Silverado Senior Living Creates Staff Kids' Camp in Memory-Care Community

KINGWOOD, Texas, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- With the approach of summer, employees at a workplace in Texas once again will have a welcome solution to a traditional working-parent dilemma: How to care for children while school is out of session.  For the past several years, Silverado Senior Living, a memory-care community in Kingwood, Tex. has operated a summer camp for staff kids.  The program solves the seasonal child-care dilemma and saves the employees a significant amount of money.  The parents say it also provides non-monetary but important rewards by shaping the youngsters to become better adults.

Each day during the summer, several dozen youngsters ranging in age from toddler to teen will come to Silverado to participate in a range of camp-style activities organized and run by Silverado staff.  They include making pizza and playing Wii with community residents to trips to water parks, lakes, museums and more.  Save for admission fees to attractions and a $2 for lunch, it's all free to their parents. 

"My children love Camp Silverado," said Michelle Gassiott, a caregiver at the community.  Her two daughters have taken part in Camp Silverado for three years.  Gassiott says the fact the camp is free helps the family budget, but its value exceeds simply saving money.

"Spending time with the residents here has taught them important lessons about respect, love, and doing things for other people," Gassiott said.  "If they were at a regular summer camp, only with other kids, they'd have fun.  At Camp Silverado, they have fun with a purpose. In becoming friends with the residents, they're learning the value of elders and this is helping them grow into responsible adults."

Chris Holland, administrator of Silverado Senior Living in Kingwood, says the investment of resources and time into Camp Silverado is worthwhile for the entire community.

"Clearly, it's a great benefit to the parents on our staff and their kids, and knowing their children are here and having such a good time allows the parents to fully concentrate on their work," Holland said.  "But I think our residents are the ones who get the most out of Camp Silverado, because it keeps them connected to children and enables them to experience the laughter, love, and joy of kids every day.  This has a great positive impact on our residents' spirit, which in turn improves their emotional, physical, and psychological wellbeing."

Camp Silverado is an outgrowth of a company-wide policy at Silverado Senior Living, which operates 20 other memory-care communities in addition to the one in Kingwood.  Parents throughout the organization are encouraged to bring their children with them to work year-round.  Under this arrangement, the youngsters are welcome to take part in activities with residents, interact with Silverado's community pets, and enjoy snacks, all for free.

Silverado Senior Living offers assisted living care for those with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of memory impairment as well as home care, care management, and hospice care through its Silverado At Home and Silverado Hospice service lines.  Silverado is based in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. and operates in a total of 34 locations across California, Texas, Utah, and Arizona. Visit  www.Silveradosenior.com for more information.

SOURCE Silverado Senior Living