The Redwoods has been a pillar of Mill Valley, an active participant in the vitality of the area, and an affordable option for seniors since 1972.  We are a locally managed, private, non-profit, continuing care retirement community.  We offer Independent Living and Assisted Living apartments as well as Skilled Nursing in our Health Care Center, inclusive of short-term rehabilitation services and Marin’s first, and only inpatient hospice center.

Residents are able to enter directly the area that meets their needs best.  Some are with us for a short period and others for many years.  The residents represent a diverse range of experiences, backgrounds and interests. The common denominators are friendliness, being supportive of their neighbors and a desire to engage in the world around them.  We are home to singles and couples as well as a variety of well-behaved pets.

We are innovative and strive to transform attitudes so that later years are recognized as a dynamic phase of renewal, discovery and choice.   It is paying off.  The Redwoods has been named a “model facility” by LeadingAge, won the Marin IJ’s Reader’s Choice Award for best retirement community and the Pacific Sun’s best of Marin award every year.

Located on 10-acres of flat land adjacent to the Bothin Marsh and Richardson Bay, the Redwoods has an amazing location with beautiful views of Mt Tam, the Headlands and the city,  It also boast the convenience of nearby shopping, restaurants, schools, the Community Center and walking trails.  In addition, we provide regularly scheduled transportation for appointments, shopping, events and excursions around the area.  We offer a full spectrum of programs to enhance residents’ health and well-being.  We have a 26-page catalogue of the programs and events that occur each month, many of which are led by residents.

Meals are a key part of health, enjoyment and a social life.  Our Dining team offers a variety of nutritious and delicious meals prepared by our in-house chefs.  Meals are enjoyed in the dining rooms, or on our beautiful outdoor patios, and room delivery is available. There is also a catering menu for special events.

Safety and security are paramount. The Redwoods was one of a few communities in the US to have no COVID-19 positive residents in nursing or assisted living.  We offer round the clock security, emergency call systems in each apartment, and well-trained staff to handle any situation. Our smoke detection system and sprinklers provide excellent fire safety.  Our new generator will power the entire campus in the event of a PSPS or other outage.

Our team members are hired and trained according to The Redwood’s “Heart Values” of Helpfulness, Excellence, Attitude, Respect and Teamwork.  Our exceptional culture, excellent benefits and competitive pay allows us to attract and retain an outstanding workforce that is passionate about the residents and families we serve and been with us for an average of 9 years.  We also rely on a dedicated group of volunteers who provide a range of skills and services for our residents and campus.

If you or someone you know is interested in life at The Redwoods we urge you to call today for a tour and further information.  Our wonderful residents and team, excellent reputation, moderate prices, convenient and beautiful location, engaging programs, delicious meals, safety and security means vacancies are rare.  It is best to plan ahead and consider joining our wait list.

We are extremely grateful to the Navigage Foundation for their support of the revitalization of the Meadows wing of the Health Care Center. On Friday, they presented a check for $100,000 that will underwrite a substantial amount of the modernization of the entryway, hallway, and suites for skilled nursing and rehabilitation.

The Meadows offers 24/7 skilled nursing care for long-term patients and short-term rehabilitation. We recognize each resident as unique, and place an emphasis on preventative care, resident education and family involvement. We embrace a model of whole-person wellness, offering a full spectrum of physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual programs.

Today the residents awarded scholarships of $3,000 each to 7 Marin high school students at our Scholarship Award Ceremony. Each year for over 20 years, the Scholarship Committee has raised funds and granted awards to graduating seniors from high schools in Marin. This year there were 47 applicants from 12 high schools. The ceremony was attended by many residents, students and their families. The residents are extremely proud of this tradition of giving back to the community.

The Scholarship Committee is comprised of 10 members led by residents Elizabeth Small and Jean Spencer. Each year, committee members read the applications, interview top candidates and vote. The winners are selected based on a number of criteria including academic achievement, activities in the community, jobs, classes, awards and financial need.

This year’s recipients are Izaagan Aquino, Mariya Klymenko, Emily La, Jolie Pierre-Louis, Naedy Mendoza Rodrigues, Sophia Terrell, and Siyon Farin.

By Mushira Mohsin Khan, Apr 19, 2021

A recent study published in The Journals of Gerontology highlighted how everyday contact with friends may be linked to higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction in later years. Specifically, the study examined whether encounters with friends over the course of the day resulted in more pleasantness, less discussion about stressful experiences, and better mood, compared to when they were alone or in contact with social partners other than close friends.

The authors used data collected from 313 participants age 65 and better from the Daily Experiences and Well-Being Study. Along with background information, participants completed an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) survey every three hours over a period of five to six days. Participants reported their encounters with social partners, scored the degree of pleasantness they experienced after every contact, indicated whether they talked about stressful events during each encounter, and rated positive or negative mood.

Compared to contact with romantic partners or family members throughout the day, the study found that contact with friends played a much stronger role in enhancing daily emotional well-being in older adults. Further, compared to married older adults, participants who were not married reported more pleasantness and positive mood when they were with friends, suggesting that those who are unmarried, widowed, or divorced may rely on friends for emotional well-being. Another key finding was that closeness of friendship was not associated with positive everyday experiences, indicating that even peripheral or less close ties—such as those with acquaintances—may be beneficial in terms of social integration, companionship, and having fun.

These findings underscore the importance of friendships in later life. Future research could examine the nature of contact with friends and other social partners, to better understand the factors contributing to enhancing emotional well-being in older adults.

