Ruth was born one mile from the Ivy at Ellington on West Road, and she lived in that house for the first 56 years of her life. Today, the 88-year-old is back in Ellington — and very happy about it — but it was quite the journey to get there. Winters in Florida Ruth spent her career at Travelers Insurance. After she retired and her mother passed away, Ruth and her sister split their time between a condo they shared in Vernon, Connecticut, and a winter getaway in Florida. Ruth and her 92-year-old sister were down in Florida this past winter when Ruth fell, broke her femur, and tore her rotator cuff. Ruth was the primary caregiver for her sister, who has dementia. After five weeks in a therapy hospital in Florida, the sisters returned to Connecticut, where Ruth continued with her physical therapy in a nursing home while getting her sister set up in a different care facility.
“I wasn’t able to take care of her anymore,” Ruth says.
Then Ruth sold their condo in Vernon and started looking for senior living options for herself. Home at the Ivy Ruth looked at a few different assisted living facilities before she found the Ivy at Ellington. Compared to other facilities, which Ruth called “outdated” and “kind of gloomy,” the Ivy at Ellington was bright and happy.
“This place is so beautifully decorated,” Ruth says. “I was really impressed with this place.”
Not only were the features of the building pleasing to Ruth, but she also appreciated the dining options. Unlike other assisted living facilities that offer three meals a day at 8 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m., the Ivy at Ellington offers restaurant-style anytime dining, which means residents can order from a selection of delicious homemade meals from the menu throughout the day and evening from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“I don’t get up real early,” Ruth says. “I didn’t want to have to be up and showered and dressed and down in the dining room at 8 a.m. I didn’t want to be tied to a schedule like that.” Ruth moved into her new home in October. “This will be my first Connecticut winter in 24 years,” she says. “I’m not looking forward to that.” She plans on spending a lot of her time in one of the two four-season porches at the Ivy at Ellington. “I think they are just adorable,” Ruth says. “The one on the first floor is all done in yellow and white. Even when the sun isn’t out, you go in there and it looks like the sun’s out. I think the decorating is outstanding here. They’ve done a very good job.”
Outings in Ellington Ruth loves being back in her hometown.
“I love the area [the Ivy at Ellington] is in,” she says. “It’s very handy. It’s close to everything. My church is one mile around the corner. My sister is two miles around the corner.”
She likes being able to easily drive to visit friends in the area, help out at church, and see her sister every day.
“I appreciate the ease it is living here,” Ruth says. “Everybody is very helpful and very friendly, and they try very hard to make you comfortable. Anything that you ask for, you pretty much get. It’s been a good change.”
Would your loved one benefit from a change, too? In the Ivy at Ellington’s elegant home-like environment, residents can enjoy many amenities, including dining on local culinary favorites, participating in engaging and enriching social opportunities, and quality personal care services daily. Schedule a tour today to see if the Ivy at Ellington is the right assisted living community for your loved one.