The Promise of
Home.
WESLEY WOOD SENIOR LIVING
2019-2020 Impact Report
The Promise
of More
When we think of home, we think of safety, refuge, comfort. It is often a place to feel a kinship with others, that fosters our sense of well-being and provides the promise of more—more connection, more contentment, more hope… more.
Home has become especially meaningful over the last seven months when it became our place of refuge and safety from the coronavirus. Even before the virus made it necessary to seek shelter in our homes, Wesley Woods’ mission has been to create communities of connection, wellbeing, and promise—to make a home.
Despite, or should I say because of, the coronavirus we were able to embrace our mission in new and innovative ways, fostering connection through technology and nurturing well-being through the creative efforts of residents and staff. All the while, we have kept our communities safe and healthy with very few incidents of infection.
Georgia’s older adult population is growing faster than almost anywhere else in the country, and Wesley Woods is poised to grow with it. As you will see in the following pages, our fiscal health is robust, our employees are committed and mission-driven, and most of all, our residents are safe, secure, and happy.
The promise of home beckons, and we eagerly rush to answer its call.
Sincerely,
Terry Barcroft
President & CEO
THE OPPORTUNITY TO AGE
Popular culture often equates aging with decline. But aging is opportunity. With age comes wisdom, experience, discipline, a greater sense of freedom, and, most of all, time.
Unburdened by obligations of work, home and raising a family, older adults have the time and the freedom to focus on their own well-being. Equipped with these ingredients, Wesley Woods has a recipe to help older adults design their best life. It’s our wellness program. Our program helps our residents harness the power within, to be their best selves, no matter their age. Our Life Enrichment Directors, healthcare professionals and Chaplains provide programming, resources, guidance and support that feed the spirit and sharpen the mind, nourish and strengthen the body and lay the groundwork for a renewed sense of purpose and meaning in life. A full, rich life is here for the taking. Seize the day!
A QUEST TO CREATE HER BEST SELF
Marsha, a 12-year resident of Branan Lodge, faced two health hurdles: hypertension and diabetes. Not one to wilt before a challenge, she got to work. After a wellness assessment, she took up yoga, started exercise and Matter of Balance® classes and scheduled visits with the onsite wellness nurse three times a week. The results? Blood pressure, under control. Blood sugar, under control, Weight lost, 42 pounds! Now, there’s no stopping her as she forges ahead with her favorite activities– Wii bowling, volunteering and spending time with her family including three adorable great grandchildren.
2019-2020: OUR PROMISE, BY THE NUMBERS
649 resident wellness assessments conducted | 830 virtual fitness classes between March – August during COVID-19 | 24 “A Matter of Balance® classes provided | 1,850 in-person fitness classes held
THE PROMISE OF SOMETHING GREATER
As we get older, our quest to tackle the bigger questions in life often intensifies. The greater truths seem more urgent, our need for answers more immediate.
We take comfort in simple pleasures and marvel at the complexity that confronts us. It’s a path no one should travel alone. At Wesley Woods, our chaplains are there—ever-present—ready to serve as guides, confidantes, companions and partners in a spiritual journey. They are there for the sacred and the mundane, in times of crisis and times of celebration. Worship, prayer, study and fellowship—a listening ear and a caring embrace. Our chaplains forge connection and foster spiritual wellbeing. They are a reminder that we are not alone, we’re all in this together striving to find the promise of something greater.
EASTER ALL AROUND
No way was the coronavirus going to stop our celebration of Easter. Chaplain Susan Amick created a memorable worship experience for residents at Wesley Woods Towers in Atlanta. Because of their unique architecture, two round towers where resident apartments open on to a large rotunda on each floor, Susan was able to stand in the center as residents opened their doors and stood or sat as they shared the joy of Easter through prayers, hymns and scripture. It added up to 22 individual services between 8 AM and 6 PM. All ending joyously with “Alleluia! Amen!”
