What happens if you need more care when living in an independent living community? Linda Price, Executive Director of Mirabelle, discusses the expanded services available to those who need a little help aging in place while maintaining their independence.
Video Transcript
- Hello everyone. And welcome into Senior Living Live. My name is Melissa. I hope you are having a fantastic day today. Well, we had been checking in with Arbor communities, their staff, and their residents to help you get to know some of the people who work behind the scenes to help make the senior living experience the absolute best that it can be. Today, we are going to introduce you to Linda Price, the executive director at one of the most gorgeous communities in Miami, Florida, Mirabelle. Linda, how are you today?
- Hi, well, I'm great. It's a pleasure to be here and I couldn't .
- Yeah, it is a gorgeous community. And of course, today, we wanna talk a little bit about some of the residents and the community there. But we also wanna dive in a little bit to the topic of what someone can do, who lives in an independent living community. If they start to need a little more help. So we'll get to that a minute, but first I want to know all about you, how long have you been with The Arbor Company, and what is your day to day with The Arbor Company?
- Wow, well, I've been with The Arbor Company actually since December 1st, 2020. I've been with this community actually since pre-opening and during construction. So I know it very well from the inside and out in the ground up if you will. So, and it's been a pleasure doing that, and it's a greater pleasure to be a part of The Arbor Company, and all of the support and things that Arbor does so very well.
- Yeah. and Maribel is as we mentioned a terrific senior living community that daily follows the slogan where senior living is elevated, and...
- Indeed
- It just, it's a perfect slogan for this community because that is what it is every single day.
- Yes.
- What is it about this particular community that makes it so special?
- You know, it's unique in so many ways. So we are, Miami is a very urban landscape, and the community we are 23 story, high rise, and it's a luxury community, but it's also very comfortable, and we get that feedback all the time. So people don't feel put off, it's not stuffy, and we have a very hospitality forward approach, and that's part of my background. And so I have a great passion for bringing that into the senior living community space. So very service oriented, one resident at a time, and combining that with great care at a variety of levels, right? Because we have a variety of different living options here in the community. So there's a lot of really great communities out there, no matter where you might be, but when you hear hospitality, it's truly about hospitality, from the time you walk in the door to wherever else, you may be in experience in the community.
- Yeah.
- Very much so.
- You talked a little bit there about what we wanna to get to today about the different levels, right. Of care, or what somebody needs from a particular community. And this sort of started out as an independent community, but will continue to offer more services for those who need a little bit more help. So how can someone, if they live in an independent community or in your community, how can they continue to age in place?
- Yeah, it's pretty exciting actually as you mentioned, we started off with independent living only with the intent to add assisted living. And so we did so earlier this year, and that our assisted living opened up, and that's going very well. But one of the unique things that Arbor coming on board, offers is a bridges program. And so bridges is sort of that in-between place where people may have some memory loss, but they don't really need a full out memory care format. So, but there's other things that are needed from programming to diet and just attention during the day from a support standpoint. So we'll have bridges, and then later in the year, sometime probably mid to late September, we'll also have actual memory care program here. So we'll have that full continuum, which I think, especially in this market, there isn't a lot of option for that in one place. So we're excited.
- Yes, and with the current residents that you've had, who have been a part of the independent living of senior living. When it comes to those individuals, and if somebody isn't at an Arbor property, or maybe isn't looking at an Arbor property and they're watching this and they say, "well, you know, independent works for me," but if I just need a little bit more help." what are some things that they can do that, that can provide that for them, but still be in an independent community?
- Yeah, there's a lot actually. so what we do and I'll just speak to that. And all our bridge communities does this, they do this, excuse me, right? So being connected to the team. So making sure that programs and engagement you're taking advantage of those. We have a home health care partnership. And so while you may not be connected to the care staff, that's an assisted living, we actually have home health care. So if there's even just some intermittent things that somebody may need, don't know. But that support is there, from dining, dietary needs change, as we all, are getting older. And so the team is very consultative, and we have great resources to help and support that. And also how we create food is really on trend, but it's also very nutritionally on trend. So people can dine and really enjoy fabulous things without compromising their health, like say with sodium and things like that. So there's a lot, and cognitively is a big thing. We all talk about that, our memory is everything. So participation, socialization, all of those key points. And we talk about those a lot, and those are integrated into our calendar, and different things that we do every single day in the community.
- Yeah, and you know, that there are some people who, they wanna be as independent as possible for as long as possible, so I do have...
- For sure.
