ALIVE IN ALL SEASONS PROGRAM PLANNER AND TOOLKIT

Transcription

1 ALIVE IN ALL SEASONS PROGRAM PLANNER AND TOOLKIT Trying to think of new innovative programs to offer within your community? Interested in having tools that will give you everything you need to provide wellness and celebratory focused offerings to your residents, families, associates, volunteers, and community networking contacts? The Alive In All Seasons Program Planner and Toolkit can help! It s an easy-to-use, step-by-step approach to providing creative and innovative programs within your community during each season of the year to nurture wellbeing by encouraging an active body, an engaged mind and a fulfilled spirit to ensure that each individual we serve may live life fully throughout all seasons of life. 1. Introduction At Juniper Communities we are committed to nurturing the spirit of life in each individual whose life we touch. We believe that healthy aging means an acceptance that aging, chronic illness and dying are natural parts of the life cycle. They cannot be avoided and they need not be feared. We believe that not only individuals but society as a whole must adjust its view towards aging. The face of aging in America is changing and we at Juniper have committed ourselves to finding life affirming, creative solutions to these natural issues. Juniper s Alive in All Seasons program draws on an extensive body of research as well as our strong belief that healthy aging is not only possible but desirable! At Juniper Communities, our Alive in All Seasons initiative embraces healthy aging in body, mind and spirit. We believe that the keys to healthy aging are keeping physically fit and socially connected. Our Rhythms program leverages Juniper s strength in keeping residents physically active through the use of specially designated fitness centers and spas, outdoor walking paths and gardens areas, exercise programs and activities and other amenities and services all designed to promote health and wellness. Furthermore, Juniper s exercise and rehabilitation programs in conjunction with its more progressive and innovative thinking about healthcare for the elderly all work together to support Juniper s health aging initiative as we seek to nurture the quality of life for our communities. Fitness is important for not only the body but also the mind. The latest research indicates that staying physically fit helps keep your mind sharp. At Juniper, we work to actively engage our minds through educational and culturally rich programs. Remaining connected to friends, family, community and work, hobby or intellectual pursuit is also a vital element in living well with age. As a result, Juniper s Alive in All Seasons initiative has social activities to keep mind, body and spirit vibrant. We actively peruse affiliations with local educational and cultural institutions to teach and be taught and we invite community retail and service organizations to be part of our Community within the Community. At Juniper we work to nurture our spirits by cultivating the positive; we applaud and celebrate our successes whether they are small or large. We work hard to recognize the independent spirit and wisdom of each individual and foster the health of that spirit by providing choice in everything from activities to healthcare services to the type of snacks we eat to how we embrace new knowledge.

2 So healthy aging at Juniper Communities is about activity and attitude. It is about knowing that keeping fit mentally and physically and staying socially connected will help us age in a healthy way and improve our overall well-being. With this commitment to healthy aging, we continue to find ways to foster or nurture the spirit of life in each individual we touch. To be Alive in All Seasons. 2. About the Alive In All Seasons Program Planner and Toolkit Juniper s Alive in All Seasons program is designed to support Juniper s mission to Nurture the Spirit of Life. Seasonal Themes will provide a reference point for programming in Connections, Dining Services, Marketing and community outreach efforts. Each seasonal theme has three monthly themes to make it easier to plan activities and also to market them effectively! To assure that our residents and families as well as our referral sources and ourselves can clearly identify the theme and its connection with the company s mission, we will require certain programs be instituted in each community during the season. In many cases, it is our intention that the programs will continue past the end of the seasonal quarter which highlights them so that we can be known as the company that really walks its talk that we really do Nurture the Spirit of Life in a consistently identifiable manner. The specific theme line for each season and each month are: Winter: Creative Expressions: Explore your Creativity o January: Music: Welcome New Beginnings o February: Art: Awaken Your Passion o March: Performance: Your Treasure is Within Spring: Healthy Aging: Let Wellbeing Thrive o April: The Brain: Believe in Yourself o May: Fitness: Grow Strong Daily o June: Food: Live in Wellness Summer: Stay Connected to the community and the environment: Stay Connected o July: Volunteerism: Stand in Integrity o August: The Environment: Breathe in Life o September: Friendship: Spread Your Joy Autumn: Keep the spirit of the holidays, sports events and the like: Keep the Spirit o October: Sports: Show Your Colors o November: Family: Cherish the Journey o December: Traditions: Celebrate Little Things This Program Planner is a series of 12 monthly programs. It provides helpful tips, tools, handouts, public service announcements and materials, much of what you need to provide a variety of wellnessfocused celebratory events designed to promote partnership, wellness and fun as well as promoting media and community awareness! 3. Why the Program Planner and Toolkit Works Using the Alive In All Seasons Program Planner and Toolkit is a win-win process for everyone involved. It provides benefits for family caregivers, residents, and associates, as well as for Juniper. Benefits for the family include: Knowledge of the services Juniper can offer 2 of 13

