Community Redefining Aging: New Luxury Senior Community to Open Near Summer’s End

By Susan Payne

In a few short months, a new wellnessfocused luxury senior community will open its doors in Pacific Palisades, centered on the principles of purpose, community, environment and movement.

Surrounded by nature, Ciela is committed to ensuring independent, assisted living, and memory care residents experience rejuvenation and joy while aging.

More than just a home for seniors, the idea of Ciela — a modern resort-like community — was born seven years ago by founder and president Rony Shram.

“I’ve visited communities all over the country and realized the industry does some things really well; designing communities that help seniors thrive socially and providing care,” Shram said.

In his unrelenting research into the industry, Shram found that addressing the process of aging and how that can be done better was the missing piece.

“What can we do to fight off some of the issues that affect older adults? They’ll start losing muscle mass and their ability starts to decline, and they end up doing less and less,” Shram said. “We aim to optimize our members’ health, by keeping them moving, active and vibrant for as long as possible. Paired with our bespoke approach, assessment tools and nutrition program, Ciela was created for a new generation of older adults.”

Ciela features incredible 360-degree views, expansive outdoor spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, light-filled residences, gourmet California cuisine, engaging activities and a robust wellness program designed specifically for residents — all to help them age better.

“Most senior communities are built in major commercial districts near hospitals. But we believe those settings aren’t natural for people — older adults desire a greater connection to nature in a quiet setting that resembles how they lived or grew up. We’re right by nature, and Ciela overlooks the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains from every corner of the property,” Shram said.

Although the community doesn’t open until September, here is what you can expect from this luxury senior living development:

Social

Residents at Ciela are always invited to social spaces, but never obligated. Meaning, you can be as social as you’d like in the fireplace lounge, game room and bar, or arts and crafts area. Ciela also features a dynamic calendar of cultural programming, arts and entertainment, local excursions and guest speakers and educators.

Nature

For residents drawn to nature, Ciela believes in the restorative effects of being in nature and sunlight including improved psychological health, physical health and overall wellbeing. An abundance of dedicated walking paths, vegetable gardens, a rooftop terrace with spectacular views of the Santa Monica mountains will help you indulge in nature in a beautiful way — by yourself, with a friend or partner, or a pet! Even the interior lighting systems are programmed to match natural circadian rhythms.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Food at Ciela is served in either an indoor or outdoor setting. Residents are served fresh, vibrant Mediterranean and California cuisine inspired by the renowned Blue Zone diet protocol, organically sourced from local farmers and purveyors. A brick pizza oven, coffee shop and smoothie bar, and minutes’ drive from Palisades Village with over 40 boutiques and restaurants give residents many different exploration options for food and shopping.

WELLNESS & BEAUTY

Inside of Ciela is the Verso Vitality Center & Spa that takes an integrative approach to physical, emotional and mental well-being, driven by observational and scientific data. Wellness and beauty enhance the quality of life for residents, giving them access to a fullservice hair and nail salon, bespoke wellness plan for each member, a hydrotherapy pool, massage and acupuncture, recovery lounge as well as physical therapy and personal training.

SAFETY

In tandem with happiness and comfort, Ciela equips residents with wearable technology for security and has an available concierge 24-hours per day — services and transportation to appointments, shopping and recreational activities.

Ciela is a community redefining aging located at 17310 West Vereda de la Montura at Palisades Drive. To learn more, visit liveciela. com or call 310-310-8218.

Green

Is Green Burial right for you?

Green burial is a form of interment designed to have minimal environmental impact, especially when compared to traditional burial methods. With this process, burials are performed using a a simple wooden casket or a shroud made of organic fabric. No cement vaults are used, and no embalming chemicals that contain hazardous products such as formaldehyde are used.

Eternal Meadow is the section of Woodlawn Cemetery devoted exclusively to green burial. It is a naturalistic wildflower meadow garden featuring diverse grasses and wildflowers native to California that display a natural cycle of flowering, degeneration, and re-seeding throughout the year. The plants selected also promote the presence of native birds and pollinator insects, including the endangered Monarch butterfly.

Each year, traditional burials place hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic embalming fluid and millions of pounds of metal and concrete into the earth for perpetuity. Rather than add more imperishable waste to the environment, green burial nurtures the natural growth cycles of the Meadow and fosters a greater union with nature. It offers an eco -friendly process to return our bodies to the earth and a meaningful way to honor the life of a loved one. Contact our office for more information.