Lights! Camera! Action! Outfitted with props, green screens, dazzling (homemade) costumes and what Matthew Hoffman calls “A lot of DIY ridiculousness,” elder thespians eagerly mug in front of the camera, inhabiting famous characters and recreating legendary movie scenes. It’s all part of Matthew Hoffman’s “Tuesdays with Matthew,” a wildly popular program that’s been praised for its chutzpah and brought a newfound sense of purpose to everyone involved. “The goal is to make their Tuesday afternoons feel like the best Friday night of their lives,” says Matthew in the group’s Titanic video. From Script to Screen It all started when Matthew, a television host and celebrity correspondent by day, stopped by a Los Angeles senior center looking for video material for his portfolio. He asked to work with some of the center’s residents, and soon discovered he could tap into his group’s creativity and spirit by directing short sketches based on scenes from famous films. “When I first started my own group, we just read scenes from movies,” he tells People magazine. “But after a couple of months, I thought, ‘If they’re so excited about just reading these scenes, what would happen if we literally made our own movies and gave them something to really look forward to?’” “That is when my life changed, and I got really, really into this.” Back to Life For almost a decade Matthew, with the help of donations and spurred by the energy and enthusiasm of his performers, has been able to transform his weekly meetings into something dazzlingly different. “Tuesdays come to life,” Matthew says in an introductory video about the program, “and once we yell ‘action,’ the magic begins.” “I was sitting home watching TV,” explains another scene-ior, “I had nothing else to do. It’s given me...
Top 10 Best Places
Live Well, Work Happier
U.S. News & World Report recently analyzed 100 of the most populous metropolitan areas to identify the best places to live. Of the results, seven of the top ten U.S. cities are home to Yardi offices. To create the list, analysts compiled data from sources such as the Unites States Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Labor and proprietary internal resources. Analysts then scored cities according to five key indexes: Job market, 20 percent Value, 25 percent Quality of Life, 30 percent Desirability, 15 percent Net Migration, 10 percent The weight of each index was determined by public survey. People throughout the U.S. voted to create the hierarchy of desirable features. The resulting list of 100 cities serves as a guide for some of the best-rounded metropolitans in the nation. These cities offer opportunity, quality, and value to residents. We are proud to announce that Yardi has offices in seven of the ten top places to live, indicated in bold. Denver, CO Austin, TX Fayetteville, AR Raleigh/ Durham, NC Colorado Springs, CO Boise, ID Seattle, WA Washington, D.C. San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Yardi selected these amazing cities as our homes long before they made such top ten lists. And we’re not just saying that to gain cool points. Employee satisfaction and wellbeing are top priorities. We want employees to live well. We don’t simply pull resources and amenities from these top-ranking locales, either. We believe in giving back. Corporate philanthropy is a huge part of who we are and what we do. In addition to sponsoring nonprofits as an organization, we regularly roll up our sleeves to help out on an individual level. If you are looking for a place to call your professional and personal home, Yardi...
Bridging the Digital Divide
Sienna Senior Living
We live in an increasingly connected society, with unlimited data at our fingertips and the ability to communicate quickly with friends and family living next door or half-way ‘round the world. There’s an ease and level of expectation we take for granted when it comes to bending the latest technology to our will, but for many senior citizens, modern digital tools and gadgets often seem complicated and out of reach. It’s a generational gap the Cyber-Seniors program hopes to bridge through its innovative approach to senior education. For Sienna Senior Living, participating in the program is a natural extension of the company’s commitment to providing its clients with comfort, independence and “the warmth of human connection” through its forward thinking, resident-centered approach to senior care. The brainchild of two teenage sisters inspired by the impact of the Internet on the lives of their own grandparents, Cyber Seniors began in earnest in 2009. Through the program, high school students help seniors develop a technology skill set that allows them to use computers, the internet and other digital tools to connect with friends, family and their community. Over the years, the program has collaborated with the University of Toronto Occupational and Therapy Masters Program and Sienna Senior Living to develop a best practice resource manual to ease implementation of similar programs throughout Canada across all Sienna Senior Living Retirement Residences and Long Term Care Homes. Last year’s pilot projects involved residents at the Cedarvale and Villa Leonardo retirement communities. As Sonia Roul, Recreation and Leisure Consultant for Sienna Senior Living’s Long Term Care Division, explains, the Cyber-Seniors “empowers the residents to go beyond their walls and explore what the world of technology can offer them.” “Our hope was to help our residents connect with their loved ones in a new way,” says Roul, “while also providing them with the opportunity to connect on a human level with a much younger generation.” Refreshed Spirits and Enhanced Health For those involved in the project, the Cyber Seniors program is more than just a computer class; it’s a source of life enrichment for all the participants. By pairing interested retirees with volunteer high school students, the Cyber Seniors program creates a cooperative, mutually rewarding learning environment. The hope is that the program will prompt meaningful, multi-generational conversations and inspire new interests amongst residences in the senior living communities. For Sienna Living, the appeal of the Cyber Seniors program primarily involves the chance to create bonds and build connections between residents and the community. As a source of entertainment and physical and psychological enhancement, the program aims high and hits the mark. As seniors become more comfortable accessing the World Wide Web and using YouTube, Skype and more, they broaden their horizons and connect with the outside world while also building long-lasting friendships. “Breaking down the barriers of communication through learning and development truly does wonder for the residents and students involved,” declares Roul. “The bonds created between the students and the residents were unexpectedly powerful,” Roul explains. “They were able to create connections with past lifestyles, and there was a mutual exploration across natural areas of interest.” The seniors are full of admiration for their teen advisers, dazzled by their ability to navigate the online universe, and heartened by the supportive and encouraging learning environment created by their young instructors. “To see them be so young but know so much is amazing,” explains a Cedarvale resident in a video about the program. For the teens, the benefits of assuming the mantle of Cyber Senior instructor allows them the opportunity to experience leadership roles while also forging intergenerational relationships. “It feels awesome,” declares a teen participant in the video. “It feels like you’re bridging the gap between the past and now.” Broadened Horizons and Deepened Connections In June of 2014, the Sienna Senior Living’s Cedarvale Lodge Retirement and Care Community in Keswick Ontario collaborated with...
