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Selecting Senior Living
Choosing the ideal senior living community can be hard. Here’s a guide on what to look for.
ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK.COM/ KEI_GOKEI
By Rylan Lee
The decision to move into a senior living community looks different for every person. Some may make the decision for themselves; others will make the decision for a family member or loved one. Some will want to retain their independence, while others will need a facility that can accommodate an ongoing progression of care. As Kim Yoder, senior programs and service coordinator at Avondale Senior Village, puts it: “It really is individualized, based on needs.” With a plethora of options, picking one place can be a daunting choice. To make the process a little easier, here are the core questions to ask. What Types of Care Are Offered? In many ways, moving into a senior living community is like any other move—an arduous process of choosing a good location, an interior that suits you and so on. But unlike other moves, the decision often has to factor in a need for assistance or medical care. According to Kristel Smith, director of marketing and sales at Parkside Senior Living, the types of care offered at a facility should be your first consideration. Generally speaking, there are four main categories of senior living accommodations: independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing. Independent and assisted living are exactly what they sound like; memory care programs are for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, and skilled nursing care is a type of assisted living that utilizes help from a registered nurse. Smith also cautions against the temptation to pick a place solely based on current needs. “It’s very important to look at a place that would accommodate all types of levels of care,” Smith explains. “It may not be important to them now, but down the road, that could be something that makes the difference as to whether or not they would stay in the community or have to find another place because their needs have progressed.” What Does the Social Calendar Look Like? Although care should be at the top of your list, picking a senior living facility is about so much more. A large draw to senior living OCTOBER 2019 COLUMBUS MONTHLY
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION communities is just that—community. “The joy of being in senior housing is you have similar people as your neighbors,” says Yoder. Looking at a facility’s calendar can be an easy way to see if programming consists of “things that are going to draw them out to meet their neighbors and the other people in the community,” Yoder says. Smith adds that asking the admissions director about participation rates can shed some light on how active the community is as a whole. And for memory care programs, it’s also important to look at cognitive enrichment programs. “Just because someone has dementia doesn’t mean they can’t learn and engage,” says Greg Cini, culture curator and cofounder of Kemper House Worthington. This may take different shapes at different facilities. At Cini’s facility, life skill stations allow residents to engage with the skills they’ve spent their life honing—such as office skills, cooking or gardening. What Is the Staff Turnover Rate? Get an indirect sense of the facility’s expanded community by looking at staff statistics. Specifically, note the staff turnover rate and the longevity of management.
“That’ll tell you a lot about kind of the culture of the community, [if] you’re finding that there’s a high turnover rate or the management staff hasn’t been there very long,” Smith explains. High turnover could indicate poor management or low morale, while an inexperienced management team could mean more issues down the road. Where Is the Facility? Yoder also recommends looking beyond the facility’s property lines, to the larger community that it’s a part of. When looking at the area, consider how close the senior living community is to retail, dining and entertainment options—especially grocery or convenience stores. And although most communities will offer transportation to programmed events, and programs like Senior Options or Passport offer transportation, it’s worth considering what public transport looks like in the community as well. Yoder, for example, spent 18 months working with the city planner in Dublin, where Avondale is located, to improve the residents’ access to public transit. “I contacted their city planner and was just like, ‘Hey, we don’t have a bus route, the closest COTA stop is over a mile
Senior Living Directory
away,’ ” she explains. “Now we have free transportation daily … all within the city of Dublin.” What Amenities Are Available? Finally, it’s important to consider what amenities are most important. It’s a good reminder that picking a senior living community isn’t about simply settling for whatever place will provide the care you need. You can be picky. “Do they prefer more of a quiet, serene setting, or do they like the hustle and bustle of the city?” Smith asks. “Some places are pet–friendly; others are not. Some people don’t want a full kitchen and a kitchenette is fine; some folks still want to be able to cook.” Amenities also help counteract the stigma about senior living being a loss of independence. As Yoder reminds, the move instead means taking things off your to-do list: “Somebody’s doing the landscaping and cutting the grass and shoveling the snow. … Perks that you may have with a condo association, except you’re not paying a per-condo fee.” And so, no matter what your next home looks like, it’s safe to assume—from picking the location, interior floor plan, social activities and the like—it will still be home, with more community and less hassle.
