Village Life - The Village at Brookwood newsletter - November 2021

Village Life Fall/Winter 2021

Beautiful Enhancements Create an Inviting Community

ALSO INSIDE: • Meet The Village’s Very Own Renaissance Man • Discover Lifelong Learning at Elon University • Step into the Village Tavern

Enhancing Our Sense of Togetherness Oh, what a difference a year makes! This time last year, we were in the midst of challenging times brought about by the rise of COVID-19. We sheltered in place – staying away from family, friends and the places and activities we love – in an effort to combat this virus. During those months of isolation, we longed for togetherness, fellowship and relationships, and we hoped for a brighter day. Those long and often difficult months gave many of us a new perspective on life and on how important togetherness truly is to us.

As things slowed down drastically during the early months of COVID, our team capitalized on that time and made some remarkable changes to enhance the beauty of our campus. Newly created entrances exemplify a sense of pride through luxury and creativity, while accurately representing the tone of our campus and the history of our community. New walking paths and winding sidewalks throughout campus speak to the importance of vitality and inspire well-being among staff and residents.

The soon-to-be added pickleball court will accompany our putting green and chipping area to encourage physical activity through entertainment and sport. Our recently renovated tavern invites patrons to socialize with one another in a relaxed environment. And, the newly constructed patio provides an outdoor dining venue overlooking our lively pond and beautiful landscape.

Today, one year later, life has returned to some degree of normalcy for most of us. While the latest variant of COVID-19 has presented some challenges, it is not enough to deter our mission of maintaining our sense of togetherness here at The Village at Brookwood.

As the leaves begin to change and we’re greeted by cool crisp mornings of autumn in North Carolina, we will continue to live life together in fellowship here at The Village at Brookwood, where residents enjoy luxurious amenities, exceptional services and life-enhancing experiences. From our commitment to wellness, in all its forms, to our appreciation of nature and our quest to enhance togetherness – we truly enjoy the best of all worlds at The Village at Brookwood.

Are you searching for the best of all worlds? If so, I hope you’ll come see us.

Michael Garland Executive Director 2

The year 2021 brought an influx of new residents to The Village at Brookwood – some life-long natives of our own county, others hailing from as far away as California and Florida. Each new resident brings unique stories, personalities and talents to our campus, and we are grateful they have chosen to become part of our community!

Ben & Helen Benford Montgomery, AL Jane Braden Palm Beach Gardens, FL Fred & Phoebe Brinskelle Durham, NC Bob Travers & Barry Canner Key West, FL J.T. Snead & Bonnie Davis Burlington, NC Joan Ehrenbeck Pittsboro, NC Tom & Sandra Harper Burlington, NC Charlotte Kelly Haw River, NC John & Rosemary Kent Valley Village, CA Helen Moore McLeansville, NC Bob Musser Burlington, NC Monie Plueger Greensboro, NC Candace Ransing Charlottesville, VA Doris Simpson Burlington, NC Nathan Smith Raleigh, NC Gary Wooten Burlington, NC

Where Residents Enjoy Good Friends, Fellowship and Food Every community needs a neighborhood tavern where you can cheer on your favorite team AND enjoy good food and drinks. With the addition of a liquor license, The Village Tavern is now a full-service bar offering cocktails along with beer, wine and appetizers. Soon, the Tavern will also act as a third dining venue and offer a full menu.

“Currently we offer a variety of seasonal standard wines and beer along with standard and craft cocktails, as well as appetizers such as crab dip and nachos,” says Anthony Ricciuti, Director of Dining Services. “We have plans to launch a menu and expand on the food options, making it something that stands out from Edith Street Café and Lakeside Dining.”

When Village residents desired a full-service bar, the original plan was to have it up and running after the venue’s renovation was complete. However, after delays in the process for a liquor license and then the COVID-19 shutdown, The Village Tavern

opened in March 2021 as a place to cheer on the Tar Heels or Blue Devils, play a game of pinochle, or just enjoy a drink together.

“We are now open regularly from 11:30 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday, and residents enjoy coming in later in the day for pre-dinner cocktails and fellowship,” Ricciuti says. “And we are excited about rolling out the new menu once we have it completed!”

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carpet because it is extremely durable, waterproof and low maintenance.

A New Look Comes to The Village In the same way that many homeowners nested and made improvements to their homes during the COVID-19 shutdown, The Village at Brookwood took the opportunity to undertake numerous renovations to update and improve the building and the campus.

“It was time for an update,” says Cary Hinely, Director of Facility Services.

“The interior was 18 years old, and we always have to stay ahead of the trends in order to keep up with other retirement communities — and appeal to a new generation of retirees.”

