Bella Vista City Guide

By Suzanne Rhodes Bella Vista City Guide While the pandemic brought life to a standstill for Arkansans as it did for Americans everywhere in 2020-21, there is one NWA community that stands out for taking exceptional measures to ensure the health, happiness and safety of its residents. at community is Concordia. "We have become stronger through the challenge of the covid crisis," said Executive Director Angie Clark. at so far there have been few cases of the virus she attributes first to God and "his protective hand on our community." Other factors she mentioned were following CDC, state, and home office guidelines, which she said seemed to change daily, and teamwork involving sacrifice and willingness of staff members to assume tasks that weren't in their job description. "But they gladly did them with a servant's heart." Clark explained that before covid, "family visits were a vital part of weekly routines, and those visits were so important to the health and happiness of each resident. So I had to keep our residents protected from this virus without isolating them to the point that it caused harm. For me the challenge was to balance both sides. I felt like I was walking a tightrope daily." Despite these obstacles, Concordia continues to be distinguished for its full, active calendar, where there is something for everyone, such as concerts and entertainment, socials, art classes, cultural events and spiritual programs. "In 2021 we have ramped up our activity program even more and have encouraged our seniors to join clubs, participate in events and make friends around our community. is is a great way to improve not only a senior's mental health, but physical health as well," Clark said. Looking ahead to 2022, Concordia will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, a milestone that will bring open houses and many fun events currently in the planning stages. Concordia offers a wide range of services customized for residents at all stages of life, from independent to Catered Living (assisted living) to Memory Care. Independent residents can choose to live in one of 171 apartments, a cozy suite or a spacious town home. Catered Living is small, "so you get a 'family-like' feeling," Clark noted. "e staff know our residents and can tell if something is off. e care is phenomenal." e retirement community has three drivers, one bus and three Lincoln/ Cadillac town cars.) "is means we can accommodate so many more residents with their transportation needs. Most communities have just one driver and one bus. For them it means if the community wants to do an outing on the bus, other transportation needs such as doctor appointments must be transferred to a different day. Not here at Concordia. Our outings can continue as scheduled because our transportation services aren't interrupted." Concordia is exceptional in other ways as well, such as having a fulltime chaplain on staff. "Chaplain Larry interacts with our residents and staff, and prays and counsels them. He also writes our Monday devotional on our Facebook page and holds weekly Bible studies." Furthermore, a nurse is on staff during the week for the independent living residents. "Most assisted living communities have a nurse on staff, but independent living communities do not have a wellness nurse like we do. is is just another added perk." For folks looking to move into a retirement community, affordability is most always high on the priority list. "Our prices are the lowest in the area," Clark said. "We are an all-inclusive community, which means we don't any hidden fees, levels of care costs, or ala carte choices. Our administrator, Barb, meets with each family and develops a care plan based on current needs. If in the future the resident needs more care, we revise our care plan to match their needs. Prices are not increased based on your needs." Resident Lora Burch's testimonial on the Concordia Concordia, a healing place with a heart for seniors Photos courtesy Concordia 20 | 2022 Bella vista city guide

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