Collette Mieres knows something about caring for residents of assisted living communities and how fun and fulfilling activities keep them engaged in life and connected to others.
Years ago, the executive director of assisted living at Ovation Heartwood Preserve witnessed her grandfather — and more recently her mother — go through many of the same changes and challenges as the residents she and her team care for today.
Those early experiences taught her about the aging process — lessons that translated into her mission at Ovation Heartwood Preserve.
“When I first came here, I felt the need to create a safe space where residents felt they could age in place and thrive,” she said. “Aging is a natural progression in life, and we need to meet residents with activities suited to their cognitive levels as well as their preferences.”
Mieres and her staff have created a wide range of clubs, activities and events to keep residents socially engaged, physically active and mentally alert. Art classes, group gardening, cooking classes with live demonstrations, and wine tasting and pairing are designed to elevate residents’ senses while bonding them with like-minded residents.
In May, residents travelled to Pella, Iowa, for the Tulip Time Festival to see some 30,000 blooming tulips. And they got to experience the original Dutch settlers’ traditions, culture and food.
Those who don’t feel like leaving the Ovation Heartwood Preserve campus also find more than enough to do — especially when music is in the air.
For seniors, music can lower stress and improve memory retention and mental health, according to Elder Care Alliance. And sharing the joy of an old or new favorite tune can forge immediate and lasting connections among members of senior living communities.
Well aware of the power of music to engage residents of Ovation Heartwood Preserve, Mieres and her colleagues created Jazz on the Boulevard, a series of live performances by local jazz bands held on Thursdays. The performances are open to Ovation Heartwood Preserve community members and the public.
“It’s an opportunity to socialize, connect with peers and forge a bond with other people,” Mieres said. “It’s also an opportunity to move and feel alive.”
For the summer, she and her team are working on getting a variety of food trucks to park on the boulevard to serve the lively audience.
Meanwhile, June is Alzheimer’s Brain Awareness Month, bringing attention to the disease and other dementia-related conditions. In Assisted Living at Ovation Heartwood Preserve, Mieres and her team are also putting into place a program of brain exercises and Alzheimer’s training.
To date, how successful are the activities and events in helping Assisted Living residents feel active, connected and engaged? The answer, Mieres said, comes from the residents’ own loved ones.
“My success story,” she said, “is when one of our residents’ family says to me, ‘I've been trying to call Mom all day and she keeps telling me, ‘I’m busy — I don’t have time to talk!’ That means our programs are working!”
To learn more about Assisted Living at Ovation Heartwood Preserve, or to schedule a tour of the Omaha campus, please call 402.999.7900 or visit ovationheartwoodpreserve.com.