3 Benefits for the resident include: Increased variety of activities within the community Increased contentment Improved sense of wellness and self-esteem Benefits for employees include: Recognition and support for their important role within the community Increased sense of partnership and team work Improved knowledge and skills related to professional caregiving Benefits for Juniper include: Increased community awareness, media and marketing opportunities Long-term relationships with individuals in the community which will provide future customers Increased contentment and satisfaction of residents, family and associates 4. Getting Started For each seasonal campaign there will be certain required program elements that will allow our various audiences (including our staff) to identify physically and emotionally with our brand essence Nurturing the spirit of life and our seasonal theme. In each month, you will be asked to plan and promote activities for three distinct target audiences that include: o residents and prospective residents o families and adult children o the community including referral sources and the community at large You are strongly encouraged whenever possible to plan and implement staff in-service programs that relate to the monthly theme. Within each monthly matrix there are some ideas for staff centered educational programs that would be pertinent to the monthly theme. Programs will fall under the three person-centered spheres of wellness: o Body o Mind o Spirit There will be a minimum of one activity in each of these three areas required each month for residents, one activity in each of these three areas required each quarter for families and referral sources. The programs will need to be implemented, identified on your Connections calendar and actually happen! For residents, at least two activities will be held that are related to the theme each week. For residents, at least one program per month will be an educational program. For families at least one activity must be held related to the theme each month. For referral sources at least one activity must be held related to the theme each month. For referral sources there should be at least 4 CEU programs planned and implemented per year 3 of 13

4 You will notice that in each month there are a large number of ideas and resource materials. Please remember the following things: o The Alive In All Seasons Policy and Procedure is located within the Connections Manual is included on page 11 of this manual for additional information as Attachment A. o You are not expected to plan and organize all of the activities listed. You and the Leadership Team of the community should determine which programs over and above the required programs are a good fit for your community. The Connections Calendar should include these programs. A sample calendar is attached on page 13 of this manual as Attachment B. o The programs are organized by target audience. Many of the programs and ideas can be used for other audiences; for example, trivia ideas are listed as a referral source program, however, the residents in your community may like to complete the trivia games that are included in the materials. Review the materials carefully and come up with creative ways to utilize the materials that are included within this toolkit. o You are encouraged to be creative and come up with additional ideas related to the Alive In All Seasons theme for each month. o Remember to share your ideas with other Leadership Team Members in other Juniper Communities. A. The Team The Executive Director or Administrator will serve as the lead for the Alive In All Seasons, to make sure that all of the various programs are organized and implemented properly, however, to make this program come to life, the Connections Director as well as the Community Relations Director hold a significant role as well as the rest of the Leadership Team. Remember that Together Everyone Achieves Magic. Using a team approach is the best way to get the various programs up and running. It s also advisable to ask other associates to join in on the planning and implementation. Many hands make light work. Although the Alive In All Seasons Program Planner has many of the necessary tools to run these programs, there is planning in the communities that must be done. Have a preliminary meeting. Who will be the champion or coordinator for the various programs? The coordinator should be the Executive Director, Director of Wellness, Community Relations Director, Dietary Manager, or the Connections Director, dependent upon the nature of the specific event. Who will be the presenter(s) if applicable for each event? Make arrangements for: Location (internal or external community location) dates and time of day refreshments developing and posting flyers marketing copying handouts preparing information packets preparing your umbrella statement (see page 7) *An Event planning worksheet, designed specifically for use with these events, has been supplied on page 14 of this manual. B. Resident and Family Involvement To make the most of this program, you will also need resident and family involvement. By asking families and residents for their ideas, their help and input, you will be setting the 4 of 13

