“That survey really yielded a lot more for me than I thought it would,” Mary said. “It affirmed my belief that we were doing a lot of the right things.”

Front Porch communities are making individual decisions to conserve and support the environment, and the overall impact is significant. More than half of Front Porch’s communities have replaced incandescent bulbs with energy efficient LEDs; half have drought-resistant landscaping and water efficient irrigation systems; almost two-thirds have electric vehicle charging stations; and virtually all support recycling efforts, including e-waste. On top of this, individual communities have made individual choices that support green practices, such as Meatless Mondays, tankless water heaters, and solar power projects installed or under consideration.

Nancy Frost, a resident of Canterbury Woods in Pacific Grove, has been encouraging the community’s environmental efforts since she moved in more than 10 years ago. A former employee of the Environmental Protection Agency, Nancy has developed Earth Day programs to keep residents and staff informed about the individual steps they can take. This year, in keeping with the Earth Day theme of Planet vs. Plastics, she is preparing an educational program about plastics, including how to manage the film plastics that are recyclable but not collected by waste haulers.

She’s also educating about hidden plastics. “There’s lots of things that contain plastic that we don’t think about, like tea bags and bottle caps, that you can’t put in a recycle bin,” Nancy explains. “Take away paper cups and paper food containers, they’re all lined with plastic. That makes them trash, not recyclable. So what do you do instead? You get a mug and instead of taking the paper container, you get one of the reusable plastic containers.”

Nancy urges people to take things one step at a time. “One of my display boards for Earth Day this year is going to be Kermit the Frog, and it says, ‘It’s not easy being green, but it’s do-able,’” Nancy says. “I think that’s really wonderful way to put it. It’s just minor little changes. They add up and they add up. And if one year you make a change in one direction, and then you keep that in the next year, you add another one. You don’t have to do it all at the same time. You prioritize what you can do and start doing it.”

At Vista del Monte in Santa Barbara, Executive Director Doug Tucker has been working with the community and prioritizing water conservation in multiple ways. When he first arrived, the community was reviewing its landscaping which had included a lawn in the middle of the campus. “The residents had a slogan: ‘Brown is the new gold’ because they couldn’t water the grass,” he says. The community replaced the water-greedy grass with faux grass in the middle park area and then replanted most of the campus’s landscaping with drought tolerant planting.

But that was only the first step. The community is waiting for final approval from the City of Santa Barbara to engage in phase two. “What we instructed the landscape architect to do is to utilize water saving technologies,” Doug explains. “Some of the things that we’re focusing on is storm water management and returning water back to the groundwater, so we’re putting in permeable pavers, bio basins, and a 3000 gallon catch basin at the entrances and throughout the campus that will move water around the campus for stormwater management, but also to help return water to the aquifers.”

Although the community is allotted 848,000 gallons of water a year for landscaping, it is estimated that with the landscaping changes, the community will only use about 453,000 gallons annually. The landscaping project and its efforts toward water conservation continues the theme that was originally started about 8 years ago, Doug says.

“I’m a firm believer in being an environmental steward,” Doug says. “Being in Santa Barbara with the type of community and the number of residents that we serve, I think that we have a great opportunity to show our environmental stewardship with a lot of the programs that we bring to the community.”

“When you adopt green practices, in order for it to be effective, it has to be personal,” says Mary. “The shift in our communities is exciting to see. Perhaps we need to adjust and reinvent as we move along, but this information about our green practices as an organization gives us a foundation that we up until now really haven’t had.”

In reviewing the Green Initiatives survey, Mary says, “I think that sitting for a moment and taking an inventory of everybody’s good ideas was inspirational. Now that we’ve pulled all this information together, we can actually strategize around it.”

The post Earth Day every day through Front Porch’s green initiatives appeared first on Front Porch.

Sallie developed her passion for gardening as a child growing up on her parents’ farm in the Salinas Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in California. It was there where she found a deep connection to the earth – a connection she maintains at Canterbury Woods. Anyone who visits her home immediately notices the beautiful flowers and plants that circle her bungalow. Immediately after arriving in 2011, Sallie saw the potential for a beautiful garden, not only for her own home but for the entire community.

