ABHOW Words
Sharing Our Stories
VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2011
Page 6
Girls Get Their Kicks
at Tahoe Senior Plaza
Page 7
A Circle of 12
Inspires Us All
Company Revels in the
Spirit of Stewardship
F
rom the smallest gifts come the greatest
rewards.That simple yet powerful message
kicked off ABHOW’s 2011 Annual Meeting
Feb. 17 in Berkeley, Calif.
The conference theme, “The Spirit of Stewardship,” was revealed time
and again through the stories of those who are making a difference and
impacting lives at ABHOW communities every day.
Page 11
Family’s Musical
Legacy Lives On
The three-day event was held at the venerable Claremont Hotel and
Resort, and featured notable speakers, opportunities for networking and
idea-sharing, and sessions on management and governance. A rousing
performance by the Allen Temple Men’s Chorus was especially moving
given the group’s own dedication to stewardship in its support of impoverished children in South Africa.
Continued on page 2
Pictured Above: The Allen Temple Men’s Chorus performs at the 2011 Annual Meeting.
ABHOW Words
Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
2
Company Revels in the
Spirit of Stewardship
Continued from cover
A major highlight was a tour
of the new Grove at Piedmont
Gardens, the Oakland CCRC that
played host for this year’s meeting. Piedmont Gardens Executive
Director Gayle Reynolds, her team
and many of the community’s residents led participants through the
warm and inviting Grove, soon to
be home to 16 residents affected by
Alzheimer’s and other dementias
when it opens in mid-April.
Annual meeting attendees received a packet of note cards showcasing the vibrant artwork
of Grove residents. The cards were also available for purchase, with proceeds benefitting
ABHOW’s newest Grove at Piedmont Gardens.
“Everywhere you look at
ABHOW, people are finding
ways to give of their own time
and unique talents,” said Kay Kallander, senior vice
president for strategic planning. “It’s inspiring to see
what people are able to do with just a little seed, and it
reminds us that stewardship is ageless.”
At ABHOW, stewardship also reveals itself in the
day-to-day excellence of its team members. And each
year, the company bestows high honors on those
whose work rises to extraordinary heights. Among
them, 12 team members who in 2010 showed residents
an unparalleled level of care, commitment and compassion. (See Circle of Excellence, page 7.)
Managing an ABHOW community is a daunting
task, one that requires executive directors and administrators alike to become experts across multiple areas,
from healthcare to hospitality to facilities management
to social services. Valle Verde’s Ron Schaefer and E.E.
Cleveland’s Kenetta Jackson certainly rose to the occasion in 2010. (See stories, pages 4 and 5.)
It takes a bold leader
to make big changes.
Seniority President Sloan
Bentley, the recipient of
the Presidential Citation,
is such a leader. ABHOW
President and CEO
Dave Ferguson praised
Bentley’s tenacity in developing Seniority Spirit,
a groundbreaking hospitality initiative. Seniority
is ABHOW’s sales, management and development subsidiary.
Seniority President Sloan
Bentley’s tireless pursuit of
excellence in 2010 earned her
the Presidential Citation.
“Sloan worked tirelessly to make sure every detail
was right in Seniority Spirit, because she understands
that in the business of service, every detail matters,”
said Ferguson.
ABHOW Words
Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
3
Reports Chart Growth,
Charity and Strategic Plan
2010 Annual Report: “The Good Life, Redefined”
THE GOOD LIFE,
REDEFINED
2010 Annual Report
In a year full of economic uncertainty, ABHOW renewed its commitment to making ‘the good life’ accessible for its residents in 2010. The annual report, “The Good
Life, Redefined,” highlights the dynamic work, engaging people and innovative leadership that made 2010 a year
of progress and stewardship at ABHOW. Through it all, the company grew its community portfolio from 34 to
37 and saw most of those communities exceed the highest possible industry standards. The annual report, which
includes a detailed financial statement for 2010, is available online at: http://www.abhow.com/annual-report
ABHOW Foundation Annual Report: “From the Ground Up”
{ FRoM tHe GRounD up }
2010 AnnuAl RepoRt
Charitable giving thrives on passion, and 2010 saw ABHOW’s local foundation committees turn their passion into real and lasting change on behalf of those in need. The
ABHOW Foundation’s 2010 report, “From the Ground Up,” looks at the varied gifts that
make up the Foundation and the many benefits it provides to residents and the wider
community. The report is available online at: http://www.abhow.com/company/foundation/
2011-2013 Strategic Plan
ABHOW’s leadership in the field of aging services didn’t come quickly or easily, and without a plan it wouldn’t
have come at all. The company’s work has long been guided by a three-year strategic planning process. The current cycle, which began anew early this year, is documented in ABHOW’s 2011-2013 Strategic Plan.
