Assisted-Living Centers Push Increased Activity

In Business Las Vegas, February 16th, 2007

A sextet of silver-sequined seniors led the crowd in old-timey songs.

“Roll out the barrel, we’ll have a barrel of fun …” harmonized the “Show Stoppers,” the group brought in for the champagne toast.

It was the end of Resident Appreciation Month at Atria Senior Living-Seville, an assisted-living facility at 2000 N. Rampart Blvd. The residents sang along and sipped their champagne and sparkling cider, getting refills when they were finished. Though a special month had just ended, a jam-packed calendar of activities would not.

Atria, a Louisville, Ky.-based chain, creates an edge for itself with an intensive, eight-category system of activities. They include crafts, frequent shows, volunteering and even regular happy hours — with alcohol. All of the chain’s locations, including three in the local area, follow the same guidelines for a program called “Engaged Life.”

“All companies are realizing now that’s a big thing that draws people to your community,” said Jim Cunningham, Seville’s executive director.

The assisted-living industry is a rapidly growing segment of health care, thanks to one commonly held belief (seniors need to stay active to stay mentally and physically healthy) but without thanks to another (seniors do not want to be institutionalized).

A heavy activity calendar addresses both of those.

“You’re looking at a new industry that’s trying to figure out how to separate themselves from everybody else,” said Cynthia Carruthers, who teaches therapeutic recreation at UNLV.

“They only have certain areas they can manipulate: the layout, cleanliness of the facility, the friendliness of the staff.”

Unlike nursing homes, assisted-living facilities do not have a big medical staff. They are also usually not covered by health insurance, so there is even more of an incentive for daily life to be enjoyable.

“Is it a good quality of life?” Carruthers asked. “Is there reason to get up every day when you’re not working and you don’t have family commitments? What keeps you vital?”

The focus of mental and social exercise, toward off deterioration, could become more popular. After all, it has only been about seven years since the belief became widely espoused, Carruthers said.

But the assisted-living industry still faces deep prejudices.

“It’s still very scary and a very touchy subject for people,” said Mark Simmons, director of Care 4 Life, a local company that does individual memory therapy.

Simmons formerly was a manager at Willow Creek Assisted Living, which has an emphasis on memory care.

Heavy activities should have been a priority in the assisted-living industry all along, he suggested.

“Now that everybody’s concerned about memory problems, there’s more fierce competition,” he said. “What’s going to set you apart is how happy and fulfilled your loved one feels.”

At Atria-Seville, 77-year-old Lorraine Ross said she enjoys any activity that keeps her mind busy, like music, crafts or “finding somebody to dance with.”

And happy hours, too. “You can get as happy as you want to, with a drink or two,” she laughed.

Cristina Rodriguez covers medical and workplace issues for In Business Las Vegas and its sister publication, the Las Vegas Sun. She can be reached at (702)259-2326 or by e-mail at cristina.rodriguez@lasvegassun.com.