HomeMy WebLinkAboutPacket 03-06-07
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MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
Carmel Special Studies Committee
Annemarie Varga
February 23,2007
Sunrise Development, Inc.
Dear Special Studies Committee Member:
Attached you will find some information regarding Sunrise Senior Living. We look forward to
meeting with you on March 6 to discuss their proposal for development in Carmel.
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Introduction to Sunrise
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SUNRISE@
SENIOR LIVING
Sunrise is one of the nation's most experienced providers of both assisted
living and independent living for seniors. The company was founded in
1981 by Paul and Terry Klaassen, because they saw a lack of quality
housing options in the United States for
the elderly. They believed that the
nation's seniors would benefit from a
residential housing environment that
promoted independence and dignity,
and was designed more like a home
than an institution. Today, Sunrise owns and operates over 400 facilities
in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada with a
resident capacity exceeding 40,000. Sunrise has established a
distinguished reputation for both facility design and innovative resident
programs.
Sunrise COllllllunities
Sunrise services include a dining program plus housekeeping, laundry
service, and transportation. Also, an Activities Director maintains a full
calendar of social programs for the residents. While the typical Sunrise
home is often designed as a Victorian mansion or manor house, many
homes, such as the one proposed for Carmel, are customized so the
architectural design fits with the character of the surrounding
community. A Sunrise home looks, acts, and feels like a residence - both
inside and out. On the inside, everything is designed to be homelike _
there are no harsh fluorescent lights, ceiling tiles, or long corridors.
Instead, there is wall-to-wall carpeting, crown molding, and extensive
artwork and common area furniture. We are convinced that environment
plays a large role in the attitude and .."'. .
well being of our residents. Our
building designs have won
numerous architectural, interior
design, and land planning awards.
For more than 25 years, Sunrise
has played a leadership role in
setting industry standards by
developing innovative building
designs and resident programs.
Sunrise of Carmel
Sunrise is proposing a residence for seniors (to include both independent
and assisted living) on the parcel located at
the intersection of Route 31 and Old
Meridian Street. For this project, Sunrise
is not proposing the Victorian architecture
typical of many existing Sunrise properties.
Instead, we are considering a unique style
that blends with the local community and
nearby developments. We look forward to
the oppOltunity to discuss our plans, and our program in general. In the
meantime, if there are questions or comments, please feel free to contact Tim
Hedges at (312) 255-9986.
Sunrise Homes in the Chicago Area
Barrington
Bloomingdale
Buffalo Grove
Crystal Lake
Flossmoor
Glen Ellyn
Gurnee
Highland Park
Lincoln Park (Chicago)
N aperville North
Naperville South
Palos Park
Park Ridge
Schaumburg
Willowbrook
Wilmette
Sunrise Homes in the Indianapolis Area
Fall Creek Willow Lake Carmel
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It began with a simple but passionately held desire
to introduce a fresh alternative for seniors and
their families-one that could offer a new op-
tion to those seniors with long-term care needs
who otherwise might be forced to live out their
lives in a sterile, institutional
environment that focused on
caring for people rather than
caring about people.
This passion for change
stemmed from the Klaassens'
own experiences. Terry, as a
young adult, volunteered in
nursing homes and hospitals
while managing the emotion-
al task of caring for her moth-
er, who was dying of cancer.
She came to understand the
essential role families play in
long-term care decisions and
the importance of incorporating dignity, trust and
independence into caregiving.
Paul's early impressions of American eldercare,
based on volunteer visits to nursing homes with
Terry and a church youth group, contrasted
with what he had seen as a young boy in the
Netherlands, where he regularly visited his
Omas (grandmothers). When one Oma became
memory-impaired and could no longer live alone,
she moved to a Dutch senior
living community. The
environment there was much
more residential than an
American nursing home, and
provided her with personal-
ized services and increasing
amounts of personalized care
until she died. Years later,
Paul would look back on the
Dutch model and his grand-
mother's positive experience,
and ponder the absence of
such an environment in the
United States.
These early experiences helped give rise to a
lifelong respect for seniors, and a strong commit-
ment to bringing about change in the way America
views aging.
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Paul and Terry Klaassen, Sunrise's founders
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The Sunrise Mission
In 1981, Terry and Paul Klaassen took the first step toward establish-
ing Sunrise when they purchased an old nursing home in Northern
Virginia. They completely renovated the building, erasing all signs of
the institutional setting it once was, and began developing the unique
approach to care that would become the new model for assisted living.
Working in the first Sunrise home and living there
with the residents for a year, the Klaassens gained an
intimate understanding of the
physical and emotional needs
of the residents, their families
and the people who worked in
the community They came [0
understand what seniors and
their families wanted most-a
warm, compassionate and
personalized environment that
felt like home, And they came
[0 recognize that America was
long overdue a place where
seniors could age not only in
comfort but with dignity, and
with as much or as little assistance as they needed.
The Klaassens also observed that Americans
would often institutionalize seniors for needing
assistance with daily activi-
ties such as bathing, dressing
and eating, when they would
never consider institutional-
izing a toddler who had simi-
lar needs. They viewed this
double standard as a symp-
tom of the tremendous latent
ageism in the United States
and felt strongly that it was
time for attitudes to change.
A clear mission emerged: to
champion quality of life for
all seniors. That became, and
still is today, the Sunrise Mission.
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The Evolution of Sunrise
The Klaassens hoped to create an environment designed around and
for people-a place where residents would like to live, families would
like to visit and team members would like to work.
