Nest Easy Interview: Ginger White Leads Anthology Midlo, VA

“Life belongs to the living,” said Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “and he who lives must be prepared for changes.

The decision to move from one’s private home to an assisted living/memory care community is often choked with indecision and high anxiety for the new resident and family. Careful and cautious planning is required to ensure a quality resident transition to a new living environment. 

Richmond newest senior living community – Anthology of Midlothian – is prepared to excel in the change process.  They make an extraordinary effort to understanding preplan each resident’s physical, cognitive, and social needs to create a new home that minimizes relocation stress and ensures that the long-term expectations of the resident and family are met.

Anthology of Midlothian, Assisted Living and Memory Care Community
11210 Robious Road, North Chesterfield, VA 23235
www.AnthologySeniorLiving.com

Let us meet Ginger White the sensational Sales Counselor at Anthology of Midlothian.

NestEasy
Hello Ginger!!! Congratulations on your new position with Anthology of Midlothian! It looks like construction is moving full steam ahead.

Ginger
Yes! Thank you! Right now, we are still on track to start welcoming residents in January of 2021 and we cannot wait!

NestEasy
Anthology uses the term “boutique hotel inspired” when describing their communities. What does that mean?

Ginger
Boutique Hotels are usually defined by upscale accommodations and individualized unique selling points. Anthology brings that experience to senior living by combining the best in accommodations, care, culinary experiences, and community.



We are bringing something special to Richmond. Our apartment homes beckon and inspire self-reliance in aging adults because the design feels like a home not an apartment. We protect and support our resident’s freedom with a high touch/high tech approach to senior care. The building is flush with amenities and a one of a kind dining programs.  Our mission is to be unrivaled in senior living care.

NestEasy
What makes Anthology’s apartments and community different?

Ginger
Oh my gosh, so many things!!! 

We are a luxury community that is competitively priced and unmatched in style and space in the Richmond market. All the gorgeous apartments have 12- or 14-foot ceilings supported with large tasteful windows that flood light into each room.

Our residents can choose studio, one bedroom, and two-bedroom apartment homes that range from 500 to 1,060 square feet. The apartments have the dignity and coziness of an upscale townhome. 

Our standard for the assisted living apartments is full kitchenets with subway backsplash, quartz countertops, full-size stainless-steel refrigerator with the microwave built into the lower cabinets for easy access.

Each apartment has a washer/dryer and with the option to have Anthology wash clothing or the resident can manage it. Trendy barn doors lead into the bathrooms designed with zero entry showers and with pull down shower benches for maximum safety. 

One of my favorite touches is the ambient light that shines down on the commode when it is dark, just enough to light it up so residents can find their way at night. 

So much thought was put into the details of the apartments themselves, all geared towards keeping our residents comfortable and as independent as possible.

NestEasy
Tell us about the community feel, amenities, and dining.

inger
The community mirrors an independent lifestyle environment. 

We have a salon with massage parlor, game room, arts and crafts room, and fitness center. For leisure time there are several lounges, patios, and courtyards for our residents to enjoy. 

Our culinary program includes a bistro and café for casual dining and a main dining room for traditional dining experience. All of these are open from 7am to 7pm and offer a full menu to choose from, not just 2 choices per meal.

NestEasy
Question. For an example, if a resident is a late riser, is breakfast available at 10:30 AM, or, missed lunch because of a doctor’s appointment can lunch be served at 2:30 PM.

Ginger
Yes, and yes. Our food service is open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Our culinary program is headed up by Morrison Living and Dining and is truly something you will not find at any other assisted living community.

NestEasy
Sounds amazing! So, what about this “high touch/high tech” approach to care?

Ginger
To begin with, our caregivers are trained in “Compassionate Touch” which is an

approach combining skilled touch and specialized communication. This process shown to prevent behavioral expression in people with dementia, reduce anxiety in seniors, and reduce job stress in care-partners.

Anthology’s vision of high touch/high tech care is the marriage of high frequency, personal, and compassionate hands on care with progressive technology in our daily care of residents.

NestEasy
Can you provide us with an example of the technology?

Ginger
Yes, instead of the traditional pendent or bracelet call bell alert system, we use a wearable technology developed by Skynet Healthcare. The Skynet connects our residents and caregivers through proprietary smart community technologies that are cloud based.

NestEasy
Sounds tech sexy. Can you give us some an example?

Ginger
Yes. The emergency call system connects with the cloud to provide real time resident care and support. When a resident emergency call occurs, the responder has the resident’s history available to fully evaluate how to assist the resident. It also has a RTLS (real time location system). The RTLS system pinpoints the location of each resident in our building. RTLS is an invaluable tool for elopement detection. 

