Category: Living Gracefully

Meet Fred Seale, a current resident of Woodhaven Village located in Conroe, Texas. Fred and his wife, Freddie, have been residents of Woodhaven Village since January of 2023.

After retiring in 2006, Fred wanted to find something to keep his hands and mind active during his retirement. In search of something to help him accomplish this, Fred decided that he would start writing 150 words a day about something that happened that day. “The original goal of writing 150 words a day was just something to keep me busy in retirement.”

After a couple of months, when his family got together for Thanksgiving, Fred’s sons asked, “So what have you been doing, dad?” and that is where the podcast Fred’s Daily 150 (A History Lesson in 150 Words) was born.

At the time, Fred told his sons, “I don’t know anything about podcasts.” but he didn’t let that stop him. Fred’s sons worked with him to set up the podcast and help him learn the process so he could go forward independently.

Fred has been writing and recording his podcast for the past two years, taking time each day to write about a historical event based on the date. This event could be the birth or death of a historical person, the start or end of a war, a tragic event, noteworthy inventions, and more. “I write about things that I either remember when they happened, or I read about them when I was younger, and they made an impact on me.”

“Most podcasts go on and on, and not everyone has time for that,” Fred stated. “My goal was to create a podcast that was brief, to the point, and over.” He started this hoping it would spark a younger audience’s curiosity about events that happened in the past or “help someone my age relive a moment in their life from when they originally heard about this event happening.” Fred’s Daily 150 has been listened to in 48 countries.

“Beginning to write and produce a podcast was a learning process,” according to Fred. His sons worked with him to gradually help Fred learn each step of the process of creating a podcast. From setting up the recording equipment to uploading the podcast onto various platforms, Fred has learned how to do all of it on his own. Fred talked about how “learning is growing, and just because you grow old doesn’t mean you have to be old.”

Fred is a native Texan originally from the Houston area. Before he retired, he worked for several different energy companies, large and small, in the area of Oil & Gas Land Management. Fred and Freddie made the decision to move into a Cottage at Woodhaven Village because it allows Fred to continue to be independent while having access to assistance for his wife.

You can find Fred’s Daily 150 (A History Lesson in 150 Words) anywhere you listen to podcasts. To learn more about Woodhaven Village, please visit their website at www.woodhavenvillage.com or give them a call at (936) 703-5333.

Many seniors find themselves living on their own and without a strong support system. Senior living communities offer a range of benefits for seniors, including social interaction and opportunities for personal growth. However, for introverts, senior living communities can seem overwhelming and unappealing. Moving to a senior living community is a big transition that can offer many benefits, even if you are an introvert.

Opportunities for alone time and reflection: For introverts who need time alone to recharge, having a private space is important. Senior living communities offer different style apartments to fit your needs, a private place to call home. Many senior living communities also offer peaceful outdoor spaces where residents can sit and enjoy nature.

Structured social interaction: While introverts may not always seek out social interaction, they still benefit from it. Senior living communities often offer a range of life enrichment activities and events that provide opportunities for socializing with peers. This can include game nights, group exercise classes, or cultural events. For introverts who may feel overwhelmed by large crowds or social gatherings, these events can be a great way to connect with others in a controlled environment. At Grace Management, Inc., our communities provide vibrant life-enrichment activities that are catered to residents and what they enjoy.  

Sense of community: Living alone can be isolating. Senior living communities offer a sense of community and belonging that can be difficult to find elsewhere and help combat social isolation in seniors. Introverts who struggle to connect with others can find it extremely beneficial to be part of a community that shares similar interests and experiences.

Freedom from the responsibilities of homeownership: Maintaining a home can be a significant source of stress for many seniors. Senior living communities offer a range of different living arrangements, from independent living to assisted living to memory care. Rather than worrying about the upkeep and maintenance that comes with homeownership, seniors can choose a living situation that suits their needs. For introverts who may prefer to spend their time alone, not having to worry about home maintenance can be a significant relief.

Senior living communities offer a range of benefits for introverts. For introverts who may feel overwhelmed or isolated living alone, senior living communities can offer a supportive and welcoming environment that meets their unique needs.

Are you interested in learning more about Grace Management, Inc. communities? Head over to the community page on our website to find a community near you.

In 2022, Grace Management, Inc. announced the first recipient of The Living Gracefully Award. What is The Living Gracefully award? The purpose of the Grace Management, Inc. Living Gracefully Award is to recognize GMI associates or constituents who exemplify the Grace Culture of Caring and Leadership within their role, responsibilities, or involvement at a Grace Management Inc. community. Here are the current recipients of The Living Gracefully award:

Karen O’Hara is the Executive Director of Parkrose Estates and was the first recipient of The Living Gracefully award. O’Hara led the Parkrose Estates community after the community experienced a water line rupture in January of 2022, displacing more than 90 residents. Residents returned home to Parkrose Estates on September 26th, 2022, following a state-of-the-art renovation completed in partnership with local contractors.

Rosemarie Caldwell celebrated her retirement as Executive Director of Northgate Park in November of 2022 and was named the second recipient of The Living Gracefully Award. Caldwell has served and led the community at Northgate Park for five and a half years and truly exemplified the Grace Culture of Caring and Leadership in her time as Executive Director.

