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of Attention New Facility Focuses on Wellness Lifestyle at Rolling Green Village
A 1 Hoke Smith Blvd., Greenville, SC 29615 864.987.4612 www.RollingGreenVillage.com
n old poster on Blane Ingle’s new office wall at Rolling Green Village proclaims “Any Age is the Right Age to Exercise.” “It doesn’t quite match the rest of the artwork,” he chuckles and, indeed, the simple image is an aesthetic outlier to the striking prints and paintings throughout the rest of RGV’s justopened Health & Wellness Center, “but isn’t it a great message?” And Ingle – as Wellness Coordinator at this vibrant retirement community – is an enthusiastic messenger who encourages each and every resident to become as active as they’re physically able. Options range from organized fitness classes to getcha-moving activities like ballroom dancing to wellness-related field trips and hiking excursions … or simply daily constitutionals along the campus’s quiet walking trails.
“Oh, he keeps us going,” says Lynn Woodman, a Rolling Green patio home owner and editor of the community’s “Village Voice.” With a youthful demeanor that belies her years, Woodman is part of a thrice-weekly exercise group that gathers, bright and early, for a varied mix of resistance training, stretching, cardio, floor exercises – “something that looks like a push-up,” she laughs – even modified step aerobics. “Blane makes it so much fun.” Woodman’s circle, about a dozen strong, has been sweating together for years. “We have really bonded – it’s become more than an exercise group,” she says, noting they also share a postworkout breakfast that’s oft as lively as the fitness routine itself. “I love this class for so many reasons. It just gives you so much more energy.”
Enriching Lives Woodman has always said Rolling Green Village is THE place to enjoy a happy, healthy retirement – and yesterday, she cheerfully added one more reason to her list of why: Thursday marked the official grand opening of the community’s muchanticipated Health & Wellness Center. A combination of both new and renovated space, this 33,000-squarefoot expansion builds on Rolling Green’s commitment to provide a full – and fulfilling – continuum of care for
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seniors, according to Roy Chamlee, President of RGV’s Board of Trustees. “We want to provide the best post-retirement living experience in town,” says Chamlee, whose mother lives at Rolling Green. “This should be a time of life people can really enjoy.” The Center comprises 10,800 square feet of brand-new wellness space as well as a revamped skilled nursing unit with 22 additional beds and rehab suites for temporary stays. Along with an aerobics activity room, cardio/strength training room,
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indoor swimming pool and locker facilities – and a café, too – there’s a wellness clinic, massage therapy room and physical/occupational/ speech therapy suite. “Rolling Green strives to provide an environment that enriches our residents’ lives with warmth and comfort,” says RGV Healthcare Administrator Hope Hickman, noting the new Center offers easy access to health-care services such as dental, therapy, podiatry, vision care and chiropractic, just to name a few. “Our
goal is to ensure a happy, fruitful and exciting retirement.” With that in mind, RGV’s strategic planning committee solicited residents’ input on every aspect of the health and wellness expansion, Chamlee says, because “our number one priority is meeting the needs and desires of the people who live here.”
Rocking On The idea of seniors quietly rocking away their golden years has been replaced with the ideal of a vigorous
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retirement designed to help them age well. Today’s retirees want quality years that are active, interesting and as independent as possible. “Rolling Green Village fully believes that, in order to attain a resident’s highest level of independence, it is important to focus on wellness,” Hickman says. Wellness comes in many ways – emotional, intellectual, spiritual and, of course, physical – so the retirement community provides programs and activities to nourish them all.
“Our residents have so many options to attain health and wellness,” Hickman says. The 175-acre campus boasts all the new amenities – the group fitness room, the cardio/strength room, the swimming pool – along with several hiking trails and pristine lakes. A jam-packed calendar of special interest activities –book clubs, Bible studies, arts groups, sewing circles and more – stimulate plenty of social interaction. “Our campus makes for a great recipe for a healthy lifestyle.” Rolling Green Village is home to a diverse group of seniors of varying ages and varying fitness levels, too, so the biggest challenge is meeting everyone’s different needs. That’s why Ingle schedules a compelling mix of group fitness classes in the activities room – everything from low-impact aerobics to yoga and tai chi to calisthenics – as well as water aerobics, lap swimming and hydrotherapy in the brand-new pool.
www . R olling G reen V illage . co m
He also provides a wellness screen to interested residents, assessing their current fitness level, then setting reasonable goals and re-measuring in 6 and 12 months to monitor progress. The buzz surrounding the new building is more than motivating.
