A Guide to Senior Transportation

Aging can impact what individuals are able to do independently. This applies to physical tasks, cooking, maintaining a living space, and mobility. Mobility refers to the ability to move around and access basic and essential activities, including navigating your living space and traveling to other places outside your home. 

There are currently around 54 million adults over the age of 65 in the United States, with that number expected to rise to 80 million individuals by 2040. As more adults continue to age, it’s likely that some of them will need help getting around. On average, older adults make 3.4 trips per day, so they still have plenty of places they need to go, even if they may have trouble getting there.  So, what are the best methods of transportation for seniors? We’ll cover all of the best options available in this guide to senior transportation.

Personal Transportation for Seniors

• Driving Yourself - The first—and most common—option for senior transportation is to drive themselves. This offers the quickest and most convenient choice for individuals to get around, as long as they do not have any impairments or disabilities that hinder their ability to drive safely. The CDC reports that more than 45 million adults who are 65 and older are still licensed to drive. However, these adult drivers are also at a greater risk of being involved in an accident.

• Family Members - The second most common way for older adults to get around is to have family members drive them. This option provides additional assistance for individuals who have disabilities or impairments, as their family members can offer individualized support—like helping with a wheelchair or other medical device. However, it also leaves seniors in a position where they must rely on someone else (who may not always be available) in order to travel.

• Caregivers or Home Care Aides - Older adults can also hire a caregiver or home care aide to drive them where they need to go. However, this can often be expensive and requires finding and hiring someone trustworthy. All older adults who hire a caregiver for transit services should research local agencies that screen employees and complete background checks so you know you are in good hands.

Public Transportation

Another option for older adults to get around is public transportation. Depending on where you live—in a big city, for instance—there may be many options that can quickly take you where you need to go. Another benefit of public transportation is that there are often senior fares that reduce the cost. Most forms of public transportation are also accessible for individuals in wheelchairs or who have other disabilities. 

However, only about 3% of older adults’ trips are made via public transportation. Depending on the forms of transit available in certain areas and where you need to go, public transit may be a great way to get from Point A to Point B. But, it also may not be a viable option for certain trips for older adults—getting groceries, visiting the doctor, and more.

Rideshare Services and Taxis

Rideshare services—like Uber and Lyft—and taxis are additional transportation options for older adults. These services allow seniors to call for transit services whenever they need them, whether on an app or by making a phone call. They can also either involve riding alone or sharing a ride with other passengers. The main benefit of these options is that older adults can choose when they need to leave and where they need to go, and can almost always be picked up shortly thereafter.

Companies like Uber even offer something known as Uber Health, which allows older adults to get rides for medical visits without having to sign up for an account. Signing up and managing an account is one of the downsides of rideshare apps, as they can often be confusing and difficult to use for individuals who are not used to them. Additionally, much like taxis, these services can also be expensive depending on the destination, distance traveled, and departure time.

Senior Living Community Transportation Services

Older adults who live in senior living communities get to enjoy many different amenities, but one of the most important ones is transportation services. Many communities provide a variety of transportation options that allow residents to get where they need to go easily, quickly, and safely. These communities also have transportation professionals on their staff that provide door-to-door service for residents, so you know you are in good hands and can always get to your destination.

These services are also usually prepared to provide transportation for disabled seniors, with many communities owning vans and buses with chairlifts and other modifications to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Having these services available is also critical when winter comes, as many communities have temperature-controlled vehicles, so residents don’t have to worry about warming up their cars or driving in hazardous conditions. 

Wherever it is you need to go, the transportation services of a senior living community are sure to get you there–whether it’s to get groceries, go out to eat, visit family, go shopping, attend medical appointments, or even if you’re just bored and want to go for a ride. Many communities also provide a personal driver to take you to the doctor right away when you are feeling ill.

At Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc., we are a nonprofit senior living community in Valparaiso, Indiana, with two campuses: Pines Village and Meridian Woods. We offer many of the transportation services mentioned above for our residents in order to support all of their needs, as well as stopping at additional places like:

• Eastport Centre: Medical Offices

• Valparaiso Marketplace:  Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, Aldi, Marshalls, Michaels, etc.

