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot is approved, it will be offered during our upcoming flu shot clinics, or we will schedule a separate CVS clinic dedicated to the COVID-19 booster vaccine.

Why it’s important to sleeve up

“Sleeve Up Atria” – the name of our COVID-19 vaccination initiative – was created to generate excitement, encourage participation and stress the importance of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. We believe vaccines are critical to the safety and well-being of everyone who lives and works in our communities, and that’s why we again want to make “sleeving up” as safe and easy as possible.

COVID-19 cases are rising nationwide, and the flu is an ongoing seasonal threat. These vaccines go a long way to keeping us all healthy.

For the more than 21,000 residents who call Atria home, the success of “Sleeve Up Atria” has translated into the confidence to enjoy meals and programs together.

“Knowing we are no longer in the thick of it and that we’re getting back to normal makes me sleep better at night,” Beverly, a resident at Atria Rancho Peñasquitos in San Diego, California, stated. “I’m still staying safe, but now getting out and about again, and feeling freer.”

High-dose flu vaccine will be offered

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 3-11% of the population falls ill with the flu every year, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with flu complications. Older adults are especially vulnerable, which is why Atria is committed to helping residents stay healthy during flu season.

This year, we’ll once again offer residents the opportunity to receive the high-dose flu vaccination for seniors, though the normal flu vaccine will also be available.

Atria is at the ready

While details of what regulatory officials will recommend for the COVID-19 booster shot have not been finalized, the White House has pledged to make long-term care settings – such as nursing homes and senior living communities – a priority. Said Atria Chairman and CEO John Moore, “The bottom line is we’re ready to go as soon as formal approval happens.”

Editorial note: This blog has been updated to adjust errors that appeared in the original version.

Categories
Making the Decision

Benefits of senior living vs. living at home

Group of three Asian senior friends sitting and talking in cafe, laughing and having fun
Group of three Asian senior friends sitting and talking in cafe, laughing and having fun

Currently, around one million Americans live in some type of senior living community – a figure that’s expected to double by 2030, in part because senior living communities provide abundant mental, physical and emotional benefits that often allow older adults to thrive. Let’s walk through the process of deciding between staying at home or living in a community and touch on some of the benefits of making the switch.

Staying vs. moving

Weighing your options regarding whether to live at home or in a community can feel daunting. For that reason, it’s helpful to consider those options side by side to think through what the important aspects of your life will be like at home or in a community – aspects such as your social life, your dining options, your exercise routine, or the emergency assistance that you’ll be able to access.

Take, for instance, something as simple as housekeeping. At home, you may dedicate a lot of your time to household maintenance, whereas at a senior living community, the staff may provide all the housekeeping and linen services for you.

A change for the better

Once residents move into senior living communities, they often discover that they’ve made the right decision. Listen to Claudia, an Atria resident, who shares her story about how the stresses of being at home convinced her to move into a senior living community – and she’s loved it ever since.

“I don’t have to worry about anything, because everything’s taken care of for me,” she says. At home, she mostly watched TV. At Atria, she engages with other residents, enjoys “five-star meals,” and says that her daughter never worries about her. In Claudia’s words: “Come to a place where, anything you can think of, you have right here in front of you.”

The cost of waiting

Moving into a senior living community is a serious decision, and it only makes sense to be selective when it comes to choosing the right community. But waiting too long to arrive at a decision can also come with certain costs. Once residents and their families weigh the benefits of moving into a senior living community, the conclusions that they reach tend to point them in the direction of moving, after all. Benefitting from ongoing support and professional caregiving tends to revitalize residents and help them thrive.

Why moving makes sense

Residents who move into a senior living community often find that they enjoy the advantages that a home offers without having to shoulder the burdens of homeownership. Contact us today to learn why Atria might be the right option for you.

If you or someone you know wants to learn more about Atria, visit AtriaSeniorLiving.com/FindACommunity to discover the location nearest you.

Categories
Family Dynamics

Senior life lessons from Atria centenarians

Three Atria Senior Living residents celebrating their 100th birthdays together

Ruth, Edith, and Lorraine, the centenarian “Golden Girls” of Atria West 86 in the Upper West Side of New York, have received a lot of media attention since celebrating their 100th birthdays together. Featured in People, ABC News, the New York Post, and other major outlets, the three friends raised three glasses of champagne together – commemorating the occasion, as well as having lived through the pandemic safely. As Ruth told People: “I think I was born under a lucky star. We’ve gone through this together. I’m just thankful I was here to get a vaccine.”

We decided to sit down with Ruth, Lorraine, and Edith to learn their secrets to leading a long happy life.

Ruth

After graduating from NYU’s School of Education, Ruth worked as an elementary-school teacher. Later in her career, she studied braille and taught visually impaired and disabled children. She’s passionate about golf, travel, opera, ballet – and all that New York City has to offer. Since she’s been at Atria West 86, Ruth has made lots of friends with both residents and employees alike. (“The staff is great!” she said.)

When asked about her greatest accomplishment, Ruth said, “My two children, of course.” Ruth – a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother – moved from Florida to Atria West 86 to be closer to her family. During the celebration at the community, which featured banners, balloons, a giant cake, and the Atria staff singing multiple renditions of “Happy Birthday,” Ruth was reunited with her son, Andrew, who flew in from California and saw his mother for the first time in two years because of COVID-related travel restrictions.

Ruth never misses an Atria West 86 social hour on the penthouse terrace, and she loves marveling at the New York skyline. This social butterfly’s senior lifestyle includes outings to concerts, guest lecture series, and opera recitals. “Life goes by too fast, so enjoy each day to the fullest,” Ruth said. “You have to laugh!”

Edith

Edith (AKA “Mitzi”) graduated from Brooklyn High School and the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn. She started her career as a secretary in the office of her future husband, an attorney, and is a lifelong lover of theater, traveling, concerts, and museums – especially the Museum of Natural History in New York.

Edith advised to not waste any time complaining. When asked what her most cherished accomplishments are, she answered immediately – her two daughters, who she said are devoted, kind, and loving. To Edith, family has always been her top priority.

Lorraine

An accomplished mezzo soprano with the Metropolitan Opera chorus in New York for 20 years, Lorraine performed with all the top singers of her day – including Robert Merrill, Renata Tebaldi, and Luciano Pavarotti. Today she remains an avid bridge player. Like Ruth, Lorraine is grateful for all the friendships she’s made at Atria, including with her Resident Services Assistant, Felicia, who she refers to as her “angel.”

The centenarian celebration also afforded Lorraine the opportunity to reconnect with her niece, who, due to the pandemic, she was only able to talk to over the phone or via Zoom. Lorraine also enjoyed going to a birthday lunch that her friends from the New York tennis circuit threw in her honor.

So what’s Lorraine’s advice? “Do what you love, what you’re passionate about, and commit to it – it should bring you tremendous joy!” she said. “It’s been a wonderful life.”

If you or someone you know wants to learn more about Atria, visit AtriaSeniorLiving.com/FindACommunity to discover the location nearest you.