“There was a big plot of Canterbury Woods land next to the parking lot that was once a garden when the community was first built in 1965 but that had not been tended to, so the first thing that came to my mind was why not revitalize this space?” Sallie said. She soon got to work with a local landscape designer who had consulted for Canterbury Woods to create an oasis for all residents to enjoy.

When Sallie moved to Canterbury Woods working in the gardens and contributing to the   community’s landscaping fund via the Front Porch Communities Foundation, were her ways to pay it forward. “I have this community in my heart,” she said. “It’s so meaningful to me to be able to provide support for Canterbury Woods through my time and gifts.”

Sallie’s contributions to the landscaping fund made the garden’s rejuvenation possible. The result is multicolored plants, camellias, and a Japanese black pine tree to complement the nearby koi pond.

“We’re making it a modern garden,” Sallie noted. The project updates the heart of the garden and creates a space for residents to gather. Residents regularly host happy hours there and have plans to enjoy barbecues and other social events.

When it came time to christen the new garden, residents voted unanimously to rename the space “Sallie’s Garden,” in honor of all of Sallie’s contributions to the garden and the wider Canterbury Woods community.

“I never expected the garden to be named after me,” Sallie said, “but I felt proud and honored.”

No doubt Sallie has established deep roots at Canterbury Woods literally and figuratively. Her parents, Henry and Muriel Brun, lived at the community in the 1980s and ‘90s paving her way to residency.

“I remember visiting them all of the time and saw how happy they were,” Sallie remembers. “I knew even back then that when I retired I did not want to live anywhere else.”

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Coming Out Swinging

Tom is a Pacific Grove native, having attended its public schools in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Even as he builds new memories of his hometown in his 80s, he cherishes his early experiences in the close-knit Northern California town.

“Pacific Grove was a great place to grow up,” he said. “Everybody knew everyone else.” With a father who worked as a mailman and a mother who worked in the department store, “I couldn’t get in any trouble because everybody knew my parents!”

Tom was set on coaching from early on. Two seventh-grade teachers and several coaches in high school set an example for the kind of person he wanted to be. “They were quality guys,” he said. “I had great role models.”

Tom had innate athletic talent, earning several opportunities to play football at Division 1 universities. To avoid being redshirted — he wanted to play from the get-go — he opted instead for Monterey Community College.

Fast forward a few years, and Tom had already made strides in his career. He found an unexpected passion working in special education while coaching varsity baseball at Colton High School. After teaching for a while, he decided to become an administrator, testing the waters as a high school principal, and ultimately finding his fit as a middle school principal in Southern California.

Raising the Bar

In 1997, Tom was hired at California State Stanislaus to teach kinesiology. He also worked as a public address announcer for the baseball program. In his retirement, he found a way to continue his involvement with schools by volunteering as a coach and mentor.

After his wife passed, he reconnected with the woman he had dated in high school in Pacific Grove and eventually returned home with her. She encouraged him to continue his passions at Canterbury Woods.

In 2019, Tom began volunteering at the local high school, coaching pitchers and catchers on the baseball team. In the fall he expanded his coaching roster, assisting the varsity football team. He also mentored elementary school children and kids with special needs.

When COVID struck, Tom helped the local baseball and football teams stay active. “We had to make the sport fit the safety,” he said. They trained almost all year in a modified, pandemic-safe way by eliminating huddles and practicing outside.

The most rewarding bit of Tom’s recent volunteer work has been watching his mentees grow. “Seeing a kid who once had trouble catching and throwing a baseball become a starter and get his first hit—it’s so much fun,” Tom said. “There aren’t many guys who I know who are 85 years old and can still say they’re having fun every day,” he added. “I can say that.”

At Canterbury Woods, he appreciates the variety of perspectives his fellow residents bring. “Everybody has a story,” Tom said. “As people who are aging, we need to listen to other people’s stories and celebrate the uniqueness that they bring to the table. Because everybody brings something really exciting.”