• Porter’s Vale Shopping Center: Meijer, JC Penney, Home Goods, Hobby Lobby, Party City, etc.

• Walmart

• Medical Centers on South Sturdy 

• Coolwood Plaza: Strack & Van Til, Strarbucks, etc.

• Additional locations outside of Valparaiso and escort service available
  
  

This way, we ensure that our residents can travel to all of their favorite destinations and return home to our community safely. The Pines Village campus offers pet-friendly independent living apartments with the option to add assistive services à la carte or in packages. The Meridian Woods campus consists of maintenance-free paired homes and Campbell St. Cafe, which, in addition to being a restaurant open to the public, hosts events and acts as a meeting space for residents and local nonprofits. 

At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability, learn more about our assisted living options, or contact us with any questions today!

What Is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?

When an older adult in your life—whether it’s a parent, grandparent, or other loved one—begins to show signs of mental decline, it can be difficult to determine what the cause is and what you should do. Is it due to normal aging? Or is it something more, like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease? Finding out more information about these different possibilities is the first step toward helping your loved one.

In this article, we’ll explain the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as covering other important information about the two conditions. First, let’s look at dementia.

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is a term that is used to cover a variety of symptoms associated with declining mental ability. It is a medical condition of the brain and not specifically a psychological or mental illness, although there can be behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with dementia. Dementia symptoms are often overlooked because they are simply thought to be signs of normal aging in older adults. However, dementia is not a natural part of aging and its symptoms include:

• Forgetfulness

• Memory loss

• Reduced reasoning

• Trouble paying attention

• Impaired judgment and problem solving

• Visual perception issues that aren’t related to normal age-related changes

• Changes in personality and behavior

• Any other changes that interfere with a person’s normal daily functions

In the United States, around 5 million individuals over the age of 65 are estimated to have dementia. As mentioned earlier, dementia is a term used to cover symptoms of mental decline, but there are actually many different types of dementia. Now, let’s discuss how Alzheimer’s compares to dementia.

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?

While dementia is a medical condition involving the decline of mental ability, Alzheimer’s disease is a specific medical disease within it. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia—making up between 60-80% of all dementia cases. 

Specifically, Alzheimer’s disease damages brain cells and causes complex brain change. While Alzheimer’s shares many of the same symptoms as dementia, one of the earliest symptoms associated with it is difficulty retaining and remembering new information. This is due to the belief that Alzheimer’s first affects the area of the brain related to learning. 

Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that usually worsens over time. Because of this, there is an Alzheimer’s disease continuum with 3 main phases and the  symptoms associated with each phase:

• Preclinical Alzheimer’s disease

  • No symptoms

• Mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease

  • Mild symptoms that do not interfere with everyday activities

• Dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease

  • Mild - Symptoms interfere with some everyday activities

  • Moderate - Symptoms interfere with many everyday activities

  • Severe - Symptoms interfere with most everyday activities

Now that we’ve covered what dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are, let’s look at how they differ from memory issues due to normal aging.

How Can You Tell the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, and Normal Senior Memory Issues?

While normal aging can affect cognitive and memory performance, dementia—and therefore Alzheimer’s—is not a part of the normal aging process. Compared to the symptoms listed above for dementia and Alzheimer’s, here are examples of normal memory loss for older adults:

• Misplacing car keys every now and then

• Forgetting very recent events

• Having trouble finding a word, but then remembering it later

• Forgetting the name of an acquaintance

These instances are expected as older adults age. However, it’s important to monitor your parent or loved one to see if these issues continue, increase in frequency, or worsen. If they do, you should seek help from a medical professional to determine if they have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

How Are Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosed?

If you notice your parent or loved one displaying some of the symptoms associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s, it may be time to visit a doctor to get a diagnosis. You can begin by visiting a primary care doctor to do some initial tests and examinations, but neurologists, geriatric psychiatrists, geriatricians, and neuropsychologists can also diagnose dementia.

