The dawn of the new millennium has been one of the most interesting times in Cobb County’s storied history. Beginning on the heels of the record real estate and population growth that characterized the 1990s, the last 14 years have brought the county sky-high home prices, followed by a cataclysmic recession and, eventually, signs of resurgence after years of economic contraction.

As Cobb moves further away from the recession, it is clear that the state of the county remains strong for the foreseeable future. Though it may not be growing at the unbridled pace seen in the last century, Cobb has matured and grown into its promise, diversifying its population and roster of industries, as well as providing an unmatched quality of life.

A Period of Great Growth

“Historically, Cobb has been one of the fastest growing parts of the state in terms of population and employment opportunities,” says Roger Tutterow, a professor of economics at Mercer University and a long-time Cobb resident. “In the 1970s, Lockheed (Martin Aeronautics) was the dominant employer and most people commuted to Fulton County for work, but as Cobb grew larger, professional opportunities diversified and now half of the county lives and works in Cobb.”

With a close proximity to Atlanta and two coastal seaports, as well as quick access to the world’s busiest airport and four major highways, businesses began flocking to Cobb in the 1980s and 1990s, and the population grew by 36 percent. “Businesses have relocated to the northern suburbs of Atlanta because of the quality of life, lower taxes, a lower cost of living and access to better schools,” Tutterow says. “As Cobb’s economy continued to diversify, the business activity relied less and less on a single employer, and now less than 15 percent of the county’s employment is in manufacturing.”

While Lockheed dominated the county’s early growth, the Cobb of today is a service economy driven by health care, retail and business services, as well as Fortune 500 companies like The Home Depot and NAPA Genuine Parts. Though two of the county’s biggest employers are the Cobb County School District and WellStar Health System, the area has become a haven for a diverse group of companies highly regarded in their prospective fields. “When we were established over 30 years ago, there was a lack of fragrance and flavor suppliers in the Southeastern United States,” says Cynthia Reichard, executive vice president of Marietta-based Arylessence, Inc. “Our location in Cobb County was strategically perfect for our emerging business. Today, as a company, we have grown from being a regional business to one that ships our products around the world.”

Maturing Over Time

As Cobb’s business community has diversified over the last few decades, so too has its population. “In 1980, Cobb County was your stereotypical white suburb, but by the 2020 census, Cobb may not have a majority white population,” says Thomas A. Scott, Cobb historian and professor emeritus of history at Kennesaw State University. “The county’s household income is $65,180, well above the state and national average, and that is a very positive trend because it shows that the county is diversifying while still remaining affluent. People of all races who can afford it are making the move to Cobb.”

According to U.S. Census figures, about 707,400 people lived in Cobb in 2012, up nearly 100,000 residents from 2000.Though many of the county’s neighborhoods were developed in the 1970s and 1980s, Cobb remains young and vibrant, with 25 percent of the population, or about 177,000 residents, under the age of 18, and a senior population well below the state average—nearly 69,000 who are 65 years and older. The county’s youth is bolstered by the presence of Kennesaw State, now the state’s fastest-growing university and its third largest college.

“We are definitely more diverse ethnically, which comes with population growth, and Baby Boomers continue to make up a large segment of the population,” says Don Sabbarese, a professor of economics and director of the Econometric Center at Kennesaw State. “However, Cobb County continues to attract people in that valuable 25-to-45 age range—people who are working and investing in the county for the long term.”

Like many metro Atlanta counties that grew by leaps and bounds in the boom years of the 1980s and 1990s, Cobb’s development has begun to level off, signaling a new period in the county’s lifecycle. “It’s somewhat normal in the dynamics of residential housing that as land becomes more scarce, it becomes more expensive,” Sabbarese says. “As a result, growth levels off and the economy shifts toward a more service-oriented economy.”

