Senior Living Scoop: August 2025

Areté Living Admin
Aug 5, 2025
4 min read

Get the scoop on senior living and happenings at Areté Living! The Scoop is released the first Tuesday of each month by Areté Living, proudly managing senior living communities across six states.

Get this month's scoop below!

Senior Living Scoop: What does wellness look like in senior living?

"Wellness touches every area of our lives, whether it's physical or spiritual. I think it's most important for seniors because we emphasize: How can we live healthier, longer?" - Daniel Webster, Wellness Director, Ovation Heartwood Preserve Independent Living

"The better they take care of themselves, the more they are able to be independent. It improves their life and their longevity." - Beth Wolfgram, Wellness Director, Ovation Heartwood Preserve Assisted Living

Discover the importance of wellness for older adults and what this looks like in senior living.

WATCH VIDEO

Featured Message: Aspen Ridge Senior Living Communities Rebrand as Desert Sage

Areté Living is proud to announce the rebrand of its two senior living communities in Bend, Oregon. Aspen Ridge Retirement and Aspen Ridge Memory Care are now Desert Sage Retirement and Desert Sage Memory Care.

The rebrand reflects a deeper connection to Central Oregon and reinforces the communities’ long-standing dedication to exceptional care and service. It represents the team’s focus on enriching the lives of residents through compassion, meaningful connection, and personalized support.

Inspired by the sage plant, celebrated for its resilience and healing qualities, Desert Sage symbolizes the strength and spirit seen in residents and team members each day.

Areté Living assumed management of both communities in February 2025. This rebrand introduces a fresh identity aligned with the company’s mission and values.

Desert Sage Memory Care earned a deficiency-free state survey in June 2025 shortly after the management change, affirming the team’s unwavering commitment to excellence.

“Desert Sage honors both the natural beauty of Bend’s high desert surroundings and the remarkable strength of the people who live and work in our communities,” stated Sarah Silva, President of Areté Living. “Just as the sage plant is known for its resilience and wisdom, our team and residents embody strength and enduring spirit.”

Desert Sage offers a full continuum of senior living options. Desert Sage Retirement provides independent and assisted living, while Desert Sage Memory Care serves seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

With a focus on exceptional service and meaningful experiences, Desert Sage remains a trusted resource for seniors and families across Central Oregon.

Find out more at DesertSageRetirement.com and DesertSageMC.com.

Stephanie Grade, Vice President of Operations, was featured in Faces of Omaha by Omaha Magazine!

"We designed Ovation to really be the ‘standing ovation’ for our seniors’ lives that they’ve worked so hard for," she shared.

Stephanie highlighted some of the top amenities at Ovation Heartwood Preserve, including several on-site restaurants, a warm-water pool, 360 Rooftop Social Club, and a full calendar of activities and outings. “The goal is that everything is at your fingertips,” she said. “It really is maintenance-free life.”

Nominate for OHCA Awards

OHCA award nominations are live! We invite you to nominate senior living leaders for these distinguished awards.

The purpose of the Oregon Health Care Association (OHCA) Annual Convention Awards Program is to honor long-term care professionals and business partners for outstanding service to Oregon’s long-term care and community-based care residents and clients.

Awards will be given out in the following categories:

Administrator of the Year - Community-Based Care and Skilled Care
Above and Beyond Service
Caregiver of the Year
Enrichment of Life
Innovative Program & Improvement
Leadership
Nurse Leader Award - Community-Based Care and Skilled Care
Outstanding Business Partner of the Year

Submissions are due by August 10, 2025. Click below for more info and to nominate!

NOMINATE

Portland Pride 2025

We were honored to sponsor Pride Northwest at the Portland Pride Festival for the fourth year! Thanks to everyone who visited our booth and waved at us in the parade.

We extend a special thanks to our employee volunteers for their time and energy at this exciting event. So many people showed up to celebrate and support!

This year's Pride planning team included:

Maddie Almodovar, Community Pillar Lead of our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) program and Executive Director of Avamere at Sandy
Kenny Dew, Chair of our DEIB Council and Area Finance Manager
Shaelynn Miller, Director of Content and Communications
Grace Curry, Life Enrichment Director with Avamere at Sherwood
Jay Gagnon, former Director of Sales and Outreach with Avamere at Sherwood
Zanele Mutepfa-Rhone, Culture and Diversity Strategist

We were also thrilled to be visited by Polyfamily, a new TV show on Max and TLC. They featured their booth photo on social media. See their post here!

Watch our video recaps of the event below. Happy Pride!

Social Media Fun

Our senior living teams and residents are having so much fun. See some of our recent posts below. Follow us so you don’t miss out!

Hot Jobs in Senior Living

Find your passion at our senior living communities! Our 26 locations span six states, with opportunities in administration and leadership, nursing, housekeeping, dietary, and so much more.

Discover your passion today!

EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES

What We're Celebrating in August

Here's what we're honoring and celebrating this month. Follow Areté Living on social media to see how we're recognizing these moments!

Purple Heart Day, August 7

On Purple Heart Day, we remember and honor the heroes who bravely represented our country. Those decorated with the Purple Heart have endured wounds or lost their life in the line of duty. Today, and every day, we recognize their bravery and unwavering commitment.

Senior Citizens Day, August 21

We love celebrating our residents every day, and Senior Citizens Day gives us another special reason to honor them and the incredible impact they’ve made in the world. Take a moment today to learn their stories, share your own, and celebrate the wisdom, strength, and joy they bring to our lives.