Balfour Senior Living’s First Community in Michigan

Balfour Senior Living’s First Community in Michigan

We are beyond thrilled to announce the Balfour Senior Living is now open in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is the first Balfour community outside the state of Colorado. Balfour Senior Living is expanding and the first stop is Ann Arbor, located a stone’s throw from The Big House of The University of Michigan on South Main Street. With new Balfour communities come new staff, residents, families, designs, activities and much much more! The Ann Arbor Senior Living Community incorporates all we’ve learned from over 20 years of developing and operating senior living communities in Colorado.

We offer Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Alzheimer’s/Memory Care paired along with quality amenities and services. Among our top amenities are a well versed Life Enrichment program, top-notch culinary team and world-renowned designs built from the history of the Ann Arbor/Detroit area. Reading the Balfourian blog, we hope you catch a glimpse into the life of a Balfour Ann Arbor resident. If you’d like to acquire more information, you can call a staff member to see a virtual tour of the building.

Oh, the Activities!

Hannah, the Arts and Literature Specialist, is very excited to bring local arts and group outings to Balfour Ann Arbor Assisted Living and Independent Living. She majored in illustration and her favorite hobby is ballet. “I am most excited about teaching portraiture painting classes and getting OLLI and the University of Michigan involved with our programs.” There are so many great partnerships within Balfour Senior Living and Ann Arbor utilizes education and art efforts to our best ability.

Jessica is the Fitness Specialist at Balfour Ann Arbor. Her office resides in the Fab Five Fitness Room and she teaches classes ranging from swimming to one-on-one yoga (yoga being her favorite). Balfour Senior Living has several one-on-one options, depending on the residents’ interests. “Chair Yoga, Stretch & Tone, and specialized balance sessions are popular choices. We also offer individualized aquatic sessions, which are a wonderful option for less impact on the joints!” Residents check the Lifeloop schedule and sign-up directly with Jessica for one-on-one activities. “My favorite population to work with is seniors, which is one of the reasons why I love working at Balfour Ann Arbor! “ Jessica and Dylan, a new Fitness Coordinator, look forward to continuing one-on-one programming as it allows healthy interactions within the community.

Did someone say Wolverine Burger?

The Culinary staff is among the best you’ll witness in Ann Arbor. Led by Chef Adam Galloway, the entire culinary and service crew have been a tight bond for several years. Learning modern culinary techniques and above standard service have now been implemented at Balfour Senior Living. The staff has learned what each and every resident likes/dislikes, what they order regularly, and what times they take their meals. True Regulars! Chef Adam Galloway trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago and has worked at places such as The Bird and The Bee in Birmingham and Vinology, here in Ann Arbor. He leads a front and back of house team that is eager to serve Independent, Assisted Living and Memory Care dining areas.

“Working together for a collective eight years together has definitely given us the correct tools to open our dining rooms with confidence. The goal is to bring excellent service, superb food, and an amazing experience to every guest each time they dine”. (Alix Gardner, Dining Room Manager)

“Chef Galloway has been elevating the food game in Ann Arbor for years and now he is breaking up the paradigms and misconceptions about senior living dining for our whole industry”. (Michael Scully, Associate Executive Director)

Some fan favorites are the Wolverine Burger, a Sparrow Market prime burger with Pinconning cheddar, roasted tomato, Tom Maceri Producered red buttercrunch, dijonnaise on home-made brioche. Along with the exquisite menu, we have an in-house certified pastry chef that prepares things such as honey nitrous ice cream and other delectable pastries.

If Walls Could Talk.

Walking the Balfour halls feels like a comforting museum. The rooms and halls are full of luxury designs and historical pieces that will make you stop, stare, and reminisce. The Balfour Senior Living development team researches the history and scours local shops and sellers to find historical pieces that are fitting to the Ann Arbor/Detroit area. Jim Juroe, a current resident that aided in the antique finds mentions some of his favorite pieces and the stories behind them. He discussed the local nods around the building including motor city, the logging industry, Michigan University and more.

There are logging tools and maps around the halls that were linked to the logging industry heavily influenced by the Upper Penisula in Michigan. Ford Model T and other Ford relics found around the building that are part of the auto industrial complex in Detroit. The Jockey Club has framed pictures and sculptures that reflect Motor City. Michigan University is embedded in the culture here at Balfour. The entire Discovery Room is an homage to Michigan University with band helmets and football memorabilia. We will soon have a Bennie the Wolverine sculpture in our very own front lawn. We even have around 45 MU alum. Go Wolverines!

When asking Jim his favorite piece, he immediately exclaimed… “The Purple Heart, it’s a precious relic that pays homage to everyone that served. Many residents are moved by it, those years were the most important years of their entire lives. It speaks eloquently to my own life and the rest of Balfour.”

The entire design and development team at Balfour Senior Living were thrilled to take their talents outside of Colorado. Ann Arbor, MI provided a chance to add local flair along with different designs and structures around the University of Michigan area. The Ann Arbor location does have such a strong emphasis on local history, but it also differs from some of the other locations with a large fitness center and a pool. We can’t wait to show you all that Balfour has to offer in Ann Arbor.

Live Well. Live Balfour.