This document discusses Morrison Senior Living's EmpowerU wellness program. It provides: - An overview of EmpowerU and how it engages, educates, and helps residents evolve through functional assessments, classes on balance, flexibility, strength, and nutrition education. Participation has increased significantly. - A spotlight on Wellness Director Chandra Santiago, who leads fun and effective EmpowerU classes, helping residents set goals and see improvements in abilities. - Details on how The Evergreens retirement community in New Jersey incorporates Morrison's "Our Food Rules" through its garden, greenhouse, farm stand, and fresh, seasonal meals prepared by Chef Branella that nourish residents.

1. A Whole-Person Approach to
Health and Wellness
Message from the President
EmpowerU: A Powerful, Proven Path to
Wellness
Tools to Engage, Educate & Evolve
Empowering Residents in Body, Mind,
and Spirit
Associate Spotlight: Chandra Santiago, Wellness
Director
Our Food Rules In the Garden State
Executive Chef John Branella and Director of
Dining Services John Kennedy,The Evergreens
THE
MORRISON WAYSEPTEMBER 2013, ISSUE 4

2. A MESSAGE
FROM THE
PRESIDENT
There’s an extraordinary thing happening within senior
living communities. Residents are taking charge of their
lives, taking care of their bodies and taking a keen
interest in every aspect of their wellbeing—from fitness
to nutrition, spirituality, education, environmental
awareness, community and beyond. Today’s senior
living residents want choice, flexibility and control. They
are engaged and empowered; they ask questions, do
their homework and approach their “golden years” as
an opportunity to continue to grow and live life to the
fullest.
It’s not so different for us at Morrison Senior Living;
we are always looking for ways to innovate and
improve. For many years now, in partnership with our
communities and other experts, we have been studying
the changing wants and needs of our elders. As part of
that, Morrison has expanded the services we provide
to our communities to include an enhanced experience
that addresses resident as individuals and as a whole
person—mind, body and spirit.
In this issue, you’ll learn how our EmpowerU program
is helping residents in two communities of St. Peter’s
Health Partners, live lives that are active and well. Our
Associate Spotlight shines on Wellness Director Chandra
Santiago, whose passion for inspiring wellness is leading
to increased independence and true empowerment for
residents.
Last, we visit the Garden State, where Executive Chef
John Branella and Director of Dining Services John
Kennedy are putting Our Food Rules into practice. The
Evergeens is cooking up fresh, flavorful and healthy
food that nourishes body and soul. Thanks for joining
us, and thank you for partnering with Morrison to
empower your own growth and wellness!
Kevin Svagdis, President
Morrison Senior Living

3. Nearly a year ago, in September 2012, Morrison
Senior Living and Glen Eddy partnered to launch
the pilot program of EmpowerU for residents of this
full-service independent senior living community in
Niskayuna, NY. At that time, 50 percent of residents
attended a series of resident forums and participated
in functional assessments and lifestyle surveys that
were used to design and develop the classes that
would be offered. Today, 74 percent of residents at
Glen Eddy participate in the EmpowerU program. A
similar program, tailored and launched specifically for
sister community Hawthorne Ridge this July, has nearly
90 percent participation. The program will be rolled
out to other communities over the coming year. But
the numbers only tell part of the story.
“There have been so many individual success stories,”
said Chandra Santiago, Wellness Director. “One person
in particular was in a wheelchair. She’s been able to
get out of her wheelchair and now walk and put her
clothes on without a support system. Another resident
was using a walker, then went from a walker to a cane,
and now she doesn’t use anything at all and she’s in
class every day.”
EmpowerU creates a vibrant culture of wellness in the
community in three distinct ways. It engages through a
series of functional assessments and lifestyle surveys; it
educates through lectures and interactive experiences;
and it helps residents evolve through a positive mind
and body connection.
EMPOWERU: A
POWERFUL, PROVEN
PATH TO WELLNESS
Tools to Engage, Educate, and Evolve
EmpowerU is a complete wellness program
that empowers residents to stay actively in
charge of their lives and make the most of
all that their community has to offer.

