Columbus Monthly: Senior Living Special Section (2022)

The Next Step

The variety of local senior living options can be overwhelming, but knowing which questions to ask and what to look for on a visit can help you find the right place for your loved one.

By Sarah Steimer

Sometimes families have to choose a senior living facility very quickly, prompted by an accident or sudden health emergency. But when possible, embark ing on a deep level of due diligence before moving a loved one—or your self—into a community can ensure a higher level of care and enjoyment.

“It’s important that individuals are going to be finding a community that’s going to be the perfect fit for them, because they are really making a plan for their life, too,” says Sami Kontely, director of sales and marketing at Westerwood, a senior living facility in the Northland area.

Choose the Right Setting

Before starting your search, it helps to un derstand the different types of care avail able at senior living facilities and who they best cater to, which can help narrow your search from the very beginning.

• Independent living: Individuals at these facilities don’t require care assistance but are interested in the social aspect of a senior living facility. “We’re helping them mostly with cleaning, laundry and meal prepa ration,” says Abby Fowler, executive director at The Gables of Westerville.

• Assisted living: In this case, the person needs more help with their activities of daily living. They may need help with getting dressed and undressed, going to the bathroom or cleaning themselves.

• Skilled nursing care: These communi ties offer an even higher level of med ical care in a clinical setting, whereas the care provided in an assisted living facility occurs in a more residential or social setting.

• Memory care: For those who are cog nitively impaired and require a high level of supervision and oversight, a memory care facility is the best option. “We’re basically taking care of all of their needs, because their needs change daily,” Fowler says.

Begin Your Research

Once you have a handle on what type of living facility you or a loved one is seeking, you can begin the research

process. Amanda Smith, regional direc tor of business development-Central Ohio at Danbury Senior Living, which has several Central Ohio communities, recommends reaching out to your own connections or posting on a neighbor hood Facebook group.

There are also referral companies, such as Oasis Senior Advisors, that can help narrow results by amenities, price points and other needs. And of course, you can also do a simple Goo gle search and filter by location. “It’s always important that people look first at where the community is, based on where most of the family is going to be, because we want people to come and visit often,” Fowler says.

What to Ask

Interviewing a facility is crucial to further narrowing down your search, and there are a few key questions to ask about different aspects of the community.

Foremost, according to experts, you should inquire about staff at the facili ty. “I always recommend asking about the longevity of staffing,” Kontely says, “including all departments: housekeep ing, maintenance, nursing, administra tive staff.”

Most communities have been dealing with staff shortages, so you may notice higher levels of temporary employees. In these instances, Smith recommends asking how a facility integrates these temp hires into the community.

Depending on the level of care you’re seeking, you should also ask about 24hour staffing (some facilities don’t keep nurses on the night shifts), what sort of medical expertise is on staff, and who handles medications.

When it comes to the facility itself, think longer-term: You may be searching for independent living now, but future needs may require a switch to assisted living, for example. It can be jarring to move from one facility to another as needs shift over time, so consider a community that allows for a range of needs. But you may also want to inquire whether a resident can stay in place in their apartment as their care levels shift.

You may also want to ask if the facil ity allows pets and if you can try a meal in advance.

Available activities are another im portant component of quality of life at senior facilities. Leann Harmon, director

of sales and marketing at Kensington Place, a Lutheran Social Services facility on the East Side, always asks for a history of a potential resident beyond their medical needs. Where did they go to school? What type of career did they have? If you can provide this informa tion to a facility, you can get a better feel for whether the activities they offer match your loved one’s interests.

You can also find out if the commu nity offers transportation to shopping districts, or if they have space for gardening or walking.

Financials are another key consider ation. Facilities’ lease terms can vary, from month-to-month to annual. Smith also notes that some communities took a hit during the pandemic and offered rate discounts, but those dis counts are not always locked in. If they are offering a special rate, find out how long it lasts and when the terms of the agreement may change.

How communities charge also varies: Some offer a flat rate, while others charge by apartment plus care. Smith says to consider where your loved one is currently in their needs, how that might change, and how that affects cost.

