Brandi Blizzard, VP of Engagement, joins us to discuss how to successfully engage seniors through a variety of interactive activities. Brandi guides us through the different engagement opportunities at The Arbor Company that help stimulate residents' minds, support their interests, and build deep connections.
Video Transcript
Hello everybody and welcome into Senior Living Live. My name is Melissa. Thank you so much for being with us on the road. As you can see, in one of our gorgeous communities, and they Chicago, Illinois area, Arbor Terrace at Highland Park, and you see this beautiful woman with me, Brandy Blizzard, we're talking about engagement. Engagement is really the centerpiece of all of the Arbor communities.
It is so important, and today we're going to tell you why. Brandy, thank you so much for being here. Thank you for having me. Yeah.
So tell us about yourself and what you do with the arbor company. Yep. So my name is Brandy Blizard, and, I serve as our Vice President of Engagement and discipline leader to really oversee all the engagement programming, and all of our communities through all of our levels of care and you know, day to day support, all of our teams, our communities, and, all of our engagement directors, and activity team staff, and just all that they do each day and ensuring that our communities have, you know, all the right tools and resources and support that they need to have successful engagement in their communities.
Yeah. And that really is the the key difference between somebody who is, maybe aging in place in their own home. Right?
Or coming to a community like, here at Chicago. I mean, it's it is crucial as we have found, right, with data over the years that isolating yourself isn't going to do you any good. So we, provide this engagement and these engagement opportunities specifically for a reason, Brandy, why? Yeah. So, I mean, engagement is so important in all of our communities. I mean, it's it's our passion and we love what we get to do. And, you know, in the thirty years that Arbor company, you know, has been in business, in managing, the communities.
One of our main missions and goals is to really engage and enrich the health and spirit of the residents that we care for.
Engagement is really built on one of our foundations of building deep connections. It's that social connection that you talked about, you know, of someone aging in place and at home and what's something unique, and an experience that they're going to be able to get in our communities, and it is that social connection with others and being able to engage and participate in things that are important to them and that bring purpose to their life.
And so that's, you know, what we get to do, we get to build those deep connections and we get to learn each person. Each person's uniqueness who they've been, who they are. And, you know, what what dreams do they still have? You know, what what what purposes or or things that they may still wanna fulfill, and we we get to be a part of helping them write that next chapter in their story.
Yeah. And, you know, if if COVID taught us anything, It is this subject right here, and that is engagement and being around people and what that looks like for all of us when we're isolated. Right? So imagine that on a day to day without COVID, that's what we're trying to prevent.
Right? And we talk about the difference between somebody living at home, living in a community, It's a huge difference. Every single one of you watching, you know it because we've all experienced it. So I'm so glad that you were able to point that out.
Exactly why engagement is so important. What does it look like on a day to day basis in a typical arbor community? Wow. So in any of our typical arbor communities, through all of our levels care through independent living, assisted living, our unique bridges, neighborhood and programming and memory care, you're gonna find just a calendar that a day full of just robust offerings.
For for different people, you're gonna see so many different options because we really are trying to meet the needs of so many unique folks. So there's plenty to choose from. You're gonna see a balance of of different types of activities or programs that are offered everything from health and wellness focus to spiritual to just fun things, recreation and leisure, to arts and education, art programs, excursions, so just a full robust state just opportunities to socialize and build deep connections with others. And maybe that's, a a club, a a bridge club.
That that's meeting or poker club or people that gather that have like interests, in small groups. And and those things, plus you'll see some large group offerings too with just a large variety.
So this is where we talk about staff, right? Because staff, it it's where it starts.
And so staff is so important. Our engagement staff, Brandy, when you are hiring somebody for a role within an engagement specific role, and an Arbor community, what exactly are you looking for? Well, for me personally, first and foremost, I'm looking for their heart. Yeah.
Because really any role in in this industry and what we do, it starts with the heart. Just like building deep connections we were talking about, but you really have to have the heart and the passion to love seniors and to really love what you do. And so that's number one is just really looking at their heart and passion. But, along with that, specifically for, engagement is creativity, someone who's creative, someone who's able to just really connect with others, because that's a lot of what we do is we're connecting.
