Facilities Make Fun An Utmost Priority

Everyone has a different notion of what it means to get old.

To some of us, sitting alone in a room may sound like paradise after years of working the daily grind. Others recoil at the very thought.

Fortunately, the basic concept of assisted living carries with it an element of choice. And for those elderly residents who like to be social, assisted living means keeping connected with the culture at large.

“We want to keep people as independent and active socially as possible,” says Margie Broyer, nurse manager of Fairwood Village.

How does Fairwood Village, which has an assisted-living wing among its 146 units, do that? By offering, at no extra cost, a full range of activities, including bingo three times a week, weekly aerobics classes, regular outings, movie nights and live entertainment.

Residents can even own pets.

Fairwood Village is not unique. Any reputable assisted-living community tries to entertain its residents. Even so, each typically emphasizes something special.

Park Place Retirement Community, for example, considers environment to be of particular importance. Residents look out one window to see a natural wildlife reserve and another to view interior grounds lush with gardens and flower beds.

Hawthorne Retirement Community holds special international dinners featuring the cuisine of such countries as Italy, France, Taiwan and Germany.

At Rockwood Manor, residents are treated to themed days - Ethnic Day and Western Day, for example. And Cooper George boasts about its Sunday “country drives.”

Here is a rundown of some of the more common special features of assisted living communities in Spokane and the region:

Live entertainment - Live performances are especially popular. Sometimes the entertainment is provided by staff. But performers also come from such groups as Project Joy, a volunteer musical group sponsored by the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department, and students from area schools, such as Brentwood Elementary.

Cards, etc. - Bridge, bingo and pinochle can be enjoyed almost everywhere. Park Place makes regular runs to various reservation casinos. And Fairwood Village’s Broyer lauds her community’s bingo game.

“They play for money,” she says. “Twenty cents a game.”

Outings - Picnics are regularly scheduled, often with family members and friends. Other special trips include visits to the Puyallup Daffodil Festival, van rides to Mount Spokane and fishing trips.

Intergenerational - It’s common for communities to encourage visits. At Hawthorne, Whitworth students often come by to conduct interviews or, in the case of foreign students, to work on their English.

Pets - Smaller dogs and cats are a typical part of some communities. Cooper George encourages regular visits by SpokAnimal staffers, who bring animals. Fairwood has a communal fish tank that presents its own sense of real-life drama.

“We have a couple of angels that lay eggs and hatch out babies,” says Broyer. “But then they eat them.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo