Shell Point marks 40th anniversary

Through the decades, Shell Point accumulated numerous awards and recognition for its many successes.

It was 40 years ago that Reverend Ralph and Emilie Torgerson, a retired missionary couple, became the first residents to move into Shell Point Retirement Community.

From that humble beginning, Shell Point is now home to more than 2,100 residents, 850 employees and a national leader in the retirement industry.

A historical view

Originally known as Shell Point Village, the community was founded in 1968 as a non-profit ministry of The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Its goal was to provide independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and a variety of amenities and support services for seniors.

The first facilities were constructed on property donated to the alliance by local landowner and developer Berry C. Williams. Located near Sanibel Island, where the Caloosahatchee River empties into the Gulf of Mexico, it featured outstanding river views.

Through the next two decades, the community continued to grow. Build-out of the original 75-acre island was completed in 1995, when the community was home to 1,350 residents.

More than 2,100 residents live in the 825-acre property.

In 1997, Shell Point purchased 750 acres of nearby property along both sides of Shell Point Boulevard, allowing the community to enlarge, enhance and expand the services already offered on the island campus. Planning began immediately to develop approximately 300 acres, leaving the remaining acreage as protected natural environment.

Along with the expansion came several subtle changes, which included changing the name from Shell Point Village to Shell Point Retirement Community, and lowering the entrance age from 65 to 60 as more retirees began starting their retirements at younger ages and desired the security of life care.

Shell Point grows

The addition of the new property enabled the community to add new neighborhoods, and development of Shell Point's second neighborhood, The Woodlands, began soon after the purchase. This neighborhood was completed in 2005 and contained four independent residential buildings surrounding a 35,000 square foot, two-story Commons building as well as the addition of Shell Point's second assisted living facility, The Arbor.

PHOTOS SPECIAL TO FLORIDA WEEKLY Top: The Arbor is a new assisted living facility at Shell Point. The community was founded in 1968 as a non-profit ministry.

A commercial center was also built at the entrance to the property featuring a Country Inn & Suites hotel less than two miles from the Sanibel Causeway. Open to the public, the four-story hotel has 112 rooms, conference rooms, a heated swimming pool and fitness facilities. Although Shell Point already had one small motel on its property for several decades, the presence of a second hotel, run by a wellknown chain, increased the number of visitors to the community.

In 2004, during the construction of The Woodlands, Shell Point launched pre-sales of its third neighborhood, Eagles Preserve. Although Hurricane Charley briefly interrupted construction of Eagles Preserve in 2004, the neighborhood was successfully completed and occupied in the summer of 2007. This quiet enclave community is nestled in the back nine of Shell Point Golf Club's championship 18-hole golf course and features 10 independent residential buildings, of 110 units, many with private garages.

COURTESY PHOTO The majority of residents live independently in residences ranging from 470 square feet to 2,800 square feet, with prices starting from $77,250 up to $707,000.

Features such as a fitness center and swimming pool, winding brick-paved roadway that crosses an elegant bridge at the center of the community, and Mediterranean style buildings set against the verdant backdrop of the golf course combine to create a choice location for approximately 200 residents.

National accreditation

Through the decades, Shell Point accumulated numerous awards and recognition for its many successes. The community was accredited in 1993 by The Continuing Care Accreditation Commission, now the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the nation's only accrediting body for continuing care retirement communities. This provides a clear way of determining whether a retirement community is financially stable, provides quality care, and fulfills its promise of quality, lifetime care to older persons.

COURTESY PHOTO Shell Point Golf Club's championship 18-hole golf course is a favorite with residents.

Through the years, Shell Point has also received numerous accolades including being named one of the top 20 retirement communities by New Choices magazine, "Best Retirement Community" by Contemporary Long Term Care magazine, one of the world's most beautiful retirement communities by the Association of Retirement Resorts International, and was listed as one of the top continuing care retirement communities in the southeastern United States by Where To Retire magazine.

Shell Point's high-quality dining services were featured in stories in USA Today; and Money magazine, which compared Shell Point with the luxurious QE2 cruise liner and described the community to be "the créme de la créme" of retirement communities.

