Atria Senior Living to Commemorate Life and Work of Dr. Robert Butler

NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Atria Senior Living today announced plans to unveil the Dr. Robert N. Butler Active Aging Center at its flagship Manhattan community, Atria West 86, in memory of Dr. Robert Butler,  founding president and former Chief Executive Officer of the New York-based United States branch of the International Longevity Center (ILC-USA).

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The Center was created to honor the memory and celebrate the life and work of Butler, who is widely regarded as "the father of geriatrics." A Pulitzer Prize-winning author and renowned gerontologist often credited as the founder of the study of aging, Butler passed away in July after decades of work dedicated to educating the maturing population and changing society's negative views on aging.

Under Butler's leadership, Atria and the ILC collaborated on research initiatives related to issues affecting seniors, including a recent six-month study on the indicators of successful transitions to congregate senior living settings, the results of which will be released at the event. Atria also plans to pursue further research opportunities through the "Butler Breakfast Series" that the company will launch in the spring. The series will host industry leaders in the fields of senior care and healthcare at various Atria locations across the country to continue relevant research trends and topics related to aging.

"Dr. Butler was a dear friend and valued partner of Atria," said Julie Harding, Chief Operating Officer at Atria Senior Living. "His commitment to researching and understanding healthy aging and other topics related to the senior population was important in helping us as leaders in the field of senior care. This dedication at Atria West 86 and our subsequent launch of the 'Butler Breakfast Series' represents our commemoration of his significant work to improve the lives of older people."

The breakfast series, sponsored solely by Atria Senior Living, will bring together industry innovators and other leaders in the healthcare and aging fields throughout 2011 at a number of consensus conferences, and will build on Butler's legacy of research and education. Aging-related topics ranging from senior depression to the importance of engagement will be discussed, and conference reports will be generated and shared to further the body of knowledge available to the senior living industry.

According to Dr. Everette Dennis, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director at the International Longevity Center, Atria's dedication of the new active aging center and commitment to continued learning and progress in the field of aging is a thoughtful approach to remembering the work of Butler.

"We commend Atria Senior Living for its dedication of the Dr. Robert N. Butler Active Aging Center at Atria West 86," said Dr. Dennis. "As leaders in the senior care industry, Atria recognizes the importance of Dr. Butler's work dedicated to healthy aging and will continue to keep his legacy alive."

The U.S. branch of the ILC was founded in 1990 by Dr. Butler as a research, policy, and education organization. The nonprofit ILC-USA was created to educate people on how to live longer and better, as well as advise individuals, corporations, foundations and government leaders on how to navigate today's unprecedented increase in longevity.

"Continuing our efforts to provide research-based programs and quality lifestyle options for our residents is an important goal for Atria," added Harding.

The dedication of the Dr. Robert N. Butler Active Aging Center will take place on Thursday, January 13 at Atria West 86, located at 333 West 86th Street. The event begins at 6 p.m. and will feature Dr. Everette Dennis of the ILC as the speaker. To learn more about Atria West 86, please visit www.atriawest86.com. To learn more about Dr. Butler's legacy and the International Longevity Center, please visit www.ilcusa.org. 

Atria Senior Living Group, one of the nation's largest owner-operators of independent and assisted living, provides respectful, quality services designed to help approximately 13,000 older people live life to the fullest. Atria communities are not nursing homes; rather, they are active communities where seniors can get the care they need to live as independently as possible. At the heart of Atria's approach is the belief that superior care and services depend on running a superior business. That's why Atria has developed some of the industry's most stringent comprehensive training protocols and measurement tools. To learn more, log onto www.atriaseniorliving.com

SOURCE Atria Senior Living