Whitney Center News | Senior Living in Hamden, CT

July 9, 2018

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How to Find Rest & Rejuvenation Through Respite Care

By Whitney Center | Blog

Today, family members provide the majority of care for seniors and older loved ones. While family caregivers can allow seniors to remain at home and lessen the financial impact of receiving professional care, the duties and responsibilities of caring for an aging loved one can take their toll. Many family caregivers eventually need a break from their role in order to rest and take care of themselves or other family members. Without the chance to rest and rejuvenate, caregivers can experience burnout and physical health problems – taking away their ability to care for anyone.

Michael Rambarose, President and CEO of Whitney Center, a Life Care community in Hamden, CT, recognizes the importance of self-care for family caregivers. “No one can give to others when they’re empty,” says Rambarose. “This is especially true with the non-stop tasks of caregiving. Although it might seem difficult to take a break from a loved one’s care tasks, those who utilize respite care experience greater health and have an improved ability to provide care in the long run. Balancing caregiving with the rest of your life is important for your overall well-being, and respite care can help you accomplish that.”

What Exactly Is Respite Care?

Respite care is a service provided by a professional caregiver or a friend or family member to temporarily fill in for a primary caregiver. Respite care could be as informal as asking your sibling to take your parent to the doctor, or it could take the form of a short-term stay at a local senior living community. No matter how you utilize respite care, the important thing is that it allows you as a caregiver to take a break from your duties.

There are multiple reasons why you might utilize respite care, including:

Taking a break to rest and renew your energy
Enjoying some valuable “me time,” an important part of self-care
Tending to other family or work-related responsibilities
Traveling for work or going on vacation
Attending a special event, like a child’s graduation
Recovering from an illness or injury

How Respite Care Benefits Caregivers

In addition to allowing caregivers time to do other things, respite care provides several benefits that strengthen a caregiver’s resiliency, energy and other abilities to provide great care for a loved one. Consider the following benefits for respite care discussed in the article, “Respite Care for the Elderly Is Important for Family Caregivers:”

Renewal to feel like yourself again
Energy to be effective in all you do
Space between you and your role, allowing for better perspective
Pleasure in your favorite hobbies or activities
Identity in something other than caring for a loved one
Time away from your role to free your mind and rest your body
Engagement with other people in your life

Unfortunately, many family caregivers forfeit the benefits of respite care because they feel obligated to provide constant care and oversight for their loved one. The thought of handing responsibility off to someone else, even temporarily, might make them feel guilty. However, being able to relinquish control for a short time is a vital part of being a good caregiver. Your loved one benefits, too, when you take the time to prioritize your own health.

Knowing They’re in Good Hands

As natural as it is to worry when your loved one is in the care of someone else, it helps to find a trusted source to provide respite care services. Whether that’s another family member, a home health agent or a reputable senior living community, knowing your loved one is in good hands allows you to take the break you deserve with complete peace of mind.

“At Whitney Center, our respite care guests receive the same services and support that our full-time Assisted Living or Memory Care residents enjoy,” says Rambarose. “They get the chance to mingle with other seniors, enjoy our programming and take advantage of our excellent amenities – all while receiving professional support and assistance from our team. We treat our respite guests like one of the family.

“Additionally, loved ones benefit from a change in pace and scenery. They get to meet new people and participate in community life. Some respite guests may even decide that they would like to move into the community full-time.”

If you’re a busy family caregiver in need of rest, it’s time to learn more about respite care. Contact local senior living communities near you or call Whitney Center to talk to our team members about any questions or concerns you may have. We can help you experience all the benefits that respite care has to offer.

Discover Excellence in Senior Living.

At Whitney Center, you’ll find a distinguished senior living community where residents do what they love. Located in Hamden, Connecticut, Whitney Center combines all the cultural, educational and historical charms of the Greater New Haven area with the intricate details of daily life for active seniors. Whitney Center is a Life Care community, offering not just an unparalleled independent living lifestyle, but a full continuum of care services as well, including assisted living, rehabilitation, skilled nursing care and memory care. Whitney Center even offers a home-based long-term care program, Thrive at Home, which connects seniors to the services they need to live well in their own home.

