Frank* and Elinor* loved their eight-room colonial overlooking the Ellington Ridge Country Club and had no plans to move anytime soon. A crisis changed everything.
A Car Accident
Forgetfulness and memory problems are normal parts of aging, and no one wanted to believe that Elinor’s memory issues were anything more than that. Who doesn’t sometimes have trouble driving to a familiar location or remembering the rules of a favorite game? But then she got into a serious car accident while she was driving. A severe injury to Elinor’s leg made getting up and down stairs nearly impossible, and the worsening memory loss meant that driving wasn’t an option anymore, either. The doctors said it was time for memory care — but Frank wasn’t ready to commit. In the past few years, he’d dealt with a lot of change — most of it unwanted. It was frustrating and sometimes scary.
A Place to Recover
Fortunately, about 3 miles down the road was The Ivy at Ellington, an assisted living community that offers short-term respite stays. Short-term stay residents live in fully furnished private one-bedroom apartments with a modern kitchenette, walk-in shower, and spacious living room, and they receive the same comforts and amenities as assisted living residents. Although Frank didn’t want to move, the short-term stay allowed him to feel like he was in a little bit more control of the situation. “We needed to find someplace for Elinor to recovery from her horrendous auto accident,” he says. “We also wanted to try this place out a little bit.” At The Ivy at Ellington, short-term stays last a minimum of 30 days or a maximum of 90 days, so Frank and Elinor didn’t need to pack up all their belongings or sell the house. After Elinor was discharged from the hospital, the couple simply packed a suitcase and showed up.
A Support System
In The Ivy at Ellington’s respite apartment, Elinor got the care she needed while she recovered from the car accident, and Frank got the chance to interact with others having similar experiences, spend time in a social environment that encourages friendships, and enjoy healthy restaurant-style dining throughout the day.
“The people were all very nice,” Elinor says. “And I didn’t even have to cook a meal.”
As their respite stay was coming to an end, Frank realized caring for Elinor, himself, and a 2,000-square-foot house at 78 years old was too much. He also realized there were advantages to assisted living and memory care that he hadn’t anticipated. Instead of taking care of the house or providing care for each other, Frank and Elinor had more time to spend with each other. Additionally, Frank could see that moving in when he was still active and independent allowed him time to be able to be involved in the choice and meant he was well enough to make friends with the other residents. After testing the waters of assisted living in respite care, Frank and Elinor decided they wanted to become members of The Ivy at Ellington family.
“Respite care is a good interim step if you’re not sure about coming in here or if you need immediate help,” Frank says.
If you need short-term relief as a caregiver or if your parents want to test the waters of assisted living, schedule a tour of The Ivy at Ellington today. *Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
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