Robyn Johnson is the Executive Director of Beach House. In early October, when Hurricane Ian hit, Johnson, a Minnesota native who had never experienced a hurricane before, stepped up and led the Beach House community in their pre-storm preparations as they got ready for Hurricane Ian’s landfall. Johnson led the community calmly during and after the Hurricane and worked with her team to provide the best possible care to residents during this time.

Ron Aylward is the Executive Director of Heritage Oaks of Englewood. During Hurricane Ian, Aylward demonstrated strong, stable leadership and courage. Heritage Oaks of Englewood was in the direct path of Hurricane Ian. Residents and associates alike didn’t have enough of a warning to evacuate and hunkered down in the community. Aylward worked with his team to ensure the safety of residents during and after Hurricane Ian.

Thomas Watson is the Executive Director of The Summit of Fort Myers. Less than 24 hours before Hurricane Ian hit, Watson learned that Fort Myers was in the direct path of the Hurricane and needed to evacuate their residents. Most of the residents were able to stay with family, but several had no other choice but to go to shelters. Watson worked tirelessly after Hurricane Ian had passed to ensure the residents of The Summit of Fort Myers were able to come home as soon as possible and welcomed each of them home personally.

Congratulations to both of these amazing recipients of The Living Gracefully Award. This award is well deserved.

To learn more about Grace Management, Inc. and our communities, please visit our communities page. To learn more about these Living Gracefully Award recipients, visit the news section of our website.

Emotional wellness has been an important topic for the past few years. You may be wondering, what is emotional wellness? Similar to physical wellness, emotional wellness takes work. Emotional well-being requires positive lifestyle choices, coping skills, and a strong support network. As a senior adult, it can become challenging to continue to care for and improve emotional health and well-being, similar to physical health and well-being.

How do you begin improving your emotional wellness as a senior adult? You can take a couple of easy steps to begin this journey.

Stay connected to your community. Social interaction and staying connected to the community around you is one of the best ways to help improve and maintain your emotional health. Isolation and the feeling of loneliness often lead to depression and can cause other health issues as well. Being intentional about staying connected to your community and maintaining relationships positively impacts your emotional health and wellness.

Keep on moving. Regular exercise and physical activity are closely linked to emotional health in senior adults, and physical activity has been proven to help reduce feelings of depression and stress. Furthermore, regular physical activity may help with chronic pain. There are many ways senior adults can work on increasing physical activity that is safe and enjoyable. Many of our communities at Grace Management, Inc. work with partners to help nurture a healthy and active lifestyle.

Begin learning coping skills that work for you. Learning coping skills that help you manage feelings of stress and improve your resiliency during difficult times is an important part of emotional health and wellness. Take time to learn what works best for you, or even consider talking to a professional such as a therapist or spiritual advisor.

Keep a consistent routine. Sticking to a routine isn’t something everyone does. However, for many senior adults, sticking to a routine can increase activity and motivation, positively impacting your emotional health and wellness. Having a consistent routine throughout each day helps create structure. Try creating a morning and evening routine to help start and end your days. A consistent routine will also help develop good habits, including a sleep schedule which also has a positive impact on your emotional health.

Did you know living in a senior living community can be beneficial to your emotional health and wellness? Learn more about these benefits by visiting www.whereyoulivematters.org, a resource hosted by ASHA – the American Senior Housing Association.

Interested in learning more about how our communities can be beneficial to your emotional health? Find a community near you and give them a call today!

It’s not like home. It is home. ™

Grace Management, Inc. communities celebrated the Inaugural Grace Hospitality Week from August 29th through September 2nd. This event was designed to spotlight our four Graceful Service Standards as well as to celebrate our dedicated associates. The Graceful Service Standards are part of The Graceful Experience™, the benchmark for hospitality and culture across all Grace Management, Inc. communities. The Graceful Experience™ empowers and motivates all associates to provide exceptional hospitality and senior living experiences for each unique resident.

“We were thrilled to successfully launch The Grace Hospitality Week and to honor our amazing associates!” said Sarah Moriyama, National Director of Hospitality and Engagement, Grace Management, Inc. “The energy and excitement were palpable all week. We look forward to celebrating Hospitality Week as an annual tradition at all Grace Management, Inc. communities!”

Similar to a spirit week event at a school, the Grace Hospitality Week was a weeklong celebration driven by the Director of Hospitality and Engagement and established Hospitality Champions from each community. Each day consisted of celebrating a different standard from the four Graceful Service Standards, which include: Have Compassion and Respect for All; Greet and Welcome Everyone with a Smile; Actively Listen to and Engage with Residents and Associates, and Project a Professional, Positive Image.

The Grace Hospitality Week was a fun-filled week that we are looking forward to continuing as an annual tradition here at Grace Management, Inc.

To learn more about Grace Hospitality Week, visit the news section of our website.

We are proud to announce that Sarah Moriyama, Grace Management, Inc.’s National Director of Hospitality and Engagement, has been appointed to a prestigious Advisory Board for the Customer Experience Certificate Program at the University of California – Irvine, Division of Continuing Education

To learn more, please visit the news section of the GMI website.