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What Residents Wish They Had Known | Life Plan Community | Delaware, OH

The Hardest Part Was Waiting: What Two Couples Learned Before Moving to a Life Plan Community

Two couples. Two Willow Brook Life Plan campuses in Delaware, Ohio. One shared conclusion: the hardest part was waiting to move.

Beth and Gary spent five years on a waiting list before moving to Willow Brook Village. Joe and Karen spent nearly two decades researching senior living options before choosing Willow Brook Run. Looking back, both say they wish they hadn’t waited as long as they did.

Their paths were different, but they arrived at the same conclusion. Both found friendships, an active community, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing they have a plan for whatever the future brings.

That perspective didn’t come overnight. Like many older adults, they wrestled with one of life’s biggest decisions: when is the right time to leave a home you’ve loved for decades?

The questions came quickly:

• Are we moving too soon?
• Can we furnish our new home with our favorite furniture, keepsakes, and heirlooms?
• Will we find friends?
• Will we miss our old neighborhood?
• What happens if one of us needs more care after we move?

These uncertainties kept both couples from moving for years. Their stories show what finally gave them the confidence to move, and what they discovered once they did.

The Advice That Started Their Search

Beth watched her aunt and uncle move into a life plan community at ages 80 and 81. Their advice stayed with her: go while you are young enough to enjoy it.

Around the same time, a neighbor who worked in senior living gave Beth and Gary a short list of instructions:

• Choose a life plan community.
• Make sure it is not-for-profit.
• Get your name on a waiting list now.

At the time, Beth and Gary were 70 and 72. They set a goal: move in before age 80.

They visited a handful of communities. Nothing felt right until Willow Brook Village and its quiet, wooded setting captured their hearts. Because they were mostly looking at Columbus-area communities, Delaware seemed far at first. But nothing else had the feel of the Village, so they moved forward with joining the wait list.

Then they waited. Five years. The list moved slowly. As Beth puts it, the people who moved in were not leaving. When a twin single with a deck facing the woods finally became available, they took it.

“It is a lot of work to move, but it does not get any easier the longer you wait.” –Beth, Willow Brook Village

Twenty Years of Research, One Phone Call That Changed Everything

Joe and Karen spent nearly two decades researching senior living options. They read Mary Pipher’s book Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders. They had friends living in life plan communities. They knew what they wanted: a stand-alone home, green space, and a light-filled floor plan.

The green space set Willow Brook Run apart from everything else they had seen. They were determined to live in a twin-single home, but with no vacancies, they felt it might be time to look at another community that could accommodate them sooner. 

Before they signed on the dotted line, they felt a “God-nudge” to call Willow Brook to see if there might be any openings in the Commons apartments instead. As they were about to call, the phone rang: it was Willow Brook, asking if they might be interested in an available apartment with a bay window, balcony, and tons of natural light. 

They took it as a sign and took the apartment.

They also wanted to make things easier for their children. Nothing was wrong. But they had watched other families make this decision in crisis.

“We wanted to simplify things for our kids,” Joe said.

They signed the paperwork and moved in during the pandemic. That meant fourteen days in quarantine in their new apartment, with no restaurant, no activities, and no neighbors to meet.

“We were grateful to have each other, our health, the Preservation Parks of Delaware County, and car rides in the country!” Karen recalls.

They kept their sense of humor. And, eventually, the world reopened.

What Surprised Both Couples After the Move

Beth and Gary: More People Than They Expected

Within six months of moving in, Beth and Gary had met more than 50 people at Willow Brook, despite spending January through March as snowbirds in Florida.

Beth believes Willow Brook works for both introverts and extroverts. Residents can be as involved or as independent as they want to be, she says. She points to Julie’s cardio drumming class, chair volleyball, and volunteer opportunities as examples.

What she values most, though, is the Willow Brook Team. “The people who work here are professionals who care about us,” she says, “and there are enough of them.”

Willow Brook’s Cherith skilled nursing neighborhood holds a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the highest rating CMS awards.

Gary’s practical note to anyone preparing to move: they brought too much. He suggests measuring carefully before moving day.

The couple also likes that they use their car less. “Everything we need is on campus,” they said.

Joe and Karen: Community Keeps Expanding

Joe and Karen came in with realistic expectations. That may be why they have been so pleased.

“There is no perfect place,” Karen says. That perspective made it easier to settle in, connect with neighbors, and appreciate everything Willow Brook Run has to offer.

One thing they didn’t expect is how far community life stretches beyond the campus gates. The city of Delaware and its restaurants, shops, and amenities, along with the robust local Preservation Parks system and a picturesque rural countryside, have become part of their daily life.

They have neighbors who check on them. Friends who save them a seat at dinner. They are grateful for a full continuum of care on campus, knowing they will not have to move again if their needs change. And they lean on their faith, believing they are exactly where they are supposed to be.

“Seeking doesn’t stop when you move here.” –Joe, Willow Brook Run

The Advice They Would Give You

Neither couple moved in a hurry. Between them, they spent the better part of three decades researching, visiting communities, and watching others face the same crossroads. That experience shaped their collective advice:

• Start your research before you think you need to. Good communities have long waiting lists.
• Choose a not-for-profit life plan community with a strong care continuum. You want to know that care will be there without another move.
• Set realistic expectations. No community is perfect, but the right one will surprise you.
• Think about your children, not just yourself. Moving while you are healthy and independent is a gift you give to your family.
• When you move, measure twice and bring less than you think you need.
• Do not wait for a crisis to make the decision for you.

A Decision That Opened Doors

Different roads, different years, different circumstances. Both arrived at the same outcome: the relief of making a thoughtful decision before they had to.

If you are somewhere in the middle of this decision, the worry before the move is almost always bigger than the move itself. The friendships come. The support team shows up. The community extends further than you might expect.

And the people who chose the wooded deck, the bay window, and the apartment that almost wasn’t theirs? They tend not to look back.

Ready to learn more about Willow Brook Christian Communities?

Willow Brook offers both independent living and multiple healthcare options at two of its three communities, Willow Brook Village and Willow Brook Run, both located in Delaware, Ohio. Both are not-for-profit life plan communities built around a continuum of care that lets residents stay in one place as their needs change.

Contact us to schedule a personal tour or learn about joining our waiting list.

Prepared by Claypoole Communications