Author: thevirginian1

The need for strong social connection is innate in humans, and having healthy connections is beneficial to both physical and mental health. Social networks for seniors are especially important because of the aging process and how it affects the mind, body, and quality of life.

Familial connections, romantic relationships, and friendships are all examples of social connections within a social network. These can lighten mood, lower risk of dementia and general cognitive decline, and create new neural pathways that stimulate positive brain activity. 

Social Networks for Seniors

Essentially, a social network is any group of people who regularly interact on a personal level. For older adults, this may include friends and neighbors in a community, family members that visit often, fellow church or club members, or any group of like-minded people they feel comfortable confiding in or enjoy talking with.

Part of the aging process includes retiring from work, losing friends and family, and decreased mobility and physical activity – all of which contribute to social isolation. This means it can take more work to maintain current relationships as well as create new ones. Lacking opportunities for social engagement, or feelings of loneliness, can have a profoundly negative impact on mental and physical wellness.

Living Well in Senior Living

senior living communities of all types offer various social activities and opportunities to meet new people. Creating new relationships and growing social networks to a stable size has the potential to improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental illnesses. Studies also show this can help decrease hypertension, increase the ability to focus and learn, and add on up to 5 more years of living.

If you are interested in learning more about how we encourage and support social interaction and social networks for residents, please feel free to give our team at The Virginian a call. We truly believe that retirement provides an opportunity to enjoy life to the fullest, and we would love to help that become a reality for you or the seniors in your life.

Ongoing failure to eat properly leads to health issues that have the potential to affect brain function, as well as the function of other body systems. This also poses a risk of malnutrition, which can lead to extreme weight loss. Subsequently, one’s sense of balance and stability may be affected, thereby leading to falls.

To limit risk and illness, high-quality dining options for seniors are necessary for maintaining excellent overall health and well-being.

Eating Together is Just Better

Many seniors have spent their entire lives eating with family or a group of friends, sharing stories from the day, and talking about upcoming events. As social connections ebb and solo meals become more frequent, individuals may begin to feel lonely, which can cause symptoms of depression or decreased appetite.

Quality independent senior living communities often offer an array of dining options, including dining services, restaurants, private dining rooms and unique eateries, in order to provide residents with plenty of healthy and tasty food choices. The dining experience itself should also be considered to accommodate various mindsets and motivations. Upbeat eateries featuring music are great for boosting mood, while low-key dining venues can help seniors prepare for meditation or wind down for the day.

Senior living catered dining is another great option for special events like birthdays, anniversaries, or milestones. Having dinner catered allows for menus featuring specific choices to meet everyone’s dietary needs. 

Tastes and Food Preferences Change

There are many reasons why food preferences change, causing something that used to be a tried-and-true favorite to become suddenly and completely unappealing. In addition to external factors, simply getting older can cause perception in taste to change as well as diminish. Like other body systems, taste buds become less active and their performance wanes as we age.

Medication can also affect the way foods taste and may therefore lead to decreased appetite. Take note of these types of changes and check with your doctor to see if one or more prescriptions may be the root cause.

Offering Excellent Culinary Options

Regardless of the reason for a change in preferences for certain foods, having a chef on staff to create delicious, healthy meals, with plenty of fruits and vegetables, is a must. Providing nutritious options to older adults is paramount, but nutrition means nothing when the food is not eaten. At The Virginian, we know it is vitally important to offer residents a wide variety of culinary delights from around the world to keep their taste buds happy and to help keep them physically fit and healthy.

If you would like to learn more about our independent living community and all the amenities we have to offer, including some of the best dining options available, we invite you to reach out to our friendly staff for more information.

The Virginian Resident Pays Tribute to Her Husband who Served the Nation with Distinction

7News DC celebrated one of our residents as she told the remarkable story of her husband who was a true military hero.  Doug Werner was one of the first journalists to report about WWII and his commitment to our country continued as he served our nation as a diplomat for the State Department.  He is honored in the Congressional Record and his experiences are on display in the online issue of the Newseum, a museum dedicated to journalism.  Ms. Werner enjoyed reminiscing about their time together and the heroism of her husband of 52 years in an interview with journalist Jay Korff.

Watch the remarkable story as part of ABC-TV’s celebration of those who served the nation with distinction.

There are many benefits of independent living services, and each senior may appreciate some of these benefits more than others, depending on what is important to them. If you are considering the options for independent living in Fairfax, VA, there are a variety of choices available for you to choose from. When deciding on a community, consider these 6 key benefits and how they may improve your quality of life. 

