There are many University sponsored retirement communities in the United States, but few where personnel of the University are fully integrated into community operations. The Life Fulfilling Community^®, Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, was among the first to integrate community operations with University colleges.

Affiliation agreements now exist with 16 of the University’s colleges including Public Health and Health Professions, Nursing, Health and Human Performance, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, the Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences, Journalism, Veterinary Medicine, Fine Arts, the Phillips Center for Performing Arts, the Athletic Association, the Smathers Libraries, the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Harn Museum, Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Levin College of Law. Each agreement defines how the colleges will work with the community staff, members and member organizations.

Outstanding working relationships exist not only with the listed colleges but also with Shands Hospital, Centers for Latin American Studies, the College of Education and the Center for European Studies. Oak Hammock also has contractual services with the College of Dentistry, the College of Medicine, and the College of Health and Human Performance, which staffs the fitness center at the Oak Hammock community.

Oak Hammock’s involvement with the colleges has been through on-site speakers, internships, student projects, recruitment for studies and teaching art classes. The College of Pharmacy is at Oak Hammock each week to answer questions concerning drugs, Medicare and to collect outdated medications. This year, Oak Hammock and the Shands Arts in Medicine Program are sponsoring a Dance for (Long) Life series made possible by a grant study. Another innovative program is entitled “Training the Senior Voice.” The School of Music has been working with the Oak Hammock Singers through a grant and has presented the resulting research paper at both national and international conferences.

At Oak Hammock, lifelong learning is at the center of the dynamic community culture. The Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) is one of the most popular programs in the community. In fact, if you want to plan a meeting in the community, you will need to plan months ahead to find a room not booked for one of the many classes. “The ILR classes continue to be a great success,” says Sara Lynn McCrea, Oak Hammock’s Dean of Residents. “All of our members are eager to learn, and our guest speakers are knowledgeable in various interesting subjects. Globalization and natural resources…psychology…art and music…you name it, we offer it!”

The ILR began holding classes about three years before the community was operational and the class schedule grows every year. Since 2001, University faculty members have offered over 300 classes on a variety of subjects ranging from “The Golden Age of Music Theatre” to “Europe’s Unresolved German Problem.” Whether your desire is to better appreciate local, national or international history or improve your knowledge of everything from your body to world religions or the economy, there is plenty to choose from at Oak Hammock.

The ILR classes are available to every interested older adult in the Gainesville area in addition to being a major benefit to living at Oak Hammock. For more information, contact Sara Lynn McCrea, smccrea@oakhammock.org or call 352-548-1000.

Oak Hammock Receives FLiCRA’s “Top Gun” Award
Community has highest reported Member satisfaction and retention of FLiCRA Affiliates

Gainesville, Fla. (March 18, 2009) - The Oak Hammock Florida Life Care Residents Association (FLiCRA) Chapter recently received FLiCRA’s annual “Top Gun” award.  This award is given to the FLiCRA affiliated Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) with the highest percentage and retention of FLiCRA members. Oak Hammock is just one of 53 Florida CCRCs with a FLiCRA Chapter. 
“This award is important because it is a testament to our overall Member satisfaction, and affirms our effective membership drives and activities,” said Jim McGrady, President of the Oak Hammock FLiCRA Chapter 255.  “We are very proud of our community, and it does not come as a surprise that we have won this award considering the excellent amenities and services provided by Oak Hammock.”
FLiCRA is a statewide non-profit association comprised CCRC members. . The volunteers  and staff of FLiCRA have given this organization a recognized voice before the legislature and state regulatory agencies. FLiCRA’s mission is to promote and protect the rights of residents of CCRCs, and is often described as a “watchdog” on state legislative issues involving CCRCs.  “FLiCRA’s sole function is as a political action group – we basically follow the trends in Tallahassee,” said McGrady.
Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, a Life Fulfilling Community® located in Gainesville, provides Members with opportunities for lifelong learning, fitness and health.  Because of the community’s affiliation with UF, Oak Hammock Members benefit from faculty-like privileges at the university which include the ability to enroll in classes, and access to research facilities, lectures and sporting events.  Oak Hammock also provides state-of-the-art amenities to its Members such as a 22,000 square foot fitness center, multiple dining venues and a generous commons area.  Additionally, Members are guaranteed discounted access to the Oak Hammock Health Pavilion for healthcare (if ever needed) including skilled nursing, assisted living, memory support and rehabilitation services. .
For more information about Oak Hammock at the University of Florida or the FLiCRA “Top Gun” award, please contact (352) 548-1024, visit the website at www.oakhammock.org or visit the community during regular business hours at 5100 S.W. 25th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32608.
 

