10 AMENITIES ADULT CHILDREN SEEK IN A SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY


it once a week, including one dog that will lie down with residents who are experienc- ing the final stages of life. Korpi said the dog’s presence can prove very cathartic to those individuals. “We take pet therapy very seriously here,”


Korpi said. 8


Salons Onsite conveniences that allow res- idents to take care of basic needs


without leaving home are amenities that can appeal to sons and daughters and tap into their hope that their parents will be able to access everything they need. Salons, such as those at the Grandbrier,


Wentworth, and Arbour Square communities, are particularly popular. Neetz said her moth- er loves having a hair salon onsite, and Neetz appreciates that her mother can treat herself to that experience without relying on Neetz. “She can go whenever she likes,” she said. Gittings said the salon at Arbour Square


“gets pretty busy,” and a number of resi- dents maintain standing appointments. “That really appeals to the adult child be-


cause they’ll say, ‘My mom always has gotten her hair done every Friday. Can she still do that?’” Gittings said. “And she can. If she’s in personal care, a caregiver will pick her up at her apartment and bring her down to the hairdresser instead of the child running over, getting her in the car, taking her to the hair- dresser, and bringing her back. We make sure that she’s taken care of, and, as a lot of kids say, ‘You look good, you feel good.’”


9


Entertainment venues Both Grandbrier and Arbour Square feature movie theaters. Ar-


bour Square has both a matinee and evening showing daily, leaning heavily on resident re- quests. Gittings said the movie theater can be an appealing venue for visiting families. “We encourage them that if they have


grandchildren who would love to see this movie, this is their house. Call them and invite them,” Gittings said. Arbour Square’s game room has billiard


tables, video games, pinball machines, and card tables, among other activities. These of- fer an obvious draw for younger generations. “I was just down there this morning and one of the residents was down there with


38 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE JULY/AUGUST 2018


her son and her two granddaughters work- ing on the pinball machine, and that was perfect for that space,” Gittings said.


10


Unique spaces Arbour Square at West Ches- ter was constructed near a


private airport used by single-engine planes. The community embraces the concept in a variety of ways, but no more clearly than with its third-floor aviation deck. The glassed-in deck resembles an air traffic control tower. Cameras mounted outside the windows feed into computer monitors where visitors can zoom in and out for bet- ter views of the planes. A shortwave radio allows visitors to listen


to pilots as they land or take off or to tune into weather reports. A virtual reality game with goggles and a headset lets users be the pilot and land a plane themselves. Gittings said the space has proved popular with both residents and their families. The space can spark a comforting nostalgia among chil- dren as they prepare to help their parents move to a new home. “We’ll have adult children tell us that they


remember going to the airport to watch planes land when they were kids,” Gittings said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, Dad’s going to love this.’” In addition, Arbour Square also has


a rooftop deck on its second floor with a fireplace, television, café tables, and raised garden beds. The deck also faces the air- port, offering an ideal vantage point for plane watching.


The aviation and rooftop decks represent


examples of spaces that appeal to family members not only because of a belief that residents will enjoy them but because of a belief that their family will enjoy them when they visit. “You know that if you want to visit your


mother you can take the kids and go to the rooftop deck and watch the planes,” Gittings said. “The kids can get excited about going to see grandma, because they know that’s where they get to watch the airplanes.”


Context matters Korpi said a striking amenity sometimes can appeal to a son or daughter but leave their parent unimpressed. She believes both communities and family members must take care to remember that the preferenc- es and experiences of the residents remains the top priority. “It’s important for a daughter or son to


not project what they think they’d want on a community but to make sure they under- stand what their loved one actually wants,” Korpi said. “It’s often not the same thing.” In the end, Korpi said, a successful tran-


sition requires a collaboration between all parties involved to make sure a community is the right fit. “You want to have the best plan of action


for every individual, because there’s no cook- ie-cutter solution that works for everyone,” Korpi said. “These are all unique people with different backgrounds, interests, and de- sires, and we just have to remember that.”


Arbour Square at West Chester overlooks Brandywine Airport, providing for engaging visuals and activities for residents and families to enjoy at the community’s aviation deck.


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