Press Release Details
Somerby Senior Living and St. Vincent's Health System Form Unique Joint Venture
6/2/2009
Local Couple Sold on Idea of Active Retirement Community Combined with Health and Wellness
Hoover, Ala: When it comes to workout routines, Keith and Stella Bryant have it all figured out. The couple exercises several days a week and makes sure they combine a good cardio workout along with some strength training.
The Bryants are an example of a growing trend among older adults in the Birmingham area and across the country. They’re not letting age get in the way of staying active and fit. While in their late 70s, they recognize the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
“As you get older, you should pay attention to your overall health,” said Keith Bryant of Hoover. “It just makes sense to us — exercise more and eat less.”
The Bryants found that their exercise routine was starting to dwindle because they didn’t always want to hop in the car and head to their health club. They even gave up their membership at the fitness center at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Health and Wellness. Now they’ve discovered what they consider the perfect solution — live next door to the center that helps them stay healthy. They are once again members of Fitness One Nineteen, and in a few months will move directly across from the center to a new active retirement community now under construction.
As part of Somerby Senior Living’s joint venture with St. Vincent’s Health System, members of the new Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen community receive access to the fitness center through complimentary memberships for its residents. Memberships have already started for those, like the Bryants, who’ve reserved an apartment home.
The unique partnership at Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen is designed with the overall objective of presenting older adults an opportunity to age more successfully.
“Usually active retirement communities have small fitness centers with a few pieces of equipment for residents to use,” said Michael Mays, president and COO of Somerby Senior Living. “While we could have done that, we wanted our members to have a completely different experience by being on the same campus as one of the most progressive health and wellness centers in the country."
That is one of the many reasons why the Bryants chose Somerby as their future home. They like the convenience of having a health and wellness center so close, not only for exercise, but other services as well.
“My wife and I are both touched by arthritis and occasionally our doctors will recommend physical therapy,” added Bryant. “At St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, we’re able to get that physical therapy right there as well as a place to work out.”
Partnering with Somerby Senior Living is a natural fit for St. Vincent’s Health System. At St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, individuals can find a variety of health care options including everything from doctors, diagnostics, and physical therapy to wellness education and medi-spa services.
“While we provide services for people of all ages, it is particularly important to have a place where older adults can come for a variety of reasons — be it fitness, physical therapy or just attending one of our monthly health-related seminars,” said Stephanie Holderby, executive director of St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. “With the Somerby community on the same campus, it provides residents with easy access to our expansive and growing medical complex.”
Keith Bryant and his wife have chosen a one-bedroom apartment in the new Somerby community scheduled to open in late summer. They’re looking forward to all of the activities and social aspects of the community and finally living in a home that is maintenance free, complete with housekeeping. Their plans for the future? Quite simply, the couple says they plan to enjoy their health as long as they can by maintaining their fitness routine at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen to live longer, healthier lives.
About Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen
Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen is a 200-residence independent and assisted living rental community that is in the final stages of construction on the campus of and in partnership with St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Health and Wellness in Hoover. Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen offers maintenance-free living surrounded by resort-style amenities, including a complimentary membership to the adjacent world-class wellness and fitness center, and restaurant-style dining with bistro and coffee bar options. Services include weekly housekeeping and linen service, social and educational events, and scheduled transportation. Residents are offered a defined health care benefit program and receive priority access to on-site assisted living, if ever needed. The community is owned and managed by Somerby Senior Living, the senior living services subsidiary of Dominion Partners located in Birmingham, Alabama. The principals of Dominion Partners, headquartered in Birmingham, have been actively involved in the ownership and development of senior living communities for more than 20 years, including communities located in Alpharetta, Ga.; Mount Pleasant, S.C.; and Mobile, Ala.
About St. Vincent’s One Nineteen
St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Health and Wellness (www.onenineteen.com) is one of five facilities that comprise St. Vincent’s Health System. A member of Ascension Health, the nation’s largest not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system, St. Vincent’s One Nineteen provides an integrated approach to healthcare. Its unique components include Physicians, Diagnostics, Physical Therapy, GI Lab, Fitness Center, Wellness Education, and Medi-Spa. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen houses a variety of physician specialties, as well as digital diagnostic services and laboratory testing.