A Fresh Look The Village Landing is an independent living space with 110 apartments. The building’s sunny yellow and green color scheme has been changed to a more modern palette that incorporates more neutral colors to help the space feel 4

The Village at Brookwood utilized LVT in the building’s lobby and changed the carpet throughout the building. “We replaced the old dark green and yellow carpet with a gray and blue carpet that has a woven accent look,” Hinely said.

In addition the lobby’s wall color was changed to blue, and the main walls on each floor became taupe with blue accent walls at the entrance of each apartment.

“We began renovations in the spring of 2020, but with supply chain issues and COVID, it has taken a little longer to complete each floor than we anticipated,” Hinely said. “We should be completed this December.”

fresh and airy. “Our interior decorator worked with a residents’ committee to choose paint and floor colors,” Hinely says. “We started with the first floor, and each quarter we have been renovating another floor.”

Senior living communities are evolving to move away from trendy designs to natural looking designs, and manufacturers are releasing betterlooking, more durable materials that meet moisture-proof and antimicrobial needs. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is often being utilized instead of wood and

Better Connection Another exciting update for residents is the addition of 7700 of square feet of sidewalks throughout the campus.

The sidewalks were installed in August and provide a much-needed benefit for community members.

“We didn’t have any sidewalks down the main streets,” Hinely says. “We have had the intention of adding them for several years, and a lot of the residents wanted it as well.”

According to the American Association of Retired Persons, eight in 10 Americans prefer being in a community that offers sidewalks and good places to walk, and people who live in neighborhoods with sidewalks are 47 percent more likely than those who live in areas without sidewalks to be active at least 39 minutes a day.

“Sidewalks play an important role in community life,” Hinely says. “Adding sidewalks has improved the safety of the campus because residents no longer need to walk or use scooters and wheelchairs on the street to get around, and they promote connectivity and activity.”

The sidewalks run along the righthand side of the road from Rockwood Avenue at the gatehouse to Hermitage Avenue. A sidewalk was also added along the main entrance going to Village Square.

Secure Access In October 2020, the Village at Brookwood opened a gatehouse at the entrance to the property.

“Before the addition of the gatehouse, anyone could access the property,” Hinely said. “Now the gatehouse is staffed 24-7.”

The gate at the entrance looks like a section of fence. Residents have a sticker in their windshield and pull up to a resident entrance where a sensor recognizes the sticker and opens

the gate. All contractors and other visitors gain access with security at the gatehouse.

“Safety and security are always foremost in our minds for our community members,” Hinely says.

“The addition of a gatehouse is just one more way we provide that sense of security at The Village.”

Outside Activities Another trend during COVID-19 has been the focus on outdoor spaces, and The Village is leading the way here as well. Changes include: • The installation of a new pickle ball court. This sport combines elements of tennis, ping pong and badminton, and is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. “This is a simple, low impact exercise that retirees want in their communities,”

Hinely says. “And our community members are no different — many of them are already playing at other locations and are excited that we will have a court by the end of the year.”

• The relocation of the putting green. “Always a favorite, our putting green will now be located near the new pickle ball court,” Hinely says.

• The addition of a pergola on the patio area of Lakeside Dining. “The pergola provides shade as the sun sets, as well as protection from bad weather,” Hinely says.

• A new fountain in the pond for aeration. “The pond is a centerpiece of our community,” Hinely says, “and this will allow residents to enjoy the water and the lights even more.”

Ready to visit and see all the changes?

The replacement of 19-year-old signs with larger, new, attractive signage on the corners of Rockwood and Edgewood and Rockwood and Brookwood, will keep you from missing the turn to come in, according to Hinely, who is excited about the receipt of the September 2021 Appearance Award from the City of Burlington.

“We are proud of all the changes and are always ready to welcome more people to our lovely community,” says Hinely.

The Village at Brookwood team accepted the Appearance Award from the City of Burlington for the month of September 2021.

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Photo: Sam Roberts, Burlington Times-News

Finding the Perfect Combination It may be an overused term, but there is no better way to describe Dr. Richard Cox than “renaissance man.” His two master’s degrees are in sociology/psychology and administration of higher education, and his three doctorates are in medicine, psychology, and theology. He also has three honorary doctoral degrees recognizing his scientific and humanitarian work. On top of that, he is an accomplished musician – not just as a multi-instrument performer, but also in composition.

And, he is happy to call The Village at Brookwood home.

Richard’s career includes teaching at Duke University Medical Center and Georgetown University Medical School, being an Oxford Scholar in psychology, and the ministry. He also has consulted for the World Health Organization and the United Nations, among other groups.

