Dos and don'ts for creating a successful wellness center by Scott Richardson

The decision has been made. It’s time to build a new wellness center or expand the current one. Where do you start? What’s involved in the planning, development and construction to make this center a success for both your organization and residents? Why not ask your colleagues who have gone through the process and can give you valuable advice based on their successes and failures?

When asked to prepare this article, I reflected on the experiences I had in developing, building and opening two wellness centers. The first took place in 1999 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community. Then in 2006 I initiated the launch for the Health Club and Spa at Williamsburg Landing Continuing Care Community in Williamsburg, Virginia. Both communities had the fortitude to think outside the box and build centers that are examples of excellence in the retirement community industry.