Live Vibrantly - April 29, 2022

Behind the Scenes of Living the Good Life!

By Kathie Miller

We named our blog “The Good Life” for the fun play on words we see in it. We think of it more as “The Good(win) Life”, and we strive to share stories from the many places and ways we serve older adults. We also try to cover topics that are of interest to all of us as we travel together in the aging journey.

This week, we spent four days capturing photos and videos from scenes of the “Goodwin” life. We spent time on each of our two Life Plan Community campuses – Goodwin House Alexandria and Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads, and we sat down for video conversations with staff, Goodwin Living At Home members and the loved one of someone who received Hospice care.

These four days served as an incredible reminder of the depth and breadth of our organization. We started the week (and our Monday morning) with staff in our Small House Health Care Center on our Alexandria campus. Throughout the rest of that day, we ventured throughout that campus, capturing imagery of our Physical & Spiritual Wellness program, our restaurants and our incredible rooftop terrace.

Once we ventured over to our Bailey’s Crossroads campus, we explored walking paths and newly installed outdoor game turfs, and we spent time with our Assisted Living staff and more time in our restaurants as well as our art center and library.

And on our last day, we spent the entire day having engaging conversations with staff, residents, members and loved ones of hospice patients.

We found it to be exhilarating! …and also a bit exhausting. It can be hard to keep pace with the Goodwin life!

A Common Question – Are Residents Featured?

As we covered nearly every inch of both Goodwin Living campuses, we traveled with a group of people. At times, the group included more than a dozen of us. And as you might imagine, a crowd moving about campus (especially one that includes cameras and lighting equipment) draws attention. Several residents stopped to ask what we were doing, and a common question they asked was “Are residents featured?” The answer is, for the most part, no.

And there’s a simple reason why.

We have many residents who are more than willing to sit for the camera. And we love them for it! We look for opportunities to feature them in social media posts and blog features. We also pitch to the local news, hoping they’ll take notice of the incredible contributions residents make to the communities around us. Just recently, FOX 5 DC featured resident volunteerism, with special attention on GHBC residents who make mats for those without homes.

When it comes to print ads, marketing brochures and other promotional materials, we also consider their friends and family. We will be using the photos and videos in advertising, printed brochures and other marketing materials that might be used for several years. We do not wish to cause emotional pain or difficulty for loved ones should we still be relying on photos that feature residents who have lived out their days with us.

And so, we try to strike a balance.

We worked with a talent agency to find people who could represent residents and future residents. We also plan to complement that content with on-camera interviews that we recorded with residents. Together, we will have incredible content, thanks to the imagery that features residents, staff, members and patients’ loved ones combined with the imagery that features talent.

Without Further Delay – Enjoy Our Sneak Peek!

The imagery we gathered during the shoot is extraordinary, and we cannot wait to share it with you! In the meantime, we’re giving you these four sneak peek clips. Keep in mind, these were taken using my iPhone, so it’s just a mere taste of what we can expect from the gifted team of Hartman Benzon Media, with additional support from Jeepney Media, and overall project management from our partners at Varsity Branding. We appreciate them for sharing their talents with us so we can showcase the talents of our staff, residents, members and all others who make this Goodwin Life so amazing!

Sneak Peek 1 – Our Amazing Staff!

Enjoy spending a little time with Antoinette Jackson, one of our CNAs in Assisted Living at Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads

Sneak Peek 2 – The Interviews

Get a look at the set that we used to sit down in engaged conversation for a day of interviews.

Sneak Peek 3 – It’s A Party!

Residents in our Life Plan Communities make the most of their private apartment homes. We recreated what it is like when one of them hosts friends over for food, drinks and fun!

Sneak Peek 4 – Outdoor Galore!

Our Life Plan Communities are in the close-in suburbs of Washington, D.C. so our campuses do not stretch across several acres of land. Yet we make the most of the outdoors spaces the land (and buildings) on our campuses afford us. This brief clip shows you a short stretch of our garden path at Bailey’s Crossroads and a stunning sunset on the rooftop at Alexandria.

We hope you enjoy these little teasers, and we look forward to share more with you in the weeks ahead!

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As Corporate Director of Marketing & Communications, Kathie Miller provides strategic guidance and tactical support for all areas of Goodwin Living. She writes, edits and manages The Good Life blog and newsletter. Kathie joined GHI in 2014 after nearly 15 years at NPR, where she honed her skills in brand and reputation management, content marketing and internal communications. Originally from Pennsylvania, Kathie has slowly come to realize she’s lived in Arlington for more than half her life and should call herself a Virginian. She enjoys the outdoors and brings her rescue dog, Remi, to work every day.