2019-2020: OUR PROMISE, BY THE NUMBERS
286 bible studies | 78 prayer gatherings | 78 choir/music gatherings | 421 video sermons/devotion/worship services | 477 written/emailed devotions | 340 family connections | 1557 staff support connections
OUR PROMISE IS IN OUR EMPLOYEES
Ask any of our employees why they feel driven to serve older adults, and they’ll probably tell you about a cherished grandmother, uncle or other elder who made a difference in their life. For many of our employees, the call to serve is an opportunity to honor those who have come before us. That, and they love what they do!
For the second year in a row, Wesley Woods has been designated A Great Place to Work. This is an honor with rigorous standards that rewards companies with a positive work culture. Our remarkably low number of workers compensation claims suggests not only that safety is a high priority, but our employees are eager to get back to work.
Our turnover rate is one of the lowest in the industry (less than 12%). And the average tenure of an employee is more than eight years. Vickie Bolton, who is on our dining staff in Athens, started at Wesley Woods in 1977.
All this longevity and positive work ethic shapes our residents’ experience. They are able to develop deep and long-lasting relationships with care partners who truly care—who they consider to be family
FIRST AMONG EQUALS
Founded in 1991, The Eden Alternative is an advocacy movement whose purpose is to bring person-directed care to retirement communities and help older adults reclaim agency in their care plans as they age.
Their certification program is the gold standard in the senior living industry. Fewer than 200 communities nationwide are on the Eden Alternative registry. In Georgia there are only six. Wesley Woods was the first to attain this prestigious distinction with St. George Village, and most recently, Wesley Woods of Newnan. And, we hope to add Athens in the coming year.
In a culture that typically views aging as a period of decline, the Eden Alternative philosophy asserts that no matter how old we are or what challenges we face, life is about continuing to grow. That happens when caregivers and care receivers participate equally in a plan for improvement. Becoming an Eden Registry Member is an arduous process. But, in the end, making the list reflects a community’s status as a change agent that creates vibrant, life-affirming environments, where each person matters and everyone has the opportunity to flourish.
2019-2020: OUR PROMISE, BY THE NUMBERS
93% employee satisfaction | 11.9% voluntary turnover rate (19.1% = National Average) | 43 years Vickie Bolton has worked at Wesley Woods | >.02% workers comp claims (300% drop in the last 3 years)
A CERTAIN FUTURE
It’s a question we all face, “Will my retirement savings last? And, if it doesn’t, what will I do?”
Even the best financial planning can be undone by an unexpected emergency, the need for additional care or the gift of a long life. There is enough uncertainty in the world today, no one should have to wonder where they are going to live.
Wesley Woods makes a commitment to our residents. If you financially qualify to live in our community, we will do everything we can to ensure that you call Wesley Woods, “Home,” for as long as you like or for as long as you live. Thanks to gifts by generous donors to the Foundation, Wesley Woods is able to provide rental support to residents who have experienced unforeseen hardship or simply outlived their resources. It’s a promise we make to ensure a more certain future.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
It’s a question we all face, “Will my retirement savings last? And, if it doesn’t, what will I do?”
Even the best financial planning can be undone by an unexpected emergency, the need for additional care or the gift of a long life. There is enough uncertainty in the world today, no one should have to wonder where they are going to live.
Wesley Woods makes a commitment to our residents. If you financially qualify to live in our community, we will do everything we can to ensure that you call Wesley Woods, “Home,” for as long as you like or for as long as you live. Thanks to gifts by generous donors to the Foundation, Wesley Woods is able to provide rental support to residents who have experienced unforeseen hardship or simply outlived their resources. It’s a promise we make to ensure a more certain future.
2019-2020: OUR PROMISE, BY THE NUMBERS
$898,826 Dollar amount of charitable care distributed this fiscal year | 0% The percentage of residents who faced food insecurity thanks to contributions to The Foundation of Wesley Woods
staying
TRUE
to our promise.
4 PRINCIPLES GUIDED OUR PROMISE
Data has driven all decisions.
