V!VA Retirement Communities’ abundant amenities let residents live life to the fullest
There are many retirement homes in Ottawa and surrounding area, but none of them can match V!VA Barrhaven Retirement Communities’ amenities.
“I feel like I’m living in a five-star hotel,” said Jane Grant, 79, who moved in with her husband in December. “It really feels like that, but it’s my home now.”
V!VA Barrhaven has 145 suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, ranging in size from studio to two-bedroom apartments, and offers an all-inclusive lifestyle with three daily meals. There is weekly housekeeping, a full activity calendar, a shuttle bus to enable community members to get out and around town, a gym, a café, a movie theatre, a saltwater pool and even a golf simulator which is the first one of its kind at any retirement community in Canada.
“This is really meant to be a place that is vibrant,” said Chelsea Ramsay, the community relations manager at V!VA Barrhaven. “It’s encouraging people to get out to do things. There is tons of natural light and really nice finishes. A lot of folks come in and say this really feels like a cruise ship. The main difference is that this is their home so we put a lot of emphasis on the quality of the people we hire because we know the better quality that our team is, the better care that is going to be delivered to our community members.
“We’ve put more emphasis on our amenities that encourage social interaction so our Perks Café is the central hub of the retirement community,” she said. “It really encourages people to spend time with one another and meet new people; new neighbours as well as friends from outside the community. We encourage a lot of interaction with local organizations and groups.”
Community resident Grant has discovered that for herself. “I like what V!VA does,” she said. “They’re different from most retirement homes. There’s a purpose for living here. You’re not just all by yourself. You can interact with other people. There are places to go. You’re not stuck in your room. There’s always somebody to talk to. You can go down and have a cup of coffee or tea with someone who’s sitting there. They want to talk to you too. It’s a nice way of living.”
As we age, health becomes an issue and V!VA Retirement Communities is equipped to help its members with any medical problems they face.
“We have a dedicated assisted living floor where we are able to help folks age in place so there’s no need for them to move out if they face some health challenges,” said Ramsay. “We have a wellness team, including a nurse, and we have a doctor on site once a week so we’re able to address any of those health challenges.”
For more information visit http://www.vivalife.ca/communities/ottawa/barrhaven or call 613-823-0220.