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October 2, 2014 VOLU M E 27 | I S S UE 46
HighlandsRanchHerald.net A publication of
D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
Seniors: Housing, transit lacking
LOCKING ANTLERS
Surveys gather data from 68 service providers, 648 residents in Douglas County By Christy Steadman
csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Two elks spar in the Highlands Ranch Backcountry Wilderness Area Sept. 23 as Mt. Evans stands tall in the background. The photo was taken by Mark Beall, who won a private photo hunt at the annual HRCA Backcountry Elk Banquet. The banquet raised just shy of $9,000 for natural resource management in the backcountry. Photo by Mark Beall
Hailstorm slams south metro area Reports of broken windows, roof damage
Seniors continues on Page 9
Group homes grow as trend
By Christy Steadman and Jane Reuter Staff writers
Evidence of the previous afternoon’s hailstorm was everywhere the morning of Sept. 30: Piles of hail still stood in parks and shady corners of yards; leaves and debris clogged sewer drains; homeowners used shovels and hoses to clear sidewalks and driveways carpeted in prematurely fallen green leaves; and car dealerships declared hail sales. Golf-ball-sized hail was reported in Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial and other parts of south metro Denver on Sept. 29. “About every car got it, used and new,” said Julie Lowinski at the Lone Tree Don Massey Cadillac dealership. “It’s just devastating.” Next door at Ed Bozarth Chevrolet, yellow letters written on the windshield dark gray SUV parked at the dealership’s entrance told the same story: “Hail Sale! Save thousands!” “We got hit very hard, every car,” said manager Keith Molkenthin. “It broke two windows in our building because it was so windy and coming down at a 45-degree angle.” About 30 burglar alarm calls can be attributed to the weather, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ron Hanavan said. Additionally, there were some reports of roof damage and broken windows that are weather-related, the sergeant said. Phones at David Trudell’s State Farm Insurance office in Lone Tree were ringing steadily the morning of Sept. 30. “So far, mostly we’ve been getting a lot of car damage,” Trudell said. “A lot of things like broken-out back windows and windshields. You’ve got to have some pretty good-sized hail to break windshields.”
Seniors living in Douglas County need better access to housing and affordable transportation, surveys show. Part of the Living Well and Aging Well Project, the Douglas County Senior Initiative conducted two surveys with the purpose “to better understand how county residents are connected to the community and their future interests. Deputy county manager Barbara Drake presented the survey results at a Sept. 24 Highlands Ranch Metro District board study session meeting. The surveys were conducted in two parts, one for providers of services concerning seniors, and one for senior residents. Responses from both surveys reveal affordable and accessible housing and transportation are the services most lacking in Douglas County. According to the provider survey results, 48 percent of the participants believe affordable housing for seniors in Douglas County is the main concern of the low-ranking services. Emergency services, law enforcement, recreation or fitness and libraries ranked high and were among the services that seniors have easy access to, according to both surveys.
Seniors gain companionship, 24-hour care in small home-like residences By Christy Steadman
csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com
This photo was taken from the front porch of a home on Hughes Place in Highlands Ranch around 2:30 p.m. Sept. 29 amid the hailstorm that hit the south metro area. Courtesy photo He expected reports on residential property damage to come later. “It takes a while longer to assess the damage to homes,” Trudell said. Allstate Insurance agent Michelle Colaizzi said her office, which is located in Highlands Ranch, received close to 50 claims for damage on vehicles and homes within three hours. For it being a “short, very concentrated storm,” Colaizzi said, it caused a lot of damage to people’s property. Most of the damage on homes consisted of broken windows, and damage on siding and roofs. Auto claims included damage on windshields, hoods, trunks and roofs. Because of all the claims — Colaizzi estimated that across the metro area, hundreds were made — Allstate has declared a
catastrophe, and will be bringing in a special catastrophe team to handle them all. Trudell suggested finding someone local to assess roof and other damage before making a claim, and urged homeowners to be cautious in choosing a contractor for any storm-related repair work. “Find a reputable contractor,” Trudell said. “Look up people in the Better Business Bureau and try to get some references on them from local people. I really would advise staying with a contractor who’s instate because you could get storm chasers from out of state.” Littleton Fire and Rescue Operations Chief Jay Ruoff said although the department responded to car accidents during the course of the storm, none of them can be attributed to the weather.
In October, eight seniors will move into a Highlands Ranch home, cared for by a livein staff that helps them with everyday tasks, from bathing to shopping. The home also provides much-needed social outlets for companionship. “The companionship helps them avoid isolation,” said Adele Barbera, administrator and co-owner of Blue Spruce Assisted Living II, scheduled to open in the 2500 block of Pemberly Avenue not far from Wildcat Reserve and Poston parkways. At a September Highlands Ranch Community Association meeting, residents worried about how the group home would affect their neighborhood, citing concerns about increased traffic, proper licensing and business operations. The Blue Spruce home is the third small assisted-living facility for seniors in Highlands Ranch, according to state health records. The other two licensed homes are in the 9900 block of Silver Maple Road and the 2900 block of Clairton Drive. Compared to other cities in the DenverHomes continues on Page 9