Emerald Communities is making significant strides to address the growing needs of seniors in Washington State: opening a new Independent Living building on April 2024 and completing construction on an Assisted Living facility scheduled to open Q1 2025 in Redmond, WA demonstrates a proactive approach to meeting the demand for senior care services.
With nearly 1.9 million older adults expected in Washington State by 2030, and an expected 70% likely to require long-term care at some point of their lives, the current capacity to serve 67,000 people falls far short of what will be necessary.
Emerald Communities Vice President of Marketing and PR, Sandra Cook states that “the decision to offer a limited number of spaces for direct move-in to assisted living at Emerald Heights is particularly noteworthy. Traditionally, Continuum of Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) have not accepted individuals who already require care, so this adjustment in policy reflects a recognition of the urgency and demand for assisted living options”
By expanding services and adapting policies to accommodate seniors who need immediate care, Emerald Communities continues to position itself as a leader in Continuum of Care Retirement Communities in the region. This approach not only addresses the current shortfall in services but also anticipates future needs as the senior population continues to grow.
Dating back to the 1930’s, Reader’s Theatre brings life to spoken words without the accoutrements of live theatre like costuming and big sets. Even with a simpler performance, the actors, participants and viewers get so much for being a part of a Reader’s Theatre.
At Emerald Heights, the Reader’s Theatre is a great way to connect with neighbors, enjoy the arts and have fun.
Ginny Ford, the founder of Emerald Heights Reader’s Theatre, was involved in an active theatre program before moving to Emerald Heights in 2021. She gained so much from being part of the arts and wanted to bring her love of the theatre to her new community.
The Reader’s Theatre is a great way to get people involved in performance. Whether they are brand-new to theatre, have minimal experience, or are born to take center stage, Reader’s Theatre is a great fit for so many people.
The Emerald Heights Reader’s Theatre meets twice a month where they read through a script and act out the parts by using their voice. Ginny says it’s a great way for older adults to participate in theatre without the stressors of memorizing lines and stage blocking.
The Readers Theatre quickly gained popularity in the Emerald Heights community and the group had an idea to put on their first performance for their neighbors. Last year, they put on a performance comprised of a series of skits. With 14 actors, they were able to put on a beautiful show. It was a huge success, so the group produced their second performance in March.
More than 80 people attended the performance and Ginny said the actors were incredibly moved by how supportive and encouraging the audience was.
The Reader’s Theatre is planning to do at least one or two performances each year while still meeting a couple times a month to read through the scripts as a group. There are about 12 residents in the group currently, but they are always pleased to welcome anyone who would like to give it a try!
Ginny says, “The best part of the Reader’s Theatre is getting to create art as a group. So many mediums of art are solo activities, but here we are able to bounce ideas off each other and make something really beautiful as a team.”
The Reader’s Theatre is currently reading The Man Who Came to Dinner by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The next play on the docket is Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
For those who are looking for an artistic endeavor to join, there are so many options including the Reader’s Theatre. Ginny is a huge advocate for the arts and is on the performing arts committee to ensure there are opportunities for residents to take advantage of. The committee is always looking for ways to expand its arts programs within Emerald Heights. Ginny adds, “We hope residents think about exploring the arts at Emerald Heights but if that’s not their thing, there are so many activities to try. At Emerald Heights, there is something for everyone from singers to pickleball, so you can easily find your group here. It’s amazing how busy you can be and how much fun you can have when you find your community.”
Emerald Heights residents and staff kicked off LGTBQIA+ Pride Month with the second annual raising of the Pride flag.
More than 50 residents and staff members gathered to celebrate Pride, diversity, equity, and inclusion. During the flag raising ceremony, Emerald Heights Executive Director, Grant Linacre; Wellness Program Coordinator, Alex Clark; Redmond Mayor Angela Birney; and two residents, David Nelson and Janny Lehmann all shared anecdotes and gave speeches.
The Emerald Heights Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee discussed the importance of the flag being flown year-round, “The colorful Pride flag serves as a beacon of hope for all who have been marginalized and reminds everyone of the importance of consciously creating a welcoming community”. Per Grant Linacre, “Emerald Heights strives to be a place where every person feels safe, respected, and valued for who they are. True progress is only achieved when we actively create an environment where diversity is celebrated and all voices are heard”.
After the ceremony, residents and staff kept the celebration going by socializing, drinking lemonade, and eating rainbow popcorn in rainbow striped popcorn containers.
Throughout Pride Month, the DEI Committee is hosting several more Pride events including the “Tie-DEI: A tie-dye event” to dye rainbow bandanas in anticipation of the Campus Circle Pride Walk on June 21st. Residents will be donning their new rainbow tie-dye gear in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Seattle Pride Parade.
