In 15 Years of Making a Difference, Here’s 15 Differences We’ve Made for Seniors.
Imagine this. One day way back in May 2008, Sonata Senior Living set out to significantly change the lives of seniors and their families in Florida. And not just change them, but change them for the best. Were we naïve? We don’t think so.
Our founders began with a simple premise: each day should offer up more opportunities to live life to the fullest. This commitment to availing more choices for older adults to live a more meaningful and fuller life is an idea from which we’ve never deviated.
We’ve grown a lot during 15 intervening years. Each day we set out to make a difference in the lives of our residents: to provide greater safety, security, and peace of mind, to help older adults live their best lives, and to inspire them to continue growing with us.
We’ve grown, too! Mostly, to appreciate and love the unique gifts and personalities older adults bring to our independent living, assisted living and memory care communities. It’s been an amazing journey together.
To celebrate and mark our 15th Year Anniversary, we uncovered 15 key ways we make a difference in the lives of older adults every day. We invite you to visit a community and be the judge of how well we’re performing this mission.
- We Are One Culture. Building a better approach to senior living is a cultural effort. At Sonata, we believe that a culture is defined, not by individuals, but by living relationships between individuals working toward a shared goal. We are building a family of like-minded people who give selflessly by caring for and connecting with others.
- Award-Winning Performance. We didn’t set out to win awards for the quality of our care and design of our communities. It just turned out that way. Many of our communities have been recognized as among the best in Florida by Argentum, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and Orlando Magazine, to name a few.
- Quality of Care. Our greatest aspiration is to provide a feeling of family. We do this through a unique model of care centered around the personal preferences of each resident living in our communities. Discovering and acting on the individual needs of residents is what makes our family part of your family.
- Signature Programs. Making a difference in the lives of older adults is too important to be left to chance. Seniors expect more through our unique Signature Programs. Our At Your Servicesm culture drives us to provide an extra measure of hospitality in everything we do. Our Live It Upsm life enrichment program nurtures every aspect of healthy aging and wellness. SonataSafesm puts safety into every practice for added reassurance for both residents and their loved ones.
- Leadership Team Longevity. 15 years is the tip of the iceberg. Sonata has assembled a leadership team with decades of experience in senior living in Florida. We are committed to the people we serve in the state we call home. It is this leadership, both passionate and tenured, that inspires trust in our families, partners, and team members.
- A Record of Innovation. Sonata has grown by being quick to embrace innovations and pioneer advancements in every facet of senior living. This is evident in the upscale amenities found in our independent and assisted living communities to the purpose-built features found at our Serenades Memory Care communities. Our innovative approach to design is evident in programs such as Serenades For Her, which takes person-directed care to a level rarely seen in senior living.
- Leading Design and Technology. Brimming with the latest in smart health care technology, Sonata incorporates best-in-class safety, connectivity and software solutions to enhance resident care, experience and outcomes. Our data-driven approach keeps our residents and families informed and connected, creating greater peace of mind.
- Care Partnerships. As experts in long-term care, Sonata provides support, resources, and education to families before, during, and after a move to senior living. At Sonata, caregivers are more than just people who provide care. They are care partners who leverage the latest in cloud access and technology to ensure continuity of care for our families.
- Safety Is Priority. Our SonataSafesm signature program is our pledge to accommodate whatever operational and technical safeguards are necessary to care for older adults. We are always prepared for whatever surprise Mother Nature throws our way to ensure the comfort and safety of residents and staff.
- Meaningful Values. Sonata is committed to excellence, integrity, respect, passion, and teamwork. We don’t pay lip service to these ideals, but rather, we continually look for ways to exercise them. For instance, every month we identify employees who exemplify Service, Teamwork And Respect. Affectionately known as our Sonata S-T-A-R-S, these team members are nominated by their peers and honored in ways that reinforce our culture.
- Locally Owned and Operated. Raising the standard for innovation in senior living requires staying close to our communities and the people who work in them. As a regional provider, we are rooted deeply in the areas we serve and stay connected to life and events in our local communities. We’re always here for our team members, partners, and families.
- Senior Advocacy. Our long-time involvement with the Florida Senior Living Association (FSLA) has allowed Sonata to be in the forefront of advocating for seniors and making progress on senior issues in our state. Our very own President and CEO Shelley Esden serves as Chair of the FSLA and is a member of the Argentum Leadership Network and CEO Executive Roundtable, helping to ensure legislation prioritizes the needs of older adults in Florida.
- Investment in Team Development. We continually nurture our team members through training and career development that focuses on growth, empowerment and recognition. Our signature R.O.C.K. onboarding process encourages team members to Read, Observe, Collaborate and Know. The model builds confidence through a comprehensive, job specific training program that embraces shadowing and mentoring while developing the leadership skills of coworkers.
- Regulatory Excellence. We take pride in consistently ranking among the top senior living providers in Florida and consistently exceeding state standards. In addition to deficiency-free state inspections, Sonata is well known for going above and beyond state-mandated guidelines when it comes to care, training, emergency management, nutrition and dining services. We set the bar high and operate our communities even higher.
- Experience. So much has changed since we started in 2008. In 15 years, there isn’t much we haven’t seen and, by sticking to our values and vision, prevailed over. The point of our experience is to make the senior living experience more rewarding for everyone.
15 Years, Making a Difference
After 15 years, one might think experience would be our most endearing quality, but we don’t.
In short, it’s the partnerships, the commitment from leadership, the passion we see in our Sonata S-T-A-R-S, the culture we create in each of our communities, and the relationships we build with each and every one of our residents that make life in our communities extraordinary.
A Sonata Senior Living community is so much more than a place to live. It’s a lifestyle made richer by people who truly care, and by services that make retirement living not only easier, but healthier.
Our communities make each day a richer experience for all who live in them.