Carefree Living
Instead of raking leaves in the fall, when you choose an independent living community, you can spend your time outside admiring the fall foliage or simply just staying warm inside. Shoveling snow will be a thing of the past, too, so when those early morning snowfalls occur, you can cozy up with hot cocoa and watch the falling snowflakes glisten on tree branches. No more mowing, HVAC maintenance, or worrying about the water heater breaking down. Once your dues are paid, it’s time to sit back and simply enjoy a maintenance-free lifestyle.

Lots of Options
Not only are home maintenance chores no longer building up on your to-do list, but simple tasks can often be requested from the comfort of your own home. Opt in for housekeeping services and let someone else do the laundry for a change. This frees up time to read a book, have dinner with friends, or enjoy your day however you please.

Independent living provides this type of freedom — there are no schedules to keep or chores to worry about. 

Fantastic Food Options
When you really don’t feel like heading out to a restaurant, it’s nice to know you can order in and have culinary delights delivered. And when you’re feeling up to it, it’s fun to take advantage of having great eateries nearby, where you can enjoy meeting up with neighbors for a drink or sharing a meal with friends and family.

The Value of Friends
Socializing is an important part of both mental health and brain health for everyone. Being around friends, laughing, and generally having a good time releases dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin. These are all critical for fighting depression and enhancing attention, learning ability, and motivation. Independent living offers a great way for older adults to keep the blues away, by supporting each other and spending time together. 

Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks
It’s never too late to learn something new, discover a hidden talent or build on a long-forgotten hobby. Learning facts, skills, and games all help your brain create neural pathways, which helps improve memory and cognitive behavior. Join an art class, book club, or exercise class. Attend lectures and learn from guest speakers. At The Virginian, you can join The Virginian Scholars Program to participate in local classes and get credits based on your attendance. There are endless possibilities for expanding your world through learning.

Safety First
One of the most common reasons seniors choose to live in an independent senior living community is for increased safety. Whether internal or external factors pose an increased risk, living in a protected community provides priceless peace of mind for seniors and their family members. Just knowing there is medical staff nearby and around-the-clock security in case something happens can be a huge relief.

The Virginian
In sum, whether you are curious about independent living floor plan choices, dining options, extracurricular activities, or increased safety, The Virginian might be the perfect place for you.  Consider visiting our unique residences, where you can be perfectly poised to take advantage of everything retirement has to offer!

To learn more about The Virginian, fill out the form below or call (703) 385-9229.

The Virginian’s Shenandoah Memory Care Community was featured in a recent article in Environments for Aging (EFA). It included a detailed photo tour and information about all the incredible new features our completely redesigned Shenandoah Memory Care Community has to offer its residents with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related conditions.

EFA magazine is the premier resource for architects, designers, facility owners, and those responsible for planning, designing, and renovating senior environments. So, they decided to take a closer look at The Shenandoah’s remarkable renovation and its new cutting-edge technology.

See the EFA article and photo tour here

An Innovative New Approach To Memory Care

“The new Shenandoah Memory Care community’s design goal was to elevate existing design practices and combine them with the latest new approaches and technologies. This was to maximize the ability of memory care residents to access their retained skills, interests, and engagement with others,” said Andrew Carle, the lead designer of the Shenandoah community.

The Shenandoah dementia care and senior living community combines advancements in design and technology with person-centered senior care to create an assisted living community with the highest quality individualized care for those dealing with memory loss. By updating old design features and making new ones available, Shenandoah residents can remain engaged no matter where they are inside or out.

The Shenandoah also includes a state-of-the-art sensory lounge that engages all senses, areminiscence lounge that reminds residents of their younger selves, and a multi-themed outdoor courtyard that transports them back in time and addresses exit-seeking behavior.

The Shenandoah’s Memory Care Design Could Serve as National Model

According to a recent article published in McKnight’s Senior Living, the

Shenandoah Memory Care at The Virginian could be the blueprint for future memory care in Fairfax and the rest of the country.

One of the design’s critical aspects was providing cueing and guidance for residents within the actual plan. This wayfinding and therapeutic design help residents self-locate and self-direct throughout their communities, helping them live a more independent lifestyle.

The state-of-the-art sensory lounge engages all senses. A reminiscence lounge reminds residents of their younger selves, and a multi-themed outdoor courtyard transports them back in time and addresses exit-seeking behavior.

