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GenCare Lifestyle leaders have turned a move-in safety measure into a new resident Staycation Experience.  The 14-day staycation combines Covid safety measures with the luxury amenities of a vacation, allowing new residents to safely adjust to their new home and bond with staff all while following the community’s Covid-19 infection control policies and protocols.

“We want residents to feel safe during their staycation,” said GenCare Lifestyle’s health and wellness leader Danielle Parker, RN, who oversees operations at the Federal Way, Renton and Tacoma retirement communities. We want you to know that we have thought through every detail. We follow the most stringent of infection control policies and employ a staff dedicated to maintaining each resident’s health and wellbeing. Programs like Staycation represent our ability to remain flexible when times demand it, but also ensure residents receive a personalized experience,” said Parker. “It is indicative of how we run our communities – based on science, data and feedback. Your testimonial during and after Staycation help make us better. We are partners during this pandemic. Now and always.”

“We spend extra time getting to know each new resident,” said Justin Wammock, Executive Director at The Lodge at Eagle Ridge in Renton. “We intentionally plan and tailor the staycation experience to each new resident, making their move-in experience a special welcome to community.”

“Your Staycation with GenCare is like a visit to a luxury hotel with a spa like twist!” said Trisha Kostis, assistant corporate culinary director at GenCare Lifestyle. “We provide healthy and delicious chef-created meals delivered by our enthusiastic culinary team and bakery boxes that double as creative projects! We look forward to spoiling you with extraordinary food and hospitality.”

GenCare Staycation & Whole Life Living

The personalized Staycation Experience is also how GenCare introduces new residents to all the benefits of Whole Life Living, the community’s intentional focus on nutrition, fitness, mental sharpness and living with purpose.

• Culinary – GenCare provides wholesome foods that are not laden with empty calories, preservatives and carbohydrates. Good food can help manage blood pressure, reduce cancer risk, increase energy and improve overall health.
• New residents receive fresh-cooked, whole food meals that are tailor-made to tantalize your individual pallet during the staycation and delivered direct from the kitchen to the resident’s apartment. The meals offer a sneak peek at dining the GenCare Lifestyle way, showing residents how eating right can be easy.
• Another Staycation culinary offering is a breakfast-in-bed treat – A special breakfast meal delivered by the Culinary Director outside the normal delivery times, consisting of a special-made menu item, like eggs Benedict or a loaded omelet.
• Vitality – Residents benefit from a daily focus on fitness activities, programming and support, including an on-site personal trainer (included for all residents) for one-to-one conditioning.
• Staycation affords new residents the opportunity to focus on fitness goals. Fitness boosts the immune system and helps regulate metabolic functions including fluid and electrolyte balance – all of which help fight viruses like influenza and COVID-19. Regular exercise also helps relieve stress, improve memory, support better sleep and boost overall mood.

“Staycation is the ideal time to look inward and better yourself through one-to-one training with your community’s fitness director,” said Bryce Ogren, Fitness Director at GenCare Lifestyle Federal Way. “Together, you can discuss your interests and begin to set appropriate and attainable fitness goals for the future.” During the Staycation, new residents are visited in their apartments by the community’s Fitness Director for one-to-one training. Fitness Directors provide weekly and/or daily workouts that residents can safely do in the comfort of their apartments, including chair yoga, breathing/meditation scripts, chair tai chi and other activities.

• Other Staycation treats can include the delivery of a gift basket (filled with soap, lotions and essential oils) and movie and popcorn snack delivery to the apartment.
• Stay Sharp – Residents learn, have fun and exercise their brains through a range of fun activities, including interactive games.
• During the Staycation, GenCare’s Vitality Directors will stop by to visit and offer residents a welcome gift, including journals, puzzles, mandalas with pens and a couple of projects based on the new resident’s interests.
• Live with Purpose – GenCare provides residents with the opportunity to participate in clubs, lectures and other programs – all designed to help residents live with purpose. Connection with family is part of that purpose. During the Staycation, Vitality Directors will help new residents set up virtual visits with family and other residents.

Testing Before the Staycation

• Drive-thru Covid-19 Testing – Residents start with their own drive-thru testing appointment at their new community. With training from community partner MultiCare Health System, GenCare wellness staff administer tests while residents sit comfortably in their car. Test results are available in 24-hours.
• All new residents are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result prior to move in (a negative test result received within 72 hours of move in). They’re tested again 14 days later.
• Move-ins are limited to two apartments per week to ensure ample time between move-ins to sanitize communal areas.

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