Contrary to what some might believe, transitioning to a senior living community doesn’t have to be a life-altering change that impacts quality of life. In fact, the newly established Ovation Heartwood Preserve by Avamere, an urban and upscale lifestyle community in West Omaha, is focused on not only maintaining, but enhancing, the lives of residents by placing an emphasis on an active connection to community and family.
“When creating the brand, we aimed to offer a choice for multiple levels of senior living that would be both upscale and vibrant,” said Stephanie Grade, general manager of Ovation Heartwood Preserve. “We conducted numerous focus groups within the Omaha market to ensure that we were aligning with what the community desired. Ovation was born out of our value of innovation.”
The village, which offers personalized independent living, assisted living, and memory care options, was inspired by the charming energy of Omaha’s local culture. To bring its vision to life, Ovation houses multiple dining and socialization options that range from fine dining and wine tasting to coffee bars and bistros, ensuring that residents are able to access all of the amenities they were previously accustomed to receiving. Designed to allow residents the opportunity to engage in the Preserve, roll-up doors and roof top decks are featured throughout the community as well. Additional conveniences like valet and concierge services, an onsite physical therapist, 24-hour on-call nurses, and a pool and fitness area are also available to residents.
A noteworthy feature—especially during a global pandemic—is the facility’s visitation room specifically designed to permit loved ones to visit residents even during a potential infectious disease outbreak that would lead to a community closure. The room features a sliding glass door and a special plexiglass wall to ensure that both visitors and residents remain safe during the meeting.
According to Grade, residents don’t have to fret about a big buy-in, either, because the facilities are leased on a month-to-month rental. Grade said the Ovation team is proud to re-earn the business of residents each month. “Our job is to enhance the lives of our residents, and if that means taking a greater risk for ourselves, then we will do that. We have faith in our team members and we believe that what we stand for and what we offer is the better choice.”
Grade, who previously worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years, said the process of developing the brand and training team members has been a tremendously gratifying experience. “It is so rewarding to know that we will be able to enhance the life of every person we serve through the programming that we created. It’s a lot of fun.”
Continued growth is in the future for Ovation. The company is currently identifying new sites across the nation. Locally, a new model in Papillion is also in planning stages.
“I love being part of an evolution, and the next phase in creating a ripple effect in senior living—not just throughout Omaha, but throughout the nation,” Grade said. “It’s certainly an experience that hasn’t been done before in this market. I feel so fortunate to be part of this team and offer something that the entire community truly needs. Our goal is to make sure residents are happier and healthier within 90 days of moving in, which is why we actually give them a survey after that time period to measure our true impact and refine our process. This not only shows that we enjoy getting to know every resident, but that we care about making sure they’re satisfied and living their best life at Ovation.”
For more information about Ovation Heartwood Preserve by Avamere, or to schedule a tour of the facilities, call 402-999-7900 or visit
ovationbyavamere.com.
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