Mirroring a growth pattern seen in Marietta City Schools, the Cobb County School District added nearly 12,000 new students between 2000 and 2007, but less than 3,000 students were added to the rosters in the intervening years. Marietta now serves about 8,800 students and Cobb 110,000. And while 100,000 residents have moved to Cobb in the 21st century, no new schools have been built since 2007, signaling that the county’s great migration has largely ended.

“Cobb was one of the fastest growing counties in the state between the 1970s and 1990s, but the county has since filled in and the economy is not as much driven by residential construction and people moving to live here,” Tutterow says. “There are a very few large tracks of land left for development, and though there is some re-gentrification and infill construction going on, Cobb’s economy is maturing and more focused on attracting businesses and creating exports than relying on residential real estate growth. The Cobb of the future will need to focus on creating goods and services and exporting them beyond its borders.”

Recession and Recovery

While the new millennium ushered in one of the strongest growth periods for residential and commercial construction in county history, the housing bubble and the collapse of the world financial markets in 2008 brought wave after wave of bad news to the county. “When you look at 2008 to 2010, Cobb County was hit pretty hard with large losses in construction and manufacturing jobs,” Sabbarese says. “Housing prices fell so the county had to tighten its belt and education got hit, which resulted in the loss of government jobs.”

During the boom times of the early 2000s, unemployment in the county was 2.8 percent, but as the downturn raged on, Cobb County’s unemployment rate surged to 8.1 percent.

“Like every major metro area in the country, Cobb experienced a pronounced downturn,” Tutterow says. “Since our economy was diversified and not as heavily based in real estate, the downturn was not as significant as the one experienced in other counties where new construction was the primary economic driver.”

While the recession technically ended in the summer of 2009, and Cobb’s unemployment rate has since reduced to 6.1 percent, the soft labor market has made for a slow recovery. “We have had really good job growth, but commercial and residential construction are nowhere near where they were before the recession,” Sabbarese says. “The greatest challenge is that there are still a lot of unemployed people who have been without jobs for a long period of time.” The number of people who filed for unemployment benefits increased from 11,603 in 2000 to 19,293 in 2007 and again to 29,554 in 2012, according to the most recent figures.

If there is any good news to emerge from the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression, Cobb has experienced a modest recovery in its business services sector, as well as a small uptick in construction rates. Residential new home sales have improved and the tide of foreclosures has ended. As the good news about housing circulates through the market,” Tutterow says, “businesses will gradually expand their payrolls, which will create more clarity in the market and stimulate entrepreneurial activity.”

As the county’s financial outlook brightens, many local companies are looking to expand and capitalize on the assets Cobb has in spades. “As we look at all the factors that influence how a business like ours can grow and expand, we see no limit to our expansion in Cobb County,” says Reichard. Primed for growth, Arylessence is expanding manufacturing, building a new Quality Assurance facility and breaking ground on a new 60,000-square-foot Arylessence Research and Development Center, which will add 60 high-level science and technology jobs to the region over the next three years. “We continue to be a very efficient, competitive supplier to our customers because we control our costs effectively in Cobb and still deliver one of the highest levels of service in the industry,” says Reichard. “We have built Arylessence into a major player in the fragrance and flavor industry because, in a very significant way, we are based in Cobb County.”

A County Set Apart

As Cobb County’s operating budget has increased from about $410 million in 2000 to nearly $738 million in 2013, so too has its ability to affect change and respond to the diversifying needs of the county. “The county has a lot of positive factors, but one of the things that makes Cobb different is that it has always been cognizant of the needs of local business, which has allowed it to prosper for the last several decades,” Tutterow says. “Business and government work together because they understand that a highly competitive employment market is the key to success.”

In addition to having one of lowest millage rates in the metro area, Cobb has also benefitted from good leaders and surprisingly little corruption. “I can’t remember the last time a Cobb official or a school board member was indicted, which is something a lot of other counties can’t say,” Scott says. “We have surprisingly good government, good zoning and amazingly good leaders who try to keep taxes as low as possible.”