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By Ann Davis-Rowe

“By nature of my multiple trainings,” he says, he consulted mainly in higher education, but also in health and human services. He often gave advice in personnel and other human resource matters, like setting up programs and working on administrative structure, as well as screening candidates for overseas positions and ensuring they were prepared medically, like with vaccines, and with education for their children. When not solving the world’s problems, he taught and performed at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy.

Richard and his wife, Betty, began dating when he was 14 and she was 16, back in their hometown of Decatur, Ill. They were married for just seven days short of 70 years, and in that time lived in many places. They were residing in Colorado when Betty said – “and she was right” – to move to North Carolina to be near different grandchildren than those they had previously seen more of.

After some time in Chapel Hill – home to two of their children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren – they began looking for a community that included health care. “We did a lot of research,” says Richard, whose varied history includes consulting for groups specializing in older adult care. “We wanted someplace that was financially stable, that had a continuum of health care and that had values that matched ours. The Village at Brookwood was a perfect combination.”

In particular, the Coxes liked that The Village at Brookwood is tied to a huge medical network, which leads to long-term stability as an organization, and that the community is made up of residents “who aren’t trying to keep up with the Joneses,” but, rather, people who have similar interests in staying active and enjoying all that the campus has to offer.

Before her passing, Betty went through the continuum of care at The Village at Brookwood, including Memory Support and Skilled Nursing. “It was marvelous care”, says Richard. “The staff here is so loving, caring and involved. They do not treat you as a number, but as a member of the family.”

He encourages anyone looking at a Continuing Care Retirement Community – also known as a Life Plan Community – to do so through a holistic lens. As he says, “there is no point living somewhere with the most amazing food if you don’t have good neighbors, or in the most beautiful apartment if there’s nothing to do on campus.”

Dr. Richard Cox refuses to settle down. He is still extremely active playing and composing music, painting and publishing.

Some of these pursuits give back directly to The Village at Brookwood. All the artwork he creates is donated to the community, which auctions it off. The proceeds go directly to the Employee Appreciation Fund, as do the sales from his publications. His most recent book was published this past August and is available on Amazon. Secularism, the Church, and the Way Forward is a dialogue between Richard and a young mentee regarding the ways the Western Protestant church is changing – or not – and how it needs to adapt to the changes in society and culture at large.

And when it comes to doing things on campus, and even off campus, Richard is still very active. “Inaction produces atrophy,” he says. He continues reading, writing and publishing; painting; playing the trumpet; and is very involved with several groups.

He also appreciates that at The Village at Brookwood, residents are invited to participate, to be part of committees, and to help make decisions. After spending so many years analyzing program structures and working in psychology at the highest levels, there’s no one else better to summarize why he chose to make his home here.

“When you take pencil to paper, it all adds up to so much more.”

To learn more about all that The Village at Brookwood has to offer, contact us to schedule a personalized tour of our campus:

(336) 570-8440 • (800) 282-2053

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Around The Village

Specials thanks to Dr. Connie Book, President of Elon University for sharing her time and vision with our residents and team members.

Residents and staff enjoyed an on-campus visit from Socksquatch prior to seeing the Burlington Sock Puppets in action at Burlington Athletic Stadium. It was a fun evening of great baseball, yummy food, and fellowship! We had a “ball!”

The Sales Team (Betsy Huneycutt, Director of Sales & Clark Bennett, Sales Counselor) hosted a Mingle with Marketing with doughnuts and coffee!

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Our monthly Wine Club at The Village includes 2-3 bottles of wine, hand-selected by our area’s only advanced Sommelier, plus member discounts, priority reservations for wine dinners, and more.

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A Highlight of Life at The Village at Brookwood One of the benefits of living at The Village of Brookwood is the opportunity to get involved with Life@Elon. For the past 11 years, Elon University — the private, liberal arts university located just minutes from The Village — has offered non-credit lifelong learning opportunities for people ages 50 and older.

The university’s continuing education program offers fall and spring classes both in-person and virtually. Topics this fall ranged from “Music Theatre at Elon” to “How Media Shapes Politics.” “Social Media: Understanding Our Grandchildren” to “Stem Cell Research and the Future of Health Care.” These weekly presentations, on a variety of different topics, are conducted in an appealing, engaging format.

“This year, The Village at Brookwood has 56 residents participating in Life@Elon,” says Ashley Day, Life Enrichment Coordinator. “This program is something our residents eagerly anticipate each year. They enjoy meeting other senior adults in the community, fostering lifelong education, and enjoying the beauty of the local university.”

