This isn't your great-grandmother's nursing home!

At Grace Living Centers, our philosophy is that people need things to help them continue to grow, no matter what their age of physical condition. For that reason we employ the idea that people need interaction with other living humans, animals and plants to help them grow, continue as caregivers and stay active.

See what have to say about us!

Dr. Bill Thomas, a physician in family medicine and geriatrics in New York, encourages spontaneity and variety in the nursing home. How do we encourage spontaneity?

At Grace Living Centers, elders can mingle with children, many of whom come to Grace for tutoring after school, or, as in the case of Grace - Jenks, have Pre-K and Kindergarten classes at the center. At many Grace Living Centers, people can cuddle with their cat or play with their dogs. Many Grace Centers also have indoor as well as outdoor gardens in which elders work and watch things grow. By giving elders opportunities to interact with and care for others, loneliness, boredom and helplessness are much less obvious in a Grace facility.

These are things that make life worth living. Dr. Thomas believes, "It's the right thing to do." In his award-winning book, Life Worth Living, Dr. Thomas writes, "The traditional nursing home gives you three meals a day, but no reason to live."

Grace staff members are also actively involved in resident centered philosophy. It's certainly more fun to work in an environment that provides fun and activities for others.

Grace President Don Greiner believes so strongly in the program and benefits for elders and staff that he offers training so staff and family members can become certified Eden Associates. In addition, Grace employs a full-time Director of Life Enrichment to train employees in resident centered activities. The ultimate goal of the program is to create a facility in which staff, family members, and the community work together to ensure that elders continue to lead meaningful, fulfilling lives in facilities free of the three plagues of the elderly: boredom, loneliness and helplessness.