“The strategic plan is a roadmap for our work over the next three years,” says Kay Kallander, senior vice president for strategic planning. “It’s a very intentional process of laying out the challenges before us along with our
goals and vision for the company, and backing all that up with a work-ready plan to make sure we get there.”
2010 Social Accountability Report
Every year, ABHOW puts its tax-exempt dollars to work through charitable ministry. In doing so, the company
serves not only its residents but their neighbors in the surrounding community. In 2010 ABHOW invested six dollars in social capital for every dollar received in tax benefits – investments that kept seniors in their homes, improved their access to health care and enriched life in their communities. A detailed assessment of ABHOW’s 2010
charitable ministry is available online at: http://www.abhow.com/accountability
Hard copies of the above reports can be found in the administrative offices of each ABHOW community.
ABHOW Words
Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
4
Schaefer Takes Executive Director Honors
In a year devoted to the practice and
promotion of stewardship, Ron Schaefer
talked the talk, walked the walk, and
showed an industry how to not only
lead a green revolution but to sustain it.
For these reasons and more, Schaefer picked up
his second Executive Director of the Year award at
ABHOW’s annual meeting in February.
Valle Verde, the Santa Barbara, Calif., continuing
care retirement community Schaefer has led for more
than a decade, is well-known for its innovative clean
energy initiatives. But stewardship at Valle Verde is
about much more than just the environment, and
Schaefer believes his role is to facilitate that effort
rather than direct it.
“We don’t take a top-down kind of approach to
anything we do at Valle Verde, and what that means is
a community that looks like its residents, one that’s an
extension of them and how they want to live – not how
we think they should live,” says Schaefer, who also took
home executive director honors in 2008.
Executive Director of the Year is determined annually from the nominations of other executive directors
throughout ABHOW as well as staff in the ABHOW
corporate office. Criteria for winners include exemplary performance beyond established goals, special
contributions to ABHOW co-workers, and leadership
and mentoring of colleagues.
Jeff Glaze, who as senior vice president and chief
operations manager oversees ABHOW’s 11 CCRCs,
said 2010 was nothing short of a banner year for
Schaefer. Valle Verde posted strong numbers on resi-
Ron Schaefer’s win for top executive director is a repeat. He first
received the honor in 2008.
dent satisfaction, occupancy, financial operations, state
health surveys and retention of team members.
“This consistency is evidence of stewardship being
practiced every day by Ron and his team members,” says
Glaze. “His peers describe him as an innovative thinker
willing to advocate on their behalf, and that says a lot about
his dedication not only to Valle Verde, but to ABHOW.”
Given his view on the need to lead inclusively, it was
fitting that Schaefer wasn’t the only one singled out for
excellence at Valle Verde this year. The community also
took home top honors for social accountability – charitable and community service work that benefitted the lessfortunate and helped link Valle Verde to Santa Barbara.
Now in its second year, the social accountability
award recognizes ABHOW communities that effectively leverage the company’s tax-exempt status to
affect positive change in their surrounding towns and
cities. Valle Verde’s social accountability program for
fiscal year 2010 was valued at more than $750,000.
ABHOW Words
Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
5
Jackson Named Administrator of the Year
Kenetta Jackson has the same
kind of unconditional love for her
E.E. Cleveland community that a
mother has for a child.
It’s somewhat bittersweet that the person who
taught Jackson about such devotion – her own
mother – learned about her Administrator of the
Year award shortly before passing away.
“It’s something I wanted for a long time and my
mom knew that, so even though I’m sad I didn’t get
to share in that day with her, I’m grateful that she
knew about it before she passed,” says Jackson.
Jackson’s other family members watched proudly
as ABHOW presented her with the honor during the
2011 Annual Meeting in Berkeley, Calif., last month.
Citing her strong financial and facilities management skills, the company praised Jackson for her
unwavering commitment to high standards at E.E.
