Senior Living

Start living life in a community tailored to your needs

By Katelyn Smith

You’ve made it through school, finding your first job, buying your first home, starting a family, raising your children, and now you’ve retired (or are coming close). Allow us to take some time off your hands and help you find a new home that will have you loving every second of this latest step in your spectacular journey.

With so many options available, here are four worth a good look. HCR Manor Care is ideal if you’re in need of medical and rehabilitative care for you or a loved one, Erickson Living’s Ashby Ponds is a vibrant retirement community packed with amenities and activities, Winchester Homes-Artistry Collection is perfect for active seniors looking for customized one-level homes, and finally, Shenandoah Valley-Westminster Canterbury is a small retirement community located in the heart of the Shenandoah area.

HCR Manor Care is a prominent provider of short- and long-term medical and rehabilitation services, with 60,000 caregivers nationwide. The Fairfax location offers assisted and independent living facilities, a nursing and rehabilitation center and a specialized Alzheimer’s care center.

HCR Manor Care’s assisted and independent living is a suitable choice for seniors who require some supervision and support while being able to preserve their independence.

You won’t feel like you’re tied down to a nursing home, as sharing your individual personality and interests are encouraged.

HCR’s nursing and rehab center accommodates seniors who are in need of hands-on medical or rehabilitative care. The center has licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, and physical, occupational and speech therapists on-site. Recreation and social activities are offered to provide necessary mental and physical stimulation for long-term-stay patients.

And for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease there is also HCR’s Arden Courts center, which strives to focus on each patient’s current abilities rather than what they have lost along the way. The center is a warm and comforting environment for those struggling with the disease as well as their families who struggle themselves in offering appropriate support.

Erickson Living’s Ashby Ponds community offers numerous activities and resources for the active and independent senior. It is positioned on a beautiful 132-acre campus in Ashburn conveniently located a few miles away from the Dulles Town Center mall, numerous grocery stores, Redskins Park and the scenic W&OD trail. If you’re looking for a retirement community with all your daily necessities easily within reach, then Ashby Ponds is the perfect place to settle down.

You have the option of residing in a one- to two-bedroom apartment, are offered realty and moving services to help you along the way, and are additionally offered custom interior design services plus a spot on the “Priority List,” where prospects can reserve an apartment right away or secure one for the future.

Once you’re all moved in, you have a wide variety of amenities to choose from, including: clubs and activities, restaurants, a convenience store, salon and medical center. One meal a day is included in your stay, and you’re able to bring your own pets and car. Plus, your guests are welcome to stay overnight. If you’d like to spend more time socializing with friends and less time cleaning, housekeeping is also available for a small fee.

Your fitness regimen is vital in your elder years, so keep up those workouts at Ashby Ponds’ fitness center complete with an indoor pool and hot tub. Experienced personal trainers are available and pay special attention to your individual needs in order to enhance your overall strength and endurance.

Also enjoy Ashby Ponds’ clubhouse, full of activities and resources, if you’d like to gain a new hobby or revisit a favorite pastime. It consists of a billiards and game room, creative arts studio, computer lab, library and more to keep you social and active. You’ll gain special bonds with new friends in no time with which to share your unique life stories and create new memories.

Adding even more convenience, the on-campus medical center allows easy access to proficient health care. Erickson has employed the nation’s leading physicians with specialized training in treating older adults for over 19 years. Two appointments are scheduled every hour, allowing more quality time with your doctor. The Ashby Ponds location has one physician on-site with primary care providers available 24/7, and residents are even able to request same-day appointments.

Preventative wellness programs are offered at Ashby Ponds as well, to help you steer clear of hospitals and nursing homes. The goal of these programs is to promote healthy aging and prevent physical decline. The programs include bone-density scans; Viva!, which measures a variety of physical and cognitive functions; and balance classes, which are essential for improving balance and strength to prevent falls.

If your health needs change, there are continuing care options available to guarantee the highest quality of attention. You’ll have peace of mind with the home care and support services available, including medication management, short-term extended care, nursing care, and personal assistance (e.g., help with shopping, cooking, light housekeeping).

The Ashby Ponds community will include an assisted living and long-term extended care facility in the future. Currently, the nearby Springfield campus offers long-term extended care at Renaissance Gardens, where residents experience all the benefits of living at a full-service Erickson Living campus and also have access to the services and expertise of a continuing care retirement community. Services include: short-term rehabilitation, assisted living/assisted care, long-term skilled nursing, respite care and Alzheimer’s care. You do not have to be a current resident of an Erickson Living facility to move to Renaissance Gardens.

