Highgate at Temecula is buzzing with excitement this week as the first residents officially begin moving in to either assisted living apartments or memory care suites. The community began taking shape over a year ago, and it’s been a nearly year-long approval process to obtain state approval to move in the first resident.
Preparing for Opening Day
True to Highgate Senior Living’s holistic approach to health care, team members began fostering friendships amongst the residents that had planned to move to the community once final approval was given by the state. A series of events were scheduled pre-opening that allowed the future residents to begin making new friends and planning for their upcoming move. From wine tastings to lunch in the new assisted living community’s state of the art dining lounge, residents met and began making plans for their future new home.
With a designated Move-in Coordinator, residents were also offered assistance to begin the process of downsizing, or coordinate the logistics of the move itself.
Highgate at Temecula is Highgate Senior Living’s 9th community to open its doors. Offering a unique approach to health and wellness, Highgate brings with it a trifecta approach to wellness, recreation and dining services- viewing all three elements as equally important when it comes to resident satisfaction and offering programs that are the “first of their kind” in the Temecula senior housing market.
The activities program for assisted living residents began taking shape several months ago. “We have quite a group of active and independent folks moving in that have high expectations for the recreation program. This won’t be the ‘bingo every Thursday’ kind of schedule. We will be filling it with museum visits, trips to the theatre, casino trips, intellectual seminars, happy hours, entertainment, cooking demos and family nights,” says Executive Director, Kathleen Williams.
Highgate at Temecula will utilize a program called Sagely to track popularity and attendance to events and activities offered. “The Life Enhancement Coordinator uses Sagely to check residents into different activities or outings we have scheduled. It will email the resident’s loved one telling them what they attended, and the app also allows us to take pictures of the events and activities and include them in the emails,” Williams says.
Opening the Front Doors
“It’s been a really exciting week for us!” says Life Enrichment Coordinator, Maria Mendez. The unique anytime dining program and open-kitchen concept for assisted living residents has been among the most popular topics for residents and families this week. “Residents and family members have been taking pictures of the kitchen and the décor to share with their friends and family” says Mendez. “I can’t wait for our first food forum where residents will have an opportunity to share their crazy cravings with us so we can feature them as specials on our dining menu.”
Dining Services Director, Justin Mabunay, has led the way in transforming assisted living dining in the Temecula community. “We’ll be having our very first family event, ‘Kickin’ off the New Year at Highgate’” says Mabunay. The event is a family dinner schedule January 25 where residents and families can celebrate “this new beginning in their lives in their forever home”.
Grand Opening Scheduled for March
A grand opening has tentatively been scheduled for March. The Grand Opening will give team members, residents, families, business professionals and potential residents an opportunity to celebrate the opening of Temecula’s newest assisted living and memory care community.
