Building Community: McCrite Plaza

Photos by: Emma Highfill | Rose Wheat Photography & Grace Place

In a recent commercial for McCrite Plaza, you will see coach Pat McCrite on the field with the community’s full-contact football team. The men charge onto the field in full gear, but then decide they would rather go to the pub for a drink. The commercial is one of a series feturing seniors battling it out on the field or court, and each one is pure fun, with real residents dressed up and showing off in staged competitions.

While McCrite does not really have a full-contact football team for residents, they want to send a message that they are offering a fun, active community for retirement living, where seniors can choose how they want to live in retirement.

45 Years in the Making

In 2020, McCrite is celebrating their 45th year in business. Marketing Director Cindee Williams points out that it is a challenging industry, and not a service that can be done halfway.

“Longevity in any industry is tough,” Cindee said, “but especially in one that relies not only on medical skills but stellar customer service. It’s a testament to that customer service and the reputation that Pat and Judy McCrite have built that allows us to celebrate this milestone.”

Family is a big point of emphasis at McCrite Plaza. Being family-owned and operated is a rare feat in the world of senior living. Pat and Judy McCrite built the business together, and they define success as taking good care of people and building lasting relationships.

“When we say that it’s a family, we mean it,” Pat said. “We really get to know the people in our community. We know everyone by name, and we’re present in the community every day.”

The McCrites also view their employees as part of their family. Many of them have spent decades working for the company.

“You don’t get that longevity, loyalty, dedication and commitment from employees unless you have something really special to offer,” Cindee said. “Pat and Judy have it—and each of their five children, who work in the business, do too.”

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

In a business where the number of residents translates into dollar signs, the McCrites are committed to quality over quantity. Rather than packing in rooms, they have built large common areas to encourage people to gather together.

“From the beginning we planned to devote a lot of room to shared spaces,” Pat said. “Some facilities don’t have the room to spare, but we made it a priority, so that residents and their families would have a place to spend time together.”

A SOCIAL CONNECTION

The McCrites see that residents often become healthier after they move in. Especially for those who may have been living alone, without as many opportunities to interact with people.

“They just blossom,” Judy said. “It may be that they’ve been neglecting to eat healthy meals, or that they’ve been lonely or isolated. They move in and begin to make connections with other people, and their spirits really improve.”

Pat agrees that social connection is a big factor in physical and mental health. He points out that McCrite Plaza does everything they can to make it easy to live a healthier life, too.

“This is an exciting chapter of life,” Pat said. “Our residents are released from work so that they can just enjoy themselves. And that’s exactly what we want, because they deserve it.”

INTENTIONAL INVESTMENTS

McCrite Plaza is constantly evolving and renovating to meet the needs of residents, and they are intentional about their investments, with a priority to holistic health through skilled care and opportunities to be active and engaged socially. McCrite was one of the first retirement communities in the area to offer a pub and a movie theater on their campus.

Over the years they have invested in a fishing pond, where residents can fish with their families or relax on their own, as well as a putting green that residents of any skill level can use to unwind. Their wellness coordinator helps residents develop a fitness plan to fit their needs, and also assists those who would like to improve their computer skills.

Continuing to innovate and offer more options for residents to enjoy their lives is important to McCrite’s plan for the future, but they are also watching the medical side of the industry. Cindee sees that medical research is not keeping up with the needs and number of dementia and Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and predicts that this will get worse. The McCrite Briarcliff community in Kansas City has a dedicated memory neighborhood, and all staff members receive ongoing training to offer the best in memory care.