4. Beyond just a functional aspect, EmpowerU includes
a nutritional component. This complete and proven
wellness program helps seniors eat better, move
better and feel better. It’s a high-touch, whole-
person approach that engages seniors on an
individual level and delivers measurable results, said
Carole DeBonte, Senior Regional Clinical Nutrition
Manager. Administrators have reported that new
residents have chosen the community specifically
because it offers a comprehensive wellness program,
and it’s clear that those who participate are happier
and more social within the community, DeBonte
and Santiago agreed.
“One of the comments that Chandra received from
the administrator is that she has people participating
in the EmpowerU wellness program who have never
participated in any program before,” DeBonte said.
EmpowerU includes instructor-led classes that
focus on balance, flexibility and strength; examples
include yoga, weights 101, aqua tone, line dancing
and Zumba. Classes are color-coded to signify ability
and mobility level, and each participant completes
assessments that measure their progress. The
nutritional component of EmpowerU is interactive
and educational, addressing everything from
osteoporosis to cooking classes, with Morrison
dietitians sharing information on topics such as how
toavoidholidayweightgainandhow proteinimpacts
muscle and strength. Residents can participate in
one or both components of EmpowerU.
“This next generation is very involved,” DeBonte
said. “They are asking questions. They want to know
‘Why am I doing this? What is the benefit?’ That is
where our program is really unique. It addresses the
demand for choice and personalized service that this
next generation is looking for, it links it to our dining
program and other available services, and gives the
resident the flexibility to choose and be in control of
their total wellbeing. “
Hear What Residents Have To Say
About EmpowerU!
“….the nutrition part of the program helps us to un-
derstand the new food plate guidelines as to portion
size and food choices (who knew the color of foods is
important?) and what to look for when buying food
(whole grains!). We are not quite where we want to be
yet and are looking forward to the next series.”
Roy & Rita, Glen Eddy residents
“We know how important physical wellbeing is as we
age and continue to live independently. Best of all, the
classes are informative, enjoyable and physically chal-
lenging according to our abilities.”
Hugo & JJ Lijeron, Glen Eddy residents
“In my post-assessment I was able to perform my tests
without assistance. Great improvements from attend-
ing the classes; I am now able to do things without my
walker in my apartment.”
Lois S., Glen Eddy resident
4

5. EMPOWERING
RESIDENTS IN BODY,
MIND, AND SPIRIT
Associate Spotlight:
Chandra Santiago,Wellness Director
As Chandra Santiago talks about the residents in
her EmpowerU classes at Glen Eddy and Hawthorne
Ridge, her voice bounces up and down with a joyful
repetition that leaves no doubt she’s passionate
about what she does.
“We focus on cardio, strength, flexibility and
balance,” Santiago said. “Each session, as we move
forward, I’m able to adapt the class to the community
based on their situation.”
She continues, talking rapid-fire about a new ball
purchase. “Only a buck each!” she says with such
enthusiasm you can’t help but smile and follow
along. Santiago, who joined the Morrison family a
year ago, has been a trainer and teacher for more
than 20 years. She has a relentlessly bright precision
that’s more cheerleader than drill sergeant, but it’s
clear she gets results.
“Chandra has a tremendous ability to build
relationships with the residents,” said Carole DeBonte,
Director of Nutrition, who works with Santiago as
part of the total wellness program. “As part of the
program, they set goals, and some of these goals
are very personal. One resident might say ‘I want to
be able to walk up three steps, without somebody
helping me, to go to my granddaughter’s wedding.’
So she’s developed these relationships, which is one
of the keys to her success. ”
As Wellness Director for Glen Eddy and Hawthorne
Ridge, Santiago develops specialized wellness
programs for each community. She helps residents
assess their abilities, set goals and progress in their
wellness journey. To participate in the EmpowerU
program, residents need to attend a class at least
twice a week.
As part of the classes, Santiago reminds residents
how nutrition pertains to what they are doing
functionally, and ties that into nutrition classes and
the program led by DeBonte and her team, which
is integral to EmpowerU. Santiago’s training style is
nothing like the celebrity trainers on television who
bark orders at cowering participants. She holds
residents accountable to their training schedule and
progress, for sure, but she says her approach is about
encouragement and of course, empowerment.
“We have fun!” Santiago said. “We have a lot of
fun. I do the functional part, of course, which is very
structured, but I think my style is engaging and fun.
I’m really into queuing, which is extremely important
with seniors. But you want to queue in a way that you
get the best form that you can from them, but also
have fun. So, for instance, I ask everyone to stand up
and maybe they are chatting. So I say, ‘OK, everyone,
let’s get into our alignment. Tailbone to the floor, feet
are parallel, rrrrroll those shoulders back. You guys
are ready; you guys look really good; let’s start those
bodies up.’ And in between, I’m asking them, ‘Hey
guys, are you breathing out there? Always remember
to breathe.’ We keep it light.”