In his recent State of the County speech, Cobb County Commission Chair Tim Lee acknowledged the progress the county has made in the past year. “We began to see investment in Cobb County start to reach pre-recession levels with new home starts, remodeling and property values,” Lee stated. “All indications are that Cobb County has turned the corner and in 2014 we are on our way to very healthy levels for all revenue streams.” Ending the year with a surplus and strong cash reserves, Lee also noted that the county retains a Triple-A rating from all three ratings agencies, making Cobb one of only 39 counties in the nation to achieve such recognition.

Chairman Lee also mentioned the community’s investment in the $680 million Atlanta Braves baseball stadium, along with an accompanying $400 million investment in a walkable, mixed-use district neighboring the stadium. “With the announcement of the Atlanta Braves move to Cobb County, the whole world is watching us,” Lee stated. “They all want to know what the Atlanta Braves now know—that Cobb County is the place to do business.”

In 2013, the county gained 16 new businesses, including InfoSys and Talentei, more than 1,087 new jobs and investments totaling $41 million. The chairman reaffirmed his commitment to fiscally conservative budgeting, and added that Cobb is in a great position due to hard choices made during the economic downturn. “In order to reach great heights for the long term, we must continue to make the right choices for this county. Cobb County is still, and will continue to be, the best place to live, work, play and earn a world-class education.”

The New Face of Cobb

With a world-class business infrastructure and a diverse young population, Cobb County in the new millennium has also gained significant cultural capital with the arrival of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, which has lured top-notch performers and companies like the Atlanta Opera and the Atlanta Ballet to its stages. Renovations to Cumberland Mall and boutique retail pockets like The Avenues at East Cobb and West Cobb have made luxury shopping an everyday reality for Cobb residents, while the recent acquisition of the 100-acre Hyde Farm in east Cobb and a $40 million bond to purchase park land further enhances quality of life. “Cobb is a great place for people to live,” Reichard says. “The lifestyle, cultural, sporting and recreational opportunities are among the region’s best.”

Development around Kennesaw has also exploded in recent years, and the rural wilds of west Cobb have become large subdivisions and retail centers. Renovations abound in established neighborhoods like East Cobb, with second- and third-generation homeowners taking the lead, and younger generations are also transforming downtown Marietta and Smyrna into walkable, live-work-play communities. “Density has risen in recent years, but a large part of the county is still moderate density, with dominant population clusters around Cumberland Mall, Town Center Mall, Kennesaw State University and Marietta,” Tutterow says. “I continue to be very optimistic about the dynamic capacity of Atlanta’s prosperous suburbs. Cobb benefits from Atlanta’s business activity and Atlanta benefits from Cobb’s quality of life.”

Recognition and revitalization is also coming to the Cobb Galleria, one of the county’s first and largest business districts, as it prepares for the arrival of the Atlanta Braves and an accompanying entertainment complex that will bring new vibrancy, new revenue and new population streams to the county. “The last half of the 20th century was a very positive growth period for Cobb, and now there is renewed excitement—new colleges, new entertainment complexes and new populations are building an infrastructure and a quality of life for the future,” Scott says. “Whether we succeed in doing this, will depend upon how well we make our diversity work at every level—from the workforce to our schools. If we succeed, we’ll be a model for the entire country.”

South Cobb’s Resurgence

While south Cobb was overlooked as rapid prosperity graced the rest of the county, the region is now experiencing an unprecedented renaissance that stretches beyond the fame of its largest employer, Six Flags Over Georgia. “South Cobb has been underinvested and undervalued for many years, but a rebirth and resurgence is definitely happening,” says Ed Richardson, president of the South Cobb Redevelopment Authority. “South Cobb is close to the City of Atlanta, major railways and highways and it is one of the few places left in the county where land is still affordable.”