Tuition is $150 per year, and when you move into The Village, you are offered a full one-year tuition, which includes a complimentary membership to the Belk Library on the Elon campus.

The Village also offers transportation to the in-person classes.

“We believe lifelong learning is an important part of aging successfully,” Day says, “and for many of our residents, this program is one of the highlights of living at The Village at Brookwood.”

Elon University Founded in

1889 656

acre campus

447

full-time faculty

7,117

students from 46 states and DC and 49 countries

#1

ranking for excellence in undergraduate teaching by US News & World Report

2.8

miles from The Village at Brookwood

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Back and better than ever:

Saturday, December 11 | 10 am - 2 pm Mark your calendars now and plan to join us in the Village Square for The Village at Brookwood’s annual Merry Market.

Launched in 2016, the Merry Market has became a highly anticipated holiday event that brings together residents, families, staff, volunteers, vendors and the greater Burlington and Alamance County community.

Betsy Huneycutt, Director of Sales at The Village at Brookwood, along with a team made up of staff representing all departments at the community, are already planning for an expanded event for 2021. “Last year would have been our 5th annual event, but keeping our residents and staff safe during COVID was a higher priority,” explained Betsy. “So, this year we’re coming back even bigger and better than before!”

In previous years, vendors and exhibitors have included Brown Dog Hosiery, Granolicious, Kitcheneez, Lush, Lyndall’s Turnings, Mary Kay, Paparazzi, Piecemaker’s Guild, Rodan & Fields, Thirty-One and more.

“We are lining up the same quality of vendors, and will again have a bake sale and gift wrapping to raise funds for Christmas Cheer” said Betsy. “But this year we are adding local food trucks, live music, plus a visit from Santa. This is a fun event that appeals to the whole family. Children of ALL ages are welcome!”

So grab your Christmas shopping list, don your Santa hat and a festive face mask and join us the second Saturday in December!

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Cold Weather Tips for Seniors Burlington is definitely blessed with a fairly mild climate. During the winter, that means the average high temperature is 50 in January and 54 in February, while the average low is only 30 in January and 32 in February. And then, before you know it, it’s March and temperatures start heading back up into the 60s!

But a mild climate and a short winter don’t mean that older adults, who are more susceptible to cold, can let their guard down. Sometimes medications, such as those used for heart conditions, can prevent the body from regulating temperature normally. In addition, simply aging can decrease the body’s ability to feel changes in temperature. When this happens, hypothermia can be a real risk.

Here are some tips to keep safe, warm and healthy this winter: • Dress in layers both indoors and outdoors.

• Wear several layers of loose-fitting clothing, which traps warm air and keeps you warmer. Tight clothing can keep blood from flowing freely and make you lose body heat.

• When you go outside, cover all exposed skin. This includes hands, feet, ears, face and head.

• Mittens may be a better hand cover than gloves because they allow the fingers to touch, which generates heat.

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can cause the body to lose heat more rapidly than other drinks.

• Soups and stews with a lot of vegetables and little salt can help warm up and nourish the body.

• Drink plenty of water (six to eight glasses) to avoid dehydration, particularly when the weather is cold and dry.

Of course, the good news is that when the weather outside is not so delightful, the cozy comfort of The Village is. And with plenty of social activities, dining, exercise options and other life enrichment and lifelong learning activities, you almost don’t have to go outside at all!

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PRSRT STD US Postage

PAID

Winston-Salem NC Permit No. 319

1860 Brookwood Avenue Burlington, NC 27215

For More Info Ready to learn more about a vibrant retirement lifestyle at our premier Life Plan Community?

Contact Betsy or Clark today to...

✓ Schedule a no-obligation tour

of our newly renovated campus

✓ Enjoy a complimentary lunch

in Edith Street Café

✓ Learn more about our Wine Club ✓ Request a free brochure by mail

(336) 570-8440 (800) 282-2053

VillageAtBrookwood.org/contact

 Scan with

your smart phone or tablet camera!

Redefining Wellness

Here, at The Village at Brookwood, we define wellness as more than the absence of disease. Our whole-person wellness program emphasizes the six dimensions of wellness — emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual — to encourage continual well-being throughout life.

At The Village, you can nurture your overall well-being by joining an exercise class or swimming a few laps in our heated saltwater pool, honing your skills in the woodworking shop or art studio, gathering with friends for a game of billiards or mahjong, taking a class at Elon University, picking up a good book in the campus library, joining one of the residents’ councils. Remember, your mental and physical health as you age doesn’t primarily depend on whether you have good genes — it rests more on the choices you make in diet and exercise, the pursuit of mental challenges, your close personal relationships and your opportunities for productive activities.