Since Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia, the testing methods are the same and involve:

• A physical exam to check the vitals of the body and determine if there is an underlying cause

• Laboratory tests to check blood and other fluid levels to rule out potential causes of symptoms

• A review of the individual’s personal and family medical history to check when the symptoms began, any other changes that occurred, if there was any medication being taken, and if dementia runs in the family

• Cognitive and neurological tests to evaluate thinking and physical functioning

• Brain scans that can identify changes in the brain’s structure and function. They can also determine if a tumor, stroke, or another issue might be causing dementia. These brain scans include:

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which produces detailed images of the body, including the brain

  • Computed tomography (CT), which produces images of the brain and other organs

  • Positron emission tomography (PET), which provides pictures of brain activity

• A psychiatric evaluation to determine if there is a separate mental health condition—like depression—that could be contributing to the individual’s symptoms

• Genetic tests to see if the individual is at increased risk of developing dementia

• Additional blood tests to measure levels of beta-amyloid—a protein that accumulates abnormally in people with Alzheimer’s

Does Anything Increase the Risk for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease?

As mentioned in the diagnosis section, doctors will test to see if there are any underlying health issues or other factors that could increase your risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Here are some things that increase the risk of dementia:

• Family history - Individuals with a family history of dementia are more likely to develop it themselves

• Age - Age is the strongest risk factor for developing dementia. Most individuals diagnosed with dementia are over 65

• Poor heart health - High cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking all can increase the risk of developing dementia if they are not treated

• Race/ethnicity - Older African American adults are twice as likely to develop dementia as white individuals. Older Hispanic adults are 1.5 times as likely to develop dementia as white individuals

• Traumatic brain injury - Suffering severe brain injuries can increase the risk of developing dementia, especially if they occur repeatedly

Currently, there is little data to determine the risk of developing dementia after contracting COVID-19. However, studies have found that individuals with dementia are more likely to contract COVID-19, require hospitalization, and have severe or fatal cases than individuals without dementia.

Other factors like stress and depression—even more common now for older adults during the pandemic—can impact cognitive impairment and dementia symptoms and even worsen them, but they do not necessarily cause dementia. That means moving or partaking in other activities that are normally stressful could increase the risk of worsening symptoms.

Are There Any Cures or Treatments?

At this point, there are no known cures for Alzheimer’s disease or any other type of dementia. However, there are certain therapies, medications, and treatments that can help patients. These treatments can help dementia patients to manage their symptoms, like anxiety or behavioral changes. The specific medication or treatment depends on the severity of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease and will be determined by a healthcare provider.

What Are Your Living Options?

If your parent or loved one is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s, one of the next things you have to determine is their living options. You may be wondering if they can live independently, in assisted living, or in memory care. You’ll have to talk to their doctor to determine the necessary level of care, but the best option for individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s is generally living in a memory care facility. Memory care is the highest level of care offered by senior living communities and involves:

• A ​​secure facility

• 24-hour care

• Specialized staff

• Specialized programming

• Housekeeping

• Meals

However, depending on how advanced the dementia is, they may still be able to live in assisted living or with a family member where they can be supervised and taken care of. Dementia can progress quickly, so it’s important to keep your parent or loved one in the safest situation possible.

Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit senior living community in Valparaiso, Indiana, with two campuses: Pines Village and Meridian Woods. The Pines Village campus offers pet-friendly independent living apartments with the option to add assistive services à la carte or in packages. The Meridian Woods campus consists of maintenance-free paired homes and Campbell St. Cafe, which, in addition to being a restaurant open to the public, hosts events and acts as a meeting space for residents and local nonprofits. 

At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability, learn more about our assisted living options, or contact us with any questions today!

How to Best Prepare for Your Retirement Years

By the age of 65, many people are ready to enjoy retirement and all the perks that can come with it — golf, travel, and time spent with grandchildren. But many seniors are also forced to navigate age-related health, mobility, and agility complications. To prepare for whatever life brings during your upcoming retirement, you must be well prepared to build a financial cushion that can fund both what you envision and the unexpected. Follow these tips to help you plan for your golden years. 

Pay off Debt

Retiring with significant debt is often viewed as a cardinal financial sin. You deserve to spend your money on the things and experiences you enjoy, not on repaying old debts. To ensure that you’re well prepared for your retirement and to minimize any potential financial burden on your family, reduce your current debt by paying down your credit cards, making sure your bank accounts are in order, and regularly contributing to your retirement fund. 

