When you have amazing coworkers like Cele and Patti, there’s never a bad day at work. Together, Wellness Manager Patti and Event Planning Manager Cele create an extensive schedule for the Carlyle Place residents with a variety of on-campus events, off-campus excursions and health and wellness opportunities. This dynamic duo has been shaking up Carlyle Place and putting smiles on faces for a combined 19 years under the common goal, as stated by Patti, “to keep everybody here healthy and active.”
Working together to bring events to Carlyle Place
The two make sure to keep the monthly calendar of events packed and busy. On Patti’s side, she’s responsible for coordinating more than 20 health and wellness classes each week. Classes, which are created to fit a range of abilities, are offered throughout the day. On Cele’s side, tons of excursions need to be planned. These outings can be as simple as a community walk or as exciting as a week-long river cruise. The activities and events on the calendar are strongly influenced by the residents’ suggestions submitted to the Resident Life team, the group of Carlyle Place staff in charge of all on-campus happenings. “We listen to what the residents are interested in, and we make those things happen,” Patti shares with us about the planning process. Residents also host knowledge-sharing classes, where they engage other residents in their specialty. Cele told us, “Our residents still want to enjoy and share their talents. So, we have individuals with expertise who lead classes. We want them to share those talents with the community.”
The entire Resident Life team plays an active role in helping Cele and Patti plan activities for residents of all abilities. “We have a great team. We’re always bouncing ideas off of each other.” The entire team works together to not only plan events but also to participate in them. Every October, staff members from all Carlyle Place departments put together a variety show for “Boo Happy Hour” where they perform skits for the residents. This is just one example that shows how much work the Carlyle Place staff is willing to do to put a smile on their residents’ faces. “We’ve got all this other stuff going on, but to see us all come together from every department to participate was so nice. There’s a really strong connection with the staff, and that’s something that I’ve never experienced anywhere else,” Cele reflects with a smile.
Getting the residents involved
At Carlyle Place, the residents are truly the stars of the show. Not only do they have a strong influence over each month’s activity calendar, but also, they do a great job of helping their neighbors get involved. Patti explains how residents reach out and encourage one another other, saying, “You’re not going to feel isolated here. You can choose how much interaction you have, but even going to your mailbox or picking up a meal, you’re going to see people who will say ‘hi’ and know your name. You may choose not to participate in some activities, but you’re not alone, and I think that’s probably the biggest benefit of this community for the residents.”
In addition to welcoming neighbors, the Director of Resident Life meets individually with each new resident to help acclimate them to their new home and introduce them to all of the different activities here at Carlyle. This meeting provides the Resident Life team valuable information on the resident’s interests and concerns. This information is then used to help plan activities, wellness events or special support services that they may need. Patti shared, “We really try as a team to pay attention to the residents and find out what their interests are so that we can be a help to them.”
The events are a direct reflection of these resident interests, and Cele and Patti do an incredible job of keeping events relevant, fun and fresh. Residents can participate in sports, walking groups, bingo (or beer bingo for those interested) and so much more. The best way to learn about Carlyle Place activities is to talk to the team directly or visit the campus for a tour! Call us now to learn more about available residences.
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