The Shenandoah is also among the first memory care environments in the nation to utilize both circadian rhythm lighting and a hand-motion gaming system, advancing technology applications for residents with Alzheimer’s and related dementia.

A Higher Quality of Care

“With our Heartfelt Connections staff training and resident care program with our new next-generation design, we’ve created a model that will enhance our residents’ quality of life,” said April Smith, Shenandoah Director of Memory Care.

Located in the heart of Fairfax, Virginia, The Virginian, and their Shenandoah Memory Care Community are delivering a fresh vision of senior living and memory care. Our dedicated team works with your entire family to ensure your loved one receives the independent attention and care they need and deserve.

To learn more about the all-new Shenandoah Memory Care Community at The Virginian, call (703) 385-9229 or fill out our contact form online to schedule an appointment with our Lifestyle Counselors.

A recent article in McKnights Senior Living speculated that The Virginian’s Virginian Scholars Program could serve as a national model for continuing education opportunities in today’s independent living communities.

The Virginian Scholars Program is launching this fall at The Virginian in Fairfax, VA, to provide its residents opportunities for personal growth and improved cognitive health.

What Is The Virginian Scholars Program?

Developed by Andrew Carle, former Executive Director of The Virginian and founder of the graduate curricula in senior living administration at Georgetown University, the Virginian Scholars Program was initially envisioned before the COVID-19 pandemic, but only recently has the program got up and running.

The program allows residents to earn credit hours for health and wellness activities, within the senior living community and through outside educational organizations.

Residents can take classes, workshops, fitness, and special activities programming. They can also attend lectures through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University, the Lifetime Learning Institute of Northern Virginia Community College, and the online education platform MasterClass.

Graduating To A More Rewarding Senior Living Experience

There are no tests or grades, but Carle said that residents have incentives to participate. Residents can make the “dean’s list” by completing 100 or more credit hour activities during each of four “semesters” each year.

A graduation ceremony at the end of the academic year will celebrate magna cum laude-level “graduates” — defined as completing 500 or more hours, summa cum laude graduates who achieve 400 hours, and cum laude graduates who reach 300 hours. 

The resident who puts in the most hours will be named valedictorian and will receive a $1,000 scholarship to use toward rent.

“We’re not only partnering with actual universities and colleges; we’re allowing them to achieve levels of distinction,” Carle said, adding that residents who want to attend classes or lectures in person will be bussed to those locations. “Why not let them be students again?” he said.

Carle said The Virginian is a natural place to launch a scholars program. Six of the nation’s top 10 highest educated counties are in northern Virginia.

“So, this is a perfect fit for a population that values learning and would love to show their grandkids you are never too old to make the dean’s list,” Carle said. “It’s also sending a message to the younger generation that aging is not what you think it is — you never have to stop learning and having fun. That’s a great message for everybody.”

And This Year, The Classes Are Free For The Taking

The Virginian is paying for the program in the first year with the idea of enticing residents to participate with “scholarships” for memberships to MasterClass and the local lifelong learning programs.

Learn more about The Virginian and the Virginian Scholars Program here. We’re sure you’ll find it an education in itself.

According to a recent article published in McKnight’s Senior Living, the Shenandoah at The Virginian could end up being the blueprint for future memory care in Fairfax and the rest of the country.

“The goal in designing the brand new Shenandoah Memory Care community was to elevate existing design practices and combine them with new approaches and technologies to maximize the ability of memory care residents to access their retained skills, interests, and engagement with others,” said Andrew Carle, lead designer.

Community Features

The Shenandoah dementia care and senior living community combines advancements in design and technology with person-centered senior care for those living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Carle saw a real opportunity to create an assisted living community with the highest quality individualized care for those dealing with memory loss. By updating old design features and creating new ones unseen before, residents will truly remain engaged no matter where they are, inside or outside.

With a state-of-the-art sensory lounge that engages all senses, a reminiscence lounge remind residents of their younger selves, and a multi-themed outdoor courtyard that transports them back in time and addresses exit-seeking behavior.

If you’re searching for memory care near Fairfax, Va, visit The Virginian and learn more about how we’re creating a better way of life for those living with Alzheimer’s.

Higher Quality of Care

“By combining our signature Heartfelt Connections staff member training and resident care program with our next-generation design, we truly believe we have created a model that cannot only enhance quality of life for our residents, but establishes a national model for residents in other communities,” said April Smith, Shenandoah Director of Memory Care.