- Some questions for some people out there that, they get a little concerned 'cause they may not wanna completely leave independent living if they don't have to, but if they can get a little bit more help, it certainly makes their day to day a lot easier.
- Yeah, and you know, I am gonna throw something in there though, is that I know that because I want that same thing for myself, right. But it's not a sign of weakness to need help, it's actually a sign of strength. And I think that's one of the biggest misconceptions. And no matter what we do, no matter where somebody may leave in the community, we love the Arbor tenants and the Arbor way. We also talk a lot about maintaining , control that sense of belonging, a sense of wonder adventure, no matter where you are, you should have that and have that ability to write the next chapter of your life, no matter what you're doing. And just having some support and care doesn't mean that that goes away.
- I love that you said that, that is excellent. I hope that somebody is watching and they hear that, and to take that to heart, that is an excellent point. So you had mentioned earlier that what you're about to provide in terms of assisted living and memory care is something that a lot of communities may not be offering in your area and let's face it, Florida might be the one place in the country where you're not gonna have a hard time finding a senior living community at all. So a lot of different communities down there. But how does Mirabelle separate itself when it comes to social needs for its residents?
- You know, it does go back to that one resident at a time. And I think that there's some time a misconception that you have to be like a super social butterfly, so it's really getting to know the person, or persons if they're a couple, and who they are, and then really tailoring everything from the time we meet them. And that could be the consideration process of moving to the community. And we have an orientation and integration process, really that's going to suit that person, and there's going to be always. I always like to say that the communities and ours of course, is a microcosm of the world. And so there's something for everybody. And so we take the time, it's not about, "Hey, here's what we do, you're gonna fit into this." It's how do we do things that make sure that they fit you? And, and so things are created. So one month to the next it's gonna look different, and variety is definitely the spice of life. And that helps people in very, very, different ways, and it's very beneficial as well.
- Yeah, great answer. And it does feel truly, I think tailormade.
- Yeah indeed.
- Doesn't get much better than that. So when we look at Mirabella is we have talked about, you have been a part of the Arbor company since the end of 2020, but you've been a part of the community for a lot longer, since the construction of the community. So it is one of the newest, latest, and greatest addition to the portfolio for the Arbor company, happened in the middle of a pandemic. What did you learn from your staff and your residents during that time?
- You know, people can endure a lot, and finding the positive and the opportunity and trying situations is really, really important. And so we talked a lot about that, not only as a team, but with residents, and how to stay positive and delivering positive messages to each other and for them every day and love. I mean, just to put it out there, to be honest, you know that, it might sound cliche makes the world go round, but I believe it does. And certainly we're all tied together when people move into a community, we take that to heart and we're all connected in a very special way. And so during the pandemic, we took the time to educate, not just say, "here's what we need to do." there's a lot of why behind that. And that's one of our unique approaches as well as to really lead with education and trust the intellect of all of our residents, and tailor that to how people need to hear messaging. So I think that made a big, big difference, and we were very fortunate, through the pandemic, but people can survive in handle a lot. And it was a true test for everyone, but we came out of it okay and even better.
- It is wonderful right now to be able to speak of this almost to the past tense. We're not quite done yet.
- No we're not. As I want to remind people all the time, we're not out of if it yet.
- Not yet, but it is something that we can start to look back on what it was. And it looks a lot different this time than it did last year.
- Yeah So we talk about education. That is why we do this show, is to educate people, whether they wanna be a part of an Arbor community or not, all about senior living. So if there's one thing about this community that you know so well, that you think people should know, what would it be?
- Just one, we're different, in the very best of ways. And so, with that, I would encourage people to take the time to learn about it, because there are great options out there, and I'd say we're really the best one is if I'm able to say that. And that's not anything against anyone else, there's so many great people in the industry, so many people doing really great things. We're trying to think ahead and be the place in community of tomorrow versus yesterday.
- I think that's a great way to put a big ribbon on this interview it is excellent. And it is such a beautiful community. But as you mentioned, it is a forward thinking community.
- Yeah.
- Many out there aren't like that. So a very special place indeed, Linda Price we appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge with us today, and we hope can maybe this'll pass along a few tidbits to somebody who might need a little bit more assistance from the independent living side of things. Thank you so much.
- Thank you So much. It's been such a pleasure.
- Thank you. Well, if you enjoyed this interview with Linda, you can head on over to our website, www.seniorlivinglive.com, where you can catch all of our video content, all about senior living 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As always, we appreciate you watching Senior Living Live, have a great day everybody