State infection rates have been tracked daily (now weekly) since the beginning. The data has informed every policy, procedure, and protocol. As infection rates climbed, Wesley Woods pivoted to practices that kept our residents and staff safe, delivering meals to apartments and moving many activities and communications online.
All for one and one for all.
Everyone pitched in to keep the community safe and the residents engaged, happy and secure. Creativity was the order of the day—food service personnel took on extra responsibilities, residents made masks and the chaplains pulled double duty while everyone focused on keeping the virus out and morale up.
One size does NOT fit all. Infection rates have varied across the counties in which Wesley Woods communities reside. Our approach reflected this. While all our communities met weekly on a task force to establish reopening protocols, individual communities were free to determine what was best for the situation in which they found themselves. Consequently, no individual community has had more than a few cases of COVID-19.
Transparency was essential.
We did our best to keep everyone informed and be as transparent as possible about the decision making process. When a case was discovered in a community, a message went out to all residents and their family members. Community members made a collective effort to contract trace and double down on safe habits. As a result, potential outbreaks were contained. The most up to date information can be found at wesleywoods.org/covid-19.
Since our founding, our focus has been to give active, retired seniors a safe and comfortable community they are happy to call home and where they can continue to grow their passions and potential. The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, called for clear thinking and decisive action for us to live up to that promise – for both current and future residents.
March
- Formed our daily Emergency Operations Committee (March 4)
- Restricted visits to long-term care residents (No one under 18 years of age.)
- Began temperature screening all visitors and staff following CDC guidance
- Requested all residents social distance
- Established quarantining protocol
- Began delivering meals to resident apartments
- Moved group activities online
- Began staff training on infectious disease protocols
April
- Masks encouraged for all on-site staff (April 3) | Masks required for all staff, residents and critical vendors on-site march (April 15)
May
- For independent living residents only: Restarted small group activities (10 or fewer) depending on room size
- Opened fitness centers, and salons with strict sanitation and volume protocols
- Resumed essential doctor and dental appointments
- On-site test made available for all residents at all communities
- MASKS REQUIRED IN ALL INSTANCES
June
- New residents allowed to move into communities
- Limited visitors allowed to independent living under specific protocol
- Residents able to resume overnight visits under strict protocols
- External fitness groups of 10 allowed with social distancing and masks
- Clergy allowed with social distancing and masks
- Larger classes and activities – up to 25 – allowed in large, open areas
August
- Visitors with masks began to be allowed in all areas of all communities.
- Unveiled a plan to reopen long term healthcare neighborhoods based on infection rates in the counties in which each of our 10 communities reside.
How did we do?
Here are the results from the beginning of the outbreak through the end of August among 1800 residents and 426 staff members:
Independant Living:
37 Total Tested Positive
22 Residents
15 Staff Members
3 Deaths
Long-Term Care:
23 Total Tested Positive
9 Residents
17 Staff Members
0 Deaths
MEETING THE MOMENT
We are living through a surreal time and place, but instead of trying to recreate what once was, Wesley Woods is creating new paths and new norms. As coined in the proverb “necessity is the mother of invention,” the entire Wesley Woods family has rallied together to devise new ways of delivering on our mission.
We are incredibly grateful for the community’s response to our growing need for charitable funds. Thanks to your generosity, we are able to provide services that improve the quality of life for the older adults who call Wesley Woods home: pastoral care, wellness programming and financial assistance for housing and meals. These programs have become more important than ever during the pandemic and are only possible due to your ongoing support.
Thank you for playing a vital role in helping Wesley Woods celebrate older adults for the lives they have lived, the wisdom they share and everything they have left to teach us.
Gratefully,
Diane Vaughan
President
Foundation of Wesley Woods
Heroes, Saints, & Legends
Wesley Woods was proud to honor Dr. Carolyn and Coach Bill Curry, and Cecelia and David Ratcliffe, as 2020 Heroes, Saints & Legends for their lifetime commitment to leadership, service and devotion to the community.
