Holiday Retirement helps nation's grandparents fight to save the bedtime story

National story gathering campaign publishes children’s book, available this holiday season

LAKE OSWEGO, OR, December 04, 2015 — Every day, thousands of childhood bedtime stories are lost as another generation of storytellers (and their families) do not take the time to capture them. In an effort to save these cherished bedtime tales, Holiday Retirement, a manager of senior living communities nationwide, initiated a "story drive” earlier this year to begin collecting stories. Today, Holiday Retirement published a select few of the collected stories in a new children’s book, Bedtime Stories: Original Tales Shared from One Generation to the Next. 

“We all have extraordinary memories of our parents and grandparents tucking us into bed with heartwarming stories and lessons that inspired us to dream,” said Jamison Gosselin, vice president of marketing, communications, and resident

enrichment for Holiday Retirement. “It is an honor for us to collect bedtime stories from residents we serve and publish a few to share with the public. What’s more, a few of our residents created artwork to accompany the stories allowing us to produce an amazing book for the generations to share.”

The act of storytelling is one that builds connections, boosts creativity, and offers a venue for children to learn from their loved ones. And with a resource found at the back of Bedtime Stories: Original Tales Shared from One Generation to the Next, parents will have a tool to help their children connect with storytellers from different generations and write their own bedtime story as a way of preserving a family’s legacy.

“Relationships among the generations are so important as we pass along experiences, stories, and wisdom from one to the next,” said Gosselin. “Bedtimes stories are just one of many ways Holiday Retirement encourages intergenerational learning.”

This compilation of stories and poems, primarily written and illustrated by Holiday Retirement residents ranging in age from 66 to 93, will take readers through the Milky Way Galaxy, on a zoo adventure, and for a ride on Mortimer Bean’s crazy machine.

Purchase a copy of Bedtime Stories: Original Tales Shared from One Generation to the Next for $7.99 at sharebedtimestories.com; all proceeds benefit the National Center for Families Learning, a forward-thinking non-profit organization that addresses literacy by engaging all family members in learning, individually and as a group.

Holiday Retirement will continue to collect anecdotes, original tales, and fables handed down from generation to generation. Interested individuals are invited to send their beloved stories to sharebedtimestories@gmail.com. A select number of stories will be published on Better When Shared, Holiday Retirement’s blog.

Editor’s note: Story authors and illustrators are available for interviews to elaborate on what sharing their treasured stories means to them.

Media Contact:
Brian K. Fawkes
Holiday Retirement
971-245-8337
brian.fawkes@holidaytouch.com

About Holiday Retirement
Since 1971, Holiday Retirement has endeavored to provide its signature “Holiday Touch” to residents and their families.

Today, Holiday is a trusted name in senior living and provides security, comfort, and value to independent seniors seeking a fulfilling lifestyle. Holiday operates more than 300 retirement communities, making it the second largest senior housing operator in the United States. For more information about Holiday Retirement, please call 800-322-0999 or visit www.holidaytouch.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
Denver, CO
720-726-5435
http://www.csg-pr.com

Weighing the benefits of Staying home or moving to a Retirement Community

New e-book outlines seven costs seniors and families should consider when making the important decision of where to live

Lake Oswego, OR, October 17, 2015 – Seventy-five percent of older adults plan to live in their current homes for the rest of their lives, according to the 2015 United States of Aging Survey, highlighting the latest senior trend: aging in place. While this trend may be the best option for some seniors, the hidden costs that emerge over time may make aging at home a more costly route.

Holiday Retirement uncovers the costs of aging in place, both for seniors and their loved ones, in a new e-book, “7 unexpected financial benefits of living in a senior living community.” With this senior living resource, seniors and their families can quickly gain an understanding of potential unknown costs, calculate their own anticipated expenses, and understand the benefits and drawbacks of aging in place versus moving to a senior living community.

“Letting go of a beloved home can be difficult, however time and again we hear from our new residents they wish they had not waited as long to move to one of our communities,” said Jamison Gosselin, vice president of marketing, communications, and resident enrichment for Holiday Retirement. “What seniors and their loved ones need to keep in mind is that the costs of staying put, many of which aren’t immediately apparent, can mount quickly and become a challenge as the issues of living at home alone snowball. While moving may come with short-term hassles, the long term benefits of a move to a senior living community are tremendous.”