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Canterbury Woods, a Front Porch community nestled in Pacific Grove near Monterey, CA, has a rich history steeped in the spirit of compassion that is a hallmark of Front Porch. The land was gifted to the Episcopal Church in the late 1800s by Margaret Tennant to honor her brother John, and the John Tennant Memorial home for the elderly was built. In the first half of the 20th century, the buildings and land were used as a girls school and then as a clergy holiday home, with the basement reportedly serving a role during Prohibition as a waystation for “rum-runners” plying their trade along the coast.

In 1965, a newly-formed nonprofit purchased the land from the church and Canterbury Woods was built as the first retirement community of Episcopal Homes Foundation (a Front Porch predecessor). The Rev. Darby Betts, an Episcopal priest and the founder of Episcopal Homes Foundation, had a strong interest in architecture as a way to build community and led the design and building of Canterbury Woods as well as four more Northern California retirement communities.

The Episcopal diocese then donated the purchase price of the land back to Episcopal Homes Foundation to care for retirement community residents who outlived their resources. This tradition of generosity has been passed down through the generations of Canterbury Woods residents. Sallie Brun grew to care about Canterbury Woods when her parents resided there. When she moved to the community, she committed to making improvements for current residents and the next generation by making a gift to the Foundation to enhance the landscaping and gardens.

“I have this community in my heart,” she said. “It’s so meaningful to me to be able to provide support for Canterbury Woods through my time and gifts.” Paul Cartier and Teresa Palmer, the son and daughter-in-law of Canterbury Woods resident Francis Cartier, recently made a gift through Front Porch Communities Foundation to purchase equipment in honor of Dr. Cartier’s 100th birthday. “We are so aware of the need to create an environment where those who are getting older have a great quality of life,” Teresa said. “Attention to detail, both in the social realm and in the realm of personal care-giving, is the secret. Our dad taught us a lot about what is important in life. He feels known and understood in his community. Staff and community at Canterbury Woods have been the key to his quality of life for many years now. We, his family, want this quality to continue, and we want to support it.”

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Senior Director for Resident Experience Rebecca Johnson created the program to support residents’ connection to the community and to one another. “We feel a sense of place but don’t necessarily articulate it,” says Johnson. This program allows residents to gather over time “to capture in your words why you feel as you do.”

Each Front Porch community has its own unique geography, Johnson explains. “When we hear the word geography we think, ‘mountains, landscapes,’ which is certainly part of it,” she says. “But geography is also everything that humans build. When we wrote the program, we were intentional about discussing both the physical and social aspects of geography.”

Sense of Place provides a safe environment for people who may not normally speak up in the community to address concerns. “Sense of Place is outside of the committee or council structure,” says Johnson. “Sometimes residents are looking for a new way to share their voice, a less formal way beyond the surveys and the committees that are already in place.”

“I marvel at people who have the ability to come forward and speak their thoughts,” said one resident participant at Friends House in Santa Rosa. “It doesn’t come as naturally to me, but after listening to others, I feel I can talk like that. I feel comfortable here. I feel I’m in the right place.”

Jeannie Pressey, executive director of Spring Lake Village in Santa Rosa says that Sense of Place is “an additional opportunity to gain insight from the residents on what’s working well and what they would like to see improved.”

Unlike a resident survey that provides a quantitative snapshot of the community at a moment in time, Sense of Place collects qualitative information that “puts the how, why, and what together in one place,” explains Mary McMullin, chief advancement officer for Front Porch. “A survey will tell us you think your community is great. Sense of Place allows us to understand why you think it’s great. It helps us identify rather than guess about the true community that’s here.”

Because residents were speaking directly with someone in person or on Zoom “instead of simply filling out the boxes on a survey, I feel that they were more comfortable in sharing their viewpoints,” Pressey notes. “And their views were clearly communicated as opposed to checking a box that says ‘are you satisfied? 1, 2, 3.’ You get some context on what people are trying to say.”

The program was open to any residents who wanted to participate, and a range of residents chose to join. “Having new and long-term residents in the same setting was critical,” Johnson says. She notes that newer residents who may have only experienced their community in the wake of the COVID pandemic with its lockdown protocols have a very different perspective than long-term residents who can recall and explain a community’s traditions. Meeting together gave residents a broader perspective on what community feels like based on their individual experiences.

