Showing posts with label Garden Spot Village. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden Spot Village. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Housing Options When Your Spouse is Ill

Whether Baby Boomers like to think about it or not, you could reach retirement age and discover that either you or your spouse has a health or mobility issue that may make it difficult to live comfortably and safely in your current home or in the typical over-55 community.  Because of that, I thought it would be helpful to talk about some of the other living arrangements that are available as we age.

Remodeling Your Current Home

Probably the most common option is to simply remodel the place where you currently live.  Many people will make the necessary accommodations for their spouse for as long as they can.  They may add a chair lift to help them get up and down the stairs.  Ramps can be added to front doors, bars and walk-in bathtubs can be added to bathrooms, and other adjustments can be added to homes to make them handicap accessible.

People can also buy and lease hospital beds, wheelchairs, and other items that will make it easier for family members with mobility issues.

However, there are some problems that you may not be able to deal with by simply remodeling your current home.  For example, if you have a loved one with dementia, you could be concerned about what the future might bring.  Will they wander away from the house when you're not watching, or leave a burner on while they are trying to cook?  If the ill partner has physical problems and is unable to stand up, will the caregiver spouse be able to help them shower or perform other daily tasks?

In situations like these, the couple may decide that they need to move to a location where they can stay together but get some assistance.


Assisted Living Communities Like Garden Spot Village

When I posted last year about Garden Spot Village in the Lancaster County area of Pennsylvania, I revealed a community that has housing options that range from independent living villas and apartments to assisted living and dementia care options.  This community also features an indoor swimming pool, garden atrium, post office and branch bank in the main building.  There are exercise classes, art programs and a variety of interesting activities available daily.  This tremendous community is ideal for people who want to move somewhere while they are still healthy and remain there as they age and need more assistance.  A couple can both live there even if one does not need assistance but their partner does.

This wonderful community, however, is only one example of the many types of similar facilities that are available across the country.  Many Baby Boomers will want to seriously consider moving to one of these communities, especially if they or their spouse has a chronic illness that could limit their ability to live independently in the coming years.

Holiday Homes

An option that is similar to Garden Spot Village, but more widely available, is offered by Holiday Homes, a company that has over 300 communities across the United States and Canada.  All of them offer independent living apartments and about 70 of the communities also offer separate cottages for those people who do not need personal assistance at this time.

There are certain advantages offered by organizations like Holiday that can make their communities especially appealing to aging Boomers.  In particular, you may be interested in the Holiday Touch Travel Program that allows you to stay up to seven nights per visit in one of their other communities in the United States or Canada.  Your guest room, meals and other amenities are included at no additional charge beyond what you are paying to stay in your home residence.  This is perfect if you occasionally want to travel to a warm location during the winter or go visit your grandchildren in another part of the country.

Holiday communities offer meals prepared by a chef and served in a restaurant style dining room, a variety of activities, including outings and exercise classes, 24-hour assistance for those who need it, on-site dementia facilities, and personal security.  Every apartment is equipped with an emergency call system.

These are not sterile nursing homes, but true residential living facilities.  You are encouraged to bring your own furniture and decorate your apartment however you choose.  There is no long-term commitment.  You pay a monthly rental fee based on the services you need ... for example, whether you or your spouse needs any assisted living services. 

There are Holiday communities in nearly every state in the continental United States, as well as several in Canada.  Whether you want to live near your family and friends, or you wish to move somewhere warm like Florida, Arizona or Southern California, there is almost certain to be a location that will meet your needs.

To get more information or arrange a visit, use the phone number or website below: 

1-800-322-0999
http://www.holidaytouch.com/senior-living
http://www.holidaytouch.com/senior-living/independent-senior-living

If you are interested in other interesting places to live, use the tabs at the top of this article to find links to more articles about wonderful places to retire in the United States and overseas, as well as additional information of interest to retirees.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

(Public domain photo of an artist painting is courtesy of www.morguefile.com)

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Garden Spot Village Community for Seniors in PA

Are you looking for retirement communities located in small towns or rural areas?  One possibility is Garden Spot Village on the outskirts of New Holland, Pennsylvania.  This community for seniors in located in Lancaster County which is frequently referred to as the Garden Spot of the United States.  Although this retirement community is in a rural area, surrounded by spectacular views and an abundance of nature, you will find that it is also within driving distance of several large metropolitan areas including New York, Philadelphia and, a bit further away, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

Activities at Garden Spot Village

The heart of Garden Spot Village is the Village Square, a spacious building containing a sunny atrium, an indoor park, an exotic fish aquarium, a bank, mail center, small general store, a chapel, a beauty salon and an internet cafe.  Also located on the ground floor of Village Square is the heated indoor swimming pool and the superb fitness center.  Everything you absolutely need is conveniently located.  The community has planned activities, a choir, an annual marathon and exercise classes.  There is no reason to be lonely or bored in this friendly community.

Housing Choices at Garden Spot Village

New residents have a wide range of housing choices.  You may choose the Village Square Apartments that are attached to the Village Square, with sizes ranging from about 1500 to 1900 square feet.  Other nearby apartment buildings have sizes ranging from 725 to 1700 square feet.  However, for those who prefer something more private or spacious, you can select one of the lovely attached cottages or carriage homes.  The cottages range in size from 1088 to 1318 square feet, and the carriage homes are availabe in sizes up to 2029 square feet.

Medical Support at Garden Spot Village

As we age, we may not be able to manage quite as well on our own.  If this happens to you or your loved one, there is no need to leave your friends and activities at Garden Spot Village.  They have several options to make life easier for residents.  You can request the assistance of a part time aide  to help out in your own residence or you can move into the Mountain View independent living suites.  Those who develop dementia may choose to live in the Laurel Memory Support facility; patients with more serious medical issues or who need post-surgical temporary assistance may choose to stay in the skilled nursing facilities known as The Households.  Garden Spot Village also offers respite care, which gives family caregivers the opportunity to get a much needed break, as well as adult day services.

In addition, nearby Ephrata Community Hospital operates a clinic just inside the gate to Garden Spot Village.  This makes it possible for residents to walk to their doctors' appointments, pick up prescriptions, get lab work done, have an x-ray, and receive other medical services. 

Once you move to Garden Spot Village you can be confident that you have chosen a community where you will want to spend the remainder of your life.

If you are interested in living somewhere besides Pennsylvania, use the tabs or the pull down menu at the top of this post to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

In addition, you may want to read:

The Best Sunny Places to Retire
Cheap Places to Retire
Finding Niche Retirement Communities
Best Places to Retire Outside the US

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo of grazing deer in Pennsylvania courtesy of morguefile.com