Dementia care in Fairfax, Va is changing, and the Shenandoah at The Virginian is leading the way. Our beautiful community located in Northern Virginia provides top-notch individual care to its residents while also giving them easy access to popular shopping centers, museums, and downtown Washington DC to create a more engaging social lifestyle.

One of the most important aspects of the design was to provide cueing and guidance for residents within the actual design. The wayfinding and therapeutic design helps residents to self-locate and self-direct throughout the communities they live, helping them live a more independent lifestyle.

Visit The Virginian

Located in the heart of Fairfax, Virginia, The Virginian is delivering a fresh vision on senior living and memory care. Our dedicated team works with your entire family to ensure your loved one receives the independent attention and care they need and deserve.

Give us a call at (703) 385-9229 or fill out our contact form online to schedule an appointment with our Lifestyle Counselors.

With the average life span increasing, the occurrence of age-related diseases, such as dementia, is also on the rise, meaning dementia care in Fairfax and the rest of the country is needed now more than ever.

Not only are memory care communities needed, but innovative approaches such as the one being introduced at The Virginian must also be developed. Read more about how memory care is changing and where it’s heading for the future.

A Focus on Person-Centered Care

Individualized care is becoming our greatest focus at The Virginian. We create and customize a care plan based on the individuals’ goals, personal desires, needs, and wants. We also involve family members in the process to better understand every member of our community and provide the personalized assistance they deserve.

With specialized care planning and assessments for each resident, we can equally prioritize a resident’s needs with medical professionals’ recommendations.

If you’re searching for memory care near Fairfax, VA, visit The Virginian and experience the supportive and therapeutic environment we provide for our residents.

Continuum of Care Improvements

Continuum of care refers to when a senior living community features a comprehensive range of health care services for residents 55 and up. Many adults as they age will prefer to live in a place where all their needs can be serviced without having to move each time they experience a change in their health care needs.

With our assisted living communities helping residents maintain an independent lifestyle, Shenandoah memory care neighborhood, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation, as well as respite care, all of our resident’s needs are met throughout their changes in health and needs.

Increase in Memory Care Specialists

With the number of dementia patients continuing to grow, an emphasis is being placed on caregivers and professionals to become more informed and educated about the specific needs of those living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

We believe a greater focus will be shifted to formalized dementia education and specialization for professionals in the field, helping with detection and diagnosis, as well as greater support for activities of daily living.

New and Innovative Technology

Every day, new technologies are being developed to help people living with dementia achieve a greater quality of life. There are apps that help with remembering family members’ names, medication reminders, and also those that measure the decline in cognitive function. 

Fall detection technology is advancing, wearable devices observe daily activities and behavior patterns that precede a decline in health, and other advancements are being made to improve engagement and reduce the time staff members need to spend on repetitive tasks as well as reduce the need for medication.

Our Shenandoah Memory Care community provides large sensory rooms with the latest technology for the memory impaired. We have sensors that track our residents and alert staff if a problem arises.

The Obie game system is available at The Virginian, which allows our residents to operate with the wave of their hand.

Through the assistance of technology and ongoing research and education, we hope to slow the onset of memory loss.

Visit The Virginian in Northern Virginia

The Virginian is a beautiful 32-acre community in Fairfax County, near the Washington DC metropolitan area. We specialize in senior care and providing a healthy lifestyle to keep our residents living as independent as possible for as long as possible.

Contact our team today to learn more about our services, the cost of memory care, or to answer any other questions you may have about living with us at The Virginian.

People living with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia present unique challenges when it comes to providing skilled nursing and specific memory care. 

Our residents living with dementia struggle with progressive memory loss, making it difficult for them to remember steps or sequences of activities or exercises that can lead to progress in their quality of life.

If you or a loved one are in need of memory care near Fairfax, VA, please contact the Shenandoah Memory Care™ community at The Virginian. We work directly with potential residents and family members to discuss our community features and how our personalized assistance can help.

Designing A New Approach
The team at The Virginian wanted to create a fresh, long-term care approach by utilizing new technologies designed as difference-makers for people living with dementia. 

We recently opened the doors to our all-new Shenandoah Memory Care™ community, a senior living community specifically designed for residents dealing with dementia. This senior care community in Northern Virginia incorporates high-tech equipment in a secure, specially-designed environment that will help deliver person-centered care.

The staff members at The Virginian were very deliberate about the design of the Shenandoah community. We wanted more than a secure environment with personalized care, we wanted to incorporate state-of-the-art equipment that was scientifically proven to improve function, increase the length of engagement, and enhance the well-being of our residents.

