The Baldwin Beat (BB) recently spoke with Regan Sochanek, Life Enrichment Activities Coordinator at Orchard Inn, to learn how she plans activities and programs for residents, the important role independent living residents play, and what she loves most about her job.
BB: Thanks for making the time to talk with us, Regan. Please tell us about your journey to becoming the Life Enrichment Activities Coordinator for Orchard Inn.
Regan: My original career was in financial services as a relationship manager for a large investment firm. When I became a mother, I left that career to focus on parenting my boys. Those years included a lot of volunteering in the community, and for a while I served as president of the PTA and was doing all the things that go along with that.
So, after being home with my family full-time, I wasn’t just looking for a job. I was looking for something meaningful — something fulfilling that would make me feel good about what I was doing and contributing. I have found that here.
BB: What do you like most about your role at Orchard Inn?
Regan: It’s definitely the people. I love the residents and I really enjoy their families and getting to know all of them. They are truly very special. Every individual is unique and they all bring different experiences, backgrounds, and personalities to our community. I just find them all so interesting.
Being around the residents and helping them find a sense of purpose, joy and dignity in each day is very fulfilling. I’m really motivated to plan programs and activities that aren’t just filling time but that are fun and meaningful — things that are really engaging. And when I see how much the residents are enjoying what they’re doing, how they’re connecting and experiencing the benefits of being together, it’s very rewarding. There’s a lot of smiling and laughing here at Orchard Inn, and I love that.
There are also times when a resident or family member is struggling a little and I have the opportunity to be here for them, to provide a listening ear, reassurance, or an encouraging word. Those are important moments, too.
BB: How do you approach planning the activities and programs for residents at Orchard Inn?
Regan: I plan around the idea of whole-person wellness. That’s what Baldwin’s APEX wellness program is about, so I make sure we’re touching on multiple aspects of physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. We incorporate opportunities for some form of movement every day and work in cognitive exercises that are fun and engaging. Social interaction is built into almost everything, and we offer multiple spiritual opportunities.
BB: What programs and activities are the most popular?
Regan: Everybody loves music. We offer a lot of live entertainment such as people playing the piano or playing the guitar. We hand out the lyrics and residents love singing along. Many talented independent living residents come up to sing and play piano several times a month. Jason, from our marketing department, plays guitar for our monthly birthday parties, and we have outside entertainers as well. We also do karaoke. People really enjoy that.
Our fitness classes are so much fun that residents hardly feel like they’re exercising. We have four professional fitness instructors who give classes each week. We use balls, parachutes, and other engaging things that keep everyone moving. Sometimes I step back and look around, and I see so many bright faces and people enjoying themselves. It’s a lot of fun.
We also have a resident from independent living who comes up and reads his own poetry. He writes a lot about his life and his family at different points in time, and residents enjoy reminiscing and sharing the memories his poems spark for them. It’s wonderful to see people smiling, sometimes getting a little teary-eyed. They’re really paying attention and listening to every word. It’s very meaningful to them.
There are also a variety of games and activities that are both fun and interactive in that they spark conversation. Corn hole, Finishing Lines, Name That Tune, Ring Toss, and Try Not to Laugh are just some of the ones residents really enjoy.
BB: What kinds of spiritual programs do you offer?
Regan: Spirituality can mean something different for everyone, so we try to offer a variety and make our programs inclusive to meet the needs of all residents. We have Catholic mass and communion on Mondays, and we have a Eucharistic minister who will visit Orchard Inn residents, talk with them, and serve them communion. We’re also constantly adding programs led by people of different faiths and traditions. It could be a talk from a local clergy member, a streamed service from a church of any denomination, or even a church a resident used to attend. And as with all programs and activities, residents are free to choose whether or what they attend.
BB: You also plan programs and activities for residents in the memory support household.
Regan: Yes, I do. For residents living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, we do a lot of things as a group, and the activities are tailored to their unique needs and abilities. Recently, one of our interactive cooking activities involved using vegetables residents had grown in our terrace garden to make appetizers.
We also offer art activities. Engaging in forms of creative expression produces benefits such as calming the mind and reducing anxiety, elevating mood, and providing a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem. In addition to watercolors, we also do projects that involve various tools such as tape, foam brushes, or even our hands to create. Then we talk about the different tools and mediums we can use for art, and the different forms art can take.
We have an independent living resident who volunteers and is helping us implement a Color Me Calm program that combines music, art, and conversation in a very natural way. Residents also enjoy our musical programs and singalongs. Musical memory, perception, and the ability to sing or play an instrument are some of the skills people retain the longest and music activates multiple areas of the brain. It’s really nice to see the joy that music brings.
BB: Orchard Inn is located in the main building at The Baldwin to make it easy for residents to participate in any of the community’s activities. Do you find that people who live at Orchard Inn take advantage of that benefit?
Regan: Yes, they do that quite a bit — especially on the weekends when there is usually entertainment in the auditorium. Those events are included on our calendar, and I also reach out to residents’ families to let them know they’re welcome to join us. The Baldwin also offers lifelong learning opportunities and Orchard Inn residents can participate if it’s something that interests them. Mobility is never a barrier. There are a number of independent living residents who come up to Orchard Inn before the events to help folks who are in wheelchairs or who just need an extra hand getting to the event. It’s a really beautiful aspect of The Baldwin that all residents can enjoy so many of the activities that are offered throughout the community.
BB: It sounds like there’s a good amount of interaction between independent living and assisted living residents.
Regan: Yes! Assisted living doesn’t mean being limited to staying at Orchard Inn all the time. Residents are free to live as they choose and we’re here to provide assistance when needed. Many residents have their own plans with their friends or family members or activities they’re doing off-site. Or they might get a latte in the café and take it to the library to read or visit with friends.
Many independent living residents also choose to spend time at Orchard Inn, which is a huge bonus for us. For example, we have four volunteers who come for our cornhole tournaments. Whenever possible we have the tournaments out on the terrace and it’s a fun, party atmosphere. There’s also a group that comes for bingo every other Monday. Bingo is very popular here and I have a cart with prizes for the winners to choose from. In total, there are about 40 independent living residents who volunteer to help with our various activities. It’s a beautiful, symbiotic relationship that feels good for everyone involved. The Baldwin is truly a community in every sense of the word.