Choice. Freedom. Opportunity.

We believe that remaining engaged and striving for excellence builds a more meaningful life. That’s why residents experience a host of services and amenities, events and cultural opportunities and wellness programs designed to foster endless growth and personalized living. Backed by our first-rate hospitality and philosophy of continuous improvement, our residents are free to travel, learn, volunteer, set new goals and create the life they want to live.

Come Here to Thrive.

At Whitney Center, residents live in the midst of cultural arts and education and dignified connections to the greater community. Seniors thrive in pursuit of what brings them joy, with unlimited opportunities to create and contribute. And, with the confidence in quality care services available on site if health needs ever change, Whitney Center makes it possible for seniors to continue enjoying the freedom to embrace life at its fullest.

Contact Whitney Center today to learn more about our Life Care community!

June 18, 2018

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A senior couple smile as they write notes in a notebook

How Aging Adults Can Guard Against the Rising Cost of Care

By Whitney Center | Blog

Every year, the costs of care for older adults rise. And, even though today’s seniors are living longer than the previous generations, age often comes with a greater chance of chronic illness and limiting health conditions. For those approaching the phase of life when personal care may likely be necessary, planning for the future can cause a strain on their financial security.

Michael Rambarose, President and CEO of Whitney Center, a Life Care Community in Hamden, CT, says, “The imagined costs of care are what often keep many seniors from making adequate plans for their future needs. Many simply resign to stay in their home forever or recruit adult children to care for them if they ever need support. However, neglecting to plan in hopes of saving money seldom works out. Family caregivers end up paying thousands of dollars out of pocket for parents’ care needs, and in some cases, moving to an Assisted Living or Memory Care community is unavoidable. Without plans in place to pay for future needs, families can experience extreme financial burdens.”

So how can aging seniors hope to avoid the rising costs of personal care? How can they alleviate the burdens placed on their spouses and children? Planning ahead for potential care costs is the best way to start. At Whitney Center, we’re thrilled to offer an exceptional service that eliminates worries about future health needs and how to pay for them.

Discover Thrive at Home with Whitney Center

Because so many seniors face the stress of uncertainty when it comes to future care needs and their surmounting costs, Whitney Center developed a Life Care at Home membership program that meets seniors’ needs for potential support and financial management. Thrive at Home allows members to stay in the comfort of their home and still receive the wonderful benefits of a home health partnership, alleviating the stress on family members to provide care and securing future support without cost increases.

For less than $20 a day, Thrive at Home members can experience the peace of mind that comes with knowing any future care needs are already covered. Despite industry prices increasing every year, with membership and monthly maintenance fees, the costs for future needs are fully or partially paid for, depending on the membership level seniors choose. Our different membership levels offer flexibility to choose the degree of service that works best for individuals’ needs and timelines.

Here are just a few ways seniors benefit from a program as comprehensive as Thrive at Home:

Seniors stay healthy and independent at home with preventative and long-term care support.
Different membership plans offer flexibility to choose what services work best for you.
You have your own personal service and wellness team, available 24/7, to help you navigate your care needs and options.
Members enjoy easy access to top healthcare services when needed, such as nursing aides, live-in services, medically necessary transportation, GPS-enabled emergency response systems and much more – at no extra cost.
You can avoid the need for moving into care facilities or nursing homes.
Membership fees cost significantly less than similar care alternatives, and if your needs increase, your fees don’t have to!
Services include:
- Care and service coordination
- Home safe evaluations
- Referral services
- Transportation
- Telehealth technology
- Social engagement
- Homemaker and companion services
- Personal care
- Social work
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy
- Nursing
- Memory support
- 24-hour care
Care is backed by Whitney Center, a premier 5-star-rated Life Care Community.

You’re in Charge of Your Care

What Thrive at Home members love the most is that they are in control of their futures. Membership gives you countless options for care support with a team of personal service professionals to walk alongside you to help navigate your benefits and possibilities for care. You’ll have a partner who has your best interests at heart and happily coordinates your overall care, providing valuable information and continual support so you can make healthy decisions that benefit your lifestyle.