‘Nana’ Technology™
Some of the key technological advancements in The Shenandoah Memory Care community that are making the biggest impact for our residents include:

OBIE
An award-winning technology designed by gerontologists, cognitive neuroscientists, and medical experts to help keep residents active by utilizing hand motion-activated games. These games and activities help stimulate the brain of those identified to be dealing with any form of memory loss or impairment.

This technology improves cognitive stimulation and motor skills but also helps to keep our residents active and involved with others within their community.

Circadian Lighting
Circadian lighting is a regulated lighting system that allows our staff to control the brightness of lights in each area of the community, from main living areas to individual bedrooms. This system has been scientifically-engineered to decrease the ‘sundowning effect’ of wakeful nighttime hours dementia patients experience.

The signals are produced on wavelengths mimicking biorhythms seen and felt in nature, helping to keep our residents relaxed.

LifeBio™
By working with residents and loved ones in person and through an online portal, we curate a biography for each of our residents. Through this work, we will produce and print a Life Story Book, a Snapshot Summary, and an Action Plan that will help guide our staff to better know your loved one. Through these interactions, we can create an individualized plan of care for each resident.

This approach has been proven to reduce loneliness amongst residents of senior living communities and increase social connectedness, feelings of happiness, and overall well-being.

Schedule A Visit 
If you or a loved one are living with dementia in Fairfax county or in the Washington DC area, contact The Virginian’s all-new Shenandoah Memory Care community today. Through our state-of-the-art technology and personalized care techniques, we help deliver improved outcomes for our residents.

How long have you been working in the field of Memory Care?
Over 29 years.

How did you first get your start in the field?
I started as an Activity Assistant in a skilled nursing facility when I was 17 years old.

Can you tell us something about your educational/professional background?
I am a Certified Dementia Practitioner and am also certified in EssentiALZ through the Alzheimer’s Association. I started as a CNA in a Memory Care unit at the age of 18. Over the years I worked on expanding my skills and knowledge and grown from frontline caregiving into various leadership positions that have given me the opportunity to work with different departments and gain a better understanding of the best practices to maintain a highly effective program.

What was it that attracted you to the field in the first place?
I was attracted to the field initially due to my love of the geriatric population and my desire to help them.

As the new Director of the Shenandoah Memory Care community, what excites you the most about this amazing new community?
There are many aspects that excite me, but the main characteristic that captivated me was the level of purposefulness and intentionality of each feature. In the Shenandoah Memory Care community, each facet was done with intent and was clearly purposeful. Everything from the color of the paint on the walls to the placement of pictures, and our programming, all is done based on evidence and expertise. This to me highlights the level of dedication and passion behind this new community, and I wanted to be a part of that.

Can you share what you are most passionate about and what you hope to achieve in your new position at The Virginian?
I am most passionate about making sure that all of our residents have the best quality of life, daily. In my position, I hope to foster an environment that creates a loving, engaging atmosphere at all times for each resident. Celebrating them individually as people and promoting relationships both with other residents and the team. Together we can help all residents be engaged, happy, and fulfilled, daily.

What aspect of this new community do you believe would be the most reassuring to the family of a prospective resident?
The safety and programming would be the most reassuring, to me. We are a safe environment that the family can rely on to provide excellent quality of care within a safe space. If their loved one tends to wander or not understand where they are, there are constant staff members who are here to assist and redirect their loved one. The programming is fostered with a specific focus on the residents who live with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Our programming is focused on engaging and bringing quality of life through personal interaction and brain exercises that have been proven to help delay the progression of memory loss.

If you were recommending Shenandoah to a close friend or family member, what would be the three most important things you would want them to understand?
The three most important things I would want them to know are: 1) your loved one is safe, 2) your loved one will have daily access to excellent programming to help stimulate and engage them to improve their quality of life, 3) each team member that works with your loved one is specially trained in dementia care.

Is there anything else you would like people to know about yourself, your background, or Shenandoah Memory Care community?
I would like people to be assured that I am very passionate about resident care and making sure that our residents have the best quality of life possible. I have worked in Memory Care for over 29 years and am excited and driven to provide the absolute best care possible. I chose the Shenandoah Memory Care community because their mission matches my own. Our dedicated team and I will work side-by-side with the families and friends of each resident to make sure that each person lives their best quality of life daily.

To learn more about The Virginian’s Shenandoah Memory Care Community
please fill in the form below or click here to learn more!