- [Narrator] This is a production of PBS Charlotte.

- Just ahead on "Carolina Impact."

- You can't meet together, you can't eat together, you can't even hug together.

Those were the rules at most retirement centers, but not anymore.

I'm Jeff Sonier stick around, we'll tell you what it's like after the pandemic for senior citizens.

- I'm Sheila Saints.

We'll take you to Hinds Feet Farm in Huntersville, where people living with brain injuries receive loving care.

- And we'll learn about the building boom in South Park.

Carolina Impact starts right now.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Carolina Impact, covering the issues, people and places that impact you.

This is Carolina Impact.

- Good evening, thanks so much for joining us.

I'm Amy Burkett.

Our senior citizens have seen a lot in their lives, both good and bad, but nothing quite like COVID, threatening their health, separating them from their friends and families, keeping us from seeing our parents and grandparents.

And now, after more than a year of isolation and then vaccination, many seniors are finally getting their golden years back.

PBS Charlotte's Jeff Sonier joins us from a local retirement center with war on moving on.

- Yeah, for months we weren't allowed here at the Alders Gate retirement community or any other senior center really too risky for the seniors who live here.

But now that most of the seniors are vaxxed and the rules are relaxed.

Well, we're back and like a lot of others we're here to visit an old friend.

(piano playing and water running) - Life is not quite normal yet, but if you're getting there - George Moffitt says, it's the familiar.

That feels good again after more than a year of COVID fear.

- We are in danger.

(Piano playing) - No, we can go just about anywhere.

And it's much more free.

There's a community that develops we've developed new friendships out of necessity.

You know, you don't see, we haven't seen the same people on a daily basis that we used to see.

So you develop new friendships and you you ugh I think we've strengthened.

There is that, yeah you look out for one another and that's been strengthened.

This has been the safest place you could be in Charlotte.

Okay, got it?

All right.

Continue on.

- We first met George more than a year ago when there was no Coronavirus yet to be safe from.

- That's a good shot.

Good shot.

Good shot.

- No reason then here at George's Retirement Center to avoid group activities.

- There's a caliper that goes on the end of it.

- Or to miss meals with his friends in the dining room.

No reason not to reach out with a hug or handshake.

- Clay, hi.

Good to see ya.

- How you doing?

- But that was before COVID came along and gave us all a reason not to do what we used to do.

- Nobody's hugged anybody yet or, or handshaker, you know it's all the elbow or the whatever.

Now you communicated through a window or there were no hugs and it was hard, but we got used to it and cope with it.

We zoomed for everything.

Well, it's sort of like being in solitary confinement but you have your own kitchen.

- Our zoom interview with George came when COVID was at its worst.

When retirement centers were on full lockdown with seniors isolated from family and friends on the outside.

- We're not allowed to go anywhere.

We're not allowed to leave this campus.

- And isolated from each other on the inside.

- How you doing Mr. Marquez?

- Good and you?

- I'm all right.

- Even casual contact in the retirement home hallways was off limits.

- We're not allowed to visit one another.

I have to stay six feet apart.

I have, I have a chronic heart disease and I have leukemia.

And so my immune system is less than perfect for sure.

And I don't want, I'd like to hug somebody whatever shake a hand.

But I, but I can't do that.

I can't take the risk.

- You're trying to stay physically healthy but there's mental health.

- That's absolutely.

Yeah, a lot of people were depressed or despondent.

We've survived it very well.

We've all grown stronger because of it.

I think, we lost a few folks.

Yes, we miss them.

(Piano playing) And looking ahead, it's still not over.

- We were here about a year ago talking about the challenges of going into isolation.

Now, finally, the seniors are coming out of isolation.

- It's been you know, stimulus overload.

So I can imagine as ah, as somebody in their seventies and eighties, it's even more pronounced.

You know, how, how are we going to navigate that?

- Dr. Lyndall Hare is a gerontologist and co-founder of Charlotte's Acting Our Age Projects.

(audience clapping and cheering) Working with groups of seniors before COVID to share their life stories not just at home with family and friends, but on stage.

- I wish I had known it twenty-five what I know at eighty-six.

- In a theater.

- I never expected to live this long.

I thought being in your nineties, meant you know, you're gone.

- Before an audience.

But you can draw on that you got to just keep going and see what happens.

- Now, Acting Our Age is asking a new group of seniors to tell their COVID stories for a documentary film project.

