A Tale of Two Residents: An Operator’s Decision That Changed Everything

By Sarah Carothers
Director of Senior Living Partnerships

Helping an older adult successfully acclimate to their new home in a senior living community definitely proposes a myriad of challenges. With great intention, a lot of the focus is placed on aesthetics. But what should we be considering after move-in day? What can you do to provide quality that leads to longevity?

The year is 2016. You have a new move-in this week, his name is Julius. He is 95 years young and heartbroken. He just lost the love of his life and is moving out of his home and into your community. Everything is prepared and ready. His children have done their absolute best to downsize his belongings and make his new home as comfortable as possible. Once the dust settles, Julius attempts to integrate into his new home but feels out of place. He’s declined significantly over the last two years, caring for his wife while she was on hospice. The community has provided a monthly activity calendar for Julius, and he attends a few events; but as he continues to be sedentary, his decline is even more rapid. He’s unsteady on his feet and has a fall. He’s safer sitting. His family visits when they can, but kids’ sports schedules and long workdays don’t leave them with a ton of time or flexibility. Julius begins sleeping a lot—missing meals, missing activities, withdrawing socially. One night, Julius wakes to use the restroom. He’s disoriented and forgets where he is. He has a fatal fall the day before his 96th birthday.

While this seems like an all-too-common scenario in a senior living community, this is not Julius’ story.

Better Senior Community Living With FOX Rehabilitation

The year is 2016, Julius is a resident in your community, he is 95 and heartbroken. While the story that brought him to this point in life is not necessarily unique or extraordinary, what happens after absolutely is. Julius was faced with a choice.

On any given day, most of us are lucky enough to choose how we embrace life or succumb to the misfortunes or challenges that are presented to us. Julius’ next chapter started when he decided to move out of his home and into a community that invests in the wellness of its residents. The building is beautiful, offering five-star food and attentive, caring staff. Your community created a thriving, active culture surrounding proactive wellness that will ultimately enable Julius to live better longer and have a high-quality, engaged life.

How? You did not task your activities director with such a large undertaking, you sought out the experts and partnered with FOX Stronger Living.

Julius did celebrate his 96th birthday. And his 97th, 98th, and 99th. In December of 2020, after a year none of us could have predicted, Julius celebrated his 100th birthday. He was not sitting down, he was not lying in his bed. He was sore, but not from a fall. Julius attended over 800 exercise classes over the last five years, 107 of those in 2020—classes led by FOX exercise physiologist, Jaclyn Brown. When COVID-19 hit and older adults were forced to isolate, Julius did not give up. Thanks to his new home and the leadership at American House Keene, Julius was still able to exercise with Jaclyn one-on-one, in the safety of his room.

We know how hard senior living providers work to maintain a safe and comfortable new home for prospective residents, but how much is invested into their experience once they move in?

Jackie continues to be a positive force for all of our residents at American House. She has formed deep and meaningful relationships and the resident response is tremendous. She has been able to encourage and engage residents even during these difficult, isolating times of COVID-19. The individual connection has been life-changing. Our residents shine under her care.

| Patrice Aguda-Brown, Assistant Wellness Director – American House Keene

Jaclyn met with Julius soon after he moved in, 5 years ago. They made a plan for his movement and exercise goals. They also made a connection.

Julius’s initial assessment was pretty typical for his age and in any other scenario would have been accepted as normative.

• Chair Rise: 18.32 seconds
• Timed Up and Go (TUG): 11.45 seconds
• TUG Cog: 10.65 seconds
• Gait Speed: 1.1 m/s
• 4 stage balance: single leg
• Mini cog: 4/5
• Milners: 15

A standard response to Julius’ initial assessment would place him in the “he’s doing great” pile, until 6-8 months later when he declined so significantly and started to experience falls—finally warranting intervention by standard reactive healthcare, putting Julius at a higher risk for falls and a fatal incident outlined in the first scenario.

Not at American House Keene.

How FOX Stronger Living Improves Resident Quality of Life

Julius and countless others have actively participated in the FOX Stronger Living program, enjoying classes for various ability levels ranging from yoga to circuit training and strength and balance to boxing. Twenty to twenty-five classes are offered per week and include walking/strolling clubs, mini-golf challenges, and competitive cornhole.

“99-year-old Dan has been discharged from hospice and is now ‘boxing’ with Jaclyn once again. The joy in his face is unmatched.

“100-year-old Julius is lifting weights and perfecting his balance. He is always willing to learn and try new challenges.

“Jaclyn facilitated the adoption of a cat for one of our residents who has been extremely depressed and isolated throughout this time of COVID.”

| Patrice Aguda-Brown, Assistant Wellness Director – American House Keene

Julius was recently assessed again. As part of the FOX Stronger Living program, every resident is assessed on a quarterly basis, at minimum. A recent systematic review from the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy identified these functional tests as “the most evidence-supported functional measures to determine fall risk.” Proactive healthcare is our path forward, evidenced-based, clinical intervention.

• Chair Rise: 8.89 seconds (106% improvement)
• Timed Up and Go (TUG): 8 seconds (43% improvement)
• TUG Cog: 8.38 seconds (27% improvement)
• Gait Speed: 1.3 m/s (maintained)
• 4 stage balance: single leg (maintained)
• Mini cog: 5/5 (20% improvement)
• Milners: 30 (100% improvement)

Jaclyn Brown has had a profound impact on our senior living community through the FOX Stronger Living program. If I had to choose one word to describe her, it would be EMPOWERING. Not only does she encourage our residents to be as independent as possible by gaining strength beyond their wildest dreams… she makes it happen. When a new resident moves in, I am proud to let them know that we have someone who will meet one-on-one with them to make a plan for their movement and exercise goals. Having Jackie on our team brings excitement to the staff, joy to the residents, and peace of mind to the families. Jackie truly cares and we are so grateful for her!

| Christy Wendlandt, Community Relations Director

In addition to having each a full-time PT, OT, and SLP in your community, the FOX Stronger Living program provides a full-time Exercise Physiologist like Jaclyn. This mitigates the headaches of a very reactive healthcare system that is managed by insurance companies that have never had the pleasure of meeting Julius, or any other resident for whom they dictate care. Every resident receives:

• Functional assessments
• Group exercise classes
• 1-on-1 wellness sessions
• Fall risk reduction programming
• Monthly educational modules
• Exercise equipment consultations

Julius continues to thrive in his home at American House. He rises every morning with a grateful attitude and for the opportunity to participate in Jaclyn’s classes. His functional wellness, while important and significant, is just the beginning. He lives a fully engaged, high-quality social life that exceeds what he thought his senior living chapter would include, enabling him to truly live better, longer.

Jackie is the best! She runs a viable program that gets everyone moving and feeling better. She has created classes that are challenging, but not too challenging, and I look forward to everything she offers. I believe every senior living community should have a Jackie and her program!

| Julius Hof, 100 years young