Walnut Creek, CA-based Episcopal Senior Communities has changed its name to Covia (co-VEE-a).
The made-up word is a combination of “co” — for community, connection, companionship and compassion — and “via” as “by way of” as well as “vita,” the Latin word for life, according to the company.
“As we go forward, our identity is evolving to fully reflect the increasing range of services and communities we offer and people we serve,” CEO and President Kevin Gerber said in a statement.
That range of offerings includes six continuing care retirement communities, five affordable housing communities and programs to address isolation and coordinate services, all in California.
Mary McMullin, senior vice president for organizational advancement, said the organization’s previous name confused people because the company’s programs and services offered go beyond senior living communities.
“The different divisions that didn’t seem to be logically tied together made it really hard to explain not only who we are but all the work we do,” she said.
The new name will make it easier for the organization to brand itself as a trusted resource for aging well, McMullin added.
“People say, ‘What’s Covia?’ And that gives us an opening to talk about who we are,” she said. “Using the old name, people didn’t ask. They just assumed. I like that we get to tell our story.”