Compiled by Rylan Lee
Finding the right senior community can be daunting. We’ve gathered details on some local facilities to help. ABBINGTON ASSISTED LIVING abbingtononline.com Abbington of Arlington 1320 Old Henderson Rd., Upper Arlington; 614-451-4575; 44 AL Abbington of Pickerington 9480 Blacklick-Eastern Rd., Pickerington; 614-577-0822; 48 AL Abbington of Powell 3971 Bradford Ct., Powell; 614-7899868; 48 AL ARROW SENIOR LIVING arrowseniorliving.com Carriage Court Senior Living 3570 Heritage Club Dr., Hilliard; 614529-7470; 86 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
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KEY IL – independent living units AL – assisted living units MC – memory care units SN – skilled nursing units
Bickford of Scioto 3500 Riverside Dr., Columbus; 614457-3500; 53 AL/MC Bickford of Worthington 6525 N. High St., Worthington; 614-8466500; 54 AL, 27 MC BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING SOLUTIONS 844-440-1626; brookdale.com Brookdale Lakeview Crossing 4000 Lakeview Crossing, Groveport; 74 AL, 15 MC Brookdale Muirfield 7220 Muirfield Dr., Dublin; 54 AL, 30 MC Brookdale Pinnacle 1305 Lamplighter Dr., Grove City; 83 AL, 23 MC
Brookdale Trillium Crossing 3500 Trillium Crossing, Columbus; 157 IL, 56 AL Brookdale Westerville 6377 Cooper Rd., Columbus; 31 AL, 12 MC CAPTIAL SENIOR LIVING The Woodlands of Columbus 5380 E. Broad St., Columbus; 614-7557591, capitalsenior.com; 93 AL, 17 MC CENTURY PARK Mayfair Village 3011 Hayden Rd., Columbus; 614-8896202, centurypa.com; 85 AL DANBURY SENIOR LIVING danburyseniorliving.com Columbus Danbury 2870 Snouffer Rd., Columbus; 614-3390459; 74 IL/AL, 27 MC Parkside Village 730 N. Spring Rd., Westerville; 614-7949300; 167 IL/AL, 37 MC
NEW ADDITION NOW OPEN!
Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care • Movement Specialty Program With our expansion project, Parkside Village has recently opened additional Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care apartments along with a new state-of-the-art Movement Specialty Program. This new program is the first of its kind in Ohio and will feature highly trained staff and programming to benefit residents with Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders. Parkside Village is the next best thing to being at home.
Call 614-794-9300 to schedule a tour and see the exciting new changes to our building! 730 N. Spring Road, Westerville, Ohio 43082
Experience the Danbury Difference!
THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN SENIOR LIVING
Residents and their families agree that Danbury Senior Living IS the best kept secret in senior living! Stop in and see the difference in our clean and bright community, feel the difference in our warm and caring atmosphere, and taste the difference of our exceptional dining menu. Call today to learn how you can Experience the Danbury Difference!
Call 614-339-0459 to schedule a tour and Experience the Danbury Difference! 2870 Snouffer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43235
Visit both communities at DanburySeniorLiving.com
Pet Friendly
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Feridean Commons 6885 Freeman Rd., Westerville; 614-8987488, feridean.com; 40 IL, 58 AL FIRST & MAIN firstandmain.us First & Main of Lewis Center 8875 Green Meadows Dr. N, Lewis Center; 740-513-2270; 60 IL/AL, 44 MC First & Main of New Albany 245 E. Main St., New Albany; 740-5133044; 60 IL/AL, 44 MC FIVE STAR SENIOR LIVING The Forum at Knightsbridge 4590 Knightsbridge Blvd., Columbus; 614-451-6793, fivestarseniorliving.com; 143 IL, 90 AL, 25 MC, 57 SN Friendship Village Columbus 5800 Forest Hills Blvd., Columbus; 614890-8282, fvcolumbus.org; 201 IL, 63 AL, 17 MC, 75 SN Friendship Village of Dublin 6000 Riverside Dr., Dublin; 614-764-1600, fvdublin.org; 304 IL, 23 AL, 23 MC, 50 SN
HAWTHORN RETIREMENT GROUP Amber Park Pickerington 401 Hill Rd. N, Pickerington; 614-8343113, seniorlivinginstyle.com; 86 AL HOLIDAY RETIREMENT The Worthington 1201 Riva Ridge Ct., Gahanna; 614933-8640, holidaytouch.com; 117 IL Ganzhorn Suites 10272 Sawmill Pkwy., Powell; 614-3569810, ganzhorn.com; 64 MC KEMPER HOUSE Kemper House Worthington 800 Proprietors Rd., Worthington; 614681-8330, kemperhouseworthington. com; 55 MC LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES LSS Kensington Place 1001 Parkview Blvd., Columbus; 614252-5276, lssnetworkofhope.org; 117 IL/AL, 11 MC THE MACINTOSH COMPANY macintoshcompany.com Canal Winchester Rehabilitation Center,
Skilled Nursing & Assisted Living 6800 Gender Rd., Canal Winchester; 614-834-6800; 35 AL, 75 SN Mill Run Rehabilitation Center, Skilled Nursing & Assisted Living 3399 Mill Run Dr., Hilliard; 614-5273000; 35 AL, 66 SN Monterey Rehabilitation Center, Skilled Nursing & Memory Care 3929 Hoover Rd., Grove City; 614-8757700; 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 NATIONAL CHURCH RESIDENCES nationalchurchresidences.org Avondale 5251 Avery Rd., Dublin; 888-875-0465; IL (number not available)
Bring your
whole life with you.
INDEPENDENT LIVING AT FVC Leave home maintenance behind so you have more time for your life’s passions. Call us today at (614) 245-3931 to learn how you can enjoy carefree living and numerous amenities all under one roof at Friendship Village Columbus.