- This is going to be focused on the, you know their experience of the last year, as well as obviously whole life to continue the conversation about now that we're coming out of this that I'm going to be coming into I'm going to be stepping into a world.

That's very different.

- Life will be different but hopefully we make it a good, different, you know and appreciate what we have.

- That first hug, that first handshake is going to be that's going to be the special one, I suppose.

- Those close in kind of things that's when you know, you're back to normal.

When you can have your family sitting around a table in your dining room, when you can do that like you used to do it.

That'll tell us where we're, we're pretty normal.

- Thanks again, Mr. Moffitt we appreciate it.

(piano playing) Yeah getting back to pretty normal is something we all want, I guess but George says all those not so normal zoom calls actually brought his family closer together.

For example, his oldest son who lives across the country.

Well, every Sunday night, George and his son share a drink together via zoom.

George calls it his a cocktail party.

A lot of seniors who didn't know much or care much about technology before COVID now realizing it's still a way to stay in touch with your family, even after COVID, Amy.

- Thanks so much, Jeff.

At pbscharlotte.org you'll find links suggested by Dr. Lyndell Hare the gerontologist from Jeff's story to resources that can help seniors and their families get out and about again.

Well, for years, the Charlotte Metro area has been among the fastest growing regions in the country with roughly 120-people moving to the area every single day as you might expect most of the growth supporting all of those new residents is happening on the outskirts of town and in the surrounding counties.

But as Carolina Impacts, Jason Tours is shows us.

There is some major redevelopment happening right in the middle of one of Charlotte's most established and affluent areas.

( upbeat music) ( upbeat music) ( upbeat music) - [Narrator] Ah, spring, the season of rebirth the season of vibrant colors, the season of construction.

(construction sounds) With the COVID 19 pandemic slowing down Charlotte's building boom in 2020.

This year it's back full swing.

(construction noise) Just about everywhere you look it seems there's someone or some big machine doing something ( construction noise ) especially in South Park.

- It's trying to take South Park and make the quality of life for everybody better.

- All up and down Sharon Road you'll find multiple large-scale projects in the works or recently completed.

- Land values are driving redevelopment.

- An area mainstay for well over fifty years Sharon Towers is home to roughly 325 residents.

- So it's considered a life plan community for people aged sixty and older.

So you can come in as an independent resident, or if you require assisted living that's available.

And then finally, there's a nursing center or healthcare center for residents who require full nursing home care.

- With changing demographics and the wants and needs of potential residents.

Sharon Towers launched multiple projects from expanding its dining area and updating its healthcare center to the new Deerwood project which will be home to up to seventy new residents.

- Our new next client is the baby boomer.

And so we did a lot of studying about the baby boomer what the baby boomer wants.

And the baby born is very different than our current residents.

They want the ability to be connected with the community.

They do not want to age in a facility where they're just aging with other people, their own age.

They want to be able to get out.

- The Deerwood is slated to be completed by the end of the year, there are also plans for a green space, right alongside Sharon Road.

It's all being done in an effort to give its residents a closer connection to the surrounding community.

- Our location is huge.

We're so close to amenities that we were like how do we connect ourself our campus with those with those amenities to fill a wonderful location to do exactly what we're doing.

- Just North of South Park malls sit two new apartment complexes inspire a 369 unit building which opened a little over two years ago and Apex South Park which just opened its doors in December.

The building site used to be home to the Sharon United Methodist Church known to locals as the ski slope church.

- The church made a determination in 2013 that they thought something better could happen with their campus here.

They had a sanctuary that had been built in the 1960s.

There was some functional obsolescence and they needed a new facility.

And at the same time, they didn't want to leave South Park.

They really felt a mission to stay here and be part of the community.

- So church leaders went to local developers seeking redevelopment ideas with just one condition.

- It was incumbent on us to come up with a plan that incorporated them in our vertical mixed use development.

- Now known as SouthPark Church, the new sanctuary sits right in the middle of the new mixed use development which includes two mid-rise apartment buildings containing 347 units.

Some of them with spectacular views and coming soon a 175 room Hyatt hotel, and also 90,000 square feet of retail space, which includes the new Steak 48 restaurant.

- I imagine we'll probably have fifteen to eighteen businesses here ultimately.

(Construction noise) - Going up caddy corner to Apex is the area's largest project yet the Colony which was home to an apartment complex since 1972.

- We were so fortunate to have bought this.

The founder of our firm had the vision to buy the property back in 1976.

We operated it until we demolished them to build this project.

- At 24 acres this plot of land is so big.

