Page 2 - The Clare Connection_Winter 2019 Flipbook

LETTER FROM KYLE
Kyle Exline, Executive Director
Gold Coast Retirement Living Your Way
55 E. Pearson Street | Chicago, IL 60611 losing sight of our history.
312.784.8100 | info@theclare.com
www.theclare.com
Editor: Kourtney Liepelt
Strategic Communications
& Relations Manager
Designer: David Hunter
www.dhdd.net
Copyright ©2019
I n January, we celebrated a momentous occasion in The Clare’s history – our
10 Year Anniversary.
The celebration included an afternoon champagne toast with leadership and an
evening filled with delicious food and exuberant dancing. We even commissioned a
local bakery to craft a cake replica of The Clare, a true highlight of the festivities.
Looking back at the last 10 years, I realize how special it is for The Clare to reach this
milestone. Getting to this point has required tremendous change, from new ownership
and extensive building renovations to updated amenities and increased occupancy.
The one guiding presence through all of this change has been our residents.
The community’s original residents, for example, have been through it all. They
launched a number of programs and committees, many of which still exist today.
They participated in legal hearings as The Clare navigated bankruptcy in 2011. They
sought greater transparency as ownership transitioned from the Franciscan Sisters of
Chicago to Senior Care Development, and they were here as occupancy soared from
30% to 100%.
As new residents filtered in, they influenced the services we offer and how we deliver
them. They presented new ideas for programming and different ways to use common
spaces. They drove us to work hard at hiring the right people to staff the community
and challenged us to consistently provide quality across the board.
Today, Clare residents continue to motivate us, inspire us and hold us accountable to
deliver the very best services and amenities possible. We wouldn’t be where we are
today without them.
As we move forward in the next few years, more change is inevitable. What people
want from retirement communities in the future is going to be entirely different than
what communities offer today, and we must always be aware of those desires without
Luckily, we can rely on our residents to show us the way.