An idea conceived years before and put into action in 2016, The Spires at Berry College is one of Rome’s newest additions that brings beauty and a wonderful residence to the area.
In 2005, the board members at Berry College began to consider constructing a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) on the college’s campus. A few colleges have a CCRC associated with the school, but Berry leads the forefront of having a CCRC on the campus grounds. From the very beginning, the goal of The Spires at Berry College was to unite the atmosphere of college life with those who are retired and give college students the opportunity to work while attending the university. When asked about the vision of The Spires, Jill Trapp, Director of Sales and Marketing, said, “It was the vision of Berry College, they wanted a place for alumni to come, but, of course, you don’t have to be alumni, most of our residents aren’t alumni. They wanted our residents, who are professionals, who had great careers and fun and interesting lives to be able to mentor the college students.” She praised the relationship that the Spires staff has, which, during the school year, consist of around 70% Berry students, “It has been a blessing to watch the residents with the students. You see the engineering student, who finds the engineer and they bond over, what did you do for a living? How did you know what type of engineering to do?”
Also located within The Spires at Berry College is Magnolia Place, a Healthcare Center comprised of Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing & Short-Term Rehabilitation. Designed to reflect The Spires’ resort-style life and culture, Magnolia Place consists of selections of private living spaces. It offers the same caliber of amenities, services, and social spaces offered at The Spires. Magnolia Place completes the CCRC structure, as the continuum of care can be fulfilled no matter what health concerns arise. Additionally, Magnolia Place is structured to serve as an excellent learning opportunity for nursing students at Berry College, who can complete a multitude of rotations and credits by directly caring for and serving their residents.
Not only is the goal of The Spires amiable and good for the community, but the CCRC adds another beautiful and economic zone for the Rome-Floyd area. Located on the remnants of the old limestone quarry, the Spires overlooks the gorgeous Eagle Lake and Lavender Mountain. It is a sublime and relaxing environment that is not lacking in activities. The Spires offers an array of clubs, events, and activities to satisfy the needs of the residents. The community features a fitness program, salon, salt-water heated pool, art studio, and even a fishing dock! In addition, they have hosted a murder-mystery dinner theater, talent shows, and even Rome Little Theatre performances. For those who enjoy learning new things, professors from Berry come to the Spires and deliver talks on various subjects. Nor are these activities limited to the Spires. Residents are welcomed and encouraged to start their own clubs. Residents have started card clubs, book clubs, Bible studies, and the Spires Singers!
The future is bright for the Spires, and now that the Covid-19 pandemic is steadily ending, the community is ready to take their residents outside the grounds. The Spires have their buses and have begun to transport their residents to ball games, shows, and many other off-ground events. Mrs. Trapp is hopeful of the future without Covid, saying, “We have had some great performances and events, it is amazing to think of what we were able to do during the pandemic, so it’s exciting to see what we are going to do once we are running on full force.”