The free resource for seniors and their families outlines seven unexpected costs that should be considered when making the important decision of where to age, including:

Unanticipated expenses associated with home ownership.

Costs associated with maintaining an active social life and community involvement.

Healthcare costs.

Intangible costs associated with caring for a loved.

For more information on aging in place versus in a community, including a cost-of-retirement checklist, visit HolidayTouch.com/why-move and request the free resource, “7 unexpected financial benefits of living in a senior living community.”

Media Contact:
Brian K. Fawkes
Holiday Retirement
971-245-8837
brian.fawkes@holidaytouch.com

About Holiday Retirement
Since 1971, Holiday Retirement has endeavored to provide its signature “Holiday Touch” to residents and their families. Today, Holiday is a trusted name in senior living and provides security, comfort, and value to independent seniors seeking a fulfilling lifestyle. Holiday operates more than 300 retirement communities, making it the second largest senior housing operator in the United States. For more information about Holiday Retirement, please call 800-322-0999 or visit www.holidaytouch.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
720-726-5435

http://www.holidaytouch.com

Holiday Retirement launches bedtime “story drive” to re-ignite cross-generational storytelling

Selected stories to be published in illustrated children’s book available this winter

Lake Oswego, OR, June 06, 2015 — Remember those tales your grandparent would tell you before bed that captured your imagination, taught you valuable life lessons, and built warm, everlasting memories? Holiday Retirement remembers and has launched a national “story drive” to collect those original tales, anecdotes, and fables that have been handed down from generation to generation.

The leading senior living provider invites every generation, from seniors to children, to share their stories at sharebedtimestories.com. A selection of the stories submitted will be published in an illustrated children’s book available this winter.

“We have the good fortune of hearing marvelous and imaginative stories from our residents each and every day as they share them with children, grandchildren, and members of our Holiday family,” said Kai Hsiao, president and CEO at Holiday Retirement. “We want to ensure these stories don’t get lost. That’s why we’re thrilled to host the sharebedtimestories.com initiative.”

Because digital media have become the predominant communications platform for Americans, less time is spent telling and reading stories. According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American reads only 19 minutes a day, and teenagers spend a meager 4.2 minutes a day reading. At the same time, a report from Nielsen shows that the average American adult spends 11 hours per day with digital media.

Recording stories and sharing them with younger generations is vital to preserving family legacy. Without capturing family stories, oral history can be lost in three generations, according to an expert from the National Archives.

Holiday Retirement is accepting story submissions until Friday, July 17, 2015. Individuals interested in submitting a story can find tips for gathering an original story from an older adult and turning it into a publishable tale at sharebedtimestories.com. Once on sale, all book proceeds will benefit the National Center for Families Learning, a charity dedicated to helping improve family literacy.

The children’s book produced from the submissions will include a selection of the stories and also serve as a tool to help children gather their own tales from different generations. A resource found at the close of the book will offer a how-to guide to help children encourage older friends and relatives to share their stories.

“We want to create opportunities for people of different generations to sit down and connect in a meaningful way,” said Jamison Gosselin, vice president of marketing, communications, and resident enrichment at Holiday Retirement. “This initiative not only captures stories, it creates an outcome – a book – that adults and seniors can share with the children in their lives for years to come.”

How to submit
Visit sharebedtimestories.com to submit a story. All story submissions must be no longer than 600 words. All stories must be original; no copyrighted material will be accepted. Adults may submit stories on behalf of children under age 13. Read the rules and regulations for the terms of the campaign. Individuals whose stories are selected will be notified at the close of the campaign in July 2015. For questions about the submission process, contact sharebedtimestories@gmail.com.

