Resolutions For Your Senior Living Community

All too often, resolutions are about the things we give up, the things we choose to do without. No wonder they never get off the ground. This year at Tel-Tron, we’ve decided to take a different approach, by giving you a few ideas on how to enhance and enrich your community and it’s residents and to help make your community an even better place to live and work this year. Here is some inspiration to get you started:

Go Green: A healthier lifestyle begins with a healthier environment, and with all the tools and resources available, it is easier than ever to ensure that your community is eco-friendly. Here are a few simple solutions:

1. Get an Energy Star check: How energy-efficient is your community? An EPA Energy Star check is the best way to know for sure. Not only is an Energy Star certification mean that your facility is eco-friendly, but it also ensures superior comfort for your residents and a reduction of up to one-third in your energy costs. It’s a win-win!
2. Recycle Everywhere: While most community have implemented recycling programs in their main living areas, this year, make a commitment to facilitate recycling throughout your community by using divided bins in residents’ rooms or on shared hallways. Education is also important. Since seniors did not grow up recycling, many of them know very little about it. Discuss what can and can’t be recycled, using physical examples, so residents are clear on the guidelines and your program is more successful.
3. Reduce fabric waste: Fabric waste is a little-known environmental problem in the United States. Assist your residents in getting rid of unwanted clothing and linens with a centrally located donation bin. Donate these items to a shelter or a local thrift shop. Many of these places donate unwanted items to fabric recycling facilities, which turn them into cleaning rags, brushes, etc.

Make Connections: Fostering a sense of community is the key to having happy, fulfilled residents, and achieving it is easier than you think. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Reach out to Residents: Most communities have feedback systems in place, but many residents are hesitant to publicly voice their suggestions, so be sure that you offer a suggestion box of another method for residents to anonymously give their feedback.
2. Capitalize on Skills: Create a questionnaire to uncover the hidden talents and abilities of your residents, and ask those that are able to host programs around these skills. From woodworking, knitting, and scrapbooking to more active pursuits like yoga and dance, these offer a great way to make sure residents feel relevant and connected.
3. Help Out: Most people feel a great sense of satisfaction and usefulness by helping others, so find a way to band together for a good cause, from organizing a food drive to stitching blankets for children at homeless shelters.

Resolve to Do Better: When residents stay healthy, the entire community thrives. Here are suggestions to help your residents stay on track:

1. Host a Resolutions Party: Residents can pick a buddy to help them stay on track and offer feedback on ways that the community can help, perhaps by providing healthier meal options or more opportunities for exercise.
2. Encourage residents to take up one new activity in 2014 that engages their mind, and create loosely organized clubs around these activities. Book clubs, language learning, or puzzles all offer great opportunities for mental exercise.
3. Schedule a Wellness Check: Offer a free wellness check to residents from a trusted healthcare provider, and use the results to formulate or further develop resolutions.

For more information on how you can improve safety and security for your residents in 2014, visit www.tel-tron.com for details on our complete and customizable Emergency Call System solutions for your community.