Finally, never hesitate to ask a facility for the results of its latest state survey, which are a public record and can also be located on the Ohio Department of Health website.

Final Notes Harmon says she gives families cues on what to look for when they tour facilities: How clean is the building? Are residents’ hair done, and do their clothes match? Are they engaging with one another and with staff? Does staff seem interested in getting to know your loved one?

Smith also recommends showing up to your appointment 10 minutes early to observe the residents and staff on your own—or check back in on another day and time.

“Stop in on a Saturday afternoon, maybe there’s no management staff there, and you’ll really get a good pic ture of what’s happening,” she says.

Most importantly, visiting a facility can simply give you a feel for what it’s like to live there and be cared for. You can do your research and ask all the right questions, but you won’t really know if it’s the right fit until you walk into a community to see for yourself.

Senior Living Directory 2022

Finding the right senior community can be daunting. We’ve gathered details on some area facilities as a starting point to help in your search.

BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING SOLUTIONS

KEY

IL – independent living units

AL – assisted living units

MC – memory care units

SN – skilled nursing units

ABBINGTON ASSISTED LIVING abbingtononline.com

Abbington of Arlington Assisted Living

1320 Old Henderson Rd., Columbus; 614-451-4575; 44 AL

Abbington of Pickerington Assisted Living 9480 Blacklick-Eastern Rd., Picke rington; 614-577-0822; 48 AL

Abbington of Powell Assisted Living 3971 Bradford Court, Powell; 614789-9868; 48 AL

ALPINE HOUSE alpinehouse.net

Alpine House of Columbus 1001 Schrock Rd., Columbus; 614505-3531; 55 AL

ANTHEM MEMORY CARE anthemmemorycare.com

Glenwood

6355 Emerald Pkwy., Dublin; 614761-9200; 66 MC

ARROW SENIOR LIVING arrowseniorliving.com

Carriage Court Senior Living

3570 Heritage Club Dr., Hilliard; 614529-7470; 87 AL, 16 MC

Chestnut Hill Senior Living 5055 Thompson Rd., Columbus; 614855-3700; 105 AL, 25 MC

BICKFORD SENIOR LIVING bickfordseniorliving.com

Bickford of Bexley 2600 E. Main St., Bexley; 614-2353900; 33 AL, 20 MC

Bickford of Scioto 3500 Riverside Dr., Columbus; 614457-3500; 33 AL, 20 MC

Bickford of Worthington 6525 N. High St., Worthington; 614846-6500; 54 AL, 27 MC

brookdale.com

Brookdale Lakeview Crossing

4000 Lakeview Crossing, Groveport; 614-836-5990; 73 AL, 16 MC

Brookdale Marysville

1565 London Ave., Marysville; 937738-7342; 59 AL, 17 MC

Brookdale Muirfield 7220 Muirfield Dr., Dublin; 614-3363677; 54 AL, 30 MC

Brookdale Pinnacle 1305 Lamplighter Dr., Grove City; 614-277-1200; 83 AL, 23 MC Brookdale Trillium Crossing 3500 Trillium Crossing, Columbus; 614-734-1000; 120 AL Brookdale Westerville 6377 Cooper Rd., Columbus; 614901-2100; 31 AL, 12 MC

CAPITAL HEALTH CARE NETWORK capitalhealthcarenetwork.com

Gardens of Scioto 433 Obetz Rd., Suite 200, Columbus; 614-558-3141; 15 IL Meadows of Scioto 433 Obetz Rd., Suite 100, Columbus; 614-558-3141; 120 SN Villas of Scioto 433 Obetz Rd., Suite 300, Columbus; 614-558-3141; 32 AL

CENTURY PARK

centurypa.com

Mayfair Village Retirement Community 3011 Hayden Rd., Columbus; 614889-6202; 85 IL/AL

