Assisted Living Federation of America national award recognizes innovative best practices.

For immediate release – Alexandria, VA – The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) has awarded Carlton Senior Living, LLC, headquartered in Martinez, California, its prestigious 2010 Best of the Best Award, a national recognition reserved for the nations most innovative and effective business practices in the senior living industry. The company is one of only 25 companies to receive a Best of the Best Award this year. All 2010 winners will be profiled in the May/June issue of ALFA’s flagship magazine, Assisted Living Executive.

“These innovations recognize companies that have put their imaginations to work to continually improve and streamline operations, enhance resident care and services, train and retain quality employees, and much more,” says ALFA President and CEO Richard P. Grimes. “Plus, the industry-wide benefit of the Best of the Best Awards is the program’s ability to multiply excellence as these and other companies in senior living adopt these best practices as their own.”

Carlton Senior Living was recognized for its Advanced Caregiver Training (ACT) Program™, a training program designed specifically to certify wellness team associates to work in its first Enhanced Assisted Living™ community, Carlton Crown Plaza of Sacramento. The Carlton Crown Plaza offers 24/7 nursing services and serves the specialized needs of seniors with Parkinson’s, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and other long-term conditions.

The ACT training exceeds state training requirements while offering continuous education on select diseases. Caregivers learn how to recognize and observe changes, provide immediate action when necessary, and report what they see. “We’re really training caregivers to be proactive with their care, instead of reactive,” says Shannon Dentel, RN, director of risk management.

ACT caregivers are able to participate more in the overall development of resident care plans. According to Dentel, that has translated into superior care and lower staff turnover among ACT participants, who also “get a lot of recognition when they go through this program.”

For details about each winning strategy, see the cover story of Assisted Living Executive’s May/June 2010 issue, or contact Marlene Hendrickson (mhendrickson@alfa.org).  The ALFA 2010 Best of the Best Award winners will also be recognized at the ALFA 2010 Conference & Expo, May 25-27, in Phoenix.

About the Assisted Living Federation of America: Founded in 1990, the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) is the only national association exclusively dedicated to professionally operated senior living communities. ALFA’s member-driven programs promote business and operational excellence through national conferences, research, publications, and executive networks. ALFA works to influence public policy by advocating for informed choice, quality care, and accessibility for all Americans seeking assistance with long-term care. Visit www.alfa.org for more information.

About Assisted Living Executive magazine: ALFA’s flagship publication, Assisted Living Executive reaches more than 20,000 c-level and senior executives. Published six times per year, the magazine focuses on best practices and strategic solutions that advance operational excellence for senior living companies. Assisted Living Executive is an ALFA membership benefit and also available by subscription. Go to www.alfa.org/ALE for details. Visit the magazine’s digital edition at www.alfapublications.org.

Too often seniors move into a senior community because they appreciate the decor, or the size of the apartments or that it’s in the town they’re most familiar. But little do they know, choosing a senior living residence is as about important as choosing a spouse. The community will take on the overall personality of the one who is directing it. If you have a stale, bitter director, you’ll have a stale, bitter community. If you have a happy, peaceful director, guess what? You’ll have a happy and peaceful community.

Have you ever heard the term, Like attracts like? When the director hires the team that will be running the facility, they will hire people that generally have similiar attitudes and beliefs as their own. Believe it or not, this will even trickle down to what type of residents decide to move into the community. Like attracts like. Happy director, happy residents. So if you want to save time and money investigating which Senior Living Community is right for you, start at the top and get to know the Executive Director first.

Rancy Randhawa, the executive director of Carlton Plaza of San Leandro is the person who has put a team together that has one common goal; to give their residents a truly outstanding lifestyle. A lifestyle rich in love, compassion, understanding and dedication.

The Carlton Assisted Living Crown Plaza is located on the same campus where Carlton Plaza of Sacramento is located, providing the ability to seamlessly transition to assisted living when the time is right. In the meantime, residents of the independent living apartments at the Plazas pursue a resort lifestyle in the amusement-focused amenities the Carlton Plaza boasts. From the theater style big screen televisions for movie enjoyment to the built in stages for live professional entertainment, living here is like living on a cruise ship without the seasickness and passport requirements.

From grand aquariums to grand pianos, entertainment abounds at the Carlton Plaza of Sacramento. Individual apartments feature weekly laundry and housekeeping services, 24 hour emergency call services in each apartment, three meals a day, garbage, water, and electricity included with rental fees, not to mention the richly appointed design of each apartment. Carlton takes care of all apartment maintenance and property care, giving you less to worry about and do in terms of daily upkeep like a private residence requires. While your lifestyle may be active, that does not mean your day should be full of chores and household responsibilities.

Apartments at Carlton Plaza of Sacramento start at just $2,895. There is also an option for companion suites when your partner must move to the Crown Plaza for assisted living. Those apartments start at just $3,995. Carlton and Crown Plazas also offer respite resort stays starting at just $130 per night. This can provide a great opportunity to test the waters and see how you might enjoy life at the Plazas and the level of care you will receive. For those who take care of loved ones in need of assisted living, this option provides an opportunity for a break or in times of crisis when immediate options are needed.