When you become a Thrive at Home member, you’ll be assigned a personal service partner who’ll get to know you personally. They’ll work with you whenever you need them to help coordinate all your care services and act as your personal health advocate and medical navigator. You’ll never be on your own when it comes to making important decisions about your health!

Even if you join Thrive at Home without any current need for support, your personal service partner can help you create a Well-Being Service Plan, which emphasizes overall wellness and preventative care. It’s like having a personal health trainer on your side to help you make great choices and manage your well-being.

Plan Today for Security Tomorrow

Seniors who plan ahead for future care are taking great steps in securing the services they might need at a price they can afford. Even when you don’t know what the future holds, a program like Thrive at Home can ensure you receive whatever care support you need while saving you hundreds of dollars a day. Seniors who choose Thrive at Home choose to make a valuable investment in their future care, and peace of mind for themselves and their families.

If you would like to know more about Thrive at Home with Whitney Center, contact us today to get started on your future planning.

Discover Excellence in Senior Living.

At Whitney Center, you’ll find a distinguished senior living community where residents do what they love. Located in Hamden, Connecticut, Whitney Center combines all the cultural, educational and historical charms of the Greater New Haven area with the intricate details of daily life for active seniors. Whitney Center is a Life Care community, offering not just an unparalleled independent living lifestyle, but a full continuum of care services as well, including assisted living, rehabilitation, skilled nursing care and memory care. Whitney Center even offers a home-based long-term care program, Thrive at Home, which connects seniors to the services they need to live well in their own home.

Choice. Freedom. Opportunity.

We believe that remaining engaged and striving for excellence builds a more meaningful life. That’s why residents experience a host of services and amenities, events and cultural opportunities and wellness programs designed to foster endless growth and personalized living. Backed by our first-rate hospitality and philosophy of continuous improvement, our residents are free to travel, learn, volunteer, set new goals and create the life they want to live.

Come Here to Thrive.

At Whitney Center, residents live in the midst of cultural arts and education and dignified connections to the greater community. Seniors thrive in pursuit of what brings them joy, with unlimited opportunities to create and contribute. And, with the confidence in quality care services available on site if health needs ever change, Whitney Center makes it possible for seniors to continue enjoying the freedom to embrace life at its fullest.

Contact Whitney Center today to learn more about our Life Care community!

June 1, 2018

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A senior woman wearing glasses, smiling as she talks on a cell phone

Overcoming the Challenges as a Long-Distance Caregiver

By Whitney Center | Blog

Although it seems like a simple concept, long-distance caregiving is quite a dynamic role. Caregivers take on much more than a simple daily phone call, possibly also acting as their loved one’s personal financial manager to make sure their money is being spent wisely and safely. They can also be the point of contact for family or friends who live closer to their loved one and can provide care. Even this is only the surface of how deep long-distance caregiving duties go, and the deeper into managing the logistical aspects of a loved one’s life, the more exhausting and emotionally trying it can be.

However, according to AgingCare.com and the millions of other long-distance caregivers, you are not alone. Approximately seven million adults remotely care for aging parents who live an hour or more away. Long-distance caregivers can redistribute the weight of their caregiving duties by connecting with local community members to strengthen their loved one’s care network.

Michael Rambarose, President and CEO of Whitney Center, a Life Care community in Hamden, CT, says that, although long-distance caregiving can be challenging, it doesn’t have to be. “Being a long-distance caregiver is rewarding because you are making sure your loved one is happy and healthy, even from an hour or so away. This shows true dedication and commitment. Long-distance support can be made easier by actively keeping in contact with your loved one’s primary caregivers, organizing visits and activities and being there for your loved one outside your caregiving duties.”

What Are the Challenges and How Do I Overcome Them?

Long-distance caregiving comes with its share of challenges, but with the right information and approach, you can greatly decrease the uncertainties and improve both you and your loved one’s lives.