It will be developed in several phases with the first phase recently breaking ground when fully complete it will house up to 990 new housing units.

- This first phase of apartments is scheduled to see its first residents moving April of 2022. and then we can build up to 300,000 feet of retail up to 250,000 feet of office and up to 225 hotel rooms.

- Plans for the Colony also include at least one restaurant and a grocery store.

- It was the idea that this much land in this great of a location deserved to be developed with more of those uses on it.

- And soon connecting all the projects will be the loop a three plus mile urban trail around South Park.

It'll accommodate runners, bikers, dog walkers everyone on a twelve foot wide path.

The goal is to create a more engaging experience for residents, employees and visitors.

- I think it's just an evolution of this market to become a more dense walkable community, if you will.

- The idea of parking your car somewhere in SouthPark and being able to walk to our retailers to walk to a hotel to have a drink or have a meeting.

That's the idea.

- With 35,000 people working in SouthPark the goal is to make it a more livable, workable and ultimately walkable community.

For Carolina Impact, I'm Jason Teriz reporting.

- There sure is a lot of building going on in SouthPark.

Thanks so much, Jason, for the update.

In the not too distant future developers are expecting symphony park to get completely re-imagined.

Well move over Lyft and Uber there's a new ride in town it's called Goober Ridez.

A new golf cart transportation service, getting attention in Lincolnton.

Carolina Impacts, Sarah Colon-Harris takes us on the road to see just how it works.

(guitar music) (guitar music) (guitar music) - [Narrator] It's Friday night here in the small town of Lincolnton, North Carolina and the fun is just getting started.

- Goobers here.

- To night the Barrett family is headed out for a night on the town but instead of calling an Uber, they called a Goober.

- We just laid right here in town.

So anywhere we needed to go, we know we can call them.

- It's all about the experience.

You get a ride but it's a lot more fun than hopping in the car with a stranger.

- And the man behind the wheel is no stranger to the folks here in town.

- I'm a bail bondsman so moved here to kind of take the role here in his town and been here for about nine years and they kinda adopted me.

- Bail bondsman by day, Goober driver by night - I trying to get you either way.

So either you can call us and we can take you home or you can call me to get you out of jail when you get a DWI it's either or but that's kinda what I, either way I want you to see the beard.

(Laughing) ♪ Ride, ride, ride.

♪ ♪ We're gonna ride all night.

♪ ♪ Ride, ride, ride gonna let it ride.

♪ - Bradley Rowe, his wife and their business partner own Goober Ridez, a local golf cart, transportation service, one golf cart services Lincolnton, the other services Newton and Conover the idea, born at the bar.

- And there was a guy here drinking and he was leaving and my buddy was like, Oh look at that goober, getting up and leaving.

So I start talking to actually the other owner here about a golf cart service.

- The average ride costs about three to five-dollars and can take you to a seven mile radius from the center of town.

Each cart average is about twenty rides per week per location.

- We can pick you up at your house, take you to these bars come back, pick you up because there is no Uber or, or Lyft or there is, but they, they, they don't want to come out here cause we are a small town.

♪ Ride, ride, ride.

♪ ♪ We're gonna ride all night.

♪ - Even though golf carts are allowed in the city limits the Rowe's say their golf cart business falls under a taxi cab ordinance.

- We had to jump through hoops to get this done.

So then I had to get a tag.

So not only is it, I get a sticker I have to have it tagged to the DMV.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - As the night heats up calls for rides start coming in next up Haskle Good.

- What it do?

- What's up brotha?

- I need my mask?

- A local with the Friday night mission.

Where are you headed tonight?

- To untap, Untapped Territory.

Yeah, he'll get some bruise and get loose.

(Upbeat music) - Throw in the flashing lights and music.

And you've got a joy ride with benefits.

- It benefits me because like I said, I don't have to drive.

So it lets me relax and kick back and I know I am in safe hands.

(Upbeat music) Don't drink and drive Goober Ridez.

(Cart horn) - Don't drink and drive.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Over at Untapped Territory the music is playing in the bruise are flowing.

- This is nice because it gives people like a safe passage to, and from the bars.

And as this town keeps growing, that's much needed it gets people off the road.

It's takes people where they want to go not even just the taproom or the brewery down the road but to the other restaurants and whatnot.

Without having a Lyft or Uber, it was virtually impossible if you needed an extra ride if you didn't have a car or anything.

So it's really, it's really nice and helpful in that way.

(Upbeat music) - And for the Rowe's being helpful is all in a day's work.