We're connecting with all of our residents. We're learning them. We're learning them in a very deep way. So that we can find those things.
Also all our programming, you'll see it changes so much from time to time because we're changing that programming based on you know, the residents who are in our communities and what interests they have.
And so we're looking for people who can connect with others.
Being organized is kind of a plus because as you see our robust schedules and all that we're doing, it it it takes a lot of organization a lot of organization on the back end to make all of those things happen and providing all those opportunities, for everyone. So we also have a lot of special events and parties so, you know, having some experience or, you know, some skills in being able to throw events together and and decorate and spot So, really, we say in our role, you wear so many hats, and no day is ever the same, and you cannot get bored. Yeah. And we talk about, those those particular changes.
Right? It could change be to because somebody may not. There may be a group that says, you know what? We should try this instead.
But What I like in terms of change, Arbor is all about aging and place. Right? So you can have some communities where somebody can move into independent living. And as they need a little bit more help, they can move to assisted living.
They don't have to leave the building, which is wonderful.
Engagement is specific to those who have specific needs. How does that work? Yeah. Absolutely. So in our communities, you will really see a lot of some of the same like programs as you go through those different neighborhoods and levels of care office people needs, but what we do is we learn to kinda tailor those to those residents needs at that time. Sort of similar to the gym journey that we were, you know, talking about earlier as as we go through those different different levels of how can we tailor what engagement like might look like? We're gonna offer those same, you know, we have a yoga, our Thai chi class, our instructor, we're gonna have that in all of our different, you know, neighborhoods.
So, but as you may, you know, need assisted living or bridges or memory care, we start offering more small group things. We have more increased levels of staff. We, you know, do those activities in in smaller amounts of time so we can break them down and but you'll see the same programming and activities offered, you know, throughout all of our our neighborhoods and levels of care but we really tailor it based on the needs of those residents as as they change. Yeah. And in this video for for maybe those who didn't see the other one, the tover tafel, which is one, great addition to, engagement in, a few of our Arbor communities soon to be twenty total.
What are the gym levels? And as you mentioned, it's for somebody who may not know? Yeah. So the gym levels are, again, just a it's it's a way that we talk about the different stages of the dementia journey.
And so we, we use this gym level philosophy so that no matter, you know, no matter what really stage of the journey someone on if they're given the right setting and the right care and the right engagement that they can shine. And we really look for ways to for people to be independent through all those different stages of the journey and and finding ways to engage them and and have them shine. Yeah. I love that.
So, just in case you didn't know, and you wanna look, look up more about the the the gems and what each of them means, you can find that on our website. We'll talk about that at the end of the interview.
Brandy, as we wind this down, somebody may be watching, and they themselves may be the senior, and say, you know what? I probably need a little bit more engagement in my life. I can't drive anymore. I can't go see my circle of friends. I live far away from my family. I need this in my life.
What can they do? What are some of the steps they can do? You need this in your life. You need people and you need all the amazing fun that we, have, you know, within our Arbor communities.
And so I would just encourage you take that first step, reach out. You know, as Melissa mentioned, go to, the Arbor company website, and that's www.ArborCompany.com and find one of our communities nearest you. We'd love to get to know you and just really start finding out how we might can meet the needs that you have and getting you plugged into maybe some of the amazing engagement. We also always encourage folks too, you know, when when we make that connection with you and can get to know you.
We would love to offer you, a program calendar at that community, and, you know, feel free to come try out something. If you see classes on there or an event or something that we're doing, we'd love love to have you as an honored guest. Yeah. That that's a great way to try it out, you know, and and really when when it comes down to it, when you're making this huge decision to choose a senior living community, it's all about how it feels.
And engagement is a huge part in how it feels your day to day. So definitely come on out and try it out. Brandy, thank you so much for being with us. Thank you.
Yeah. And as she mentioned, you can find out more about our Arbor communities at www.ArborCompany.com. I've also got a telephone number for you. Four zero four two three seven forty twenty six.
That will get you in, we could help you find the nearest Arbor community to you. Thank you so much for being a part of Senior Living Live, everybody. Have a great day.