Assisted living at Carlton provides housekeeping services, laundry services, spa treatments, even door-to-door medical appointments to make keeping up with medical conditions and treatment plans less stressful. We encourage pets in our assisted living apartments because we know the value these companions have for our residents. Residents are encouraged to stay active in social activities and to continue personal growth through our Personal Expressions activity program. As their needs change over time, we provide plans and services that can widen the support net provided so that residents can maintain their dignity, pride, and freedom as an independent senior.

Prior to moving into a Carlton assisted living apartment, we provide a thorough professional review and assessment of each resident. Each resident receives an individualized care plan to address current and projected future assistance needs. Each resident is reviewed quarterly to ensure current care plans are appropriate and to assess social and clinical status. Staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency care and to assist with care, ensure physician orders are followed, and medication properly managed. Physical care is important for our residents’ safety, security, and continued independence, although we strive to promote active lifestyles among our residents and therefore also stress the importance of a holistic approach to assisted living.

In terms of amenities, our assisted living apartments come with richly appointed living rooms, spacious bedrooms with active seniors in mind, oversized bathrooms, cable service, storage, and of course, an in-house emergency call system. There is also 24 hour security controlled access. Care plans in these apartments can also support a higher level of assistance for diabetes and dementia residents as well, while still maintaining the luxurious feel of a resort and nurturing an independent lifestyle. We believe the mental well being and emotional outlook of a resident is just as important as their physical care and the amenities we provide.

For A Free Tour and Lunch Call Us at 1-800-Carlton (227-5866)

In a unanimous decision, the council gave its final approval for the construction of the Carlton Plaza Senior Living Community on Fifth Street. Construction is due to begin in September and will last about 14 months. The plaza will be built on 2.5 acres and contain 103 assisted care units, housing up to 127 people. Carlton Senior Living, established in 1984, currently has assisted care facilities in six locations.  It will also begin construction on an assisted care facility in Elk Grove this fall. “It’s not only a great project, it’s also a great fit in a town with senior housing needs,” Souza said. “Assisted living is one of the major deficits in our community and it needed to be filled.” Senior VP of CSL, Toni Graham, said  “Nothing is more important than providing care to our senior residents in a courteous, helpful and prompt way”. “We pride ourselves on being a leader in the assisted living industry.” American Diabetes Association Associate Manager Mark Orgeron partnered with the Sacramento branch of  CSL for one year. “It’s been absolutely awesome,”  Orgeron said. “They’re a great company and they’re very dedicated to helping people with diabetes. Senior citizens in Davis will have a positive experience with them.”

What comes to mind when you envision your retirement community? If you’re like most Americans, you probably think of the freedom to sleep in every morning and finally take that art class or volunteer at that museum that you never had time for when you were working. However, many people come to realize that the need to shovel the driveway and figure out why the gutters aren’t draining properly doesn’t end just because you’ve stopped working every day. In fact, many people feel like they are under more pressure when they retire, because while money is tighter, the daily maintenance keeps on getting more expensive.

If you’re interested in a life after work that includes more rest and relaxation and less stress, you’ve got to consider the retirement community that we have to offer you in the sunny state of California. There’s a reason why this state is the home of all that is luxurious and glamorous in this country, it’s because we have the sunshine, the beaches, and the culture to attract the biggest and the brightest stars. If life by the beach sounds like just what you had in mind, you have to consider the communities that we have to offer.

Unlike other communities that offer one kind of residence, in one single location, out retirement community offerings span eight locations all over the state. No matter whether you’d like the quiet elegance of our community in Fremont, or the exciting culture of our community in Sacramento, we have something that will fit your lifestyle and your budget. Don’t think of life in one of our communities as a surrender of your private life, rather you should think of it as the opportunity to finally embrace the life you’ve always wanted.

One of the biggest benefits of moving to retirement communities like the ones we operate in Concord is that they will remove the need to keep up with pesky maintenance needs and bills that you’ve been dealing with for years. If your idea of a relaxing Saturday afternoon doesn’t include weeding the flower beds or mowing the lawn, then you’re in luck- because all of these tasks are already taken care of for you when you live in one of our contemporary senior apartments. Instead of restricting your independence, these facilities will set you free to make the most out of every day.

Each Senior Apartment in our Concord facility features a private balcony where you can entertain guests and relatives, or simply observe the Western sunset with an iced tea in the evening. During the day, you can take advantage of our social activities, like card games, bingo, and barbeques, all without having to worry about supplying the refreshments or cleaning up the mess after! If you’d rather get out and about in the pleasant sunshine, there are transportation services available at your convenience. Getting older doesn’t have to mean the end of your independence, just the end of worry about tasks that you’d rather not do anyway.

Carlton Senior Living offers Senior Assisted Living and Independent Senior Apartment Communities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information call 800-227-5866