Cleveland, a 54-apartment home community in
Oakland, Calif.
“Kenetta’s always been strong as an administrator, but in 2010 that was especially true,” says Ancel
Romero, senior vice president for affordable housing.
“Under her management, E.E. Cleveland is continually ranked among the top affordable senior housing communities in Northern California by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development.”
Jackson knows the affordable housing field inside
and out. She spent 15 years as an occupancy and intake specialist at communities in
downtown San Francisco before
coming to E.E. Cleveland six
years ago. The way Jackson sees
it, everyone should be proud
of their home, no matter what
the surrounding neighborhood
is like and regardless of their
income level.
“People walk in to my community and say, ‘Wow, I didn’t think
it would be this nice.’ To me, it
doesn’t matter what is going on
out there, all that matters is what’s
in here. We’re proud of our community, and I think it shows.”
Kenetta Jackson’s family shares in her Administrator of the Year honor.
ABHOW Words
Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
6
Girls Get Their Kicks at Tahoe Senior Plaza
pictures of the seniors than the children,
because they’re smiling. It’s just really neat
to see their reaction to these children.”
The karate shows came about when
Montgomery, a longtime volunteer at the
community, asked if she could bring her
karate and music students — she also
teaches piano and guitar — in to perform.
Karate student MacKenzie Thielmann demonstrates proper technique for
Tahoe Senior Plaza residents.
The five young girls learning karate
in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., were
proud of their progress but at a loss
to show it off until Tahoe Senior
Plaza offered them both a stage and
an audience.
That sounded like a great idea to administrator Shelia Cooper, who thought it
would provide both a bridge between the
community and South Lake Tahoe as well
as a link between generations.
“It helps young people get in touch with seniors
and not be afraid of them,” says Cooper. “And it
helps the seniors stay in touch with the younger generation, because a lot of our seniors don’t see kids for
long periods of time.”
Five years later, the girls are proficient at their martial
art and their demonstrations are a twice-a-year event in
the ABHOW affordable housing community’s spacious
lobby. The shows often draw a standing-room only audience of seniors and the girls’ friends and families.
The residents have come to know the young
performers and have helped celebrate their milestones. At last year’s Christmas performance, residents watched as the girls were awarded new colored
belts to signify their progress in the martial art. All
the girls can now break boards with a karate chop
or kick.
“The girls look forward to this. This is their big
show,” says Cynthia Montgomery, their karate teacher
at Sakura Dojo – Japanese for cherry blossom school.
“We watched these girls grow from tiny little
girls to medium-sized girls and how their skills have
evolved,” says Cooper.
Tahoe Senior Plaza’s 44 residents also look forward to
the shows that come around every Christmas and spring.
Early on, Montgomery knew that bringing the
students to the community would entertain the residents. What she didn’t know was how enriching the
experience would be for her and the girls.
“It is really beautiful when you see the seniors’
faces,” says Montgomery. “We should be taking more
Continued on page 13
ABHOW Words
Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
7
A Circle of 12 Inspires Us All
At ABHOW, we don’t have to look far to find excellence. Our team members exemplify it every day.
And every year, the work of a few rises even higher, reaching a place we call the Circle of Excellence.
Given annually, the award recognizes the exceptional work of 12 men and women for whom excellence is not a goal, but a practice. We congratulate the winners of the 2010 Circle of Excellence.
Nakeeva Berry Wait Staff, Grand Lake Gardens, Oakland, Calif.
Nakeeva is known as much for her charming personality as her wonderful customer service skills. Since
joining the Grand Lake Gardens wait staff in 2003, residents have come to look forward just to chatting with her
and listening to one of her many funny stories. Recently, they learned that Nakeeva is a talented poet as well.
Nakeeva’s intense drive is evident to all who know her. She’s a tireless worker and self-starter who
often takes the initiative to train new employees, help the kitchen staff, and assist in food preparation.
Jasmine Breedlove Administrative Assistant, Health Center, Piedmont Gardens, Oakland, Calif.
Jasmine is a thoughtful and hardworking individual who demonstrates excellence in a variety of ways that
contribute to the success of the community. She is very kind and compassionate and personally sees that residents are taken care of, treated warmly and respectfully, and that their environment and care is responsive.