5 groundwork for a successful program. Develop a planning committee or use your resident council as a means to discuss and plan your events. C. Presenters You don t need to use the same person to present each of the various Alive In All Seasons Programs. Because of the variety of topics, you may find they generate a lot of interest among staff, vendors and various community agencies. Encourage new people to participate and become presenters. It doesn t always have to be management who presents. Other associates who are articulate, enthusiastic and friendly can do a great job with these types of programs. If you choose an associate who has little experience as a presenter, there are some steps you should follow: After the person has reviewed the materials, meet with him to ensure he understands all of the information. Answer any questions he may have. Stress the importance of practice. The old adage practice makes perfect rings true for presentation skills. Suggestions for practicing are to present to yourself in the mirror or to tape your presentation and play it back. Have the presenter do a rehearsal with you. Feeling comfortable with the materials, especially the interactive areas, is a must. Doing a dry run, even with only a one-person audience will help increase the comfort level. Coach the person to move around the room while presenting. This helps the presenter look and feel relaxed. It also helps to maintain eye contact with all parts of the room to ensure a connection with participants. D. Location Each of the various program components should be reviewed and a location should be considered. A comfortable, quiet location is an important success factor for an educational program. A large activity program might work best in the activity or dining room of your community. Discuss the different options available within your community. You may even want to conduct some of the programs offsite. E. Dates and time of day When selecting dates and time of day, consider the following: Check your calendar. Keep the age of your audience in mind. What time of the day is best for them? Will they drive at night? A good percentage of your potential audience may be an elder spouse. They will prefer daytime hours even early morning. Talk to some of your current family members, residents, and partners and ask for their time preferences. F. Refreshments Think healthy! If you re having a morning program, provide bagels instead of sugary pastries. In the afternoon, try offering fruit rather than cookies and chips. Have a variety of hot and cold drinks. Some of the programs have sample menus or ideas for refreshments included. G. Marketing Some of the presentations within the Alive In All Seasons Program Planner will require public service announcements, press releases, flyers, information, and handouts. Most of this information has been supplied to you and is explained below. H. Developing and posting flyers 5 of 13

6 Developing flyers is a snap with the template provided. Deciding where to post them will require a little more thought. Think of places where adult children or elderly spouses may see your flyer. Some suggestions are: churches senior centers schools that offer adult education classes hospital bulletin boards grocery store bulletin boards malls community centers Be sure to mail out informational flyers, Highlight postcards and personal invitations to inquiries, senior centers, social service agencies, churches, and all other appropriate community networking contacts. I. Developing and running a Public Service Announcement (PSA) Radio stations will run PSAs free of charge and according to their airtime schedules. Public Service Announcements are brief and to the point giving just the necessary information about the event. Use the templates below to develop a PSA for each of your sessions. Check with the radio stations in your area to learn their required timeline for this type of information. Below are two public service announcements (PSAs) for your use. Please fill in the name of your community and retype (double-spaced) the text below onto your community s letterhead one PSA per page and deliver them to your local radio station one month prior to your. Your radio station will determine when the PSAs will air and will not charge you for the airtime. :30 Alive In All Seasons PSA #1 (Insert Community Name Here) asks that you join with us to celebrate the lives of our parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, and support our belief that our elders should receive the best care possible and be alive in all seasons. Contact (Insert Community Name Here) in (Name of Town Here) for more information on assisted living and how your older loved ones can age in a loving home-like environment, with dignity and independence. :30 Alive In All Seasons PSA #2 At (Insert Community Name Here) we believe it s also time to consider how we can now help better their lives: those of our parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles. For many, the greatest gift is aging with independence and dignity, in a caring, home-like setting. Contact (Insert Community Name Here) in (Name of Town Here) or the Assisted Living Federation of America for more information on assisted living and how your loved ones can receive the greatest care possible. J. Connecting with the media Use the Alive In All Seasons programs as a reason to connect with your local media. Look for opportunities and ways to highlight special residents, associates or families, who have had unusual occupations, are involved in volunteer work, have interesting hobbies or who are 6 of 13