NestEasy
Tell us more.

Ginger
As you know, the CDC says that falls are the leading cause of injury for aging adults. So, the wearable device also provides fall detection. If a resident has a fall while they are alone, we are notified via the Skynet system and can respond immediately to assist the resident. 

Falls often occur when an aging adult is distracted. One source of distraction is searching for a misplaced door key. Resident door keys are no longer needed at Anthology because the Skynet system unlocks the door for the resident. Remove a distraction and reduce the risk of fall.   

NestEasy
How is the High Touch/High Tech approach utilized in your Memory Care neighborhood?

Ginger
The memory care staff are certified in specialized training in the Alzheimer’s Association CARES®EssentialALZ®.

My favorite technology is It is Never Too Late – iN2L. The technology has a page for recording and playing family videos. 

So, for example, when a resident is agitated or sad because they feel like their family has forgotten them or has not visited with them, we can show the resident a video of their loved one. 

The video might play, “hi mom, I just want you to know you are at Anthology, you are safe and well taken care of and we just want you to know we love you and miss you and will be there to see you soon.”

I cannot tell you how many times that would have helped some of my past residents. The residents can also text family members through the system.

NestEasy
Outstanding! What else?

Ginger
We have a cool app named Sagely.

Sagely allows real time updates to the families however often they choose. Any time they check the app they can see what mom or dad is currently doing, activities they have participated in that day or that week, see photos and/or videos of mom or dad at the activities, and see the schedule of upcoming events. 

We can also communicate with families any important updates or information through the app as well.

NestEasy
I am so impressed. Do you have more to tell?

Ginger
Yes, I do.

We provide activities and programs with Fit Minds ® a cognitive stimulation therapy program for individuals and groups.

NestEasy
What are the benefits of cognitive stimulation with Fit Minds®?

Ginger
Mental stimulation has the potential to maintain or even improve cognition as people age. And there is some hope that cognitive stimulation can reduce the risk of dementia. 

Many aging adults are no longer involved with cognitively complex tasks that keep them mentally sharp. The Fit Minds® stimulation can fill that breach and actively exercise the mind.

NestEasy
Wow, it sounds like you are on the cutting edge of available technology and using it to its fullest.

Let us talk about you. What was your career path to Anthology?

Ginger
After college, I started working in copier sales with IKON Office Solutions. The copier sales work was emotionally cold for me. A career change landed me in pharmaceutical sales for ten years with King Pharmaceuticals. My daughter used to tell her friends that, “Mom sells drugs out of the back of her car”. Yikes! King Pharmaceuticals was bought out by Pfizer and the buyout plan did not include King sales team.

For my next career, I wanted something that would marry my competitiveness with my empathy and compassion for people. Working in senior living was a dream come true for me.

I started with Morningside assisted living in Charlottesville, and fortunately worked with a very gifted executive director named Amy Fuller. She is now the Executive Director at Imperial Plaza’s assisted living – https://www.ipseniorliving.com/ .

I have worked at a few other communities along my way but my move to Anthology really came on the heels of all this COVID craziness. I knew that I needed a change and wanted to be with a company that took a deeper look at what senior living can be for seniors.

NestEasy
So, what was it about Anthology?

Ginger
Anthology has a belief that each person has a unique life story. Their goal is to create a senior living experience that provides seniors with the best in hospitality and care, so they can continue their story in a beautiful and meaningful way.

That really speaks to me. This company advocates for residents and families for respect, dignity, privacy, and choice. We promote and encourage independence and support to live a full and satisfying life while maintaining dignity and choice. Senior living is the beginning of a beautiful new chapter and the fact that I get to be a small part of that is quite an amazing thing.

Anthology’s mission statement includes these words “Our Purpose: We exist to make a remarkable impact on the lives we touch.” Can there be anything better? I try to make that a daily goal and teach my kids just that. Make a positive mark. Have a “remarkable impact on the lives we touch.” I always have said if I can bring joy to even just one person each day, that is making a difference.

NestEasy
Tell us a little about your children.

Ginger
My three children are a big part of my social world. I love hanging out with them

My daughter Amber attends the University of Mary Washington on a full academic scholarship. 

My 16-year-old son Nate is musically gifted. He plays the cello and sings in the choir with his beautiful baritone voice. 

My youngest, Rylan, looks just like me. With his freckles and smile he is full of personality. He believes he is going to change the world.