It is not unusual to see Jasmine taking the initiative to help before she’s been asked. Jasmine has a gift
for multitasking. No matter how busy she is, she does her job with a graceful calm and a sense of good
humor. As a point of first contact at Piedmont Gardens, she is truly an ambassador of the community.
Anzo Dock Occupancy Specialist, Allen Temple Arms I & II, Oakland, Calif.
Anzo has much to do with his community’s recent superior rating from the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development. Allen Temple Arms’ resident files were in serious disarray when
Anzo went to work at the community three years ago. He began a methodical process of talking to
each resident, updating their files, and organizing them appropriately.
Anzo’s talent for compliance, along with his commitment to customer service and resident relations,
led to his being chosen for ABHOW’s in-house leadership development program. Though he has a reserved nature, Anzo’s commanding presence has earned him the trust of his team members and residents.
Alyssa Ferreri Wait Staff and Concierge, Plymouth Village, Redlands, Calif.
Alyssa’s smiling, happy face makes for a great dining experience for Plymouth Village residents.
She’s quick, thorough and efficient. Alyssa takes the time to listen to residents. She has a unique ability
to not only meet their needs, but anticipate them.
Recently, her exceptional hospitality skills made her the perfect candidate to fill a part-time concierge position at the community. She’s been successful there, too. What she doesn’t know she learns.
When a resident asks a question she never keeps them waiting for an answer.
Continued on page 8
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Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
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Meet 12 Who Were Most Excellent in 2010
Continued from page 7
Amanda Montgomery LVN/Charge Nurse, The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens, San Joaquin, Calif.
Amanda has earned a reputation for her warm and caring approach to residents and their family
members since joining The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens two years ago. Recently, Amanda took on
a supervisory role in the community’s Health Center. She is a dedicated, versatile professional wellliked by team members and residents alike.
Amanda has embraced the community’s culture of providing a real home for its residents in skilled
nursing. When families express concern or unease, Amanda is the person who sets things right. She
often acts as an interpreter between physicians and residents on the intricate matters around healthcare. She is currently in school to become a registered nurse.
Ann Monroe Director of Social Services, Valle Verde, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Ann is known around Valle Verde as someone who leads from the heart. Residents and their family
members know they can depend on her no matter what the issue. Her caring, compassionate and conscientious style is a perfect fit for her role as director of social services.
Ann understands the importance of meeting all a resident’s needs, and works to ensure their emotional,
psychological and social well-being. She must work closely with multiple departments and does so with ease.
Thuan Nguyen Kitchen Manager, Judson Park, Des Moines, Wash.
Thuan Nguyen has been at Judson Park for 10 years in the dining services department. She is well
known for the kindness and graciousness that she displays to residents. When Thuan is working the
residents know that they will be well taken care of, and that they will always be greeted with a kind
word and a smile. Thuan has an excellent work ethic and always jumps in to help when needed.
Thuan is an accomplished seamstress; when she noticed the old napkins in the dining room looked
shabby, she jumped in and made new ones. For her caring and enthusiasm, and for always going
above and beyond, Thuan is a real asset to Judson Park.
Brett Ortega Information Technology Services Manager, Corporate Office, Pleasanton, Calif.
Brett partnered with facilities team members on several important projects in 2010 that improved
safety and productivity at ABHOW’s corporate office. Faced with multiple projects and deadlines, Brett
never lost his composure, never wavered in his professionalism. He is highly respected by his colleagues
and team members.
Brett’s excellent work in 2010 included redevelopment of the corporate training room, helping
enhance safety of the ABHOW corporate lobby, and installation of new printers and copiers.
Continued on page 9
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MARCH 2011
9
Meet 12 Who Were Most Excellent in 2010
Continued from page 9
Eleanor Rojas Homecare Aide, Rosewood, Bakersfield, Calif.
Eleanor is so loved by the residents she cares for at Rosewood. In fact, many of them count Eleanor
as a family member. Her rapport with residents is truly something to see. With exceptional skill and
grace, Eleanor cares for the whole person.
Her work ethic is outstanding, and no matter how difficult the task at hand, she never gets discouraged or frustrated. Eleanor’s sterling work habits are an example to everyone at Rosewood. She really
epitomizes the Circle of Excellence.