Johnson compiled insights gathered during each session into reports for each participating community’s executive director, incorporating resident feedback, key questions, and recommendations for follow-up programs. Mark Nitsche, who became the executive director of San Francisco Towers during the Sense of Place pilot program, read the reports as a way to became familiar with the community. They allowed him to “really listen to what people are saying,” he recalls.

“People believe the ED is the last word, but it’s collaborative,” Nitsche says. Sense of Place allowed residents “to be a voice for the community and how you want to see community going forward. The program builds a sense of awareness, a sense of hope, and a sense of belonging.”

After testing the program as a pilot project at three Front Porch communities in 2022, Sense of Place is preparing to launch in more communities this year and may later be developed for use beyond the Front Porch system. Johnson is also gathering a working group to develop a new program called ATLAS, designed specifically for the new resident experience.

“Sense of Place is an influencer in decision making,” Johnson says. “It’s a platform for prioritizing the things that mean the most to residents, and one of those priorities is how residents, especially new residents, develop a sense of belonging and attachment in community. ATLAS is our natural next step.

“I’ve learned so much from the resident participants by leading this program. Each community is unique, with its own sense of place. This program has helped me to understand at a deep level what’s important for residents in their particular community. I can’t wait to discover more as we move forward with Sense of Place.”

The post At Front Porch Communities, Residents Discover their ‘Sense of Place’ appeared first on Front Porch.

“I felt confident about our choice because of the people here, both the residents and the employees,” Michael said. “The last few years especially have been challenging, but it hasn’t affected the community spirit. We feel very cared for, in a way that we couldn’t have managed living on our own.” He adds that “living here has helped us follow our passions in this stage of our life, because the community is so supportive.”

It is precisely that spirit of community that led Michael and Pamela to name Canterbury Woods as a beneficiary of their estate when they pass. “We wanted to support a cause that meant something to us, and nothing means more to us right now than Canterbury Woods, our home. We wanted to honor our own experience by making it an even better place for other people who will eventually call this place home.”

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But two of the community’s most defining features and resident-favorite spots are its Japanese Garden to the east and the Jade Garden to the west. “We are a community that cherishes its heritage back to when we first opened in 1967,” said resident Nancy Frost. “You will not find a more friendly group of residents who welcome all to such a beautiful location.”

Part of that heritage is Jade Garden, the centerpiece of which is a jade rock that sits proudly on a concrete pedestal surrounded by a patio in the shape of a nautilus shell. The jade boulder was raised from a depth of 75 feet in Jade Cove, south of Point Lobos near Big Sur, by famed marine biologist Don Wobber, known affectionately as Pacific Grove’s “Jade Man.” Five million years ago, the Pacific Plate and ocean sediments were crushed and compressed, later emerging at the surface as serpentine and jade. One of the richest sources of jade in the United States is the northern California coast.

Jade Garden is the site of community events such as the annual Blessing of the Animals, outdoor exercise classes, and quiet contemplative conversations with family and friends.  “It is a fitting symbol for our location here in Pacific Grove,” said resident Anne Wheelis. “It represents the strength and dignity of our community.”

On the other end of campus sits the Japanese Garden that includes a koi and goldfish pond surrounded by maple, pine, cedar, magnolia, junipers, ferns and bamboo. Residents enjoy this serene retreat where a gentle waterfall cascades over smooth pebbles into the pond. Nancy has spent the past eight years tending to the pond and landscape and has named each koi based on color and personality.  “We have Brutus, Sweetone, Silver and Red among them. As you probably guessed, Brutus is sometimes one of the least accommodating of the bunch,” Nancy said with a laugh.

Located on six wooded acres just blocks from charming downtown Pacific Grove, Canterbury Woods offers endless opportunities to stay connected and social. Residents enjoy a full roster of varied programs, take advantage of beautiful walking trails and fill their calendars with cultural and academic events, concerts, classes and more.

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At Canterbury Woods in Pacific Grove, there’s been no shortage of improvements across the community, including a fresh coat of paint on all the building exteriors. A few even have a new roof! It’s safe to say our residents’ favorite upgrade, however, has been the new self-serve coffee machine. Additionally, residents who pride themselves on having a green thumb are already looking toward the spring. They planted more than 200 daffodils, mini daffodils, and narcissus bulbs, as well as plenty of poppy seeds. We’re excited to see the results!

