Living at Seabrook, an Erickson Senior Living community in Tinton Falls, N.J., opens the door to a wealth of activities, amenities, and social events. In addition, many residents also take the opportunity to volunteer their time for worthy causes.
Some choose to take an active role in community-wide decision-making by serving on the Resident Advisory Council (RAC), a large group of active residents who work closely with administrators and directors to have a positive impact on life at Seabrook.
"This is a community of independent adults and we have the privilege to work with them on making Seabrook the best place to live and work," explains Jennifer McNamara, Seabrook's executive director. "That's really at the heart of the RAC."
A cadre of volunteers
Each Erickson Senior Living community operates in partnership with its residents, often through the efforts of the RAC. At Seabrook, the RAC board of directors is comprised of nine leaders--a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and five general board members--all of whom have been elected by their fellow residents in the community. In addition, the RAC includes eight committees focused on different aspects of community life, including dining, finance, general services, health services, resident life, safety, philanthropy, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).
Committee chairs meet with their committees and subcommittees regularly while also connecting with Seabrook management to share feedback and brainstorm ideas.
Current RAC President Ed Batten meets weekly with McNamara. Ed and his wife, Pat, moved to Seabrook three years ago from Hilton Head, S.C., where they were both involved with local continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). Pat worked as a director of resident services while Ed served on a CCRC board of directors for nine years.
Ed became involved in RAC activities from the moment the couple arrived at Seabrook. After serving on the finance committee, he was recruited to run for the top post by former president Lin Kaufer.
"My first priority was to develop a mission statement for the organization--to work in partnership with management to continuously strive to make Seabrook the best place to live and work," Ed says.
A true partnership
"The RAC represents the voice of the resident perspective. They spend a lot of time talking with residents, getting feedback, and working together with team members on positive enhancements to the community," McNamara explains. "Most days I talk or email with Ed who serves as a sounding board. I really value, appreciate, and respect his perspective. It really is a great community partnership."
The RAC also works to ensure that staff members are just as happy as the residents. Each year, members support staff appreciation events as well as the scholarship fund for student employees.
In the fall of 2023, Seabrook's RAC hosted the annual meeting for ORANJ, the Organization of Resident Associations of New Jersey. RACs from 25 New Jersey CCRCs gathered to share information, exchange ideas, and problem-solve. At the meeting, Erickson Senior Living's vice president of market intelligence, Nancy Baker, discussed the state of the marketplace for CCRCs.
Seabrook RAC Safety Committee Chair Neal Grolnic delivered a key presentation, outlining the need for inspections of electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries, which can be dangerous if used incorrectly. The committee brought this issue to senior management, and it was later presented to Erickson Senior Living corporate leadership.
"The committee did a lot of work to educate our community, as well as our regional partners, regarding their concerns," notes McNamara. "These efforts helped shape what will soon be an enterprise-wide program for inspecting batteries and electronic motor vehicles. Seabrook's RAC led the way, not only for Erickson Senior Living, but for senior living communities across the country. The committee is working at the government level as well."
Different levels of involvement
For many Seabrook residents, being part of the RAC is a labor of love. They dedicate many hours in service to the community. For those looking to make an impact, Ed suggests joining a committee or subcommittee or even volunteering at community-wide programs and events.
"It's a great way to be impactful in positive change in the community," he explains. "It's also a great way to meet people and learn about what's happening at Seabrook. For someone who enjoys helping be part of positive change, this is a great way to do it."
To learn more about affordable, independent senior living at Seabrook, request your free brochure to get the scoop on amenities, floor plans, and so much more.
