Life in Assisted Living

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Article by Sherrie Bradley, RN,BSN, Heckmann Assisted Living Manager

Depending on where you are located and what community you and your family decide is best for you, could mean different levels of care for you. While some communities are large and stand-alone, they may be able to offer much deeper levels of care and price may range according to that care and staffing. Here at Heckmann Assisted Living, we are smaller and a part of a very large campus where different levels of care needs are met by where you live. Some are able to live in our independent community, Rainbow Retirement, and have their own outside help to come in daily or weekly. Some may even be able to stay home with the help provided by our Sunset Companion Services department. Then others, who are not quite in need of daily medical care or a memory care unit, will find themselves at home here in our Heckmann Residence Assisted Living.

We strive to provide person-centered care based on Christian values that are focused on maintaining independence in as many areas as possible, while having someone here day and night to assist them. We strive to promote continued learning and physical, mental, and spiritual growth by offering different types of scheduled activities, outings, and pastoral services all while allowing our residents to maintain their privacy and independence.

A move to assisted living does not mean you have to give up everything. Many find that the things they end up giving up, results in them being able to do more things they enjoy rather than maintaining a home and all that entails. As a resident here, you are able to bring your own furniture, personal effects and decorate your apartment as your new home. This helps to promote your dignity, privacy, choice and continued independence.

We assist by serving dining room style meals three times daily, which is served hot and comes from our campus kitchen where it is prepared fresh daily. You are able to choose your meal the evening before by making your personal selections from the menu provided by Dietary. There is always an open snack bar with coffee, ice, water and other items.

Besides meals, we handle most resident’s medications which helps you to stay on a schedule and maintain health and well-being. Some find that just being here and taking their medications on schedule and getting those fresh, hot prepared meals daily makes a world of difference in how they feel physically as well as mentally and emotionally.

We also provide weekly laundry and linen change services. This seems to be a big one for most of our residents. Along with this, there is weekly apartment cleaning and daily trash services. No more stress over cleaning, taking out the trash, changing the bed linens or working on laundry. I could be happy with all of that myself! With all of this taken care of for you, that leaves more time for you to enjoy family, friends, activities, outings, bible studies, worship services and many other things that we tend to put off to do all of our chores at home!

Our residents are free to come and go and we promote being independent and participating in events in the outside community as well as our own. We highly encourage family and friends to continue to come and visit as you wish, stay and have a meal in our dining room, participate in activities, and bring new ideas to us that their loved one enjoys as others may enjoy as well.

We understand that making a move like this, whether it’s from home/independent living to assisted living or to nursing home, is huge for you and your family. Our goal is to help this move and transition be as smooth as possible and a positive experience to the best of our ability. I have mentioned many positives but a huge positive is the ability to make new friends with your neighbors who will be here to help you as well! They were once new to the community and most are very ready and willing to get to know you and help you to be happy here! No more eating alone or just not eating because you don’t want to make a meal for one! Meal times and activities are the best times to get to know others.

During the holidays, we try our best to make things festive, homelike, and family friendly here at College Hill Assisted Living – Heckmann Residence. We know holidays can be a very difficult time for some. We highly encourage visitors, activity participation, and participation in outside community events as each is able, to help the holidays remain a positive enjoyable time for all of our residents and staff alike. We do our best to help our community to reflect an expression of faith and God’s love every day.

We are thankful daily for our community members, staff members, volunteers, and family and friends who strive to make Heckmann a great place to live!

Best Wishes for a Safe and Happy New Year from All of us here at Heckmann Residence.

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