Having a sense of purpose and belonging plays a significant role in enriched senior living. At Marjorie P. Lee, we cultivate a retirement community where residents feel a connection not just to other residents, but to our Hyde Park neighborhood and the rest of Greater Cincinnati.

Ending ageism in Cincinnati.

Laura Lamb, ERH’s Vice President of Residential Housing and Health Care, worked to found the Council for Lifelong Engagement (CLLE) in 2009 to promote wellness and combat loss of purpose in senior life. 

With the CLLE program, older adults engage in the community and turn the traditional roles of volunteerism on their head, sharing their knowledge and talents with school children in the Cincinnati area.  As guest lecturers, seniors can educate students on areas of their specific expertise—anything from history to art to business to science.

Volunteers from ERH retirement communities are dedicated to building connections in Greater Cincinnati and ending ageism. Residents are changing how Greater Cincinnati sees older adults and tearing down stereotypes by sharing their wisdom and experience with school children of all ages. They speak to classes at four Cincinnati area schools on a variety of topics, from art to business to science.

Here are some highlights from the last three years:

• “We started out small,” says Bob Herring, principal at the School of the Nativity where the program began. “From the initial program we were able to expand it to include multiple grades over multiple subjects. It’s really become part of the experience here at Nativity—something that the kids look forward to. There’s nothing like sitting down with folks from the older generation and hearing what they have to say, hearing stories of real people that really lived [through historical events] as opposed to reading it out of a textbook or watching a video.”
• In October of 2012, a panel of parents and CLLE representatives presented the results from the last two years at the Leading Age conference in Denver, Colorado. The highlight of the presentation with the qualitative data about the impact of the program based on interviews with Nativity’s current and past students.

It’s been a slow journey, but one that has produced undeniable results as the innovation of CLLE curriculum enrichment has garnered national recognition for both Nativity and Episcopal Retirement Homes.

Building ties to local businesses.

Marjorie P. Lee and our sister ERH retirement communities has partnered with several local restaurants and merchants to help our residents experience the community around them. Together, we’ve created a Preferred Customer Program that encourages residents to get out into Greater Cincinnati by offering discounts and other savings opportunities at specialty stores and restaurants within our community.

Some of our local partners include:

• Aglamesis Brothers gives a 10% discount, excluding any shipping costs, on their amazing gourmet chocolates and ice creams from Monday through Wednesday.
• Cheers to Art! who has partnered with us to provide a unique offer for special painting and wine events.
• The Echo Restaurant right here in Hyde Park gives cardholders 10% off delicious home-style meals every day of the week.
• Ferrari’s Little Italy & Bakery offers 15% off the total bill for members who dine in Sunday through Thursdays.
• Nicola’s and sister restaurant Via Vite give members 10% off of amazing Italian dinners Monday through Thursday.
• Poême is offering cardholders a 15% discount on their stylish stationary every day of the week.
• The Wine Merchant gives a 10% discount on a member’s purchase.

Marjorie P. Lee is part of a vibrant community.

We know that many older adults often move into senior living communities not for the senior care services available, but to take advantage of the leisure, social, and educational opportunities these communities offer. On your own, it can be difficult to find meaningful experiences to enrich senior life, but there are plenty of ways to build connections at Marjorie P. Lee.