Consider these tips on how to make long-distance caregiving easier for everyone involved.

Be in the Know.
Before anything else, it’s a good idea to become well acquainted with both your loved one’s illness and their current treatment plan. Knowing the ins and outs of his or her situation better prepares you to anticipate disease progression, assist in managing their symptoms and prevent foreseeable crises because you’ll know what to tell the doctor. Being able to act before problems escalate will not only make your loved one more comfortable but also establish a greater trust between you.
Find Resources.
AgingCare.com suggests getting a phone book to help map out essential resources in your loved one’s area. Yelp and some simple Google searches can also link you to helpful, easy-to-find resources that are often accompanied by insightful customer reviews. Keep in mind, though, that not every review is completely reliable, but at the same time, it’s reassuring to know someone else had a positive experience with the service or company you are considering for your own loved one.
Plan Visits.
Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of being a long-distance caregiver is actually visiting your loved one. Though you may live only an hour away, family and work responsibilities can make it challenging to find a few spare hours. It’s important to plan your visits beforehand to avoid wasting precious time trying to decide on something to do when you get there. Instead, ask your loved one if they have any errands to run or places they need to go. Although these may seem like trivial tasks, doing them together can make it more fun and enjoyable.
Spend Actual Time Together.
When you get the chance to visit your loved one, try to actually spend time with them outside of your caregiving role. It may be easy to focus the conversation on his or her illness, but it’s even more rewarding and beneficial to take both of your minds off caregiving by watching a film together, chatting over coffee, breaking out a classic board game or just going for a drive through town. Getting out of the house and out of your caregiving disposition can do wonders for both you and your loved one’s mood.
Establish Long-Distance Contact.
This can mean anything from installing a landline phone in your loved one’s home to teaching them how to use a cell phone. Having a dedicated connection between you will give not only you and your loved one but also everyone in your care network peace of mind, knowing your loved one is always reachable. It’s important, however, to be aware that such connectivity could result in overly frequent calls from your loved one, so weigh your options and find a way to cope with the number of calls.

“Providing your loved one with the care you know they deserve is something distance can’t inhibit,” says Rambarose. “Whitney Center shares your passion for ensuring seniors receive the utmost care, whether they reside in our gorgeous community or in your capable hands. As a Life Care community, we know what it takes to devote time and love to someone who deserves nothing less than perfection.”

If you would like any more information, tips or suggestions on long-distance caregiving, contact us today!

Discover Excellence in Senior Living.

At Whitney Center, you’ll find a distinguished senior living community where residents do what they love. Located in Hamden, Connecticut, Whitney Center combines all the cultural, educational and historical charms of the Greater New Haven area with the intricate details of daily life for active seniors. Whitney Center is a Life Care community, offering not just an unparalleled independent living lifestyle, but a full continuum of care services as well, including assisted living, rehabilitation, skilled nursing care and memory care. Whitney Center even offers a home-based long-term care program, Thrive at Home, which connects seniors to the services they need to live well in their own home.

Choice. Freedom. Opportunity.

We believe that remaining engaged and striving for excellence builds a more meaningful life. That’s why residents experience a host of services and amenities, events and cultural opportunities and wellness programs designed to foster endless growth and personalized living. Backed by our first-rate hospitality and philosophy of continuous improvement, our residents are free to travel, learn, volunteer, set new goals and create the life they want to live.

Come Here to Thrive.

At Whitney Center, residents live in the midst of cultural arts and education and dignified connections to the greater community. Seniors thrive in pursuit of what brings them joy, with unlimited opportunities to create and contribute. And, with the confidence in quality care services available on site if health needs ever change, Whitney Center makes it possible for seniors to continue enjoying the freedom to embrace life at its fullest.

Contact Whitney Center today to learn more about our Life Care community!

May 22, 2018

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A senior man carries a large cardboard box to a woman putting boxes into a van

Rightsizing Your Retirement Lifestyle with Confidence

By Whitney Center | Blog

As we grow older, our perspectives change. Sometimes, what we thought would be important in our thirties now seems trivial in our sixties. Maybe you once dreamed of retiring to a large summer home with acres of space for grandchildren to run and play. However, you realize now that the upkeep, enormous mortgage and the rest of reality may tarnish that particular dream, so you form a new one – a retirement dream that feels right.