Winchester Homes-Artistry Collection, located in the Shenandoah Valley at Lake Frederick, is another great alternative for seniors who are looking to settle down on their own and find a single-level home designed to fit a dynamic lifestyle. Situated on a gorgeous 120-acre lake in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this secure-access community is ideal for those who would enjoy fishing, canoeing, golfing and exploring the nearby trails.

You won’t get bored having a 35,000 square-foot clubhouse right in the complex, which offers casual dining, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a media center, fitness equipment, tennis, and diverse planned social activities. Not to mention, area attractions include world-class restaurants, six golf courses, vineyards, parks, historic sites, the magnificent Skyline Drive and much more. Visit the Shenandoah at Lake Frederick community website at www.shenandoahcommunity.com for more information.

These luxury one-level homes, starting at $299,900, are designed to fit your specific household requirements. Some advantages of choosing an Artistry Collection home are the open and spacious floor plans, design flexibility, and easy and cost-effective customization.

The collection utilizes the “Universal Design” method which appeals to multigenerational households, so family members of all ages can enjoy the open space, intuitive appliances and enhanced storage and circulation areas to make for easy everyday living. Wide doorways and hallways are a great feature for wheelchair access, while lever door handles and rocker light switches are tailored for residents with reduced hand strength. Also, kitchens are equipped with all kinds of assistive technology, helping to make cooking seem absolutely effortless.

Expand the kitchen, incorporate green features, or build an addition for your grandchildren with the signature “Your Home, Your Way” customization program. You are given the guiding role in creating your dream home.

An example from a previous case study shown on the Winchester Homes website (www.winchesterhomes.com), has proven to be successful in combining various desirable features and producing the outcome of two homes in one single-level space. Mom and Dad have their own wing on one side of the house with daughter and granddaughter residing on the other, and with uniting living and dining areas in between.

But this is just one of the many routes you can take with the “Your Home, Your Way” program where your unique ideas are welcome and your preferences are honored.

Prospective residents: Please note that Shenandoah at Lake Frederick is an age-qualified community. As such each household in the community is required to have at least one resident who is age 55 or older. In addition, all residents of the Shenandoah at Lake Frederick must be at least 19 years of age.

Shenandoah Valley-Westminster Canterbury (SVWC) is another wise choice for retirement in the Shenandoah area. It is an accredited continuing-care community located in historic Winchester. The 65-acre campus is packed with amenities and activities for the lively senior, including: a pool and fitness center, walking trails, hair salon, bank, church services, game rooms, karaoke, housekeeping services, dining venues and more.

SVWC has a campus layout, providing ease of movement between buildings, and two housing options are designed to fit needs of residents. Cottages are ideal for those who wish to live a more independent lifestyle while apartments are a good choice for sociable seniors who like to be in the middle of all the action. The phrase “Everybody knows your name” is heard often at SVWC, creating a comforting feeling of being amongst friends in a small community.

The complete well-being of residents is monitored closely at SVWC. Within each facility there is around-the-clock access to R.N.’s, L.P.M.’s and Certified Nursing Assistants as well as a physician on site weekly. The assisted living apartments offer support with daily-living tasks, engaging activities and more, while the home-like setting of the memory support area provides individualized care to residents with mild to moderate memory loss and cognitive impairment. Finally, the licensed health center is comprised of 40 private rooms and cozy spa rooms for a more soothing experience.

Listen to the possibilities
Your health is the number one priority as you age. Hearing loss, in particular, is often a major concern and is becoming even more common at an earlier age. It’s time to take action and weigh your treatment options.

AudioSync Audiology & Hearing [www.audiosyncaudiology.com], located in McLean, provides innovative and effective solutions for hearing loss. A wide range of services and products are offered to prevent further hearing damage and treat current serious conditions, even counseling and rehabilitation for hearing loss is available.

The practice is led by Dr. Ana Anzola, who is a skilled and dedicated audiologist with 14 years of experience. She is board certified by the American Board of Audiology and has been a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology since 1995. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology from Towson State University and both master’s and doctorate degrees in Audiology from the Arizona School of Health Sciences.

Among your treatment alternatives at AudioSync Audiology & Hearing is The NOW™ NT line of products. These hearing aids are designed and proven to deliver more precision than ever before. There are four different models and styles to choose from that will best fit your needs. For example, the NOW™ NT 325 model is designed for those who live a vibrant lifestyle, as this hearing devise includes 16 channels and bands for optimal high-resolution sound imaging. Other unique products are offered such as custom ear molds for hearing aids, iPods or government communication and noise protection for musicians. Refer to the company website, www.audiosyncaudiology.com, for a full list of details on the products and services available.

(February 2011)

Tags: Ashby Ponds, Westminster-Canterbury, Winchester Homes-Artistry Collection