DANBURY SENIOR LIVING danburyseniorliving.com

Danbury Senior Living of Columbus 2870 Snouffer Rd., Columbus; 614339-0459; 69 IL, 69 AL, 33 MC Danbury Westerville - Parkside Village 730 N. Spring Rd., Westerville; 614-7949300; 204 IL/AL (MC on request) Grove City Danbury 3615 Glacial Ln., Grove City; 614-5066501; 94 IL/AL/MC; 30 IL villas under construction until November Danbury on 5th 579 W. Fifth Ave., Columbus; 380215-1412; 189 IL/AL/MC

Feridean Commons

6885 Freeman Rd., Westerville; 614898-7488; feridean.com; 40 IL, 58 AL

FIVE STAR SENIOR LIVING fivestarseniorliving.com

The Forum at Knightsbridge

4590 Knightsbridge Blvd., Columbus; 614-451-6793; 143 IL, 90 AL, 25 MC

Friendship Village of Dublin 6000 Riverside Dr., Dublin; 614-7641600; fvdublin.org; 304 IL, 29 AL/MC, 50 SN

The Gables of Westerville 131 Moss Rd., Westerville; 614-9180050; gablesofwesterville.com; 27 IL, 59 AL, 24 MC

THE GANZHORN SUITES ganzhorn.com

The Ganzhorn Suites Specialized Memory Care

10272 Sawmill Pkwy., Powell; 614356-9810; 64 MC

Hoover Haus Assisted Living 3675 Hoover Rd., Grove City; 614-8757600; hooverhaus.com; 5 IL, 22 AL, 5 MC