Author and journalist Kathy Gottberg shares some valuable thoughts on retirement and what it means to live right. Many seniors reach the retirement and consider options for downsizing, selling their home and moving somewhere smaller, more manageable, or to a community that provides maintenance and amenities. Gottberg applauds this approach to a simplified retirement, yet she says, “Downsizing implies that you are sacrificing or giving up something better, for something worse. Rightsizing instead implies you are making a move that looks and feels ‘right.’”

At Whitney Center, we agree that “downsizing” doesn’t quite fit what our residents experience when they make the move from a large family home to Independent Living at our community. Life at a senior living community is anything but a downgrade. Instead, seniors trade in the parts of life they no longer need (extra rooms, hours spent doing chores, expensive repairs) for the rightsized retirement they desire.

Michael Rambarose, President and CEO of the Hamden, CT, Life Care community, says, “Rightsizing means molding your surroundings to fit your life, rather than molding your life to fit your surroundings. Moving to a community like Whitney Center allows seniors the freedom to live as fully as they wish, as our community works to serve their diverse needs and interests.”

If you’re wondering how you can rightsize your retirement, read on for helpful tips and reasons to retire with confidence!

A New State of Mind

To fully get the gist of what rightsizing means, most of us will have to change our perspective on success. Does retiring successfully mean accumulating the largest pot of gold to do with as we please? Or does it mean settling into a lifestyle that fits us perfectly – physically, financially, socially and otherwise? If you believe in a simplified lifestyle that provides all you need but doesn’t clutter you with what you don’t, rightsizing is definitely for you.

Here a few ways Gottberg suggests we prepare our mindsets for rightsizing:

Live Below Your Means – A good piece of advice at any age, living below your means in retirement can eliminate future worries and concerns about having enough finances to get by. Try to consider this tip as less of a sacrifice and more of a measure of priority. It’s easy to spend lots of money on things we don’t need. Gottberg phrases this perfectly: “[Living below your means] is resisting the urge to spend money you don’t have, to buy things you probably don’t need, to impress people who you don’t even know. Worse yet, it is spending money to entertain yourself because you’ve forgotten what really matters and is most important to a happy life.”

Separate Your Happiness from Your Stuff – This is a good time to remind everyone that “you can’t take it with you.” While there’s nothing wrong with having stuff, especially stuff we need, we can run into problems when we place so much value on our material possessions that they become our source of pride, joy and sense of worth. Learning to accept and appreciate a lifestyle that is literally decluttered and physically simplified offers us the chance to place our significance on things we can’t lose or break.

Stop Keeping Up with the Jones’ – According to Gottberg, trying to impress others with your material lifestyle is a waste of time. Chances are, the people you may be trying to impress will never care as much as you think they should. Instead, we should be focusing our energy on creating a lifestyle that fits us – not one that fits society’s pressure. Your relationships will always be more valuable than your new car, and the people who truly matter won’t care about such trivial things. The time you spend on cultivating friendships and love will grow a much greater legacy than chasing after pride or self-image.

Embracing the Retirement that Fits You

Rightsizing will look different for everyone. That’s the beauty of simplifying your lifestyle. It’s the chance to eliminate what you don’t need to make room for the parts of life that will bring you joy and elevate your well-being. Whether that means selling your home or shaking off the misconceptions our society makes us believe about success, rightsizing your retirement will help you embrace a lifestyle that fits you well.

“At Whitney Center,” says Rambarose, “we provide the kind of retirement lifestyle that not only allows for the right size of physical surroundings, but embraces a perspective of healthy priorities. Our seniors place value on things that aren’t always tangible, such as their intellect, their education, their friendships, community service work, their talents and passions. Rightsizing to a place like Whitney Center has allowed them to design a retirement that makes room for the most important parts of their life.”