Tackle additional financial responsibilities such as lingering student loan debt or remaining payments on your mortgage as well. If you plan on staying in your home and aging in place, you may want to consider refinancing your mortgage to help save some cash in the long run. 

Calculate Your Income and Budget

Retirement is a milestone. But can your current financial situation support the retirement you’re working toward? Estimate your fixed monthly income from Social Security and employer pensions. The rest of your retirement fund will come from your wages, savings, and investment accounts. A popular rule of thumb is to spend around 4% of your retirement portfolio annually. Let’s say you have $1,500,000 in retirement assets. Using the 4% rule, you could afford to spend about $60,000 a year. Is that enough to finance your day-to-day life and any extras, such as traveling, without having to worry about running out of money? 

Look into all of your sources of income early. This will give you time to adjust your savings and retirement strategy if needed. If you’re worried that you may be behind on building your retirement nest egg, consider extending the date of your retirement, try cutting down or cutting out nonessential spending, and consider getting a part-time job during retirement for extra spending money.

But you’ll have to take more than your everyday expenses and the occasional trip into consideration! Some expenses, such as health care, may increase later on in life. To ensure that you can handle medical issues without the added stress of money, you’ll want to establish a sizable emergency fund as well. Remember, what you save today will determine how you live during your retirement.  

Review Your Estate Plan

While estate planning is no one’s favorite subject, it is important. To spare your family any legal tie-ups and to help ensure that your wishes are respected, you’ll want to be prepared. Go through the inside and outside of your home and make a list of your valuable items, including the home, jewelry, antiques, family heirlooms, power tools, and vehicles. Once you’ve created an accurate inventory of your possessions, you can decide where it should go or who it should go to after your death. 

Review and update your will and trusts, designate account beneficiaries, determine your financial and medical power of attorney(s), and the executor of the estate. You can also write a letter of instruction as a step-by-step guide for any additional details such as your wishes for funeral preparations or what you’d like done with your social media accounts.  

Consider consulting an estate attorney and/or a financial planner to make sure you’ve covered all of your bases.

Downsize Your Space 

Whether you’re looking to simplify your life, cut costs, or move closer to family, many seniors downsize in their golden years. Saying goodbye to the place where you built your life is never easy and neither is decluttering it, so you’ll want to start early. Many seniors choose to continue living independently. They buy smaller, more accessible homes and sell their current home to finance the purchase. If you’re making living decisions on behalf of a parent, take their future agility, mobility, and caregiving needs into consideration. They may be more comfortable in a senior living community.

Downsizing can feel bittersweet, but there is a new and supportive living environment to look forward to and, for many, that can help ease the transition. 

So, are you ready to live the retirement good life? The possibilities and adventures that await as you enter your golden years are endless. By preparing early, you can make the later years of your life some of the most exciting and meaningful. 

Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit senior living community in Valparaiso, Indiana, with two campuses: Pines Village and Meridian Woods. The Pines Village campus offers pet-friendly independent living apartments with the option to add assistive services à la carte or in packages. The Meridian Woods campus consists of maintenance-free paired homes and Campbell St. Cafe, which, in addition to being a restaurant open to the public, hosts events and acts as a meeting space for residents and local nonprofits. 

At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability, learn more about our assisted living options, or contact us with any questions today!

How to Start the Conversation with Aging Parents About Moving to a Retirement Community

Growing up, your parents cared for you and got you to doctor's appointments and after-school activities, looked after you when you were sick, and so much more. If you choose to have a family, you get to play that role in your own children's lives. However, there comes a time when your kids start leaving the nest, which will likely give you the opportunity to return the favor by looking out for your aging parents. 

Caring for aging parents can be even more difficult if they need extra assistance or have a health condition. This is especially true when you have your own family, job, and responsibilities to worry about. Sometimes, it’s nearly impossible to provide all the support your parent needs and balance your own commitments as well. 

At some point, you’ll need to start taking their needs and capabilities into consideration and discuss the best path forward. Usually, this involves different senior living options, like assisted living or independent living. But, talking to parents about aging isn’t always simple. In this article, we’ll explain how you can start the conversation with your aging parents about moving to a retirement community.