COURTESY PHOTO Elegant fountains and winding brick-paved roadways are a community trademark.

Amenities aplenty

Shell Point's state-of-the-art innovations, such as the on-site hurricane shelter, and an environmentally-efficient, cost-effective chiller plant, are unique among retirement and long term care facilities throughout the nation. Senior living experts and designers from across the country, and even from other parts of the world, have toured the community in search of new ideas and improvements.

The community provides all the standard resort-style services such as fitness centers, hair salon and spa, internal and external transportation, four restaurants open to the public and three private dining rooms, arts and crafts studios, a fully-equipped woodshop and a library. In addition, Shell Point features sophisticated amenities not normally found in retirement communities such as proctored computer labs, a monthly 32-page four-color lifestyle magazine; a professionally filmed and edited 30-minute daily television program produced on-site, a lifelong learning program through the Academy at Shell Point and a fine and performing arts concert series featuring nationally-known artists.

Shell Point today

Today, Shell Point provides an unequaled lifestyle with comprehensive life care for more than 2,100 residents, earning the community the distinction of being the largest continuing care retirement community in the state. Shell Point's waterfront location along the Caloosahatchee River near Sanibel Island is unmatched and serves as a magnet to older persons seeking a vibrant retirement in Southwest Florida.

"Shell Point is the epitome of gracious living while providing the benefits of life care planning," said community president Peter Dys. "Our residents have the best of both worlds."

The majority of residents live independently in residences ranging from 470 square feet to 2,800 square feet, with prices starting from $77,250 up to $707,000. In addition, residents receive access to all of the amenities, services, and recreational opportunities provided; plus, advanced health care services with two assisted living facilities and a skilled nursing center available when needed. The skilled nursing center also provides services such as rehab and physical therapy; Alzheimer's and memory care; and in-patient hospice services provided in partnership with Hope Hospice and Community Services. The community features on-site staff physicians and nurse practitioners, a fully staffed pharmacy, psychologists and social workers, and many other medical personnel who are full-time Shell Point employees. Additionally, 18 medical specialists provide services on-site as well, reducing the need for residents to travel outside the community for services.

Shell Point's future plans

Ultimately, the final expansion plans predict a Shell Point population of nearly 4,000 when the entire community is complete, with a total of 2,000 employees.

These plans, however, have been placed on hold until the real estate market has recovered sufficiently to support the new growth.

"While the master plan for the next phase is complete, we will only proceed in the future with further expansion if there is a necessary built-up demand for our product in the marketplace, and expansion is financially feasible and appropriate for our organization and the residents we serve," said Dys. "We take a very conservative approach in our growth and management practices. Since this community is a non-profit ministry of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, we are not interested in making temporary short-term advancements, but rather we continue to plan for long-term success. In the meantime, we will continually update and improve our existing facilities to maintain the level of excellence that our reputation is built upon."

A recent example of this continuous improvement is the $60 million investment that Shell Point has made in upgrading and renovating its health care services. In the past three years, Shell Point has added a second assisted living facility, The Arbor; expanded its medical center and pharmacy services; added medical and health care staff throughout the health care continuum; and launched major renovations of the Larsen Pavilion skilled nursing center and the original assisted living facility, King's Crown.

Shell Point's strength

Shell Point has been successfully providing services to seniors in Southwest Florida for 40 years and perhaps its strength lies not only in its future, but in its past as well. During that time, the community has never changed ownership or management.

"Our goal is to remain strong and to continue to provide the enhanced quality of life that our residents have enjoyed since we began in 1968," said Dys. "One of Shell Point's many strengths is the longevity of our staff and management team, plus the depth of experience each member brings."

According to Dys one of the many reasons for this foundation of stability and strength is the influence of Shell Point's mission and core values.

"Our community was founded by The Christian and Missionary Alliance and while the denomination is not involved in our daily operations, we are mindful of the spiritual values that guide and inspire us," he said. "We desire to serve our residents and employees in a way that honors the whole person and respects their right to enjoy as independent a lifestyle as their health will allow. We are committed to our residents in a way that we hope improves their well-being and enhances their lifestyle. And we plan to keep doing just that for years to come."