Guided by a simple three-word slogan, “Reimagine, Redevelop and Revitalize,” the South Cobb Redevelopment Authority is putting the area back on the map by creating low-interest bonds, a private land bank and Tax Allocation Districts that spur growth and new development. In a swift turnaround, millions of dollars in development are occurring along the Six Flags corridor, including three apartment buildings purchased by H.J. Russell & Co., and new development in Riverside Industrial Park, just south of the amusement park. Downtown Mableton is also coming alive with a new mixed-use towncenter concept, and Jamestown Properties is developing Riverview Landing, a picturesque residential community along the banks of the Chattahoochee River. Six Flags is also making its largest expansion in park history with the development of a new tropical waterpark called Hurricane Harbor, set to open in late May.

Undoubtedly though, this year’s headlines belong to the Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral’s Riverside EpiCenter in Austell, the biggest project to grace south Cobb in a generation. The $33 million, 112,000-square-foot facility on Riverside Parkway features a 600-seat auditorium, conference rooms, a café and food court, a six-lane bowling alley and a youth center with an arcade, computer stations and recording and dance studios. Rounding out the list of amenities, the EpiCenter also includes a gym, a 40-foot rock climbing wall, an indoor track and a full-service health club with a hydrotherapy spa, massage rooms, saunas and steam rooms.

“This is the seven-year culmination of Bishop Dale C. Bronner’s vision of creating a multifaceted, multifunctional facility that is designed for every person and every walk of life,” says Patrick L. McGrew, the EpiCenter’s general manager. “The EpiCenter really focuses on wellness of the body and mind and it’s just a great, inclusive gathering place where you can get a cup of coffee, bowl or play basketball. It is the first facility of its kind—there is nothing like it in Cobb County or anywhere else in the Southeast.”

Published on: Apr 21, 2014

With Southerners often having to put up with pretty warm springs and blazing hot summers, it’s nice to hear that one of the local utility companies, Cobb Electric Membership Corporation, has reduced its rates yet again to help ease what could turn out to be fairly high electric bills. “We are always looking for ways to improve our operational efficiency and to take measures to pass along savings to our members by lowering rates,” says Chip Nelson, President and CEO of Cobb EMC.

Cobb EMC’s Board of Directors approved the rate reduction during a monthly board meeting at the close of 2013. This most recent rate reduction went into effect Jan. 1 and was the third the group has passed in the last year. The other two were in January and July of 2013. Cobb EMC anticipates that almost every customer will see lower bills this year, specifically for standard residential and small commercial members, and the average annual savings will run around $75. The company serves about 175,000 residential and commercial members in Cobb, Bartow, Cherokee, Fulton and Paulding counties.

In addition to the rate reduction, Cobb EMC is also sharing tips on how to save even more on utility bills.

These free energy-saving tips can keep your home cool and comfortable during warm months:

• Your dishwasher, washer, dryer and oven generate heat and make your air conditioner work harder. Try to use them only during cooler evening hours.
• Keep your kitchen cool by using a microwave, rather than an oven, when possible.
• Line dry clothes outside and take advantage of warm weather.
• Bathroom and kitchen ventilation fans pull cool air out of your house. Turn them off 10 minutes after your shower is finished or cooking is done.
• Keep your thermostat at 78 degrees.
• Check air filters monthly and clean or replace them if they are dirty.
• Keep air vents clear of furniture and window coverings so you don’t block airflow.
• Close window treatments during the day to block the sun’s hot summer rays.
• Fans use considerably less energy than air conditioning.
• Lock your windows to create a tighter air seal and trap in cooled air.

Cobb EMC also offers free in-home energy audits to help its customers find ways to save. For more information, visit cobbemc.com/energymatters.

I’d like to start off by saying that I do not have a degree in education, never have or doubt I ever will, and that all I know about education is what I’ve read and reported on in the last 10-plus years of my journalism profession and what the last two generations of teachers in my family have taught me.