How to Talk to Aging Parents About Assisted Living or Independent Living in a Retirement Community

Research Living Options

The first step you should take when you are looking to start the conversation with your aging parent(s) about moving to a retirement community is to research the different senior living options in your area. There are many different options for senior living, including independent living, assisted living, and nursing homes. You’ll need to keep the specific needs of your parent(s) in mind as you learn about what each living option offers. Luckily, many retirement communities offer more than one type of service at their locations. 

Knowing the different options available to your parent(s) is important because it will ensure that you are prepared to have a discussion about moving to a retirement community—both with your parent(s) and with your other family members.

Talk with Other Family Members

The next step you should take is to talk with your other family members. This usually includes your siblings, in-laws, and anyone else who plays a role in supporting your parents. Talk to them about what they think is best for your aging parent. It’s important to make sure you are all on the same page so you’re not the only one planning for this change. It can lead to fighting in the family when there are two different sides with differing opinions about what to do. 

Discuss the living options for your parent(s) with these family members—the pros, cons, and everything that the move would entail. Two of the keys to a strong family are communication and problem-solving, so be sure to include your other family members in the decision-making process and keep them in the loop. This way, you will be unified in your decision and be able to better help your parent(s). 

How to talk to your aging parents about planning for their future will depend on their individual personalities and your relationship with them, so working together will be the best option. Rehearsing the conversation with your family members before actually talking with your parent(s) can help you prepare for their responses and questions. It will also give you a plan and guarantee you are all on the same page.

Plan a Time to Talk to Your Parent(s)

Once you’ve researched the different senior living options and discussed everything with your other family members, you should plan a time to talk to your parent(s). You don’t need to go into the details of what you want to talk about, but let them know you would like to have a serious discussion with them. Giving them advance notice will ensure that they aren’t busy or focused on something else. It will also prevent them from feeling blindsided and give you the best opportunity to get through to them.

It’s also incredibly important not to wait until after a crisis happens to start the conversation or initiate the move. If you wait until there’s an emergency, it can add additional stress to your parent(s) and the rest of the family. This can also make the move feel more like a requirement and less like a choice. That’s why you should try to plan a time to talk to your parent(s) as soon as possible to get the ball rolling.

Start the Conversation

After completing all of the other steps, it’s finally time to sit down with your parent(s) and start the conversation about moving to a retirement community. Here are some tips for how to talk to your aging parent(s) to make sure the conversation is productive and well-received:

Ease into it

First, make sure to frame the conversation as a talk about their future and make them understand you are coming from a place of care for them. No decisions need to be made right away, though. You just want to have a discussion. 

It’s also important that you don’t make them feel pressured or overwhelmed with too much information at once. Simply start the conversation and see where it goes. You also want to stress that you value their independence, and want them to be an active part of the process and ultimate decision.

Focus on the positives

Next, you should focus on all of the positives that come with living in a retirement community. These include things like:

• Maintenance-free living

• Fewer responsibilities—including cooking, cleaning, and transportation

• Living among your peers and indulge in your interests

• Secure housing

• Taking more vacations and day trips

• 24/7 support staff

• Access to the care you need (if any)

Address your issues and concerns

Calmly explain why you think it’s time for your parent(s) to consider a move to a retirement community. Be sure to bring up any issues or concerns that are factoring into your decision. If your parent has a health issue, you should talk to them as soon as possible before there’s an emergency. If this is the case, it can also be very helpful to talk to your parent’s doctor and get their opinion. Whatever the reasons are, reassure your parent(s) that you want to do what is best for them.

Listen to what they say

It’s crucial to also listen to what your parent(s) have to say and make them feel heard. Usually, they’ve spent most of their life in the house they are living in, so it’s hard for them to imagine leaving. The idea of starting over may scare them. Just like you voiced your issues and concerns, let them do the same.

Make it an ongoing discussion

As mentioned earlier, you don’t have to make a decision right away. Continue to talk to your parent(s) about the prospect of moving to a retirement community. For some families, it takes years for a parent to agree to the change. You can also offer to take them on a tour of a nearby retirement community so they can see what it’s actually like and get a sense of what their life would be like there.