7 community celebrities. Each month you should minimally submit press releases and photo releases for your 3 highlighted activities. K. Copying handouts This is easy! Handouts are provided for each program module. Once you know how many attendees you will have, make enough copies to provide one for each attendee. L. Preparing information packets We don t want to overwhelm attendees with information, but we do want to provide information that will be useful to them and educate them on what your community has to offer. Prepare an Inquiry Package folder with some additional information to give out at the end of the sessions that are targeted for referral sources and external community attendees. Include brochures and other collateral material, handouts, activity calendars, newsletters, and other materials of interest. M. Preparing your Umbrella Statement You ll notice that when closing many of the educational sessions, there is mention of giving an umbrella statement. This is your time to sell your community and your services to the audience. Remember, the attendees at this session are here to find help in caring for their family member or friend at home. Focus your information on what your community can do to help. An umbrella statement has been written for you to use. It covers some basics about Juniper, your community and allows you to add information specific to your services. It gives a list of services that are available. Some of these may not be available in your region, so don t forget to customize this list as needed. Umbrella Statement: Juniper creates communities that are dedicated to providing the finest quality personal services and exceptional care to foster healthy and independent lives for elders. By Nurturing the Spirit of Life in each individual we serve, Juniper strives to celebrate the individuality of all who live with us. At (Your Community Name Here), we believe well-being is the result of an active body, an engaged mind and a fulfilled spirit. We believe that needing a little help with everyday activities doesn t mean that an individual is helpless. And being independent doesn t mean being alone. The women and men who live with us experience a sense of both independence and community. They enjoy gracious living arrangements, and services designed to meet the unique needs that many elders share. (Add your community name here) provides: (Customize for your community, below are listed examples for you to follow) Retirement Living Assisted Living Wellspring Memory Care Nursing Care With age comes wisdom. Our elders have spent a lifetime acquiring life experiences and a unique perspective we couldn t possibly find anywhere else. This lifetime of experiences make our elders both historians and teachers. We are able to learn through our daily interactions and they enrich our lives. Thank you for joining us and for enriching the celebratory lifestyle which characterizes our community. 7 of 13

8 N. Preparing Flyers and PSAs Refer to the flyer template, sample press releases, and sample PSA s provided with the event materials for addressing each event s promotional needs. In addition, contact your Juniper Communities Home Office marketing representative for assistance in marketing and advertising the Alive In All Seasons programs. 5. Event Planning Worksheet Listed below are items on the event worksheet with an explanation of how they should be used. A sample event worksheet follows. Intent This worksheet is to be utilized when planning an event within your community. During your planning sessions, this tool will help your team organize and coordinate the steps necessary for a successful event. The tool is also designed to identify and assign responsibilities to team members. Event Title/Theme: This provides the planning group with the topic and purpose for this event. There are many categories of events and outreach programs for both internal residents and partners, as well as outreach events for friends, family members, and the community at large. Attach content outline to this document if appropriate. Target Audience: It is important to consider and clearly understand who your target audience for each program is. This allows you to brainstorm about possible outreach options. Lead Time: The lead-time required to complete a successful event is determined by the complexity of that event. The more complex and broader the scope, the longer lead-time required to do a good job. When you begin the planning process you may not yet fully understand how long it will take to plan and execute the event. This section may be completed or modified as you work through the process. Event Chairperson: This individual is responsible for the orchestration and coordination of the event. A key component is the follow up with individual coordinators to be sure that each assignment has been completed. Necessary External Contact(s): There are times when partnering with external groups or an individual is essential to the success of that event. For example, a natural partner for raising funds for Alzheimer s research would be the Alzheimer s Association. Internal Community Speaker(s): There are many talented and knowledgeable individuals in your community. Your internal speaker s bureau can include associates and residents. External Speaker: 8 of 13

9 There are times when you will need to enlist the help of an outside presenter or speaker that has expertise in a certain subject matter. This is a wonderful opportunity to partner with your local and regional professional community. Speaker Support: The role of this individual is to provide any support that may be needed by the speaker. This could include making copies of handouts, making arrangements for AV equipment, having water available at the podium, providing needed transportation, providing introductions, and just ensuring that they feel welcome and supported. Honorarium: Some speakers require payment for their services. If this is a requirement, then you should have a check ready to give to them after their presentation. Event Location: The location is also somewhat dictated by the event. The coordinator is responsible for the set up and clean up of the facilities, as well as making the necessary arrangements if the event is held away from our community. Refreshments: This lends an air of socialization and opportunity for networking if the event supports this type of activity. There may also be times that we can provide refreshments for another larger event. An example would be a light breakfast prior to a fund raising walk for a major organization or community event. Publicity and Outreach: On your planning worksheet, there are a variety of items for consideration to publicize your event. Remember, some of the publicity items may replace current ads and should be coordinated through your Community Relations Director. Additional Associate Support Required: You should ALWAYS have sign-in sheets for attendees to put down their name, address, and telephone number so you can incorporate them into your database. Some activities for support include greeters, managing the sign-in sheets, distributing brochures and other handouts, registering for door-prizes, distributing giveaways, valet parking, etc. Evaluation: Use these events to gather information about other future events people would like to attend. It is also important to gather feedback on the effectiveness of the event. Don t forget to get the team together for a debriefing on their impression of the event. It is a good time to learn what does and does not work. 9 of 13