John Spellman Maintenance Supervisor, The Terraces of Phoenix, Phoenix, Ariz.
John has a reputation for getting things done. His fellow team members at The Terraces of Phoenix
say they can always count on him, and often do. In addition to offering outstanding service to the
residents, John is eager to learn and shares his knowledge and skills with his team members on a daily
basis. His positive, can-do attitude is contagious.
John has many volunteer activities. He serves on the board of elders at his church and teaches families how to better manage their finances. He’s a member of the City of Phoenix’s disaster preparedness
task force and volunteers with Maricopa County’s search and rescue efforts around missing persons.
Van Tran LVN, The Terraces at Los Altos, Los Altos, Calif.
Van Tran is a licensed vocational nurse who is well-known by residents and team members for
giving excellent customer service. As the full-time evening nurse for The Lodge at the Terraces at Los
Altos, she quietly and efficiently does her work with grace and concern for the residents. She consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty in providing a nurturing environment for Lodge residents.
Van responds quickly to emergency calls from residents and provides consistent, competent, loving
care. Her supervisors say they can always trust Van to handle the department in their absence. One
resident’s words describe her well: “Van is always smiling and pleasant, and if a resident seems to need
a hug, she readily offers it. She consistently supplies superior service.”
Francisco Valdivia Wait Staff Lead, The Terraces of Los Gatos, Los Gatos, Calif.
Francisco is a 12-year veteran of The Terraces of Los Gatos where he leads the dining room’s wait
staff. Residents and team members alike say his warm and welcoming personality puts them at ease.
And his attention to detail is remarkable. In fact, residents are always impressed by Francisco’s ability
to remember their tastes and preferences.
For Francisco, excellent customer service also means ensuring the dining room runs smoothly. His
team members count on his time management and operational planning skills to keep their day running
smoothly too. Residents often say that Francisco makes their dining experience special and satisfying.
ABHOW Words
Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
10
Pacific Meadows Renews
Its Lease on the Good Life
The million-dollar view outside
Mickey Angelo’s window is a real
estate developer’s dream. Knowing
it’s hers to keep – well, that’s priceless.
“It’s absolutely beautiful, isn’t it?” says Angelo
proudly. A moment later, the 80-year-old’s vivacious
voice is stifling a giggle. “This is Carmel, after all.”
It’s an inside joke that Pacific Meadows residents
know well – a light-hearted play on the exclusivity of
their Carmel, Calif., address and the circumstance of
their limited incomes. ABHOW’s recent $7 million
eco-friendly rehabilitation of the affordable housing
community is giving Angelo and her 200-plus neighbors even more reason to smile.
The six-month renovation included the installation
of high-tech solar panels that have effectively eliminated residents’ monthly gas and electric bills. The
$2 million photovoltaic system was made possible in
part by the receipt of federal tax credits for renewable
energy, as well as incentives provided by Pacific Gas
& Electric through its Multifamily Affordable Solar
Housing (MASH) program.
Other campus improvements include droughttolerant landscaping, lighted walkways, exterior
paint and siding, new interior fixtures, carpet and
energy-saving appliances. Those changes were paid
for in large part by the proceeds of tax-exempt
bonds, low-income housing tax credits and debt
restructuring, along with a $625,000 loan from
Monterey County.
Pacific Meadows’ $2 million solar installation is the largest in
Carmel history. The photovoltaic system has eliminated residents’
gas and electric bills.
Ancel Romero, ABHOW’s senior vice president
for affordable housing, calls it “one of the most complex redevelopment projects in California history.”
Faced with mounting property finance and structural
problems at the 21-year-old apartment community,
ABHOW managed to keep it out of the hands of private developers long enough to put together a workable redevelopment plan.
It was no small feat. Perched on a hill with sterling
views of Monterey Bay, and with world famous Pebble
Beach just around the corner, Pacific Meadows sits
squarely on top of one of the most sought-after parcels
of real estate in the U.S.
“We were determined to keep our residents in their
homes and preserve the community for future generations of low-income seniors, but we also wanted
to honor our commitment to Carmel and make this
a beautiful, environmentally friendly property they
could be proud of as well,” says Romero.
