Tours and benchmarking at Wesley Woods

Fifty designers, architects, therapists, and administrators have just toured the Wesley Woods campus. Their forested campus is by far the greatest asset for this community. As a campus that was developed during the 60s, 70s, and 80s, they had a wonderful vision for the future.

Wesley Woods has a strong emphasis on healthcare, so if one was expecting resident/patient-centered strategies in a long-term living environment, they may have been disappointed. As we walked through the halls of the geriatric hospital, I was definitely reminded of how careful we need to be with terminology and signage. We all have a ways to go in eliminating “medicalese” in our language and our wayfinding.

The horticultural therapist who gave the tour definitely focused on outdoor spaces. Being a Yankee, walking outdoors gave me a refreshing glimpse of spring. I am hoping we don't run over any Atlanta Marathon runners on the way back to the hotel.

Mitchell Elliott

As Chief Development Officer, Elliott serves on the Executive Leadership Team for Vetter Health Services (www.vetterhealthservices.com).  He oversees planning, design, construction, and facilities management in 33 senior living campuses in the Midwest. Elliott is currently Vice President of the SAGE Federation and serves on the AHCA Life Safety Committee. He has served as a juror for the Long-Term Living DESIGN competition.