- I feel like it's, it's a good duty.

I know when they ride and they enjoy it.

And then when they get home and I see that door close, I'm like, yes, you know I saved not only his life, but I've saved another individual or possibly a family's life.

(laughing) - Good, old fun with peace of mind.

For Carolina Impact, I'm Sarah Colon-Harris.

- Thanks so much, Sarah.

The Rowe say they also plan to purchase a party bus to tour town in and transport people for even longer distances.

Well, next we had to Huntersville to a special place where people living with brain injuries, engage in programs surrounded by the beauty of nature.

Carolina Impacts Sheila Saints, takes us to Hinds Feet Farm.

(bells chiming) (water moving) - [Narrator] Spread across twenty-two acres in Huntersville Hinds Feet Farm feels like a picturesque mountain getaway but it's more than that.

The farm helps people living with traumatic brain injuries find their new normal.

- Our mission is to provide as high quality of life for somebody with a severe disability from their brain injury as possible.

- Marty Foil runs the day-to-day operations.

He started the farm with his parents, Martin and Carolyn Van Every Foil to care for his late brother Phillip.

Phillip sustained a brain injury from a severe car accident.

After Phillip spent years in various care homes his mother wanted to create a more natural space.

- We just happened to luck into this beautiful piece of property.

And you know, mother, as, as they're driving up the road with a realtor that you know, mother goes that's the place, wasn't even for sale.

- Another, there was a master gardeners, huge fan of boulders and she saw this property with all these boulders popping up out of the ground and she's like, that's the spot.

These are old gas cylinder.

(Cylinders ringing like bells) - With the bottom's cut off.

- The nonprofit takes a holistic approach to health and wellness.

Maximizing members potential, through meaningful activities.

The farm offers programs in person and virtually.

Members choose the activities like community outings, playing games, cooking, or interacting with farm animals - In our model it's more about long-term achievement and what does that quality of life mean for that person?

So it becomes about what they want to do.

It becomes about advocation.

(Calming piano music) - Having the nature and all the sounds around and then the animals.

It's all a very therapeutic experience.

- I really liked riding her and definitely causes she's the prettiest.

- I would say it is magic.

It's a magical place filled with the most beautiful people.

- Julie's daughter, Lily is a resident member.

- There's a respect here that does not happen in a lot of places and Lily is loved and respected and valued here as a member of the community and not as a special person.

- It's like paradise to me.

- Lily has a genetic disability and brain damage from a choking incident.

Therapy horses Ella are Lilly's favorite activity.

- All the staff understand me and I have friends that understand me And one of the helpful things for me is having all the animals around me and the nature.

She's my favorite.

- What's nice about this day program is everybody is involved at all times.

The Salzmann's recently moved from New York to be closer to the farm for their son, Eric, who was in a motorcycle accident years ago.

- People should be aware that people with brain injuries have a tough time.

I think we'd become very fortunate and in our son coming a long way and he's really a joy to have around tell you the truth.

And I think he's a benefit to the farm - As they are to him.

- Eric, are you happy here?

- The farm offers more than just day programs.

Some members live here as well.

Those buildings look like mountain lodges, a retreat and a relaxing place to call home.

- The farm operates a six bed care home for adults who need assistance called Puddin's place.

It's named after Marty's mother, Puddin.

She drew inspiration for the name Hinds Feet Farm from the Bible two years before the home's completion, she passed away.

- Tell you the most powerful moment I had during construction of anything was when we built Puddins place and I broke down and cried.

All the bracing was out and you could finally walk through the bones of the house.

And I'm getting choked up now.

I felt mother's presence.

- There's also a cabin and a cottage for independent residents.

Family say the farm has helped their loved ones thrive and regain their sense of self-empowerment.

We've been taking care now for twenty-five years, I needed to know that he would be taken care of like how I do and I think he will be here.

I really do.

- Building the farm, running the farm, getting it all to work and helping so many people in their families.

Through that process I have found joy in my life.

Happiness is an emotion.

Joy is a state of mind and I found joy in my work out here.

- Work that will change lives far into the future.

For Carolina Impact, Sheila Saints reporting.

- Thanks so much, Sheila more good work is happening across the state through virtual programs which are the first of their kind in North Carolina.

The farm also had the second location in Asheville.

Well, that's all we have time for this evening.

We always appreciate your time and look forward to seeing you back here again.

Next time on Carolina Impact.

Good night, my friends.

(Upbeat music) - A production of PBS, Charlotte.