Is It the Right Time to Move to a Life Plan Community?

Posted on: March 10, 2023
Mary Ellen and her husband Dan.

mary-ellen

By Otterbein Granville resident Mary Ellen H.

Trepidation. Now there’s a fancy word. Scared silly is more like it. Well, maybe not scared, but certainly anxious and confused.

Face it; this is the biggest move you’ll ever make. Sure, you’ve chosen friends, partners, venues, and locations. But the future always loomed with possibility.

And skulking in the background of this decision is the dirty little word “last.”

Downsizing to a Smaller Space

Songbird Transitions team members Susan, Jackie and Tabi with Mary Ellen and DanEntering a life plan community means lots of things: downsizing, new people, meeting the future straight on, and, worst of all, overcoming the bias of those who think they know better.

Downsizing is a breeze for the lucky few who can’t wait to get out from under the rubble. It is likely easier for those who have moved frequently. But for people who have spent a lifetime in the same home, downsizing can be daunting. 

In the Granville area, we have Songbird Transitions, a cadre of young people who love to help you sort, donate your discards, and even unpack and settle you in your new home. 

And the best part? You are finally decorating a home just for you, the way you want it, without the accumulation of objects you have felt obliged to keep.

Related: The First 3 Places to Start When Downsizing Your Home >>

Meeting New Friends

Meeting new people. Will it be like the first day of a new school, be it kindergarten, high school, or college? Will there be cliques? What if no one wants to eat with me? Will I be that sad soul in the corner? 

I can’t speak for other places, but people are very friendly at Otterbein Granville. In the first week, I met more people than I’d met in the previous year. 

They were welcoming and inclusive. Being a resident-driven community means that committees and clubs abound, all looking for members. But they don’t push. It’s up to you.

Related: It’s a Small, Small World at Otterbein Granville >>

Planning for Your Future Health Needs

Planning for the future is not a bad thing. Easier, of course, to stay in one’s home and hope for the best. But realistically, the best doesn’t last, and worse and worst are always lurking.

Isn’t it better to choose than have someone else choose for you? And to choose while you are still able to make your own decisions and even enjoy life while you can, with the difficult decisions out of the way. It is fun here, by the way.  

Related: Experience Life at a CCRC >>

Enjoying the Benefits of Community

The naysayers. We’ve all been subjected to their cynicism. The principal argument: “I’d hate to eat with other people.”  Much more pleasant, I guess, to dine on frozen dinners and share them with the cat. 

And in any case, meals here can be delivered or picked up and taken home. The menu options rival Thanksgiving dinner for variety, and who has the time or interest to compete with chefs and sous chefs? 

And let’s not forget eight varieties of ice cream available at every meal. Addiction to Buckeye is the only problem I’ve encountered.

After researching from Florida to Maine, we made the right decision to settle back in Granville at Otterbein. I am sure of it.

Ready to Explore Otterbein Granville?

Our village-style life plan community offers private senior living residences, including apartments, cottages, and villas. We provide a continuum of care to meet the changing needs of our residents. You’ll find health and wellness programs, physician services, therapies, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory support, and long-term nursing care. 

 

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