“We believe you deserve to live a beautiful life at any age. Here at Lions Gate, we make sure you do.”

Activities & Programming Team:  Kim Clemons, Catherine Playford, Jennifer Quinn

There are so many wonderful aspects about Lions Gate that set it apart from every other senior living community in the region, but the creativity and breadth of the programming at Lions Gate is truly where our community shines. Meet our outstanding Programming Team with their finger on the pulse of FUN — Catherine Playford, Activities Director for Skilled Nursing and Rehab, Jennifer Quinn, Activities Director for Assisted Living and Memory Care, and Kim Clemons, Programming Director for Independent Living.

Catherine Playford thoughtfully designs her Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation activities calendars to align with the unique skills and interests of her residents. She explains, “I focus on person-centered programming, ensuring activities that address the seven different aspects of well-being.” These aspects include:

• Social Programming: Activities like games, Bingo, and happy hours that foster friendships.
• Entertainment Programming: Music performances and sing-alongs that are always a huge hit.
• Educational Programming: Trivia contests and science demonstrations to keep the mind sharp.
• Physical Programming: Seated exercise classes to maintain physical health.
• Sensory Programming: Engaging the five senses through activities like baking, gardening, and occupational therapy exercises to trigger memories and stimulate conversation.
• Creativity Programming: Arts and crafts, as well as flower arranging, to embrace creative expression.
• Experiential Programming: Trips outside the community to restaurants, allowing residents to create new memories with their friends.

Additionally, Catherine incorporates animal-related activities for sensory connection, such as petting zoo visits, butterfly releases, and plans to hatch baby chicks together this spring. She believes that “the more engaged our residents are, the richer their life can be.”

Jennifer Quinn recognizes the importance of engaging programming and thoughtfully designs diverse activity calendars for the Assisted Living and Memory Care neighborhoods. “Statistics show that residing in a senior living community can add 7-10 years to a resident’s life,” said Jennifer. “If the great care here is giving them an extra decade, I want to make sure that decade is filled with joy. We just created a dedicated Game Room in Assisted Living, and now we have a gorgeous poker table, an electric mahjongg table, a slot machine, and more. We have a Men’s Club that is working together to create a town display, complete with models of houses, vehicles, and people that they are creating themselves. My goal is to make every day their best day ever so that we can bring out the best in them.”

“It’s true,” said Kim Clemons. “I look at life here in Independent Living like living on a cruise ship. I want residents to feel like they are on vacation every day. The Lions Gate administration understands how important programming is, and they give us the support we need to find the best instructors, presenters, and entertainers. Every resident deserves a beautiful life, and the quality of the programming at Lions Gate allows residents to thrive here.”

We are proud to say that the robust programming at Lions Gate is truly changing lives every day. Thank you to our Programming Team for the exceptional work they do.