Sam and Nancy Ratcliffe describe themselves as the unofficial adopted grandparents of the women’s basketball team at Berry College in Rome.
They travel to games, hand out snacks during finals weeks, mentor students looking to launch their careers, and interact with young Vikings daily. The relationships the Ratcliffes have are possible thanks to a retirement community model that places senior living facilities on or near college campuses to facilitate benefits to older and young adults.
Berry College, with a student population of about 2,300, has the only such community in Georgia with its affiliated senior living facility, The Spires, housing 330 people. The Spires campus opened in 2020 as a resort-style community featuring separate areas for independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care.
But one of its unique features is its formal relationship with Berry College. It’s a concept that is gaining traction across the nation as the aging population continues to grow. The Spires follows a University-Based Retirement Community, or UBRC, model. The concept fosters meaningful intergenerational connections and allows retirees to remain closely tied to opportunities in the academic world. It’s why you’ll find residents in their 80s sporting Berry hoodies and tees, even if they never enrolled in the school.
“These people love Berry students,” said Sam, a 1970s Berry graduate and one of the first residents.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Nancy, also a Berry grad, said the model also allows The Spires residents to dispel myths that younger people sometimes have about aging.
“Aging does not have to mean you’re sitting in a walking chair or you have a walker,” she said. “(Students are) amazed when they look at our calendars and see how many opportunities we have. They sometimes say, ‘Can we come and live here?’”
A vision for healthy senior living
The Spires residents have a wealth of college campus possibilities at their fingertips: performances, sporting events, lectures, opportunities to audit classes. Professors visit at least weekly to give talks. Student workers are on-site daily for formal and informal mentoring. The Spires residents have access to Berry’s dining facilities in addition to their own.
Andrew Carle, a senior living expert with more than 35 years of experience and an authority on UBRCs, had high praise for the Spires. The author of an academic curriculum for senior living management, Carle also built a website — universityretirementcommunities.com — that aggregates information on the nation’s UBRCs, and launched a certification program that has gained traction.
As he traveled thousands of miles visiting various retirement communities as part of his research, Carle started noticing a recurring theme: Some senior living facilities were located near or on university campuses.
“I realized this could completely change (the way we think about) senior living and aging,” Carle said.
His research led to developing a five-criteria model for successful UBRCs: proximity to campus, formalized intergenerational programming, a full continuum of care, a strong business relationship with the university, and a deep connection between the residents and the school.
While The Spires hasn’t applied for certification, Carle said it appears to meet most, if not all, the criteria.
Credit: Courtesy of The Spires and Berry College
Credit: Courtesy of The Spires and Berry College
A community built on connection
For Laurie Steber, executive director of The Spires, the community excels in providing opportunities for collaboration. Students work there in a variety of roles — everything from concierge services to health care internships. They get real-world experience, and in turn, the residents get the opportunity to mentor them and share life experiences.
The Spires grew quickly, despite opening during the pandemic in 2020, and there are loose plans to grow and expand. Steber said about 25% of residents have a connection to Berry as alumni, former teachers or through family.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
One of the community’s goals is to grow this number over time. Steber credits the close proximity to the campus for much of the community’s success so far. Students can walk or ride bikes to work there, creating a natural sense of connection between generations. Bonds have grown stronger over the years as students join residents for movie nights, line dancing, s’mores and more.
“I think it’s one of the most caring places you could ever be,” Steber said.
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