In 2009 The Garlands of Barrington earned the International Council on Active Aging’s most prestigious award for innovation as it related to our EngAGE program. In 2012 we were honored with the NuStep Pinnacle Award for EngAGE as well. Through The Garlands example and the ICAA’s leadership, for the past decade we created a whole new dialog throughout the industry about “engaged living.”
“Thanks in large part to The Garlands leadership, ‘engagement’ is now a buzz word we hear at every industry conference we attend, many of the industry articles we read and on several of the marketing materials we see from other senior living communities across the country,” says Dawn Kempf, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Healthcare.
Now it is time to take engagement to the next level . . .
Engagement, or making an active choice to engage with activities that are important to you and with others, is a key ingredient to creating that happiness . . . but there is more.
“Spiritual texts, guides, and gurus have long touted the messages of relaxation, ease, positivity and longevity,” says Dr. Sandra Sieber, Inspirational Wellness Director. “Science is just now catching up to this advice.”
Research now shows that when people live in a positive brain state they get something called “the happiness advantage” in which their intelligence, creativity, and energy levels increase. They:
- make better decisions
- have superior productivity
- experience less burnout and
- improve in many other ways.
The Garlands Inspira is based on the notion that the secret to happiness and joyful longevity is a healthy balance of:
- physical and mental fitness
- a sense of community and
- a positive attitude.
“The new Garlands Inspira not only based on research, it is also based on our members,” says Jill Lund, Lifestyles Director.
Over the last 15 years our members have inspired us to set goals, dream bigger and have fun! We have countless examples of members with remarkably inspiring stories about their lives before and since moving to The Garlands—health improved, interests pursued, bucket lists crossed off . . . and the list goes on. “The Inspira philosophy and name are in honor of our members past, present and future and 15 years of inspired living here at The Garlands,” says Lund.