Oak Hammock's Healthcare Pavilion Awarded Medicare License

Gainesville, FL -- June 27, 2005 -- Gainesville's over-65 community now has an additional place to consider for clinical care and inpatient rehabilitation following a hospital stay. The Pavilion at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, off Willliston Road, was recently awarded its Medicare license from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"We have received notification from CMS that Oak Hammock can receive, treat and receive reimbursement for Medicare services. This means we can take direct admissions from the community -- patients do not have to be living at Oak Hammock to receive skilled nursing care at our Healthcare Pavilion," said Mark Levine, chief operations officer.

The Pavilion provides a complete spectrum of on-site, integrated, healthcare services in private accommodations with the strength of Oak Hammock's UF affiliations behind it. These include agreements with the College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, College of Health and Human Performance, College of Public Health and Health Professions, and College of Nursing.

Medications, lab fees, x-rays and meals are all covered under Medicare's skilled nursing benefit.

UF President Machen, Musical Performances Will Mark Assisted Living's First Anniversary Celebration

Oak Hammock at the University of Florida -- July 14, 2005 -- Today, retired pediatrician Dr. George Dell will be singin' the blues.  But there's no mournful wailing here, only an air of energy and excitement as he and other residents at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida present Our First Anniversary: A Musical Celebration. A unique offering of musical comraderie around the Steinway, the event will feature formal remarks by UF President Bernard Machen, whose parents live in Oak Hammock's assisted living community.

The event marks Assisted Living's first anniversary and its newfound accessibility to the Gainesville community due to the recent awarding of its Skilled Nursing Medicare license. The musical program, tours and a wine and cheese reception are all open to the public to highlight the change.

"This whole thing started when (Oak Hammock retiree) Adele Moody couldn't fit it in her apartment, so she loaned her Steinway to Assisted Living. She came to play it every afternoon, and before long, it was drawing everyone in the place," said Cindy Flowers, Assisted Living Manager. "It's how we like to do things at Oak Hammock." Moody, Dell and others will perform several vocal and instrumental pieces during the performance.

 The Pavilion at Oak Hammock – which encompasses skilled nursing care, assisted living, rehabilitation and memory support – allows a continuum of care through all areas, as well as making it more accessible to the Gainesville community. Now, Oak Hammock can take direct admissions from the community -- patients do not have to be living at Oak Hammock to receive skilled nursing care at The Pavilion under Medicare.

This recent development opens up new choices in Assisted Living as well, Flowers said.

"Now that The Pavilion is open to the community, we can offer people who have come for skilled nursing care the additional option of being discharged to Assisted Living to continue their rehabilitation before returning home. The Shands, Oak Hammock and Gainesville community will benefit from this, and as long as we have the availability, we want to do this for the community," Flowers said.

The Pavilion provides a complete spectrum of on-site, integrated, coordinated healthcare services in all-private accommodations. Its 37 spacious, assisted living suites are designed for those who need help with the activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing or assistance with self-administered medications.
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Ocala Couple Finds Retirement Answers Right Up the Road

Gainesville, FL -- June 13, 2005 -- Merrill and Bette Archard welcomed Gigi, their toy poodle, into their home five years ago. They expected in return the typical happiness, satisfaction and rewards of loving a pet, but never guessed that Gigi would also lead them to the most important retirement decision they would ever make.

Like many active, older adults, the Archards of Ocala found planning for the future in today's uncertain economic conditions a challenge. Former college educators and owners of a children's camp in Maine, they loved the outdoors,  prized their independence, but also felt they should plan for future health care needs.

Enter Gigi. Her chance romp one day last year in a dog park near Ocala Palms led the Archards to strike up a conversation with a nearby dog owner who, in retirement, faced the same questions they faced.

"She spoke very enthusiastically about Oak Hammock at the University of Florida," recalled Bette. "She told us it was just up the road, it was very pet-friendly, and it was going to be her new home, so we went to take a look."

It proved the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

"The people here are a major bonus -- they are really very lovely people," said Bette, recently settled into Oak Hammock and enjoying her first spring.

Before deciding, the Archards made three visits to Oak Hammock to look at all aspects of the UF-affiliated retirement community, bringing along a son-in-law who was "very knowledgeable about financing."