10 ATTACHMENT A ALIVE IN ALL SEASONS Policy: Juniper Communities has established policy regarding the Alive In All Seasons Program Purpose: community: To assure diverse programming for the residents, families and friends within the Procedure: 1. Juniper s Alive in All Seasons program is designed to support Juniper s mission to Nurture the Spirit of Life. 2. The Alive in All Seasons program shall be overseen by the Connections Director with involvement from the Dining Services and Marketing team. 3. Seasonal Themes will provide a reference point for programming in Connections, Dining Services, Marketing and community outreach efforts. 4. Each seasonal theme has three monthly themes to make it easier to plan activities and also to market them effectively. 5. To assure that are residents and families as well as our referral sources and ourselves can clearly identify the theme and its connection with the company s mission, we will require certain programs be instituted in each community during the season. 6. In many cases, it is our intention that the programs will continue past the end of the seasonal quarter which highlights them so that we can be known as the company that really walks its talk that we really do Nurture the Spirit of Life in a consistently identifiable manner. 7. The specific theme line for each season and each month are: Winter: Creative Expressions: Explore your Creativity o January: Music: Welcome New Beginnings o February: Art: Awaken Your Passion o March: Performance: Your Treasure is Within Spring: Healthy Aging: Let Wellbeing Thrive o April: The Brain: Believe in Yourself o May: Fitness: Grow Strong Daily o June: Food: Live in Wellness Summer: Stay Connected to the community and the environment: Stay Connected o July: Volunteerism: Stand in Integrity o August: The Environment: Breathe in Life o September: Friendship: Celebrate Little Things 10 of 13

11 Autumn: Keep the spirit of the holidays, sports events and the like: Keep the Spirit o October: Sports: Show Your Colors o November: Family: Cherish the Journey o December: Traditions: Celebrate Little Things 10. In each month, you will be asked to plan and promote activities for three distinct target audiences that include: o residents and prospective residents o families and adult children o the community including referral sources and the community at large 11. You are strongly encouraged whenever possible to plan and implement staff in-service programs that relate to the monthly theme. 12. There will be a minimum of one activity in each of these three areas required; they will need to be implemented, identified on your Connections calendar and actually happen! 13. For residents, at least two activities will be held that are related to the theme each week. 14. For residents, at least one program per month will be an educational program. 15. For families at least one activity must be held related to the theme each month. 16. For referral sources at least one activity must be held related to the theme each month. 17. For referral sources there should be at least 4 CEU programs planned and implemented per year 18. Programs will fall under the three person-centered spheres of wellness: o Body o Mind o Spirit 11 of 13

12 ATTACHMENT B SAMPLE CALENDAR HERE 12 of 13

13 ATTACHMENT C EVENT PLANNING WORKSHEET Event Title /Theme (Attach content outline if appropriate): Target Audience: Lead time for this event (Very large events with entertainment that are taking place during holidays should have a day lead time. Smaller events with entertainment and CEU programs should have a day lead time. Smaller events that are community planned and implemented should have a 30 day lead time): 120 days out 90 days out 60 days out 30 days out Scheduled date and time of event: Event Chairperson: Budget: Necessary External Contact(s) Internal Community Speaker(s) External Speaker(s) Speaker Support Person Speaker Equipment / Supply Needs Honorarium Event Location: Refreshments: Publicity Coordinator: Request for check Location Coordinator: Refreshment Coordinator: Marketing Budget: Publicity and Outreach: Posters Press Release (newspaper, TV, radio) Self Mailer Invitations Flyers Telephone Contacts Newspaper Media Advisory Additional Associate Support Required 13 of 13