If you would like to know more about rightsizing and how to create a retirement lifestyle that fits you, contact Whitney Center today. We’d be happy to share ideas with you and help you rightsize your retirement with confidence.

Discover Excellence in Senior Living.

At Whitney Center, you’ll find a distinguished senior living community where residents do what they love. Located in Hamden, Connecticut, Whitney Center combines all the cultural, educational and historical charms of the Greater New Haven area with the intricate details of daily life for active seniors. Whitney Center is a Life Care community, offering not just an unparalleled independent living lifestyle, but a full continuum of care services as well, including assisted living, rehabilitation, skilled nursing care and memory care. Whitney Center even offers a home-based long-term care program, Thrive at Home, which connects seniors to the services they need to live well in their own home.

Choice. Freedom. Opportunity.

We believe that remaining engaged and striving for excellence builds a more meaningful life. That’s why residents experience a host of services and amenities, events and cultural opportunities and wellness programs designed to foster endless growth and personalized living. Backed by our first-rate hospitality and philosophy of continuous improvement, our residents are free to travel, learn, volunteer, set new goals and create the life they want to live.

Come Here to Thrive.

At Whitney Center, residents live in the midst of cultural arts and education and dignified connections to the greater community. Seniors thrive in pursuit of what brings them joy, with unlimited opportunities to create and contribute. And, with the confidence in quality care services available on site if health needs ever change, Whitney Center makes it possible for seniors to continue enjoying the freedom to embrace life at its fullest.

Contact Whitney Center today to learn more about our Life Care community!

May 4, 2018

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A female staff member smiles and clasps hands with a senior woman

8 Facts About Skilled Nursing Care

By Whitney Center | Blog

At Whitney Center, you’ll discover Skilled Nursing care that far surpasses society’s typical assumptions about advanced care in a community setting. As a 5-star rated community by Medicare, Whitney Center offers superior healthcare services and quality lifestyles. By recognizing our Skilled Nursing care as an integrated extension of our community’s continuum of care, we’ve created a unique style of advanced care that incorporates everything there is to love about Whitney Center.

Michael Rambarose, President and CEO of the Hamden, CT, Life Care community, shares how Whitney Center’s person-centered philosophy makes all the difference in senior care: “We never lose sight of the fact that our Skilled Nursing residents are people first rather than just patients. While their care needs are always first and foremost in our minds, so are their unique preferences and lifestyle choices. We don’t sacrifice our residents’ freedom or daily experiences just because they need additional care. They are still very much a part of the Whitney Center community in the Health Center as they were in an independent living suite.”

8 Facts About Whitney Center’s Skilled Nursing Care

If you’re still not convinced of the high-quality experience we provide for our Skilled Nursing residents, let us share a few facts about our program that combine for an unparalleled advanced care experience.

Consider the following about Whitney Center’s Skilled Nursing care:

1. It’s Available in the Community You Love – When Independent Living or Assisted Living residents require advanced medical care on a regular basis, they don’t have to worry about finding a new community to support their needs. Skilled Nursing care is available right on campus, connected to all the services, amenities and friends our residents know and love. We believe that an advanced care need shouldn’t take away a person’s lifestyle, so we’ve designed our program in a way it doesn’t have to.

2. You’re Part of a Family – Whether a Skilled Nursing resident has lived with us for years or just a few months, they are permanently integrated into a family of compassionate, supportive residents and staff. The dining staff knows them by name. Caregivers understand their personalities and can tell when something’s wrong – and they know how to make it right. Here, residents aren’t just a number. They’re each a unique individual that contributes to our family in a way only they can.

3. You Can Enjoy Private Accommodations – Erase every notion you may have about an institutionalized setting or structure. Whitney Center’s Skilled Nursing community is proud to make our residents feel comfortable and at home in their own private rooms. We also offer semi-private rooms for those who are looking for companionship as well as a more affordable option.

