Tales of senior living communities helping each other in times of turmoil continue to surface almost one month after hurricanes Helene and Milton first battered the Southeastern United States.
Hurricane Helene made landfall on the Florida panhandle Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane. By the next day, the storm had been downgraded to a tropical depression, but its heavy rain and wind caused damage across an 800-mile path.
Hurricane Milton made landfall Oct. 9, bringing winds and storm surge to parts of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Fort Myers in Florida, as well as dozens of tornadoes it spawned, as it moved across the state and into the Atlantic Ocean.
Neighbors helping neighbors
The Goldton at Venice, an Atlas Senior Living community in Nokomis, FL, became a refuge for more than 200 staff members, local healthcare providers and residents from The Canopy at Beacon Woods, an Atlas assisted living community in Hudson, FL, during Hurricane Milton.
Due to its location in a non-flood zone and nearby Sarasota Memorial Hospital, The Goldton received a steady influx of requests from locals looking for a safe place to ride out the storm.
“We started getting calls on Monday, right before the storm hit,” Goldton Executive Director Laura Blakeman said. “The Goldton at Venice quickly became a safe haven not only for our residents, families and staff, but for our neighbors in surrounding areas.”
Atlas Senior Living co-founder and President Scott Goldberg flew in to personally assist during the storm, along with Regional Maintenance Director Michael Hamilton. They and other staff members walked the halls throughout the night to check on guests and residents.
The Goldton even helped a local resident who rode out the storm at the community celebrate his 99th birthday.
Residents from The Canopy returned safely to their community after one night.
Going the distance
Similarly, The Harrison of Wildwood Senior Living, an assisted living and memory care community in Wildwood, FL, managed by Sagora Senior Living, took in 71 residents from Truewood by Merrill Port Charlotte who evacuated during Hurricane Milton. Truewood is Merrill Gardens’ middle-market brand.
The Harrison of Wildwood Executive Director Chris McDowell and Sagora’s Regional Vice President of Operations Melissa Sloper implemented a protocol that welcomed the Truewood residents — who traveled over an hour to The Harrison of Wildwood — that included a hot buffet and entertainment.
Sagora operates 10 communities in Florida, with The Harrison at Wildwood being the farthest inland.
“It’s a demonstration of Sagora’s ‘Resident First’ motto put into action,” Sagora Vice President of Corporate Operations Christal Hoffman said. “That message extends beyond just our own communities. We need to support our fellow operators and keep seniors safe during this critical time.”
The Truewood residents spent several days at The Harrison of Wildwood before returning home recently.
Read about other stories of senior living communities lending a helping hand, as well as disaster relief efforts in states affected by the storms.