Due to the generosity of individuals, corporations and a surprise matching gift by an anonymous donor, this first-exer virtual event held in August and chaired by Lillian Budd Darden, raised a record-breaking $370,000. Heroes, Saints & Legends exent provides vital funding for the Wesley Woods pastoral care program, wellness programming, and financial assistance for housing and meals. Thank you to all Who donated so Wesley Woods can continue to create communities of connection, well-being and promise for older adults.
MOTHER’S DAY OFFERING
Mother’s Day is an extra special day in the life of Wesley Woods as we honor mothers who have loved, nurtured and cared for us, and as churches throughout The North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church receive the Wesley Woods Mother’s Day Offering from their congregation.
In 2019, more than $330,000 was raised from this special offering and recognition was given to the following churches for their remarkable support:
Thanks-a-Million (Churches who have given $1M or more in their lifetime)
Peachtree Road UMC and Roswell UMC
Highest offering for a church of more than 500 members
Dunwoody UMC
Highest offering for a church of less than 500 members
Lanier UMC
Highest per member giving for a church of more than 500 members
Roswell UMC
Highest per member giving for a church of less than 500 members
Mt. Zion Alto
Rising Star Award
Marietta First UMC
Highest Percentage of Participating Churches
Marietta District
Top 10 Mother’s Day Offering Churches
• Dunwoody UMC
• Roswell UMC
• Peachtree Road UMC
• Athens First UMC
• Northside UMC
• Marietta First UMC
• Oak Grove UMC
• Cascade UMC
• Lanier UMC
• St. James UMC
Financial Review
Unaudited for fiscal year 2020 ending August 31, 2020
Board of Directors
WESLEY WOODS
SENIOR LIVING
Donna Bergeson, Chair
Senior Counsel, Alston &
Bird LLP - Retired
John Ethridge, Vice Chair
Partner, Smith, Gambrell
& Russell, LLP
Cathie Berger
Director, Atlanta Regional
Commission - Retired
Henry L. Bowden, Jr.
Partner, The Bowden Law Firm
Keith Cox
Treasurer & Director of Administrative Services, North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church
Dr. Ted Johnson
Professor and Director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine
Kristen Lewis
Attorney, The Bowden Law Firm
Martin McGahan
Managing Director of Alvarez and Marsal Healthcare Industry Group
Sharon Pappas
Chief Nurse Executive, Emory Healthcare
Glenn Warren
President, Warren Capital Corporation
FOUNDATION OF
WESLEY WOODS
Rev. Dr. Bill Burch, Chair
Senior Pastor, Northside United Methodist Church
Lisa McGahan, Vice-Chair,
Policy Director, Georgia Justice Project
Terry Barcroft
President & CEO,
Wesley Woods Senior Living
Jess Barron
Associate Broker/Vice President, Lindsey’s Realtors
Tom Bever
Partner, Smith, Gambrell & Russell
Janie Bradley
Educator - Retired
Chip Busbey
Ashford Advisors
Beth Cayce
CEO, CaraVita Home Care
Tom Cook
Attorney, The Cook Law Firm
Bob Currie
Managing Director, Jones Lang LaSalle
Ron Davis
Channel Account Manager, IGI
Howard Fleming
Principal, Red Tortoise LLC
Zoe Hicks
Hicks & Hicks, PC
Bob Hope
President & Partner, Hope Beckham, Inc.
Tom Jackson
Retired Vice President for Public Affairs, University of Georgia
Chuck Jordan
CEO Jordan & Skala Engineers - Retired
Rev. Dr. Bernice Kirkland
Director, Center for Clergy Excellence North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church
Alison LeBreton
Vice President of Marketing, Equifax
Rev. Dr. Kevin Murriel
Senior Pastor, Cascade United Methodist Church
Vicki Riedel
Executive Director of Development, Emory University
Ron Thigpen
Executive Vice President,
South State Bank - Retired
Diane Vaughan
President, Foundation of Wesley Woods