4. A range of Amenities and Activities – Skilled Nursing residents can still enjoy the vast range of amenities and activities that Whitney Center has to offer. Additionally, our Skilled Nursing program employs a full-time Life Enrichment Coordinator to plan enjoyable programs and activities that consider residents’ abilities and even promote better healing and recovery. Additionally, Skilled Nursing residents can enjoy their own dining room, family lounge, enclosed patio and spa. We also incorporate the Java Music Program and It’s Never 2 Late® technology services into our daily programming.

5. You Can Still Partake in the Culture – Our Health Center is a vital segment of our community, and skilled nursing residents can easily move about to their favorite areas within Whitney Center whenever they like. Residents are still a part of the unique culture we create, including our commitment to the arts and our greater community.

6. Designed to Meet Your Needs – As with everything we do at Whitney Center, our Skilled Nursing program is designed to fully meet the needs of each resident. With personalized care planning, we integrate physical, social, emotional and intellectual wellness goals into our overall plans for care. Residents can continue to enjoy all their favorite activities and routines, and an attentive caregiver is always near by to offer support if and when they need it.

7. Rehabilitation Is Included – Any rehabilitation services our Skilled Nursing residents may need is provided right in our Health Center. We partner with a qualified therapy firm to offer physical, speech and occupational therapies for residents who benefit from such services. We’re also proud to offer aquatic Rehabilitation Services. Working with the resident’s doctor, we can provide a therapy regimen to help them enjoy their best possible health.

8. Offers Peace of Mind – Whitney Center’s medical director is employed by the Northeast Medical Group, which is part of Yale-New Haven Hospital and is affiliated with Yale University School of Medicine. Not only are we proud to offer the highest quality medical care available but we’re happy to say that such distinguished care offers our residents and their families great peace of mind. Whether it’s our Independent Living residents planning for their future or current Skilled Nursing residents in need of support, we are confident in providing the best care to meet their present and future needs.

“In everything we do, we put our residents first,” says Rambarose. “Our person-centered philosophy enables us to provide the best experiences for our seniors, whether they reside in Independent Living or Skilled Nursing. We know what it takes to create a first-class experience for those in our care.”

If you would like to learn more about Skilled Nursing care at Whitney Center, contact us today!

Discover Excellence in Senior Living.

At Whitney Center, you’ll find a distinguished senior living community where residents do what they love. Located in Hamden, Connecticut, Whitney Center combines all the cultural, educational and historical charms of the Greater New Haven area with the intricate details of daily life for active seniors. Whitney Center is a Life Care community, offering not just an unparalleled independent living lifestyle, but a full continuum of care services as well, including assisted living, rehabilitation, skilled nursing care and memory care. Whitney Center even offers a home-based long-term care program, Thrive at Home, which connects seniors to the services they need to live well in their own home.

Choice. Freedom. Opportunity.

We believe that remaining engaged and striving for excellence builds a more meaningful life. That’s why residents experience a host of services and amenities, events and cultural opportunities and wellness programs designed to foster endless growth and personalized living. Backed by our first-rate hospitality and philosophy of continuous improvement, our residents are free to travel, learn, volunteer, set new goals and create the life they want to live.

Come Here to Thrive.

At Whitney Center, residents live in the midst of cultural arts and education and dignified connections to the greater community. Seniors thrive in pursuit of what brings them joy, with unlimited opportunities to create and contribute. And, with the confidence in quality care services available on site if health needs ever change, Whitney Center makes it possible for seniors to continue enjoying the freedom to embrace life at its fullest.

Contact Whitney Center today to learn more about our Life Care community!

April 19, 2018

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A senior man holding his glasses to his mouth, gazes into the distance

Exploring Whitney Center’s Person-Centered Wellness Philosophy

By Whitney Center | Blog

“Many communities in the senior living industry use the term, ‘person-centered,’” says Michael Rambarose, President and CEO of Whitney Center, a Life Care community located in Hamden, CT, “but few take the time to describe how that relates to their philosophy of providing services and care. As ‘person-centered’ becomes a more and more popular descriptor for senior living, we believe seniors should know exactly what it means at Whitney Center.”