With that being said, I wish that the individuals—parents, politicians or advocates who make it look like they have a vested interest in education—would quit trying to “educate” the masses about what should or should not be going on in a classroom. I personally believe that our public education system is broken and I don’t think it’s because there isn’t enough money in a district’s piggy bank or that the teachers don’t have a doctorate degree. It’s because people who have no idea what they’re talking about are trying to dictate what happens in a classroom, and they never seem to remember the most important part of this whole thing—our kids.

I remember as a child, which was longer ago than I’d like to admit, the size of a classroom, the amount of money the district had in its budget or the number of degrees a teacher earned, didn’t determine my success. I did well because my teacher encouraged me, both in the classroom and even on the playground. My parents were there to tell me what is right from wrong and when it was time to do my homework and not play a video game or with my Barbies. I also had people in my community who knew my name, asked how my day was when they saw me in the convenience store or acknowledged that I wasn’t just another kid, but a child who held the future of our country in her hands.

I understand that not every child has loving and supportive parents like I did or a community that wants to support them 100 percent, but that’s the problem. Whether you know a child or not, it’s important for us to recognize that they need our support. If you are no longer a parent, volunteer to read at an area school, sign up to be a high school mentor or attend a Board of Education meeting. If anything will open your eyes up to what some might describe as chaos—that will. Advance warning: some of the board meetings can be crazy long, but all in all I believe the information we need to be better parents, mentors or advocates for education unfolds there. Remember, we voted these people in office—at least those of us who cared enough to participate in the election.

We all need to set aside standardized testing, put down the tablets and think about what made each of us successful. I bet $100 that we wouldn’t say it was our third-grade ITBS tests, the curriculum in our eighth-grade Georgia history class or whether we had a new or old textbook. It was a person. Miss Dixon in first grade, Coach Glanton from fifth-grade P.E. or Mrs. Helms from 11th-grade Trigonometry. These are the reasons I have succeeded and what I believe have made me a dependable and responsible person.

We need to go back to the basics of being a part of the classroom, knowing what’s going on in our communities and getting our heads out of the clouds and off Facebook or blogs so that we can be a part of these young people’s future. If we don’t get our acts together, we’ll be the reason our children fail, not succeed.

Now that the economy is starting to pick up, news of companies relocating to Cobb County and nearby areas are more prominent every day, and for residents that are still in the thick of the often-dreaded job search, networking is more important now than ever. With resources like LinkedIn, online self-promotion and marketing are certainly more prevalent and utilized than in recent years, but few efforts can really make an applicant stand out more than personal professional referrals—that’s where community networking comes into play.

The Coalition of Cobb County Business Associations, which comprises of 10 area business associations—Austell, Acworth, East Cobb, Kennesaw, Marietta, Northeast Cobb, Smyrna, South Cobb, Vinings and West Cobb—offers an advantage to residents in the form of networking events and training, because sometimes the key to finding and securing the right job for you really is all about who you know. For Chuck Burge, who serves as membership chair with the Marietta Business Association, “The only way to improve your chances is to leave the comfort of your computer search for a job and be seen. No matter how well your resume is put together, it is just paper.”

Barbara Hickey with the Cobb Coalition agrees, saying that in such a competitive job atmosphere, business owners, corporations and members of the nonprofit community are relying on recommendations before they take the leap and hire a new member of the team. “Hiring the wrong person, who does not fit with the pace, demand or overall atmosphere, can be a costly mistake,” Hickey says. “You never know where your next job, client or idea may come from. When you build relationships with people you share your plans, skills and other personal information that may spark an idea that they suggest.”

For Bonnie Ross-Parker of Xperience Connections, formerly The Joy of Connecting, “The trust building and relationship building is significantly increased when you have face-to-face opportunities. It’s not just about the body language and the eye contact; you just get a feel for somebody when you have the opportunity to shake a hand.” With so many opportunities around Cobb to go out and meet other professionals and expand your network, the time has come to utilize the tools and people available to you.

