Retirement Services

Retirement Services are offered to older adults who no longer want or need full-time, work-oriented services. The retirement facility is located in downtown Lawrence at 1029 New Hampshire Suite C, which allows the people we serve to participate in a variety of community events - we offer services throughout the community to encourage community integration and personal growth. Individuals in our program learn productive leisure skills, such as arts, crafts, cooking, games and music appreciation. The goal of Retirement Services is to help our participants have the kind of retirement they want to have. We provide them with opportunities to participate in the following areas:

Leisure and Recreation: At Retirement Services we spend time in the community going to parks, the library, gardens, having one on one outings and excursions, and taking part in activities or events. We also do many activities at the retirement center such as painting pictures, learning about books, making, baking, working on puzzles, playing games, and watching movies. We also take classes at the Lawrence Arts Center and participate in music therapy through KU Music Therapy.

Wellness: At retirement we offer assistance with daily exercises for those who wish to participate. We also have a variety of exercise videos and equipment.

Social: Retirement works to assist individual participants to keep in touch with people they care about, making new friends, and sharing time together. We utilize email, the US Postal Service and the telephone to do this. Some examples of community events we have been participating in over the last few years are lunches at the Douglas County Senior Center, Volunteering at the KU Sensory Garden, Book Talk through the Lawrence Public Library, and classes through both Lawrence Parks and Recreation and through the Lawrence Arts Center.

In addition to our other activities Retirement Services holds an annual art show each spring. Individuals in Cottonwood's retirement program produce "Outsider Art," or works of art created by people who have had little or no formal training in art and who create (or at least began by creating) art without regard to the mainstream art world's recognition or marketplace. The artwork is sold at a silent auction during the event.

If you have questions about Cottonwood's Retirement Services, e-mail Heather Thies, Director of Life Enrichment Services.