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The Klaassens envisioned a new kind of residence for
seniors. Srriving to create a warm, homelike environ-
ment, they looked to architects and designers outside
of the traditional health care field-fresh thinkers who
brought a completely new perspective to the design.
Experimenting with the architectural design, they
realized that their objective and approach were far
different from what had been common practice
in the United States. Nursing homes had been de-
signed primarily to fulfill regulatory and operational
requirements-not to satisfY the preferences and
emotional needs of residents.
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Starting with the knowledge that a high quality
of life is only possible in environments that
people find warm, nurturing, comfortable and
welcoming, they looked for ideas in places like
restaurants and fine inns, small European hotels
and single-family homes. Those models were a
dramatic departure from the typical nursing
facility, where virtually every element-from the
fluorescent lighting to the long institutional
corridors-resembled a hospital more than a
home. The Sunrise model embraced the elements
of an inviting, cozy, people-centered environment.
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As more seniors embraced this concept, Sunrise
evolved by broadening the assisted living model
to create environments with special features for
seniors who need specialized care. For example,
Reminiscence Neighborhoods, built around the
needs of people living with Alzheimer's disease and
other memory impairments, were carefully designed
to be comfortable, stimulating and safe. Sunrise's
Bradford View concept, an assisted living program
for seniors with impaired or low vision, incorporates
assistive devices and design elements that maximize
mobility and independence.
The 2003 acquisition of Marriott Senior
Living Services was an important milestone in
Sunrise's evolution. While Sunrise had focused
primarily on assisted living and Alzheimer's care,
Marriott Senior Living had built a strong culture
of service in independent living and skilled
nursing operations. The joining of these two
organizations resulted in Sunrise Senior Living
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becoming the nation's largest provider of senior
living services, offering a full range of lifestyle,
service and care options from independent living
ro assisted living to Alzheimer's care, to nursing
and rehabilitative care. As part of this union, the
array of Sunrise models and community types
grew as well. Sunrise broadened its care options
and models even further with the acquisitions
of EdenCare, also in 2003, and Greystone
Communities, Inc. and The Fountains, both in
2005. Today, Sunrise community models include
retirement cottages, assisted living mansions,
independent high-rises and senior living condo-
miniums. And, for seniors not yet ready to move
into a community, Sunrise offers At Home
assisted living, which provides in-home personal
care and homemaker services. Sunrise has also
expanded geographically-across the United
States and into Canada, the United Kingdom
and Germany.
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The Sunrise Culture
From its earliest days, what has set Sunrise apart have been the principles
and core values on which it was built. First among these is the founda-
tional belief in the sacred value of human life. The Klaassens knew that
there should be several guiding principles in place to ensure that this
foundational belief was put into practice in the day-to-day operations
at the cOlnmunity. To foster such a culture, they established a set of core
values and principles of service that are with Sunrise, even today.
The Sunrise Principles of Service are more than the
hallmarks of Sunrise's philosophy. They motivate and
guide Sunrise team members. They find expression
every day in Sunrise communities, and in the
Company's dedication to training, to hiring people
with a passion to serve, to
creating new options for
senior living, and to develop-
ing new services that meet the
changing needs of seniors and
their families. Sunrise's core
values-passion, joy in
service, stewardship, respect
and trust-speak to a deeply
ingrained belief in the value
of championing the quality of
life for all seniors.
As Sunrise has evolved
from an early pioneer in
assisted living to the largest
operator of senior living
communities, its growth has been guided by the
Sunrise Principles of Service. Sunrise team members
put these principles into action across a variety of
settings every day.
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Sunrise attracts service-oriented team members-
people with big hearts and a passion to serve-and
trains them in the Principles of Service to deliver
consistent, high-quality care. Day after day, one relation-
ship at a time, Sunrise team members bring the principles
of service to life. They liken their
close relationships with residents
to the bonds they have with
family members, best friends and
confidants. They realize that each
Sunrise community; like their own
homes, should be a place where
residents feel loved, nurtured and
comfortable. The Principles of
Service are the foundation of
Sunrise's culture and, in many
ways, the model for the entire
modern senior living movement.
Over the past 25 years, Terry
and Paul Klaassen have received
thousands of letters from Sunrise
residents and their families, expressions of gratitude for
the relationships built, the moments shared, the smiles
reciprocated, the hands held. That's the true measure of
their achievement and Sunrise's purpose.
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The Principles of Service
Pre~erving Dignity
We value the life experiences of
every senior and give each the
respect they deserve.
Nurturing the Spirit
We care about the whole person-
mind, body and spirit.
C~leQrilt!ng Individuality
We recognize that every one of our
residents is a unique senior.
Enilbling Freedom of Choice
We empower seniors to live as they
wish by offering choices.
Encouraging Independence
We encourage resident's right to self.
reliance in whatever ways possible.
Involving F<!mily and Friend~
Friends and family are always
welcome, and their involvement is
wholeheartedly encouraged.
Sunrise was born out of a passionate mission to champion quality of
life for seniors. Dedicated advocates and agents of change, Paul and
Terry Klaassen and the entire Sunrise organization continue in the
quest to improve and broaden options for seniors and their families.
Because no two people are alike, Sunrise continues to expand its
service and care offerings, and to grow geographically to offer more
services to more people. Through this growth and evolution, one
thing remains unchanged-the unwavering commitment to seniors
that is at the heart of Sunrise.
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SUNRISE@
SENIOR LIVING
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www.sunriseseniorliving.com