Go Beyond the Web

Personal websites, online portfolios and LinkedIn profiles have the ability to make a big impact when searching for a job, either positive or negative. For prospective employers, credibility is everything in a new hire. When networking, if a person can feel the credibility and value you bring, the degree to which they can potentially further you in your job search deepens significantly.

“Sometimes it’s just being visible, letting people know what you’re looking for, showing up in a way that is very professional—those are the kinds of things that I think can really help an individual find a position much different than just filling out a piece of paper online. That’s not nearly as effective as really having a referral from someone else,” says Ross-Parker.

“It is an opportunity for a live interview without having to go through the process of scheduling one with a difficult-to-reach owner or HR person,” Burge adds. “The more people you meet face to face, the better your opportunity to be known—and when you are known, you create referrals for yourself. When you are referred, you are walking in warm, not cold. Plus, you never know when you may walk up to the person that needs exactly what your skill set provides.”

Many networking professionals agree that social media can help as easily as it can hurt. For Burge, resources like LinkedIn can work if you are aggressive and ask for recommendations to meet the people you connect with. “Posting is permanent. It can hurt you if you haven’t established some credibility throughout your online communication,” Ross-Parker says. “In the job search arena, the degree to which individuals post content and information of value that clearly demonstrates their expertise is a great way for somebody to land a potential opportunity. The same is true in the reverse.”

Cobb’s Networking Resources

The Marietta Business Association, like many area groups, has several opportunities for networking, including Networking Opportunity Weekly (NOW) and NetEx, an expo held the second Monday of every month, complete with a meet and greet where the key to success is always getting involved. “The idea is to put you in front of that person for a cup of coffee or lunch and to be there for the introduction,” Burge says. “Through that process, you have helped two people meet someone new that might further their business. That is powerful.” Additionally, members can take part in monthly after-hours events and Business & Biscuits.

The Cobb Coalition also brings together 10 business associations that promote networking events every month, where you can attend as a guest and meet business owners, public officials and government personnel alike. Hickey addresses The Etiquette School of Atlanta as another prime resource for helping to level the job playing field. “After our classes from Making A Good First Impression to Dining Etiquette, we send off our students of all ages with the confidence to handle interviews, difficult people, conflict resolution and just make a difference wherever they are,” she says.

Ross-Parker’s Xperience Connections is open to all women for an intimate meeting once a month, as space allows. “I don’t want any woman who is truly committed to a professional or entrepreneurial endeavor to go through what I went through and not be taken seriously,” she says, having worked in networking for more than 30 years. She started hosting events at Atlanta Bread Co. for several years without charging a fee before starting her organization, The Joy of Connecting, which was officially 11 years old last August. The first event was held in her home in 2002, and since then more than 3,500 women have participated. The program has never changed. Everyone walks away with solid opportunities for growth, and every woman gets the chance to showcase, distribute content, promote what they do and talk about their endeavors.

“On any one day at any one time, Atlanta is so robust in terms of opportunities for women and networking in general,” says Ross-Parker. “For a woman to start a business here or make connections to foster opportunities is pretty significant. I think women deserve and have earned the right to be respected, appreciated, valued for the contributions they make in their communities.”

No matter your age, doctors have always stressed the importance of staying both mentally and physically fit. As we age, they say it’s even more important because it allows you to be more independent for longer, and that’s why we are encouraged to get out there and exercise both our minds and bodies on a regular basis.

“One of the major problems as we all age is the fear of loss of independence and this can happen by losing physical mobility and freedom to make our own decisions in case we have dementia,” says Dr. Shravantika Reddy, who specializes in family and geriatric medicine with WellStar Medical Group in Marietta. “Therefore, it is important that we reduce these fears by helping ourselves be functionally independent for as long as we can by keeping physically and mentally active.”

To build physical well-being, Reddy recommends aerobic exercises, muscle strengthening, balance and gait training, in addition to maintaining healthy nutrition. In continued efforts to improve mental fitness, she advises seniors to remain socially active with friends and family and learn new activities and practice activities like crossword puzzles that stimulate the brain.

