Jamie Martin Helps Residents Fill Their Agendas at Canterbury-on-the-Lake

What will you do today? Thanks to Jamie Martin, Director of Resident Services at Canterbury-on-the-Lake, you could be taking a line dancing class, reading a bestseller for book club and packing for a professionally planned overnight outing with your friends and neighbors. And that’s just the beginning, because for more than 23 years, Martin has made enriching the lives of residents her career goal—and she’s good at it!

“We don’t schedule events, activities and outings just to keep our residents at Canterbury-on-the-Lake busy,” says Martin. “Along with my team, we focus on making community life fulfilling and enjoyable. For some that means non-stop days filled with exercise, favorite hobbies and even volunteer opportunities. Others are just comfortable getting together with their neighbors at dinner and socializing with friends in their apartment home. We aim to cater to all residents and their interests.”

Martin’s emphasis on the 8 Dimensions of Wellness guides her team’s life-enrichment efforts at Canterbury-on-the-Lake. The reason is simple. Research studies indicate that true well-being is multi-dimensional. To optimize total health, we should focus on all eight dimensions: emotional, physical, social, spiritual, environmental, intellectual, vocational and health services.

“We create diverse programming—a broad range of opportunities inside and outside Canterbury-on-the-Lake,” Martin explains. “Our goal is to bring joy and life to the community. And since every resident is different, we offer a mix of ways to engage. There are small-group, one-on-one and large-group activities. And the plans range from educational, spiritual, cultural or recreational to simply social and fun!”

If asked, Martin would be the first to admit the combination of Canterbury-on-the-Lake team and community amenities make her job easier.

“Our St. Luke’s Chapel and on-staff Chaplain help meet the spiritual needs of our residents. We also have a transportation fleet to take us anywhere—from a 24-passenger motor coach and 8-passenger van to smaller vehicles (many with lifts). So we’re well equipped and ready to take residents out and about,” says Martin.

In fact, Martin’s transportation team of drivers provides service to all areas of the community and to resident appointments as well as to outside events.

“We plan the best outings and adventures! Naturally, there are shopping runs, but we also go to playhouses, the symphony, restaurants, parks and on overnight trips,” Martin says. “Plus, we provide valet shopping service for residents who can’t manage to get out to tackle it themselves.”

Similarly, Martin is responsible for on-campus conveniences that make community life better at Canterbury-on-the-lake. She oversees the full-service salon, offering hair and nail services. The gift shop is under her purview, too, where she coordinates resident volunteers to handle the sales of sundries and more for Canterbury-on-the-Lake residents, team members and visiting guests.

To prepare for the role, Martin graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Gerontology from Madonna University—and her interest in this community dates back to those college days. She started her career even before graduating with a five-month internship at Canterbury-on-the-Lake!

Do you or some senior you know want to fill your agenda with more life-enriching events and activities? Learn all about how Martin and her professional team make plans every day for Canterbury-on-the-Lake residents. Contact Us to schedule a visit.