Resident Services: Offers a Helping Hand Whenever You Need It
Resident Services: Offers a Helping Hand Whenever You Need It
Our executive director, Keith Grady, wrote an interesting article about a study which found that seniors moving to a retirement community environment do not ultimately experience a difficult or particularly stressful transition.
In fact, he reported that most retirees adapt rather successfully, and their satisfaction increases as time goes on. Here at Applewood, our manager of resident services, Joan Cinque, C.A.L.A., serves as a helpful conduit to help residents settle-in, get their bearings, meet their neighbors, and offer a helping hand anytime one is needed.
“My department helps residents acclimate and start enjoying their new home starting the day they arrive here,” says Joan, a 25-year veteran of the CentraState Healthcare System. “I have great support from our team of resident ambassadors who welcome new residents, answer questions and show them around.” These peer ambassadors are comprised of friendly and outgoing men and women who have lived at Applewood long enough to offer newcomers useful tips and tools to enjoy the community to the fullest.
“We also host a lovely Newcomers Luncheon and you would be surprised how often someone–who didn’t think they knew anyone living at Applewood–bumps into an old classmate, co-worker or neighbor,” Joan says.
But Joan and her team’s duties don’t stop once you are moved in and settled. They also offer a helping hand with resident bill-paying, assistance with home service providers or any challenge where residents “need a hand.”
Lifelong Learning
Joan also oversees the Lifelong Learning segment of Applewood’s exclusive Engaged Living™ program, which hosts local university professors and professionals for talks and interactive presentations about a diverse spectrum of university-level topics such as art history, science and technology and world history and comparative religion.
Applewood also offers round-trip transportation for residents studying at the Rutgers University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Professors from Brookdale Community College’s Lifelong Learning Continuing Education teach courses here on the Applewood campus throughout the year.
Tools 4 Schools – Residents Helping Local Schools
Applewood is committed to promoting social responsibility by both staff and residents. In 2016, the community made a major commitment by launching “Tools 4 Schools,” a new partnership with the Freehold Borough School District, where residents and staff will volunteer in the district’s overburdened classrooms and through donations of school uniforms, backpacks and supplies.
Joan Cinque, manager of resident services, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and is a Certified Assisted Living Administrator (C.A.L.A.) in the state of New Jersey. To learn more about living in Applewood’s vibrant community, call 732-303-7416.