Scientific Research Guides Seniors into Life Balance with New Program at Querencia at Barton Creek

Jan. 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Everyone wants to live as long as possible—and have the fullest life possible along the way.  Most people would equate physical fitness and health as the only perquisite to achieving those goals. However, a 10-year study by the MacArthur Foundation found that successful aging really requires attention along four levels of wellness:  spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical. That study formed the basis for a new culture of senior care called Masterpiece Living®, a specialized program now hitting full stride for senior residents at Querencia at Barton Creek. Querencia is the only community in Austin to offer Masterpiece Living®.

“We saw Masterpiece Living as a vital new element in fulfilling our core mission in serving our senior residents,” said Fran Werner, Fitness and Wellness Manager at Querencia. “It provides us with a scientifically sound tool to focus on the four areas that will help our residents achieve successful aging in the fullest sense—maximum longevity with maximum personal fulfillment. That’s all any of us could ask for.”

The Masterpiece Living® program enables staff at Querencia to develop a customized program for each resident, based on a preliminary Lifestyle Review that benchmarks where they currently are in all four areas: physical, intellectual, social and spiritual.  The review asks key questions in each lifestyle area, such as “On average, how often do you get out of your apartment?”; “When was the last time you learned something new?”; “What physical conditions limit you from exercise?”, and many more.

The results of these reviews are entered into a software program to establish benchmarks against a database of seniors nationwide, and matched only against those in the same age group. Querencia staff then consults with each resident to create a customized development plan for them based on the outcomes they want to realize in each life area. The plans are as individual as the residents they guide.

The personal program breaks down each of the four major areas into four subset areas to provide a very actionable plan on a practical level.  For example, the physical focus area is subdivided into preventative screening, physical activity, body mass index, and nutrition.  Each of these can offer insights into broadening healthy practices—such as reviewing exercise for variety and physical limitations. In all cases, residents are encouraged to adopt the healthiest approaches based on outcomes that motivate them—such as greater independence, interesting learning opportunities and a sense of well being.

“We really like the way Masterpiece Living empowers us to shape community resources to our residents in a very personalized way,” said Werner. “Beyond that, it actually empowers the residents to directly shape our programming and even add to them, such as when one of them requests a certain kind of exercise or social program or asks that we invite a particular author or lecturer.  The possibilities are endless.”

One Querencia resident took the spiritual component of Masterpiece Living to heart and began devoting her time to volunteering. Mary Smith started a Q Volunteers Group where they volunteer in the Plaza and go to the Dell Children's Hospital every week. Smith also started a Q "Gofers" Group where residents assist fellow residents who don't drive and need extra assistance with running errands.  

ABOUT QUERENCIA AT BARTON CREEK

Querencia at Barton Creek is a premier life care senior living resort located at Barton Creek Boulevard and Chalk Knoll Drive in Austin, Texas, less than a mile from Barton Creek Resort & Club.  The 400,000 square-foot senior living resort features 167 independent living residences, including 10 villas, on 38 acres.  Residences are available in one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans ranging in size from 830 square feet to more than 2,200 square feet.  The Plaza at Querencia features assisted living apartment homes in one- and two-bedroom designs, memory support suites, private nursing rooms for long-term care, and Medicare-certified private suites for short-term rehabilitation.

Querencia at Barton Creek is 501(c)3 not-for-profit senior living community sponsored by Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation (SQLC), a Texas-based nonprofit organization that sponsors sister communities Edgemere in Dallas, The Buckingham in Houston, Mirador in Corpus Christi, and The Stayton at Museum Way in Fort Worth.  For information, visit www.QuerenciaBartonCreek.com, or call (512) 610-9401.