The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Senior housing need answered
Assisted living options offered for seniors
Cozy cottages, apartments with up-to-date amenities and small houses for memory care assisted living are the options now available for Northeast Ohio seniors at the newly constructed Notre Dame Village.
Located in Western Geauga County, on the campus of Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, the Notre Dame Village offers independent and supportive residences for adults 65 years or older.
“Notre Dame Village is a unique collaboration between two nonprofit organizations: the Sisters of Notre Dame, an international congregation of more than 2,000 apostolic women religious, and Jennings, which as been serving Northeast Ohio for more than 75 years, offering residences and services for adults,” said Angela Sedivy, communications associate for Sisters of Notre Dame.
Sister Margaret Gorman, the provincial superior, believes the village will help meet the need for available senior housing and healthcare services for the Sisters of Notre Dame and an aging local community.
“There is a great need for senior housing in Geauga County where 30 percent of the population will be age 60 and older by 2020,” Gorman said.
“The Sisters of Notre Dame have a rich history of service in a variety of ministries, specifically education. With the addition of Notre Dame Village , we have the opportunity to extend our charism and expand our ministry intergenerationally.”
“Although Notre Dame Village caters to the 65-plus population, Jennings’ intentions is to take full advantage of the standards of living and learning and create an inter-generational community that includes opportunity for engagement and relationships that allow for continued growth for all ages,” said Allison Salopeck, president and CEO of Jennings. “That is another very unique feature of what Notre Dame Village will be.
Gorman noted that the nuns look forward to welcoming the community onto the campus and that they will be a part of it.
“Our living facilities are full to capacity but it would
The 81 apartments are private with an open floor plan. Residents have the option to choose from studio or two-bedroom apartments. Both options included in-suite laundry room, underground parking and are maintenance free.
be very foolish to build just for ourselves at this stage,” Gorman said.
The two-bedroom, twobathroom open floor plan cottages, built by local home builder Payne and Payne, offer residents independent living and the ability to add upgrades to the residence and choose their own decor. The cottages are one-story homes with a 2 ½ -car attached garage. The village has the potential to construct 50 cottages but initially 12 of them have been completed. It’s estimated it will take between two to five years to get to the 50 cottages.
The first cottage became occupied on Aug. 20.
The 81 apartments are private with an open floor plan. Residents have the option to choose from studio or two-bedroom apartments. Both options included in-suite laundry room, underground parking and are maintenance free. Also included in the apartment building is a fitness room and dining hall available for use by anyone in the village or on the campus. As of Aug. 20 the apartments were about half full with approximately 40 residents living there.
The Small House assisted
living with memory care allows residents who suffer from memory issues such as dementia to live in a natural home setting which offers a holistic approach to each resident. The three Small Houses can accommodate up to 12 residents each. The Small Houses were surveyed by the state and The Village is waiting for the licensing to arrive for them.
The administration expects to be able to start accepting residents for assisted living with memory care next week.
They offer a shared kitchen, dining area, den and outdoor area.
Salopeck, feels that this collaboration which started four years ago when the two organizations started discussing developing some of the available land is a winwin situation for both The Sisters and Jennings.
“Adding to the beautiful landscape, the real attraction of Notre Dame Village is the ability to live in one place as a person ages,” Salopeck said. “In this neighborhood residents can truly continue to live the way they choose, and they can also access conveniences and support to enhance their lifestyle from lifelong
learning and trips to dining, home care, support with memory challenges and hospice.”
Salopeck also notes that Jennings’s core values of respect, compassion, community, celebration of life and discovery of potential fit right with those of The Sisters’. Jennings is a Catholic organization sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Spirit.
The village buildings are owned by the Sisters of Notre Dame but Jennings
will mange the operations. At full occupancy the village can accommodate 200 residents. The Development is a Catholic not-for-profit but is open to people of all faiths.
There are openings available for the cottages, the apartment and the small house assisted living with memory care.
Applications and additional information can be found at www.sndchardon. org or www.notredamevillage.org.