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Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
11
A Musical Legacy Lives On
Autumn, 1945. Trains all over the
U.S. were filled with newly demobilized troops. Among them, traveling
from Philadelphia to Denver, was a
young man with a French horn.
he got a job selling sodas at outdoor summer concerts.
One night, with his concession box around his neck, he
met famed composer Dmitri Mitropoulos, who was then
conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony. Mitropoulos
let him audition and then said, “I’m very sorry …”
At the tender age of 17, Jim Callahan was on his way to
take up a position with the Denver Symphony Orchestra.
Callahan was dismayed – but Mitropoulos wasn’t finished. “I’m very sorry,” he continued, “that I don’t have a
vacancy in my French horn section.” As it turned out, the
Meanwhile, in Oakland, Calif., the woman who
would one day be his wife was studying voice at Holy
Names College. They wouldn’t meet for several years,
but when they did, Jim and Margaret Callahan would
pursue parallel music careers and start a musical dynasty. Today, the couple make their home at ABHOW’s
Piedmont Gardens in Oakland.
When the Korean War started four years later, Jim
was in Washington, D.C., playing with the Air Force
Band. He began taking music classes at Catholic
University, and in one of them he met Margaret, who
was pursuing a master’s degree in liturgical music.
Jim Callahan took up the French horn as a high school
freshman in Philadelphia. The summer he graduated,
conductor of the Denver Symphony did, and before long
Callahan was on a train heading west.
“I didn’t want to become a soloist,” she recalls. “I didn’t
have the desire to be up on stage alone in front of people.”
Having sung with the Berkeley Chamber
Singers after she graduated from college,
Margaret joined several small choruses in
Washington, including one connected with
the Washington Cathedral. After she finished
her degree, the couple married and a few
years later moved to Oakland.
Jim would play with the San Francisco
Symphony for 30 years and the San Francisco
Opera for almost as long. After devoting 15
years to raising their family, Margaret resumed
singing with the Berkeley Chamber Singers.
A shared love for music and family have united Jim and Margaret Callahan for nearly 60 years. The couple make their home at Piedmont Gardens in Oakland, Calif.
“It’s wonderfully rewarding to be in any
kind of group, whether instrumental or vocal,” she says. “It’s like a new family.”
Continued on page 13
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Dorough Joins LeadingAge Fellows
Tom Dorough is a yes man. When
ABHOW called in 2007 asking him
to lead the company’s then struggling
continuing care retirement community in Phoenix, Ariz., Dorough said
yes – though it meant walking away
from a successful 20-year career as a
hotel executive.
Yes, he said, to leaving behind five-star resorts, golf,
celebrities and haute cuisine. Yes, to a new career in
aging services, a certainly rewarding but surely less
glamorous line of work that Dorough knew virtually
nothing about.
Dorough got another call last summer, this time
with the news he’d been chosen for a prestigious fellowship to the 2011 LeadingAge Leadership Academy.
The yearlong program is an intensive process of learning how to maximize and leverage one’s personal
strengths, network and engage with peers, explore
next-level thinking and put new aging service initiatives into play. This time, Dorough didn’t simply say
yes – he exclaimed it.
“I’m about halfway through at this point, and I can
tell you that already I’ve gained a lot of self-awareness
around my own leadership style and how I can apply
that with my team,” says Dorough, now in his third
year as executive director of The Terraces of Phoenix.
Dorough’s team members credit his highly positive, innovative and inquisitive leadership habits with
turning things around at the community in a big way.
Residents are happy, employee morale is up and oc-
The Terraces of Phoenix Executive Director Tom Dorough is the
fifth ABHOW leader to be chosen as a LeadingAge fellow.
cupancy is at or near capacity across all levels of care.
Most striking is the better than 75 percent improvement in employee turnover.
None of this is a surprise to the man who both
hired Dorough and nominated him for the fellowship.
“Tom’s leadership has transformed The Terraces
of Phoenix,” says Jeff Glaze, senior vice president and
chief operations manager. “If he can do what he’s
done there in so short a time, imagine what he’ll do
for our company and for the field of aging services after completing the LeadingAge Leadership Academy.”
The academy’s 33 fellows break into smaller groups
and meet up several times a year at site visits held
around the country. Dorough’s first trip to an innovative
affordable housing community in Boston stirred up all
kinds of ideas. He was particularly affected by the building’s high-tech capabilities for residents with limited
Continued on page 13
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Dorough Joins LeadingAge Fellows
A Musical Legacy Lives On
mobility, and finds himself wondering aloud what it would take to
make similar improvements at ABHOW communities.