{ } “Rolling Green Village fully believes that, in order to attain a resident’s highest level of independence, it is important to focus on wellness.” – Hope Hickman, Rolling Green Village Health Care Administrator
“We are thrilled!” says Ingle. “This wonderful new wellness space increases the options for all our residents.” Ingle is particularly pumped about the cardio/strength training room filled with Keiser pneumatic
equipment which ensures everyone – even those with physical challenges – can enjoy the benefit of exercise. “Keiser is good for a lot of reasons. It’s easy to use – you can control the amount of resistance without messing with pins or plates. And since it’s pneumatic, it’s softer on the joints,” Ingle says. It’s important to have dedicated machines for abs, legs and lower back, he adds, “because if you can keep their legs strong and their core strong, you can keep them independent longer.”
Going Local With oversight provided by Life Care Services, building Rolling Green’s new Health & Wellness Center was a home-grown effort. “This has definitely been a Greenville-centric project,” says Chamlee. McMillan Pazdan Smith provided the architectural design while SYS Constructors served as
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the general contractor which, in turn, utilized local subcontractors. “We were excited about working on this project in our hometown,” says Cullen Pitts, Principal/Director of McMillan Pazdan Smith’s Health Care Studio. The architectural firm works on many a medical facility across the region but admits to a personal interest in the expansion at Greenville’s most popular senior community. “We designed this as if our parents might one day be residents there.” Rolling Green Village intentionally utilizes local products and services wherever possible, according to Chamlee, but choosing a Greenvillebased architect and contractor for the Health & Wellness Center wasn’t merely a matter of address. “These local companies turned out to be the best choice” in terms of quality and service, he says. “We benefited from their expertise.” Being local ensures knowledge of all pertinent code requirements and regulations. Logistically, it allows
face-to-face meetings, gathered in a mattered of minutes, rather than video-conferences and out-of-town trips. What’s more, the architects had a native appreciation for the community’s inherent aesthetics. “The grounds are beautiful,” Pitts says. “The natural setting is superior.”
Making It Home Indeed, the Health & Wellness Center enjoys lakefront views amidst the campus’s rolling hills. Pitts further enhanced this by designing a facility that exudes a residential – rather than institutional – ambiance. The underlying challenge was ensuring everything conformed to licensing codes and accessibility requirements, but all residents will notice is a comfortable, home-like atmosphere. “What makes the difference are the small details,” Pitts says, pointing to coffered ceilings, cove lighting, crown molding and cozy color schemes. “The interior space is fresh. This is a beautiful facility.”
Rolling Green Village offers a variety of independent living options including apartments (with choices ranging from studios and efficiencies to spacious two- and three-bedroom layouts) and six neighborhoods of individual patio homes with one to three bedrooms. Housing is also available for those in need of assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care services.
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woodworking shop and, of course, the new Health & Wellness Center. An array of available services – from housekeeping to home maintenance to transportation and more – make life easy, while a varied activities calendar keeps life interesting. The pace can be as energetic, or as relaxed, as each person chooses. “Rolling Green fosters a culture of dignity and respect for all residents.
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“Rolling Green fosters a culture of dignity and respect for all residents. We listen to their needs and desires, and accommodate the services they want, when they want them. We emphasize wellness because we want our residents to enjoy a happier, healthier life.” – Eric Dudasko, Rolling Green Village Executive Director
The community’s 650 residents are surrounded by natural beauty; the idyllic campus boasts several lakes, woodlands, wildflower patches and abundant common areas. Amenities include a full-service dining room, beauty salon, library,
We listen to their needs and desires, and accommodate the services they want, when they want them,” says says RGV Executive Director Eric Dudasko. “We emphasize wellness because we want our residents to enjoy a happier, healthier life.”
For more information visit us online at www.RollingGreenVillage.com or contact Ruth Wood at ruthwood@rollinggreenvillage.com 1 Hoke Smith Blvd., Greenville, SC 29615 | 864.987.4612