A Holistic Approach to Wellness for CCRCs
 Wellness programs for seniors have gained broad currency across much of the continuing care retirement community (CCRC) market. But a quick look at these programs reveals that many — perhaps most — focus almost solely on the physical health of the residents. These programs tend to ignore the many other dimensions of a person’s life that are central to his or her overall well-being.
Such a view is shortsighted, fails to deliver on the tremendous promise inherent in the CCRC model and hurts both residents and the CCRC market. A broader, more intuitive approach to wellness would better serve the needs of both by making CCRCs more attractive to existing and potential residents as well as easier for staff and sponsors to manage, market and operate. A Multi-Dimensional Approach for Continuing Care Retirement Communities At my company, Retirement Living Services, LLC (RLS), we have spent the last five years thinking about the notion of wellness, what CCRCs should be and how that relates to our residents. In particular, we have examined what we are doing in our communities that contributes to our residents’ lives and what more we can be do. The result is a new, broader-based approach to wellness that we call Dimensions of Life (DOL). DOL is not a program. It is a community-based approach — involving both residents and staff — that provides the highest quality of life possible to all residents by promoting a more holistic approach to overall health. DOL takes into account the many dimensions of human experience — not only physical health, but also spiritual, emotional, intellectual, cultural, social, occupational and environmental well-being. The Wellness Continuum Wellness is not a static state but a continuum along which we are constantly moving. Physical illness, depression and loneliness lie in one direction, while physical health, mental vigor and emotional fulfillment lie in the other. Wellness is also, to a large extent, a personal choice. External factors such as illness or trauma or the loss of a loved one may force us in the wrong direction. But even in these cases, we typically have a choice over how to respond. What the DOL model provides is an alternative approach that puts the emphasis on seniors having the choices available not just to live, but to live fully and well in all the dimensions, both internal and external, that constitute human wellness. The Dimensions of Life Toolkit The DOL approach provides residents with tools to promote enhanced self-awareness, self-worth, increased vitality and a balanced life. To this end: - Every person in a DOL community is involved — staff and residents. Staff members are encouraged to promote the DOL approach from the moment new residents arrive. For example, by reviewing our “Meet Our Resident” book, a facilities worker might learn that a new resident has a penchant for jazz and extend an invitation to the resident to see the worker play in his local jazz band.
- Staff training at all levels — from community manager to dining room employees to grounds workers. RLS provides training instructions and material not only to the CCRC’s marketing and sales team, but also to its department managers and frontline staff who interact with residents on a daily basis. This material includes not only a strategic overview of the DOL model, but also specific tactics for implementing it. For example, one tactical program provides suggestions for improving communication with residents and staff. Another focuses on how to promote a caring community and compassionate environment.
- Residents are integrally involved in developing activities that target various dimensions of the DOL approach. For example, a resident who obviously loves reading and conversation might be encouraged to start a book review club to discuss new works of interest.
- Residents also can voluntarily access confidential online questionnaires and other self-evaluation tools to gauge how well they are meeting their potential. For example, they can take a detailed holistic lifestyle questionnaire to assess where they are along the continuum of the various dimensions of wellness.
Competitive Advantages of the DOL Approach In addition to benefiting residents, the DOL model has significant advantages for CCRCs’ management, sponsors and co-owners: - A unique, effective and refreshing approach to the management of CCRCs
- Improved competitiveness in the marketplace through increased value of services
- Greater resident satisfaction
- Greater employee satisfaction
- Enhanced marketing opportunities
At RLS, we believe that a holistic concept of health more nearly captures our intuitive understanding of what true wellness means. Dimensions of Life embodies this perspective and supplies a philosophy and a concrete approach — including a goal-oriented action plan and toolkit that enables RLS-associated CCRCs to provide their residents with the best opportunity for achieving it. This also is decidedly beneficial to the residents themselves. Kevin Burke is an executive vice president at Retirement Living Services, LLC (RLS), a professional services organization focused on the retirement housing market. RLS helps its clients sponsor, own and operate market-rate senior housing communities by providing them with planning, development, regulatory, marketing, financial consulting, construction supervision and management services. | 