6. There’s a reason they call New Jersey the Garden
State, and at The Evergreens, a continuing care
retirement community in Moorestown, Executive
Chef John Branella and Director of Dining Services
John Kennedy are making the most of the
abundance right outside their door. The motto at
The Evergreens is “Where Community Lives,” and
Branella and Kennedy are right at home creating and
sharing fresh, wholesome and flavorful meals with
residents, as well as educating the larger community.
The Evergreens has a farm stand each Wednesday
in the summer, featuring fresh produce and items
such as shoofly pie or homemade jam. And there’s
quite a buzz about some of the newest residents;
bees in a community beehive will help pollinate
produce blooms while also providing honey. Even
residents with less mobility who cannot get outside
enjoy views from their windows of tomato plants or
other produce that blooms in spring and ripens in
OUR FOOD RULES IN
THE GARDEN STATE
Executive Chef John Branella and Director of
Dining Services John Kennedy,The Evergreens
the summer sun. Beyond providing an agrarian vista
and a welcome marker for the changing seasons,
the homegrown results become healthy nutrition for
residents to enjoy. We asked Branella and Kennedy
to talk about ways they are incorporating Our Food
Rules into dining at The Evergreens.
TMW: Your community is well established; its history
dates back to 1919. Was integrating Our Food Rules a
big change for you?
JK: When the Food Rules were rolled out, we felt very
strongly that we were already doing many of those
things; we use fresh produce whenever possible, we
make things from scratch when we can. We have
always worked hard to connect with our residents
when it comes to “taste memories.” Many of our
residents come from an agricultural background,
and we emphasize that connection with them. You
can’t fake it. They know farming, and they know
fresh. It’s a whole philosophy of engaging residents
about how we cook, what we’re cooking and how
we communicate about what we are cooking. That’s
really what it’s all about.
TMW: Chef, what’s in season right now?
JB: Right now fresh produce is abundant, especially
corn. At our Chef’s Center Stage in the dining room,
we have our stockpot simmering with farm-fresh corn.
Residents walk into the dining room; you can smell it.
It’s delicious. People love it that way, simple and fresh,
but I might also make a Jersey tomato gazpacho,
with a roasted corn and avocado salsa.
TMW: You mentioned there’s a strong connection to
agriculture for your residents; can you tell us more?
JK: We grow a variety of tomatoes here on the campus.
Being in South Jersey, this is Campbell’s Soup country.
A lot of the different tomato hybrids were developed
at Rutgers University and a lot of the residents who
live here worked for Campbell’s and were part of that
culture when Campbell’s was developing different
tomato varieties for their soup. So there is a really
strong connection.

7. TMW: How do you share new ideas or healthy ways
of preparing food with residents?
JB: A few weeks ago we did a program called
“Everything Tomatoes.” We talked about all the
different varieties, and I brought in some heirloom
tomatoes, all different colors and shapes. We did an
heirloom tomato bruschetta; they were able to taste
it and talk about the benefits of olive oil, sea salt
and fresh basil. We baked a flatbread for them to
sample; it was caramelized Vidalia onions and goat
cheese that I made in our TurboChef. On top of that,
I placed the bruschetta that I had just made, and
then drizzled eight-year-old, aged balsamic vinegar
on top of that. We talked about salt and how to
monitor the content of that; I think they really
enjoyed it.
TMW: Are residents really that interested in food?
JK: The Chef’s Center Stage is pretty much a monthly
affair, people love it, and all these programs that
we do are an opportunity for residents to engage
and interact. It’s not passive. Residents may help us
with some of the chopping when appropriate. And
the sales team may invite prospective residents to
join us. Maybe they want to know more about our
dining program and how the food is prepared, and
this is a great opportunity for them to meet the chef
and see, under real circumstances, how we prepare
our food. Residents have an opportunity to tour the
kitchen when they move in. In the last few years, we
find that residents are very knowledgeable about
food; these are people you would consider “foodies.”
They are really into it. They want to see and talk about
the ingredients, including where they come from and
how healthy it is. It’s not the stereotypical low-fat,
low-salt “senior” menu of the past; it’s really more
challenging now, and we embrace that.
TMW: How do you make things taste great while
keeping meals healthy?
JB: We use a lot of fresh herbs here, so we try to
enhance flavors that way. Instead of using fats or
salts, we use fresh herbs as much as possible. We
have a greenhouse where we start plants from seed
and grow the plants, and then transplant them into
the garden.
TMW: Can you tell us more about your greenhouse?
JK: We actually have seven or eight tomato varieties
and all kinds of other things that we grow. We like
to share our fresh food philosophy with the larger
community. Every year, the residents and some of the
staff get together and we sell plants at a plant sale.
So if we sell them for a buck-fifty or two bucks, we
can grow more plants. Pretty much anywhere you can
stick a plant, we put it there. We might get chased
away by the groundskeepers, but if there’s dirt, we
plant it.