Media Contact:
Brian K. Fawkes
Holiday Retirement
(971) 245-8837
brian.fawkes@holidaytouch.com
http://www.holidaytouch.com

About Holiday Retirement
Since 1971, Holiday Retirement has endeavored to provide its signature “Holiday Touch” to residents and their families. Today, Holiday is a trusted name in senior living and provides security, comfort, and value to independent seniors seeking a fulfilling lifestyle. Holiday operates more than 300 retirement communities, making it the second largest senior housing operator in the United States. For more information about Holiday Retirement, please call 800-322-0999 or visit www.holidaytouch.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, Colo., 80206
720-726-5435
http://www.csg-pr.com

Barking up the right tree: Holiday Retirement invests in Pet therapy to boost seniors’ Health and Happiness

Leading senior living provider welcomes furry and feathered companions to improve residents’ quality of life

Lake Oswego, OR, April 10, 2015 — Holiday Retirement is turning to four-legged caregivers to improve its residents’ lives. Recognizing that animals have a singularly positive impact on the lives of its residents, the senior living provider, which operates more than 300 communities across the United States, has become increasingly dedicated to finding ways to involve animals in seniors’ lives. Holiday Retirement encourages the use of therapy pets in its communities, operates pet-friendly communities, and has just launched a series of resources focused on helping seniors connect with pets.

Increasingly, pet-friendly senior living has become a sought-after option among retirement communities across the United States. It is no surprise, given that animal companionship has proven to improve seniors’ health, reduce anxiety and depression, and even help seniors live longer lives.

“Holiday Retirement strives to provide the optimal environment for residents of our senior living communities, which is why we are dedicated to helping seniors connect with animals,” said Harvey Brownlee, chief operating officer for Holiday Retirement. “The unconditional love an animal companion provides can help ease the transition into retirement living, provide ongoing companionship, and improve overall quality of life.”

According to one of the earliest studies on pet therapy, spending time with animals helps increase longevity. A study published in 1980 showed that heart attack patients who owned pets lived longer than those who did not. More recently, a 2005 research project from UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles found that a 12-minute visit with dogs helped heart and lung function and decreased anxiety.

Here are four examples of the ways in which Holiday Retirement communities have connected their residents with therapeutic access to animals.

1. Cats and dogs may be considered the “usual suspects” as therapy pets, but for residents at Jordan Oaks in Cary, North Carolina, miniature horses provide smiles and a dose of nostalgia. Today’s seniors often grew up in small towns or rural areas where riding horses was a common pastime; seeing and interacting with the miniature horses from Horse Hugs brings back special memories.

2. At Kittery Estates in Kittery, Maine, residents know firsthand how much a therapy dog can help increase socialization and minimize feelings of depression. Their weekly visits from Canine Companion Organization are filled with smiles and laughter. One resident even takes the opportunity to leave her wheelchair to sit on the floor with the dogs.

3. For residents of River’s Edge in Savannah, Georgia, tropical birds make regular visits. Trained to be hands-on through “Wings of Joy,” these birds are a welcomed treat for residents – making themselves at home on seniors’ shoulders and performing special tricks.

4. At Astor House at Springbrook Oaks in Newberg, Oregon, therapy pets come in all shapes and sizes. From miniature ponies to a black lab named Cherokee, residents truly enjoy the regular visits from these animal friends. Additionally, residents have made trips out to a small ranch in Oregon where they feed and pet the horses. “I love the smell of horse on my hands; I don’t plan on washing my hands for a few days,” says one resident.

“For seniors who have pets, we want them to be able to have experiences in our communities that benefit their quality of life,” said Brownlee. “For those who do not have pets, therapy pets offer an alternative in which seniors can still get these benefits.”

Holiday Retirement is dedicated to helping seniors in every living situation experience the benefits of pet companionship. If you or a loved one are interested in adopting a pet for a senior, visit holidaytouch.com/petsforseniors for a checklist, “Choosing the Perfect Pet for a Senior.” The checklist offers advice and tips for choosing a senior-friendly pet. Additionally, an infographic, “The Pet Perspective,” offers two- and four-legged friends’ viewpoint on why seniors make the best owners.

Media Contacts:
Brian K. Fawkes
Holiday Retirement
(971) 245-8837
brian.fawkes@holidaytouch.com

About Holiday Retirement
Since 1971, Holiday Retirement has endeavored to provide its signature “Holiday Touch” to residents and their families. Today, Holiday is a trusted name in senior living and provides security, comfort, and value to independent seniors seeking a fulfilling lifestyle. Holiday operates more than 300 retirement communities, making it the second largest senior housing operator in the United States. For more information about Holiday Retirement, please call 800-322-0999 or visit www.holidaytouch.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
720-726-5435
mkoch@csg-pr.com
http://www.holidaytouch.com