New management, open house at Seaside at Fort Myers celebrated
On Nov. 30, the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce welcomed Seaside at Fort Myers to the community with a ribbon cutting, as part of an open house from 3 to 5 p.m.
Managed by Retirement Unlimited Inc., of Roanoke, Virginia, Seaside took the reins of an existing assisted living facility on July 1 as one of 12 communities the organization oversees in Virginia and Florida. Seaside of Fort Myers is an independent living, assisted living, and memory care community. It debuted RUI’s programming in Florida for the first time there and at Seascape at Naples.
“Since our founding in 1984, RUI’s passion has been providing quality care, excellent customer service and a luxurious lifestyle to the senior population throughout Virginia,” Doris-Ellie Sullivan, president of RUI, which has operated under the Fralin and Waldron families since its inception. “After focusing on and perfecting that mission in Virginia for nearly 40 years through diverse enrichment programs, social experiences, and levels of care in comfortable and elegant settings, we feel the time is right to expand our senior living experience to Florida, and are excited to deliver a lifestyle that residents have earned and deserve to our Florida residents.”
Seaside’s open house showcased its programs starting with RUI University, which partners with colleges, universities, museums, art venues and professors to present a free, semester-based learning experience for residents of the facility and community at large.
“From history to music and other topics of interest, we’ve really established RUI University as a lifelong system that takes learning to the next level,” Sullivan said.
Other programs include Taste of RUI, a fine dining and catering experience employing executive chefs; RUI Fit & Therapy, which uses personal trainers to help residents achieve wellness goals; Leash on Life, a concierge service for resident pets; and Inspiratas, which adapts its other programs to benefit memory care residents through the arts and gourmet dining.
“We are excited to be a part of the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce,” Seaside at Fort Myers Executive Director Holly Winningham said. “We look forward to becoming an active partner in our community, showing support and building rapport with community leaders, and becoming a valued and trusted member of the Fort Myers community.”
“The chamber welcomes Seaside at Fort Myers into the fold as a one-of-a-kind service we are happy to inform residents and guests about,” chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai said. “It fills a needed role in our community, and we look forward to partnering with its staff, which is knowledgeable in so many fields.”