Whitney Center is a prestigious Life Care community that seeks to deliver excellence in senior living. Excellence, just like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. So, Whitney Center looks to their residents – not national averages or Internet resources – to define what excellence means to them.

“Our person-centered approach at Whitney Center truly puts the individual in the center of all we do,” says Rambarose. “Every offering starts with our residents’ needs and desires for quality living and builds from there. We don’t just take personal interests and requests into consideration. We design a personalized wellness plan and lifestyle around each unique individual that meets their requirements for excellence in whatever way they define it.”

Our Wellness Philosophy Starts with You

Quality of life can be broken down into various dimensions of well-being. We know that wellness means something different to everyone, and a single person has various wellness expectations and goals. Being well goes beyond just physical health. Our well-being involves everything that affects our inner and outer lives.

At Whitney Center, we consider seven interconnected dimensions of wellness that help seniors live life to the fullest:

Occupational – All of us can achieve personal satisfaction and enrichment in our life through meaningful work. Even after you retire, your life’s work can continue through pursuits and involvement that encourage you to keep growing and developing in your chosen field.
Physical – Wellness comes from meeting the need for regular physical activity. Physical development encourages learning about diet and nutrition. Optimal health is met through the combination of good exercise and eating habits.
Social – Social well-being involves contributing to your environment and your community. It emphasizes the interdependence between others and the world around you.
Intellectual – When we engage in creative and stimulating mental activities, we nurture an important aspect of our well-being. Intellectual wellness is all about expanding your knowledge and skills while discovering the potential for sharing your gifts with others.
Spiritual – Religious or not, spiritual wellness is about enabling the search for meaning and purpose in human existence. It includes the development of a deep appreciation for the depth and expanse of life and natural forces that exist in the universe.
Emotional – Emotional well-being includes the degree to which you feel positive and enthusiastic about yourself and your life. It begins and ends with recognizing and accepting your feelings.
Vocational – Vocational wellness adds value to our lives through meaningful activities, learning new skills and developing new interests.

At Whitney Center, we help seniors achieve these seven dimensions of wellness by offering a wide variety of services and amenities that help them reach their goals. We also emphasize preventive care through health monitoring and fitness programs. We hire and contract with professionals who are well-versed in contemporary health and fitness science to guide each component of wellness.

We Make It Personal

The seven dimensions of our wellness philosophy help us create meaningful plans for each resident who calls Whitney Center home. By understanding how each person finds meaning and experiences various dimensions of well-being, we have the tools necessary to design opportunities that fit their personal needs and desires. Our community offers a comprehensive range of services that contribute to senior health and wellness, but the path to well-being is drawn by the resident with support from us at every turn.

It’s time to discover how person-centered senior living can take on a whole new meaning for you. Reach out to Whitney Center today to learn more about our wellness philosophy and how we help seniors enjoy excellence every day.

Discover Excellence in Senior Living.

At Whitney Center, you’ll find a distinguished senior living community where residents do what they love. Located in Hamden, Connecticut, Whitney Center combines all the cultural, educational and historical charms of the Greater New Haven area with the intricate details of daily life for active seniors. Whitney Center is a Life Care community, offering not just an unparalleled independent living lifestyle, but a full continuum of care services as well, including assisted living, rehabilitation, skilled nursing care and memory care. Whitney Center even offers a home-based long-term care program, Thrive at Home, which connects seniors to the services they need to live well in their own home.

Choice. Freedom. Opportunity.

We believe that remaining engaged and striving for excellence builds a more meaningful life. That’s why residents experience a host of services and amenities, events and cultural opportunities and wellness programs designed to foster endless growth and personalized living. Backed by our first-rate hospitality and philosophy of continuous improvement, our residents are free to travel, learn, volunteer, set new goals and create the life they want to live.

Come Here to Thrive.

At Whitney Center, residents live in the midst of cultural arts and education and dignified connections to the greater community. Seniors thrive in pursuit of what brings them joy, with unlimited opportunities to create and contribute. And, with the confidence in quality care services available on site if health needs ever change, Whitney Center makes it possible for seniors to continue enjoying the freedom to embrace life at its fullest.