SOURCE:

Ng, YT, Huo, M, Gleason, ME, Neff, LA, Charles, ST, & Fingerman, KL. Friendships in old age: Daily encounters and emotional well-being. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B 2021;76(3):551-562.

In celebration of National Nurses’ Day we want to extend a big thank you and shoutout to all of the incredible nurses across the country, but especially here at The Redwoods, who work hard every day to keep our residents and community members safe and in good hands. Thank you, nurses, for all that you do!

In this video featured on our YouTube channel, Chef Mike shows us how to cook a simple, easy and delicious meal using fresh picked veggies from the Sinclair Scott Organic Garden at The Redwoods. Today, we have seared salmon with a sorrel butter sauce served on a bed of wilted spinach and arugula and accompanied with a beet, radish and carrot slaw. Yum! Watch here.

This time of the year, residents enjoy an abundance of fresh organic vegetables that are grown right here in our garden, overseen by Kurt Ellison, Garden Program Coordinator. Harvest days are Thursdays, and many of the residents also enjoy getting their hands dirty in the garden as volunteers.

Michael Freudenberger is our Head Chef in the Dining Room at The Redwoods, and his culinary creations are very creative and enticing. This month, some of the special meals he will be serving are a Mother’s Day lunch, National Quiche Lorraine Day lunch, Korean Waffles, and a special Memorial Day lunch.

What a joyous, beautiful occasion it was on May 1 when a group of volunteer students from Mill Valley Middle School came and brought gorgeous bouquets of flowers to our residents. We are so grateful to them for all the volunteer activities they engage in with residents all year long! See more photos here.

Save the Date – Oct. 7, 2021

We are pleased to announce that The Redwoods will celebrate its 49^th Anniversary on Thursday, October 7, 2021.  The event, which will support The Meadows Revitalization Project in our Health Care Center, will offer both online and in-person participation opportunities. The in-person event will feature food, wine, music and festivities in a safe, socially distanced, gorgeous outdoor setting, Mill Valley’s Outdoor Art Club.

“After such a challenging 2020, a celebration with our friends, neighbors and supporters is in order,” said Christian Mills, Director of Fund Development. “Next year will be an even bigger celebration, our Golden 50^th Anniversary Gala.”

Kendra Pollack and Shannon Coleman, both of Mill Valley, are co-chairing the event. Says Kendra, “I am incredibly grateful to have my 89-year-old mom living in a beautiful setting, with exceptionally kind staff and interesting residents. I am also grateful for how well the team at The Redwoods kept our loved ones safe from COVID. I can’t wait to celebrate the 49th anniversary!”

Shannon is no stranger to serving our community and to creating special events. She says, “Growing up in Mill Valley, I spent a lot of my childhood visiting my grandma at The Redwoods. I know firsthand what an important part of our community it is and I’m thrilled to be celebrating its 49th year and all of the residents who make it a special place.”

Ticket prices range from $250 to $1,000 per person. For further information, sponsorship opportunities, or to make early ticket reservations, please contact Christian Mills at (415) 383-2741 or cmills@theredwoods.org.

When my Dad passed it was most sudden and of course a shock to my siblings and most importantly to my Mom. My parents had been together joyfully for 60 years!

My Mom was very active socially; with her friends always going somewhere; music, theatre, bowling, taking walks, enjoying a meal out.

That slowed down when my Dad passed as she pulled back a bit from going out. In the transition to being alone she stayed with us for a few weeks then decided she wanted to go home. She made trips to Oregon, LA, and Santa Cruz where her other children lived. Family was paramount in her life.

After she settled back home we decided to meet every Wednesday evening for dinner out at her favorite Asian restaurant, 6:00 standing reservation.

It was about 45 minutes from my office in SF and 75 minutes from my home. It was always a wonderful night out and I really began to get to know my Mom on such a personal level. Previously when we went out it was always with others. On weekends we would get together to go shopping, take a walk and just spend some nice time together.

A few years went by and I could see Mom had lost some of her vitality, not seeing friends as often or going out as much. Some days she would just stay in and see or talk to no one. Isolation and nutrition were playing a part in that change. She lived in a great area but I began to worry as a son does, about her safety and well being.

We had our first chat about relocating to a senior community where she could make new friends, eat healthier, be in a safer environment. She did not like that idea as she felt it would inhibit her independence and thought that was just for old folks. She was 84 at the time!

One evening we had a talk about Family and how important that was to her. She did not see her other children very often as they were out of town. We came to common ground; move to where one of her children lived so she could see family almost every day! Bingo! She wanted to stay in the Bay Area so we agreed she would live near me. The search began for a great place that would be a good match for Mom.

It was important for us to find a place that was right for her today and as she aged. We visited several communities to get a feel for what Mom liked and I then visited a few more.

We wanted to find a place where she could rent and not put down a huge down payment. A Community with good programs, clubs, dining services, nursing services, a safe environment, a great location close to services, and friendly!

The family got together to ease Mom’s mind about moving, ensuring we would all help to pack, sort things out, donate pieces, and get a great mover. We made a party out of it, lemons into lemonade!

Well, we did it, Mom & me; we found a great community just a mile from my house. I had driven by The Redwoods Senior Community a thousand times throughout the years and never really knew much about it.

As soon as we walked into the lobby for our tour the friendliness and sense of community showed through. My Mom’s smile was all I needed to see.

Oh and yes, they had the wonderful programming, clubs, good food, nursing services, and a beautiful safe place to get out and walk.

Sitting outside by the Estuary one day I commented to Mom, “You live in a park with all the trees, water, and birds.” She smiled broadly and said, “Yes, it sure is great!”

By Barry Schenbaum