Lou Alice Coffin, an 84-year-old who lives at Presbyterian Village in Austell, agrees with Reddy. She walks daily, in addition to stretching and flexing, and participating in strength circuit exercising in her community. “Remaining active and healthy allows me to do all the things I want to do on a daily basis, and to enjoy life to the full,” Coffin says. Presbyterian Village offers a number of well-rounded programs for its residents so that they can help stimulate their minds, bodies and spirits.

Like Presbyterian Village, the wellness director at Sterling Estates in Marietta, Christine Walsh, says they offer a variety of daily aerobic classes like water therapy, stretching class and personal training, in addition to balance and fall prevention. She also enjoys games with the residents and they participate in music therapy.

“Staying healthy is not just done with exercise,” Walsh says. “You must incorporate every aspect of wellness into your routine. Whole-person wellness is our main goal here. We strive to encourage our residents to add improvement in every type of wellness.

Sterling Estates resident Bettie Ruth Cox Hudson agrees. The 77-year-old performs stretching exercises in her bed each morning before getting up and reminds herself to be active every day. “I take the Sittersize class four to five times a week, as well as the balance bar class and water aerobics to stop back pain, knee pain and shoulder pain,” she says. “I have never been so pampered in my entire life, ever, ever, ever.”

Aspen Village Senior Living, which serves seniors in west Cobb and surrounding counties, offers similar programs for its residents, especially to help stimulate the mind. The staff and management believes that those in the 55-plus community should engage in “meaningful” activities that they already enjoy to help promote cognitive health while they age.

“It might be chess or backgammon, crossword puzzles, Scrabble games with friends, reading, participating in a club, building models or any number of activities,” the Aspen Village staff says. “Keep in mind that the activities require active engagement, not passive engagement such as watching television.”

In 2017, the east Cobb community will see a new development in Isakson Living’s Continuing Care Retirement Community on Roswell Road. It too will cater to the well-being of the senior community.

“The proposed development helps to create a lifelong community that will afford east Cobb residents an opportunity to remain in the area as they grow older,” Kenn Isakson says. “The residential community will also be an attractive option for others who may relocate to be close to children and grandchildren in the area.” The community will offer independent homes with on-site amenities like dining, activities, entertainment, fitness and wellness, in addition to assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing.

On-site senior care isn’t the only way to help strengthen one’s mind, body and soul. Vince Clifford, who owns Serenity Adult Day Care Center in Powder Springs, welcomes seniors to their facility during the day so that they can participate in multiple activity programs, health monitoring and socializing with others.

“At Serenity, we are helping mentally and physically impaired adults by providing cost-effective care while supporting individual autonomy, allowing individuals to ‘age in place’ and enhancing the quality of life for both participants and family caregivers,” Clifford says. Guests at Serenity can enjoy snacks and meals, while also participating in light exercise programs and recreational activities such as BINGO, arts and crafts, sing-a-longs and day outings.

Aging gracefully isn’t just about exercise and mind games but also about what you eat. “The combination of unhealthy eating and physical inactivity is responsible for the second highest percentage of preventable deaths in the United States,” says Phil Graiser, who owns and operates Comforting Arms with his wife Julie. “Health related problems are exacerbated by poor nutrition and inactivity.”

At Comforting Arms, they work with seniors by going into their homes, rehab facilities or assisted living residence. Graiser says their licensed dietitian, Judy Whitehead, conducts nutritional assessments for each client and creates a meal plan to help maintain a proper nutritional balance that is necessary for seniors.

“Caloric intake and making proper choices of foods is critical to consuming the proper amount of calories recommended for those more than 50 years old who get less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day,” Graiser says. “Getting the right combination of carbohydrates, protein and fats is important. If someone refuses to eat certain foods that are necessary to maintain a good balance, replace that item with one of similar nutritional value.”