klaus
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Jul 19, 2006, 12:26 PM
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Amica: a new paradigm in retirement living
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If ever in the future I choose to move to a retirement residence I’m going to make sure that the residence is an Amica residence. Amica Mature Lifestyle Inc., a Canadian company barely a decade old, has established a whole new paradigm through which to experience assisted living. I recently had the honor to attend the grand opening of Amica’s newest residence in Mississauga, Ontario and was absolutely blown away by the company’s approach to retirement living.
Amica residents are definitely up market in that their clientele tends to be more affluent than those living in run of the mill retirement homes. But the service and quality of care are more than worth the difference in prices.
Amica’s residences tend to be tastefully decorated and opulently appointed with spacious suites that offer plush creature comforts. An Amica residence feels very much like the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. But the real story is in the communities’ common areas, in the thoughtful touches that grace every Amica residence.
Amica has devised a physical wellness program that ensures its residents enjoy a vital and healthy retirement. The program, which Amica has trademarked, is called MPower™ and is based on a strength-training regimen that also increases speed, stamina, skill, suppleness and spirit. The MPower™ program is designed to minimize the inevitable effects of aging and since its inception has had a remarkable success rate. Participants in the MPower™ program have demonstrated through functional testing a marked increase in muscular strength, endurance, balance and walking speed. Some of the residents experienced an increase in hip and thigh strength of as much as 120%!
But fitness isn’t the only thing that sets Amica residences apart. The food in the Amica dining room is outstanding. Prepared by the residence’s executive chef, a meal at an Amica dining room rivals many Michelin-rated gourmet restaurants. And, unlike some other retirement residences, Amica dining rooms have fine wines or other adult beverages available for those who enjoy a drink with dinner.
Amica residences also have their own movie theaters, which rival those that a Hollywood mogul might have at his office. The theaters are appointed with a very large rear-projection television screen and the plushest seating I have ever seen. Generally the theaters can accommodate about 50 people at a time and the popcorn is always hot and free.
For those requiring a little help with their day-to-day living, Amica more than steps up to the plate with a comprehensive list of additional services. Medication management and a vital signs monitoring program ensures that Amica’s residents have help at hand 24 hours a day. Assistance with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing and medication reminders is included in Amica’s list of services.
An advanced emergency response system monitored by trained professionals 24/7 is also at hand, which adds one more level of peace of mind for everyone.
I’m sure there are other retirement residences have many of the items listed above as part of their service packages. The one component that makes Amica residences so unique, however, is the incredible level of training given to all staff.
The corporate philosophy of Amica Mature Lifestyle Inc. is based in its name. Amica chose its name because of the root word Amicus, which is Latin for friend. As such Amica’s employees are carefully selected not only for their individual job skills, be they nursing or food preparation staff, but also for their extraordinary people skills. Whether it’s the concierge, a fitness instructor, the serving staff in the dining room or the general manager of the residence, all Amica staff are uniquely friendly and outgoing. The smiles are genuine and the friendly sentiments heartfelt.
As the number of people in their 70s and 80s is currently increasing, largely because of advancements in medicine and healthier living, the demand for retirement living will also increase accordingly. More and more retirees with higher expectations will be looking for accommodations that meet their needs. The Amica model has established the new gold standard in retirement living.
Klaus Rohrich is President and Creative Director of Taylor/Rohrich Associates Inc., a marketing and advertising firm that specializes in niche marketing retirement real estate developments http://www.maturitymarketing.com.
(This post was edited by klaus on Aug 22, 2006, 8:47 PM)
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