Keep them involved

Keep your parent(s) involved in any further discussions or plans regarding a retirement community. If they’ve agreed to the move, then let them be a part of every step of the transition to senior living. They’ll feel more comfortable with the change if they are included.

Starting the conversation with your parent(s) about moving to a retirement community isn’t always easy or comfortable, but it can be what’s best for them in the long run. Hopefully, they’ll even be able to join us at Pines Village Retirement Communities!

Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit senior living community in Valparaiso, Indiana, with two campuses: Pines Village and Meridian Woods. The Pines Village campus offers pet-friendly independent living apartments with the option to add assistive services à la carte or in packages. The Meridian Woods campus consists of maintenance-free paired homes and Campbell St. Cafe, which, in addition to being a restaurant open to the public, hosts events and acts as a meeting space for residents and local nonprofits. 

At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability, learn more about our assisted living options, or contact us with any questions today!

What Are the Different Living Options for Seniors?

Looking into senior living options can be a confusing process with all of the different choices available. Whether you are looking for a loved one or for yourself, there are many different things to consider. What is best depends on you or your loved one, the level of assistance needed, and whether being a part of a community is important. To help you during this process, we’re here to explain all of the different living options for seniors:

Aging in Place 

Aging in place is a living option where older adults live in their own homes or with a family member. This option is good for individuals who are still relatively independent and can receive the assistance they need while remaining in their own homes. In-home caregivers, meal delivery services, cleaning companies, grocery services, and medication deliveries are all services that can assist in activities of daily living (ADLs). Some modifications may also be needed in order to make the home more accessible, such as putting in a wheelchair ramp, installing a security system, and adding grab bars to bathrooms. 

Nursing Homes

Another option for older adults involves moving into a nursing home or skilled nursing facility where residents receive 24-hour supervision and care, including health management, meals, and activities. Nursing homes are usually for older adults who have severe physical or mental illnesses that make it impossible for them to care for themselves. Licensed physicians oversee the care of every resident in a nursing home, with nurses and other medical professionals on the premises at all times to help residents with any health issues that arise. Some nursing homes and facilities even have physical and occupational therapists on the staff in order to further help residents with the illnesses they are dealing with.

Memory Care

Memory care is a specialized service for older adults who suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia. Memory care is often a unique offering within other senior living communities, like nursing homes, assisted living communities, and independent living communities. It includes a separate, secure living environment so residents can’t wander off on their own, and a specialized staff trained to care for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. These communities offer memory care services and programming, personal care plans created by physicians and specialists, 24-hour assistance, meal plans, housekeeping, and laundry services. Much like the other senior living options, memory care facilities also include activities, events, and social interactions for residents, but all under the supervision of the staff.

Assisted Living

The next living option for older adults is assisted living. Assisted living communities are generally made up of small apartments and offer various assistive services depending on the needs of a particular resident. These services include offerings like 24-hour staff, meal plans, transportation, medication management, and other types of care, like getting dressed, helping with bathing, and housekeeping. These communities often feature a group dining area where residents can eat together, as well as other common areas that can be used for socializing and recreational activities.

Independent Living

One of the most popular options for older adults is independent living. This option is for individuals who can still care for themselves independently but may be seeking a greater sense of community. Independent living communities include personal apartments within a greater community where residents can cook for themselves or eat at on-site dining venues, bring their car with them or use provided transportation services, as well as enjoy many other perks like activities, trips, events, and even continuing to live with their pet. Independent living communities also offer many other amenities like housekeeping, fitness centers, libraries, and common spaces to socialize so residents have more time for their passions without worrying about household responsibilities!

Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit senior living community in Valparaiso, Indiana, with two campuses, Pines Village and Meridian Woods. The Pines Village campus offers pet-friendly independent living apartments with the option to add assistive services ala carte or in packages. The Meridian Woods campus consists of maintenance-free paired homes and Campbell St. Cafe, which in addition to being a restaurant open to the public, hosts events and acts as a meeting space for residents and local nonprofits. 

At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability and learn more about our assisted living options.