NestEasy
Do you have a great adventure life story you would like to share with us.?

Ginger
Yes. All by my lonesome, I did a bicycle tour of Australia. 

NestEasy
That sounds challenging, daring, and like a great time. How did you decided to take on Australia?

Ginger
Australia provided an individual and outdoor challenge for me.

The outdoor world is my environment. I spent many summers counseling at youth camps on Lake Champlain in New York. My work as a counselor involved sailing, hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities. 

While at Lake Champlain, I met international counselors and made friends with some from Australia.

I have an independent personality that enjoys challenges. So, I decided I wanted to see Australia riding my mountain bicycle and decided to make it happen between my sophomore and junior year in college. 

NestEasy
How did you plan it and what happened?

Ginger
I saved my money (not enough) by working at TCBY yogurt to pay for my round trip. 

I earned enough money to pay for round trip airline tickets for me and my mountain bike and $700 in spending money for a three month stay in Australia. 

My poor mother was genuinely concerned about my safety. We could not afford daily transpacific telephone calls, so my mother set-up a more affordable 800# that I could call-in on each day to let her know that I was safe.

NestEasy
What was the first leg of your trip?

Ginger
On the way to Australia, I stopped in Hawaii. My parent’s met in Hawaii and they named me for the Hawaiian White Ginger flower. I wanted to see the flower in its natural environment and visit a place that was special to my parents.

NestEasy
What was Australia like?

Ginger
Well, I landed in Sydney with my mountain bike, backpack, tent and $700.

From the beginning, I was faced with financial challenges, but the three-month trip was fantastic and worth the poverty.

I collected my gear at the Sidney airport and pointed my mountain bike north and started pedaling along the Coral Sea toward Gold Coast. The Gold coast is approximately 1000 kilometers (621 miles) trek and the mecca location for Australian’s on vacation.

NestEasy
How were the Aussies?

Ginger
Australians are fascinated by Americans and were exceptionally kind to me. They were always quick to buy me a drink or a meal. Several of them asked to buy my Nike hiking boots. They liked all things American.

On my journey, I stayed at youth hostels and used my tent at campgrounds. I had friends in a town known as Molotovabad that is just north of Gold Coast. My stay in Australia was enabled by the hospitality that was extended to me by my Australian friends and others. I would not have made if not for the all the kindness I received.

NestEasy
What are your takeaways from the Australia trip? 

Ginger
Australia proved to me that I could survive. I was myself in Australia and the Australians helped me. I am person who always feels that people are good, and the trip confirmed my belief in people to me.

NestEasy
I understand you wear a baker’s hat.

Ginger
Yes. I used to create specialty cakes from my home.

NestEasy
The pictures of your cakes are stunning. What was the name of your business?

Ginger
Happy Cakes. My son named the business. He would talk about a happy birthday cake and the Happy Cakes named evolved and stuck.

NestEasy
How did you get started?

Ginger
It was era of the reality show Cake Boss. The pharmaceutical company that I worked for was bought out and I had a three-month old child at home. I started making the cakes for myself and then family and friends. 

I was not formally trained, but I have a creative side that kicked in. Eventually, through word of mouth, I was doing 5-6 cakes a week. I considered a store front, but decided to go back to the corporate world.

NestEasy
Did you play sports in high school/college?

Ginger
Yes, women’s basketball has been a big part of my life. I played in high school at St. Paul VI in Fairfax. We had a Catholic Basketball League. In college, I played in a league at JMU during the time that Lefty Driesell was the men’s coach. It was an exciting time to play in a basketball program at JMU. After college, I coach locally at the Lutheran Memorial School, Hungary Creek Middle School and St. Gertrude.

NestEasy 
You are exceptionally talented, independent, and successful women. Many congrats!

Let run some fast questions. Quick bite to eat?

Ginger
Super Star Pizza, superstarspizza.com , 5700 Patterson Avenue.

NestEasy
A good dessert?

Ginger
Ray’s Italian Ice,https://www.raysrva.com/ , Church and Lauderdale.

NestEasy 
Favorite weather person?

Ginger 
Andrew Freidman, www.NBC12.com , @AndrewFriedmans

NestEasy
Get away?

Ginger
Lake Anna, my happy place.

NestEasy
Favorite Holiday?

Ginger
Halloween, I love to carve pumpkins.

NestEasy
Where do you think you will be in ten years?

Ginger
I love the senior housing industry. So, I am not going anywhere. I maybe see myself in training at some point down the road.

NestEasy
It has been a wonderful time getting t know you and everyone wishes you the best now and forever!!!!