In Palo Alto, Webster House residents continue to foster growth and exploration. From new exercise options like Tai Chi and Qi Gong to stretching, toning, and weight classes, we’re staying fit and on our game! Our Superfood Cart has been rolling to residents’ doors throughout the year, sharing new healthy snacks each month. We’ve resumed our monthly lunch outings and, in December, we’ll be headed to the theater to see a performance of It’s a Wonderful Life. With everything from TED talks and meditation workshops to virtual outings through our Well Connected Museums at Home tours, we’ve got plenty to talk about and look forward to as 2022 rolls in.

At San Francisco Towers, our residents are exploring our new online resident portal to build connections and community digitally. We’re also celebrating the return of happy hours, social mixers, and performing arts outings. We celebrated our 24^th anniversary at the beginning of November, were recognized by US News and World Report in the elite 13% of high performing properties in 2021-22 Best Nursing Homes rankings, and construction is moving ahead for our new Memory Care neighborhood opening in Spring 2022. The future promises continued excitement and activity!

At St. Paul’s Towers, it truly has been a year of growth as a community. We also marked our 55^th anniversary as a Life Plan community in the East Bay, offering a wide range of care levels to meet the evolving needs of our residents. For the holidays, we’ve been reflecting on the meaning of Christmas through our Advent series, and we enjoyed our Chanukah candle lighting ceremony accompanied by songs, stories, and refreshments. In addition to our spiritual events, residents love socializing at our annual Christmas tree lighting party. And we are all looking forward to celebrating New Year’s Eve at another get-together.

At Spring Lake Village in Santa Rosa, being able to come together for in-person activities and outings once again has been one of the highlights of our year. In the spirit of the holidays, we’ve put up our beautifully decorated Tree of Hope in the lobby, which puts a smile on the faces of many residents. On December 8^th, new and long-time residents were delighted to see dining staff dressed up as Charles Dickens characters, an annual tradition. And we are all eagerly anticipating our upcoming holiday sing-along in the Chapel on December 21st. Whatever the season, we’re grateful to be able to gather as a community to celebrate.

Also in Santa Rosa, at Friends House, we’ve made several improvements to the property, and we are planning to add more apartments in 2022. Updates to our dining area and fitness center are also on the horizon! Expanded care levels mean we have new options to offer, including our new high acuity assisted living health center, which is unique in the area. And with plenty of holiday activities to keep our residents busy, we’re closing out the year on a high note.

As the affiliation between Covia and Front Porch continues to strengthen, we’re looking forward to even more great things to come. Here’s to a great 2022 and beyond!

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In Santa Rosa, at Friends House, most activities are resident led, which means if there’s something you’d like to explore or share, you can make it happen here. The library group raises money to donate for educational charities by selling books online and at events.  You’ll often encounter interesting lectures in the lobby about a variety of topics—a recent one focused on land use and the impact of freeway access on communities. You can take part in a Buddhist sangha (community meeting) on Mondays or join a variety of indoor, outdoor, and even chair-based exercise offerings almost any day of the week. Whatever your interests or your goals, this is a great place to indulge them.

The fitness offerings at Spring Lake Village, also in Santa Rosa, are nationally recognized for their resident-driven programming. From chair volleyball and Pilates to pickleball, aquatics, and yoga, the exercise calendar is always full of options. Plus, you have built-in accountability with plenty of friends and neighbors participating. Whether you want to take up art, drumming, gardening, meditation, or another activity, you can try out new things or dig deeper into existing hobbies with ease. Add to that all of the classes, concerts, and hosted conversations and it seems like making progress on your goals for positive aging is almost automatic here.

Involvement in the arts plays a big role at San Francisco Towers, from writing books to volunteering with the Ballet and Symphony or serving as docents at local museums. There are also museum-like displays of art throughout the building, all thematically curated by the resident art committee. Each wing and floor feature a unique period or style, and many of the pieces showcased, including paintings, sculpture, china, and other mediums, come from our residents’ own collections. The committee has even put together a guided tour they’d love to share with you.

