Background

Paul's Run was an existing community when Chambers was engaged to bring the facility up to the standards that the owners, managers, residents and their families desired. As an early retirement community, Paul's Run did not include many of the advanced amenities that the industry was incorporating into newer facilities, and early financial reverses meant that upgrades and maintenance issues had been deferred.

Our Approach

Because this was a re-creation of an existing facility, in which residents were living, the installation had to be handled carefully and compassionately to assure the minimum of interruption to daily life. Chambers designed the new interiors to reflect the hospitality industry rather than healthcare, so that the community began to appear as an upscale, comfortable resort. New amenities, such as an ice cream parlor, were well received, and Chambers' plan to convert space to assisted living, with dining areas and activities centers, let families know that Paul's Run would serve their loved ones past the stage where they could live on their own without help. This change was reassuring and comforting to residents too, signaling continuity in the later years of life. Both inside and out, where Chambers provided a comprehensive site plan study, were considered when re-creating Paul's Run for future years of success as a continuing care retirement community.

Results

The facility, when complete, resembled the most up-to-date retirement communities not only in terms of style and décor, but in amenities and services offered. In fact, soon after completion, for the first time Paul's Run had 100 percent occupancy, becoming a lively center for active retirees and a caring residence for those requiring assistance in their daily lives.