Their own family grew to eight children
– four daughters accomplished at musical
performance and four sons involved with the
family’s well-respected businesses, Piedmont
Piano and Callahan Piano. Both enterprises
began with a piano tuning and repair service
Jim started in 1957.
Continued from page 12
Continued from page 11
He’s also exploring the possibility of what he calls a “CCRC
without walls,” which would allow seniors living near ABHOW
communities to participate in wellness and lifestyle activities
there for a fee, without signing on as a full-time resident.
“People ideally want to age in their homes, but they like the
CCRC model because of the social interactions and stimulating
activities offered there,” says Dorough, who hopes to develop the
idea further and someday pilot it at his community. “We should
be looking at new and different ways to connect people to our
communities, and vice versa.”
Dorough is ABHOW’s fifth LeadingAge fellow. In fact, the company has been represented each year since the academy’s inception five years ago. Prior fellows include: Alex Candalla, executive
director of The Terraces of Los Gatos in Los Gatos, Calif.; Adnan
Hasan, executive director of Grand Lake Gardens in Oakland,
Calif.; Paul Jepson, assistant vice president of care services; and
Ancel Romero, senior vice president for affordable housing.
“We rented a garage and bought a piano
someplace and put it in there and fixed it up,”
he says. “That’s the way it started.” In 2009,
Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker John
Korty made a film, “Miracle in a Box,” about
Callahan Piano’s restoration of the 1927
Steinway piano that was the grand prize of
the First Berkeley Piano Competition.
“Everybody loves music in the family,”
says Margaret. “We feel so blessed we’ve had
such a rich experience of music all our lives
and that our children are musical, too.”
Girls Get Their Kicks at Tahoe Senior Plaza
Continued from page 6
“Sometimes I wonder where the therapy is coming
from,” she says. “Is it from us to them, or from them to us?”
Cooper says sometimes the best way for Tahoe
Senior Plaza to serve the surrounding community is to
simply say yes to opportunities that arise.
Residents look on proudly as the Sakura Dojo girls show their stuff.
“I think there are a lot of people in the community
who would love to do things [at Tahoe Senior Plaza],
but they just don’t know that it’s accessible,” says
Cooper. “We don’t have problems getting involvement
from the community. They enjoy giving.”
ABHOW Words
Sharing Our Stories
MARCH 2011
14
ABHOW Launches Interactive Website
The closing session of the 2011
Annual Meeting saw the unveiling of
ABHOW’s new interactive website.
Company leaders said the redesign was aimed at
bringing new energy to the discussion around optimal
aging and lifelong well-being.
Using the power of story, the new website sharpens
its focus on ABHOW’s engaging residents, awardwinning communities and leading-edge company. Rich
with smart, clean graphics, robust content and powerful
photography, the new abhow.com illustrates the company’s longstanding commitment to its founding principles and faith-based values.
“Everything we do at ABHOW comes back to creating vibrant, thriving communities, and the website is
our first opportunity to welcome a resident, potential
resident or their family to ABHOW,” said President and
CEO David Ferguson. “The new website also conveys
what sets us apart in the senior living arena – things like
social accountability, innovation and service excellence.”
ABHOW’s longtime corporate communications firm,
The Signal Hill Company of Cary, N.C., designed and
will manage the new website. Hosting and technical services will be provided by Signal Hill partner Sitemason
of Nashville, Tenn.
6120 Stoneridge Mall Rd. 3rd Floor Pleasanton, CA 94588
phone: 1-925-924-7150
toll-free: 1-800-222-2469
fax: 1-925-924-7232
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Published by the Strategic Planning and Communications Department Kay Kallander, Senior Vice President e-mail [email protected]
ABHOW, National and State Websites:
ABHOW: abhow.com
LeadingAge: leadingage.org
Aging Services of Arizona: agingservicesofaz.org
Aging Services of California: aging.org
Aging Services of Washington: agingwa.org
“American Baptist Homes of the West, as an expression of
Christian mission, seeks to enhance the independence, well-being
and security of older people through the provision of housing,
health care and supportive services.”