2018 GOLD
fvcolumbus.org | 5800 Forest Hills Blvd. | Columbus, Ohio 43231 150
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Chimes Terrace 65 S. Williams St., Johnstown; 740-9670707; 36 IL, 24 AL First Community Village 1800 Riverside Dr., Columbus; 614-3244455; 152 IL, 38 AL, 36 MC, 138 SN Inniswood Village 1195 North St., Westerville; 614-8396300; 120 IL, 52 AL, 20 MC National Church Residences Mill Run 3550 Fishinger Blvd., Hilliard; 614-7710100; 46 AL, 35 MC Stygler Commons Assisted Living 165 N. Stygler Rd., Gahanna; 614-3424588; 32 AL
G TIN S P E T C AC IDEN W S NO W RE E N
Until there’s a cure, there’s Kemper House
OHIO LIVING ohioliving.org Ohio Living Sarah Moore 26 N. Union St., Delaware; 740-3629641; 38 AL, 47 SN Ohio Living Westminster-Thurber 717 Neil Ave., Columbus; 614-2288888; 199 IL, 50 AL, 21 MC, 128 SN PARAMOUNT SENIOR LIVING paramountseniorliving.com Paramount Senior Living at Westerville 690 Cooper Rd., Westerville; 614-7942499; 75 AL, 20 MC
Locally owned and operated
Call 614-681-8330
www.KemperHouseWorthington.com
PEREGRINE HEALTH SERVICES Columbus Alzheimer Care Center 700 Jasonway Ave., Columbus; 614-4597050, columbusalzheimercenter.com; 99 MC/SN The Convalarium of Dublin 6430 Post Rd., Dublin; 614-761-1188, the convalarium.com; SN (number not available) Summit’s Trace Healthcare Center 935 N. Cassady Ave., Columbus; 614252-4987, summitstrace.com; AL, MC, SN (numbers not available) SENIOR LIFESTYLE FAMILY-OWNED COMMUNITIES seniorlifestyle.com Carriage Court of Grove City 2320 Sonora Dr., Grove City; 614-8718000; 45 AL, 17 MC Carriage Court of Lancaster 800 Becks Knobb Rd., Lancaster; 740654-4422; 36 AL, 19 MC Chestnut House 1065 Johnson Ave., Newark; 740-3665271; 40 AL SENIOR STAR seniorstar.com Senior Star at Dublin Retirement Village 6470-6480 Post Rd., Dublin; 614-764OCTOBER 2019 COLUMBUS MONTHLY
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Making a difference.... in the lives of our older adults. Information & Assistance Adult Day Health Caregiver Support Home Delivered Meals Minor Home Repair
Senior Options 614.525.6200 Adult Protective Services 614.525.4348
www.officeonaging.org
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MEMORY CARE THAT INSPIRES
Respite Care Available The Ganzhorn Suites is a Specialized Memory Care community with a focus on innovative design, technology and advanced dementia care. • Dr. Douglas Scharre, a nationally renowned neurologist with Ohio State University, is our Medical Director • • • Advanced safety and monitoring technologies • A purpose-built design with four distinct households
(614) 356-9810
10272 Sawmill Pkwy. | Powell, OH 43065 152
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2800 (IL), 614-389-0308 (AL/MC); 134 IL, 60 AL, 39 MC STORYPOINT storypoint.com StoryPoint Grove City 3717 Orders Rd., Grove City; 614-8756200; 116 IL, 35 AL, 48 MC SUNRISE SENIOR LIVING sunriseseniorliving.com Sunrise of Dublin 4175 Stoneridge Ln., Dublin; 614-7182062; 56 AL, 34 MC Sunrise of Gahanna 775 E. Johnstown Rd., Gahanna; 614418-9775; 60 AL/MC Village at Westerville Retirement Center 215 Huber Village Blvd., Westerville; 614-8823782, villageatwesterville.com; 77 IL, 48 AL WALLICK COMMUNITIES wallickcommunities.com Ashford on Broad 4801 E. Broad St., Columbus; 614-6412995; 131 AL Ashford at Sturbridge 3700 Sturbridge Ct., Hilliard; 614-3043653; 124 AL The Grove Columbus 5546 Karl Rd., Columbus; 614-4611739; 56 MC Oakleaf Village of Columbus 5500 Karl Rd., Columbus; 614-4611739; 121 IL/AL THE WESLEY COMMUNITIES thewesleycommunities.com Wesley Glen Retirement Community 5155 N. High St., Columbus; 614-8887492; 152 IL, 74 AL, 21 MC, 65 SN Wesley Ridge Retirement Community 2225 Taylor Park Dr., Reynoldsburg; 614759-0023; 105 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 WEXNER HERITAGE VILLAGE 614-231-4900, whv.org Creekside at the Village 2200 Welcome Pl., Columbus; 83 IL/AL Geraldine Schottenstein Cottage 1149 College Ave., Columbus; 18 AL/MC Wexner Heritage House 1151 College Ave., Columbus; 99 SN Worthington Christian Village 165 Highbluffs Blvd., Columbus; 614-8466076, wcv.org; 107 IL, 38 AL, 50 SN