While June is a great time to celebrate Pride, residents and staff represent inclusivity every day within the community. Kaitlynd Hewitt, Executive Assistant and leader of the DEI Committee, shared that after the first flag raising ceremony, she has seen more residents proudly line the hallways with rainbow flags and put rainbow stickers on their name badges. Residents have also started to wear more pride gear, like affirming t-shirts with rainbows and fun slogans. It’s now common to find a progress pride flag adorning a pencil cup or bulletin board in staff offices as well.
The DEI Committee has operated year-round since 2022. Its mission is to inform the community about diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, remove barriers to underrepresented populations, and to create opportunities which celebrate and honor the unique qualities, wisdom and lived experiences of all people who engage and interact with the Emerald Heights community.
“We are focused on ensuring Emerald Heights is a place where everyone feels welcomed and respected,” says Nicole McCarthy, director of resident services. “Celebrating Pride is not just about the events in June; it’s about embracing and honoring the diversity of our internal community and the broader world around us year-round.”
McCarthy adds, “Whether through our DEI initiatives, encouraging residents and staff to be themselves, or simply having open conversations, we’re committed to making Emerald Heights a place where everyone belongs. In line with our commitment, Emerald Heights recently signed the Commitment to Caring Pledge through the Long-Term Care Equality Index (LEI). This pledge signifies our dedication to providing an inclusive and affirming environment for all current and future residents and staff.”
Since the first Pride event, numerous residents have been open about their family members or friends that are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. They often share how difficult it was for their loved one to come out and the wide variety of reactions they have received from others.
By hosting monthly inclusion events and Table Talks, Emerald Heights creates more opportunities to have conversations about diversity and inclusion for both the residents and staff. While we have always been an inclusive community, the past few years has been a more purposeful effort to create and celebrate our inclusive culture.
“It feels great to be part of an accepting community at Emerald Heights,” says Hewitt, “For me, Pride is all about the ability to live as your authentic self and feel comfortable living and working in a place that accepts you for you. Every person on this campus is unique in their own way and the diversity of all residents and staff members should be celebrated.”
Did you know Redmond is considered the Bicycle Capital of the Northwest? May is National Biking Month and it only seems right to honor the Bicycle Capital by sharing all the ways Emerald Heights residents love to bike.
On any given day, you can find residents biking around Emerald Heights or taking forest walks on the mile-long nature trail in the community. Among them is Carter Hill, a resident of Emerald Heights since 2016.
Carter spent his youth biking and continued the hobby through medical school and even commuted by bike to night shifts during his career. Now in retirement, Carter enjoys biking to appreciate the beauty, nature, and history of the land he passed in the car during his family, travel and work years.
While Carter spends some of his journeys alone exploring the Redmond community and nearby trails, he has also found a group of like-minded individuals who share a love of biking.
The Gourmet Cyclists are a group of seniors who meet once a week to go biking together. The group ranges in size depending on how many individuals can make it to the event, but there are about 40 people who regularly attend the rides. Carter believes at least a fourth of the bicyclists are also Emerald Heights residents.
Each of the Gourmet Cyclists trips are around 15-30 miles long with a lunch break halfway through the ride at a local restaurant, café or picnic spot. They are always exploring new trails all the way from Anacortes to the Olympic Peninsula and from Mt. Rainier to the Cascade Foothills.
For those who may not be as avid a biker as Carter, there are still many options to get outside and go for a ride.
Last year, Cycling Without Age provided Emerald Heights with two trishaws, a three-wheeled electric bike. The trishaws are used by residents in the Corwin Center or Independent Living to catch a ride around the community. This is a wonderful way for residents with limited mobility to be involved in biking and still enjoy the beautiful weather of the Redmond spring and summers.
Alex Clark, Wellness Programs Manager, trains staff and resident volunteers to pedal and steer the bike. Since the bike is motorized, the volunteers do not need much athletic ability to provide residents a relaxing ride.
In addition to the trishaws, Emerald Heights also has a bike with a wheelchair attachment. This unique bike allows a wheelchair to be rolled on and clipped to a box at the front.
So, whether you are a single biker or someone in a group, there are tons of opportunities to take a ride in Emerald Heights and throughout Redmond. We hope you have time to get on a bike, go for a ride and enjoy National Biking Month!
Food brings us together; it is a way to explore, to connect and to share. However, its most important duty is to fuel and provide sustenance for a long, healthy life.
With five onsite dining options, Emerald Heights makes it their goal to offer not only delicious options for residents but meals to fit everyone’s nutritional goals and dietary restrictions.