"Someone might move in here because they're interested in the health care, but the fact that it's affiliated with the university is what really makes it great. The beautiful pools, the wooded trails, the lectures, the book reviews. We could just feel that it was the right place for us -- and we haven't been disappointed," said Bette.

So far, Bette has been swimming -- conquering 40 laps every other morning in the lap pool -- while Merrill is taking Great Decisions and Jazz, both courses offered through Oak Hammock's Institute for Learning in Retirement.

Dave Stauffer, CEO of Oak Hammock, said what people like most about the community is its financial security: virtually all health care programs are included and provided as needed within a single monthly service fee, adding up to the most comprehensive Life Care program in the country.

"As your health care needs increase, your expense does not," Stauffer said. "It takes a lot of the scary part out of the aging process."

The Archards are among those reassured by this, along with their son in Maine, their daughter in New York, and their two daughters living on a horse farm outside of Ocala. They have 15 grandchildren and three great grandchildren, six of whom have already visited them in their new home. Active and healthy now, Bette and Merrill regard their move to Oak Hammock as a solid plan for their future well-being and happiness.

As for Gigi, she's gearing up for the dog days of summer, getting used to her new terrain and continuing to introduce her owners to lots of new friends.

Oak Hammock Lauded for Integrating Lifelong Learning into Landscape

GAINESVILLE -- May 1, 2005 -- Oak Hammock at the University of Florida recently claimed the Outstanding Achievement Award presented by the City Beautification Board at The Thomas Center on April 21. The awards, delivered in several categories, annually honor excellence in landscaping and urban civic design that enhances the city and its surrounding areas.

Oak Hammock, the UF-affiliated Life Fulfilling Community for mature adults, is situated on 137 environmentally sensitive acres south of Williston Road. Improvements cover 55 acres and help preserve virtually all of the upland forest on the north side of the site.

Siting Oak Hammock's focus on wellness and lifelong learning, the City Beautification Board wrote: "To help and protect residents, color and texture cues are used in the landscaping. The walking trail in the upland preserve passes interesting flora, geological features and bird-watching sites. Landscapers used native species throughout the project. Dogwood, red bud and plum were incorporated into the landscape design wherever possible. A voluntary exotic/invasive species management plan is being implemented, and UF's Center for Wetlands is helping develop the best management practices for the use of chemicals and irrigation throughout the site."

"We are very proud of this award," said Dave Stauffer, Oak Hammock CEO. "It's a natural extension of our philosophy that our setting is a picturesque, environmentally sound environment, energized by a truly unique affiliation with UF."

Other Oak Hammock features highlighted by the beautification board include:

• Extensive walking trails and interconnected outdoor decks overlooking a large water feature.
• An outdoor tennis and exercise area that doubles as a playground for grandchildren.
• Community gardens that include raised plots for residents with declining mobility.
• Four interior landscaped courtyard areas and "village green" meeting areas.
• Walkable neighborhoods with sidewalks and front porches that allow neighbors to interact.

• Guaranteed access to unlimited private healthcare at no additional cost
• All amenities, maintenance and utilities (except phone) are included in the monthly fee
• Income tax deduction of an estimated $60,564 per person
  
• Flexible Entrance Fee refund plans up to 95 percent
  
• Refundable 10 percent deposit earns 4 percent annually.

GAINESVILLE, FL — The spectacular 70,000-square-foot Oak Hammock Commons recently made its debut when over 275 Founders Club Members were treated to an exclusive community preview on Feb. 29th.

Set to open next month, Oak Hammock at the University of Florida will feature individual club homes, villas and apartments; multiple dining venues in the Commons area; a Performing Arts Center; a Wellness/Fitness Center; and affiliations with more than 15 UF colleges. It's focus on life-long learning, fitness and health has drawn national attention and attracted members from as far away as California, Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania who are gearing up to move in.

With construction and finishing touches almost complete, Founders Club members celebrated with refreshments and self-guided tours — enjoying completed walking trails and sidewalks through wooded areas, final touches to paving and landscaping, and much more. The Commons will be the center of activity once members begin moving into the community the week of March 8th.

"Now that we're so close to opening, members are getting really excited," said Gerald Schaffer, Oak Hammock board member and interim CEO. "We've watched this community develop from vision to reality — and the transformation over just the past couple months alone has been amazing. All of us who have been involved with this project are very, very proud."