At St. Paul’s Towers in Oakland, our goals for positive aging span physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual engagement. From ping pong and chair volleyball to dance classes and hiking in nearby regional parks, there are regular opportunities to get some exercise and try new activities. Our frequent museum visits, theater outings, book clubs, memoir writing groups, and art and clay classes in the ceramics studio offer fun intellectual stimulation. We also have discussion groups and plenty of other activities to encourage social engagement. And on the spiritual side, our chaplain’s Let’s Chat discussions on every topic under the sun are always lively and inspiring.

In Palo Alto, Webster House’s ongoing monthly Tai Chi/Qigong workshop series with Master Lee Holden has many of our residents exploring a new practice for healthy aging. From our Museums at Home tours to our upcoming TED Talks on the stellar history of modern astronomy and the secrets of resilient people, there are lots of opportunities to think, grow, and regularly set new goals. And residents will uncover lifestyle habits like meditation and inner smile practice to enhance their quality of life with our upcoming series of workshops starting this month.

At Canterbury Woods in Pacific Grove, the competitive spirit is strong. Chair volleyball has become a resident favorite. It’s a chance to have a bit of friendly competition while letting go, laughing, and having fun with neighbors and friends. In our recent Halloween Pumpkin Carving Contest, the creations were incredible and every resident got to vote on the funniest, scariest, and most unique pumpkins.

Finding ways to keep challenging yourself and evolving is an inspiring way to deepen your life experiences. With all the activities, committees, and involved people at our communities, it’s easy to explore your interests, learn new things, support others, and build stronger connections. But it’s not always about activities. Sometimes fulfilling your goals can be as simple as spending more time connecting with new friends and celebrating old traditions. What goals do you have for your future?

The post Setting Positive Aging Goals appeared first on Front Porch.

“I have participated in the artists’ studio tour so many times over the years that I’ve lost count,” says Olsen. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for artists to share their art, where and how they work, and for the public to meet a wide variety of artists at different levels of expertise.” This year marks the first time Olsen will be participating since moving to Canterbury Woods and she will be utilizing the courtyard to present her pieces. “We have a lovely courtyard with many tables, chairs, and fresh air.”

The Studio Tour allows artists to meet the community and share information on their process and philosophies. “As an artist on the tour, it has been fun to get people’s opinions, to see what they like and to share how I work,” says Olsen. “I hand out a sheet of philosophies I have found helpful that starts with what one of my teachers told me: ‘Don’t judge yourself as an artist until you have done four hundred paintings.’”

Since Olsen discovered her love of art at forty, she has painted over 3000 pieces. She notes “I was an English major in college and never saw myself being an artist. I didn’t think I had artistic talent.” But a course in Batik, a technique that uses wax to create designs on dyed cloth, changed her thinking. Olsen says that the Batik class “was much fun and led to classes to develop my art skills.”

Her medium of choice is painting, particularly oil on canvas. “Painting became a challenge, or one could say an obsession, to always wanting to improve skills and do better paintings,” she notes. “I discovered that talent helps, but like playing the piano, frequent practice makes the difference between being amateur or professional.”

In 1986, Olsen was accepted as a member of the Carmel Art Association, which is artist owned and run. “Carmel Art Association has a great reputation and sells a lot of art. With the encouragement of selling, I began painting over one hundred paintings a year, which I have now done for thirty-five years,” says Olsen.

Her most common subjects are landscapes, though Olsen notes that she doesn’t paint out in nature, known as plein aire. “With controlled lighting and ease of set up and comfort, my studio always won over the outdoors. However, I have taken hundreds of photos and use them as a stimulant for ideas.”

Another important part of her technique is music. “Listening to classical music while I paint helps in keeping me from thinking too much and from giving up until things feel right.” Olsen has special techniques for painting on paper, board and canvas and she encourages people to “come to my studio tour to find out what they are.”

Olsen’s studio will be open to the public the weekend of October 16^th and 17^th. To see examples of her work, visit https://carmelart.org/ and fineartamerica.com. For more information on the Monterey County Artists Open Studio Tour, visit www.mcarttour.org. To schedule a tour of Canterbury Woods, contact us.

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