All the restaurants onsite are transparent about nutritional information. Each menu has the caloric breakdown, allergen identifiers, gluten sensitivity markers, alcohol and lactose free indicators, sodium levels and carbohydrate totals. To find the complete nutritional breakdown and ingredients for all menu items, residents can go to the host stand, library or resident portal.
Emerald Heights’ chefs work with dieticians to create all recipes in-house. Dishes are prepared from scratch so residents can tailor their meals depending on their preferences and dietary restrictions. Residents have the option to cook their proteins in a variety of ways including grilled, roasted, poached, pan seared or even fried. Menus also change on a quarterly basis to offer new options for residents.
“All dining locations have the residents’ best interest and nutritional needs in mind,” said Matthew Lecours, director of food and beverage of Emerald Communities. “We take nutrition and healthy options seriously while also respecting residents’ wishes for variety. With over 40 daily offerings, we try to balance the options to appeal to anyone regardless of their individual health goals.”
The dining team at Emerald Communities also takes resident feedback very seriously. A recent survey by residents showed many were interested in extending the vegetarian and vegan options. Emerald Communities responded by integrating a wide variety of dishes to meet this request. One of the most popular dishes at the moment is the tofu popcorn made with a cashew tempura style batter and served with a chili sauce.
For residents who want additional support with healthy eating options, Emerald Heights has onsite nutritionists able to provide guidance. Each resident is offered a free one-hour consultation to help them navigate the menu and any dietary restrictions they may have. Residents can continue to see dieticians for an additional cost after their consultation or can work with the food and beverage staff to find a plan that works best for them.
“Mindful nutrition plays a crucial role in senior living,” adds Lecours. “Maintaining general health through specialized diets can reduce the risk of cognitive decline, increase muscle mass and bone density, prevent malnutrition and help manage chronic conditions.”
Emerald Heights also offers a wide variety of fitness classes and personal training to support a physically healthy lifestyle. With dozens of community groups and activities onsite, the staff at Emerald Heights also make it a priority to ensure mental well-being and enrichment are the cornerstones of daily living. For more information on Emerald Heights dining, visit emeraldheights.com/dining.
As March comes to an end, so does Essential Tremor (ET) Awareness Month. However, that does not mean the work of curing and bringing awareness to ET stops.
Essential tremor is a neurological condition that causes trembling in the hands, head, voice, legs and body. While it is often confused with Parkinson’s disease, ET is actually eight times more common. ET impacts more than 7 million Americans and millions more worldwide.
So, what is the difference between essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease? There are a few main distinguishing factors between ET and Parkinson’s:
ET usually occurs around the age of 40 and gets worse over time. Parkinson’s develops in people over the age of 60.
The type of tremor also differs between ET and Parkinson’s. People with Parkinson’s usually have tremors when they are resting, while people with essential tremor generally have tremors while moving.
Essential tremors typically occur more frequently than Parkinsonian tremors.
Those with essential tremor experience three times as many waking hours with tremors as apposed to those with Parkinson’s disease.
Like Parkinson’s disease there is currently no known cure for ET. However, there are treatments to help reduce symptoms. The majority of treatments use the beta-blocker propranolol and there are also physical therapies that help reduce symptoms.
While ET is a life-long diagnosis, treatment in the early stages can improve patient outlook and give people the best chance of slowing the progression. With care, people experiencing ET can live as long as those who do not have ET.
Emerald Heights is working to ensure the residents with ET or Parkinson’s have the tools to live a long, independent life. With therapy and individualized care, each family and resident can create a plan to help suit the resident best. This is a disease that impacts so many people and is a subject close to many people’s hearts.
“ET has affected my family in many ways,” said Sue Rowell, Emerald Heights Director of Sales and Marketing. “I can remember watching my mom’s and sister’s hands shake during meals. The food would fall off their fork, as they tried to eat. With my mom, we would only fill her coffee mug halfway because the shaking of her hands would spill the liquid in a full cup before she got it to her mouth.”
Organizations around the world, like the International Essential Tremor Foundation, are researching new methods to provide care for those affected and are searching for a cure as well. These organizations fund cutting-edge research, provide support groups and focus on raising awareness around the world.
For those who would like to support the research efforts and raise awareness, you can get involved in nonprofit organizations like the International Essential Tremor Foundation by providing time as a volunteer or donating funds. You can also post to personal social media accounts with a green ribbon to bring awareness to ET. The 2024 Essential Tremon (ET) Awareness Month theme is “Let’s Take the Mystery Out of ET.”
For more information about ET, visit essentialtremor.org.
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