Crew of Carrier USS Carl Vinson and Local Students to Share Technology Savvy in Oct. 9-10 Event Hosted by Vinson Hall Retirem - In the News

My parents lived at Vinson Hall from 1994 to 2008. We had looked at several places but they immediately liked Vinson Hall more than anywhere – they found it so comfortable. My father had to live in the unit for memory impaired and the staff there really cared for and about him. There are always ups and downs in adjusting to a retirement community but Vinson Hall is like a family – people take good care of each other. Mainly, the care of the administration and staff is excellent. It is a gift to live in a place where people care. If ever there was a concern or issue, I got an immediate response – I was always heard, and that is very important to me.”

– Ann Marie Mack

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

MCLEAN, Va., Sept 30, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Vinson Hall Retirement Community (VHRC), home to many of the region's military veterans and their spouses -- and a national showcase for new methods and technologies for serving seniors -- will host members of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, October 9-10. The crew will interview residents as part of an oral history program and will meet with students at Chesterbrook Elementary School in McLean.

VHRC and the carrier, both named for the late Congressman Carl Vinson, have a longstanding relationship. Crew members have visited the community and its residents on a number of occasions. Also, VHRC "adopted" Chesterbrook three years ago and the two have conducted a number of joint events.

On Thursday, October 9, at noon, six members of the ship's crew will record interviews with VHRC residents to capture stories about their lives. Interviewees will include Commander John Budzik, 91, a Pearl Harbor attack survivor.

On Friday, October 10, at 8 a.m., crew members -- all of whom are multi-media specialists -- will arrive at Chesterbrook Elementary. They will be interviewed by students live on the school's closed-circuit television station. They will then meet with students to share multi-media techniques and demonstrate new information technology equipment. Chesterbrook students also will launch a pen-pal program with the crew.

"The interaction between our residents, the Chesterbrook students and the ship's crew is very exciting," said Rear Admiral (Ret.) Kathleen Martin, CEO of VHRC. "They learn from each other and build wonderful relationships. Programs like this have helped to make Vinson Hall Retirement Community a vibrant national center for the exchange of information on making the lives of our seniors more healthy, productive and interesting."

VHRC has been in the news lately for a number of innovations. Most recently, it unveiled an "Innovative Model of Living," (IML) an apartment of the future, with safety and aesthetic features, that looks and behaves more like an upscale hotel room than a typical retirement unit. Also, recently, VHRC was the first U.S. retirement community to demonstrate "Paro," a Japanese-designed and sophisticated robotic baby harp seal making news worldwide for stimulating positive responses from seniors with dementia and other aging-related illnesses.

About Vinson Hall Retirement Community (VHRC)

VHRC is a non-profit continuing care retirement community with a 40-year history of offering a broad range of services, activities and care. In addition to providing state of the art service and care for its residents, VHRC is instrumental in bringing together many of the nation's experts on aging and healthcare to showcase ways innovative practices and new technology can be of benefit to our nation's seniors. VHRC is located at 6251 Old Dominion Drive McLean, VA 22101.

Vison Hall Retirement Community and Homes in McLean, Virginia Outside Washington D.C.

About Vinson Hall Retirement Community (VHRC)