Kemper House Worthington

800 Proprietors Rd., Worthington; 614681-8330; kemperhouseworthington. com; 55 MC

LAUREL HEALTH CARE CO. laurelhealth.com

The Laurels of Gahanna

5151 N. Hamilton Rd., Columbus; 614-337-1066; 112 SN

The Laurels of Norworth 6830 N. High St., Worthington; 614888-4553; 126 SN

The Laurels of Walden Park 5700 Karl Rd., Columbus; 614-8465420; 225 SN, 48 MC

The Laurels of West Columbus 441 Norton Rd., Columbus; 614-8121200; 97 SN

The Laurels of Worthington 1030 High St., Worthington; 614-8850408; 95 SN, 49 MC

LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES

lssnetworkofhope.org

LSS Kensington Place

1001 Parkview Blvd., Columbus; 614251-7689; 64 IL, 64 AL, 12 MC

NATIONAL CHURCH RESIDENCES

nationalchurchresidences.org

Avondale

5215 Avery Rd., Dublin; 614-3193353; 200 IL

Brookwood Point

2685 E. Livingston Ave., Columbus; 866-569-6328; IL (number not avai lable, opening 2023)

First Community Village

1800 Riverside Dr., Columbus; 877364-2570; 211 IL, 38 AL, 36 MC, 47 SN

Harmony Trace

3550 Fishinger Blvd., Hilliard; 888211-3477; 25 AL, 57 MC

The Hartford

120 E. Stafford Ave., Worthington; 888-205-8740; 85 IL

Inniswood Village

1195 North St., Westerville; 844-8415770; 120 IL, 52 AL, 20 MC

Lincoln Village

4959 Medfield Way, Columbus; 614-

870-1123; 54 AL

Stygler Commons

165 N. Stygler Dr., Gahanna; 614-3424588; AL (number not available)

Walnut Trace

389 Olde Ridenour Rd., Gahanna; 844211-1329; IL (number not available)

OHIO LIVING ohioliving.org

Ohio Living Sarah Moore

26 N. Union St., Delaware; 740-3629641; 39 AL, 47 SN

Ohio Living Westminster-Thurber

717 Neil Ave., Columbus; 614-2288888; 198 IL, 30 AL, 20 MC, 128 SN

OPTALIS HEALTHCARE optalishealthcare.com

Canal Winchester Rehabilitation Center, Skilled Nursing & Assisted Living

6800 Gender Rd., Canal Winchester; 614-834-6800; 35 AL, 87 SN

Mill Run Rehabilitation Center, Skil

led Nursing & Assisted Living

3399 Mill Run Dr., Hilliard; 614-5273000; 36 AL, 66 SN Monterey Rehabilitation Center,

Skilled Nursing & Memory Care

3929 Hoover Rd., Grove City; 614875-7700; 41 MC, 114 SN

New Albany Rehabilitation Center, Skilled Nursing & Assisted Living

5691 Thompson Rd., Columbus; 614855-8866; 36 AL, 67 SN

West Park Rehabilitation Center, Skilled Nursing & Memory Care

1700 Heinzerling Dr., Columbus; 614274-4222; 28 MC, 71 SN

Whetstone Rehabilitation Center, Skilled Nursing & Assisted Living

3710 Olentangy River Rd., Columbus; 614-457-1100; 60 AL, 145 SN

RITTENHOUSE VILLAGE BY DISCOVERY SENIOR LIVING rittenhousevillages.com

Rittenhouse Village Gahanna

1201 Riva Ridge Court, Gahanna; 614-683-0199; 117 IL

SENIOR STAR seniorstar.com

Dublin Retirement Village

6470 Post Rd., Dublin; 614-764-2800; 134 IL, 60 AL, 39 MC

STORYPOINT

storypoint.com

StoryPoint Gahanna

5435 Morse Rd., Gahanna; 614-9248144; 81 IL, 54 AL, 24 MC

StoryPoint Grove City

3717 Orders Rd., Grove City; 614875-6200; 116 IL, 35 AL, 44 MC

StoryPoint Pickerington

611 Windmiller Dr., Pickerington; 614-953-5421; 96 IL

StoryPoint Powell

10351 Sawmill Pkwy., Powell; 614363-6631; 90 IL

SUNRISE SENIOR LIVING

sunriseseniorliving.com

Sunrise of Dublin 4175 Stoneridge Ln., Dublin; 614718-2062; 52 AL, 28 MC

Sunrise of Gahanna 775 E. Johnstown Rd., Gahanna; 614-418-9775; 24 AL, 27 MC

TRADITIONS MANAGEMENT

traditionsmgmt.net

The Bristol 7780 Olentangy River Rd., Columbus; 614-886-2818; 55 IL, 54 AL

Cherry Blossom Senior Living

79 Blossom Field Blvd., Columbus; 614-530-7726; 28 IL, 66 AL, 30 MC

Oakwood Senior Living

1169 Bryden Rd., Columbus; 614502-3800; 74 AL, 6 MC

WALLICK COMMUNITIES

wallickcommunities.com

The Ashford on Broad

4801 E. Broad St., Columbus; 614641-2995; 131 AL

The Ashford of Grove City 3197 Southwest Blvd., Grove City; 614-957-3918; 100 AL, 50 MC

The Ashford at Sturbridge 3700 Sturbridge Court, Hilliard; 614633-4811; 61 IL, 62 AL

The Grove at Oakleaf Village 5546 Karl Rd., Columbus; 614-4311739; 56 MC

Oakleaf Village of Columbus 5500 Karl Rd., Columbus; 614-4311739; 121 IL/AL

THE WESLEY COMMUNITIES

thewesleycommunities.com

Wesley Glen Retirement Community 5155 N. High St., Columbus; 614-888-

7492; 152 IL, 74 AL, 21 MC, 65 SN

Wesley Ridge Retirement Community

2225 Taylor Park Dr., Reynoldsburg; 614759-0023; 106 IL, 61 AL, 38 MC, 25 SN

Wesley Woods at New Albany

4588 Wesley Woods Blvd., New Albany; 614-656-4100; 72 IL, 15 AL, 20 MC, 16 SN

Westerwood

5800 Forest Hills Blvd., Columbus; 614890-8282; liveatwesterwood.org; 201 IL, 66 AL, 14 MC, 75 SN

WEXNER HERITAGE VILLAGE whv.org

Creekside at the Village

2200 Welcome Place, Columbus; 614-384-2271; 83 IL/AL

Geraldine Schottenstein Cottage

1149 College Ave., Columbus; 614384-2271; 18 AL/MC

Wexner Heritage House

1151 College Ave., Columbus; 614231-4900; 99 SN

Worthington Christian Village

65 Highbluffs Blvd., Columbus; 614846-6076; wcv.org; 107 IL, 38 AL, 50 SN