If you’re considering senior living, it’s important to hear from residents who’ve gone through the process of transiting to a senior living community. Jeanne lives with her golden retriever/labrador retriever Joyce at Era Living's Aljoya Mercer Island retirement community.

Jeanne says, "I decided that I didn't want to live in my own home. I loved my house, and loved my neighbors, and my family. But any time I didn't feel well, I got really anxious. So I wanted to go someplace that had a health service. And I looked at 12 places, I didn't go into all of them. My criteria was that they would take a big dog — most places don't — and that we could walk out the door and go for a walk. Aljoya Mercer Island ... is the only one that met those criteria, and I was happy to move. I've been happy since the day I walked in the door. And they found the perfect apartment for me. I wanted a one bedroom den, where I could get out to the outside without going through the building."

Jeanne adds, "I think the biggest surprise to me was that I have more friends than I've had since I was in college. It's not like living in a condo, where you walk out and you don't know anybody. You walk out and somebody is there, you may not even know them, but you talk to them and, and it's very friendly."

“I would say one other thing — because I've been on the music committee and had to find musical activities, and had to advertise them, I have found a creative side to myself that I never thought of. I mean, I can sew and I can knit and I can do crown and cross stitch and that, but I just never had the opportunity to be in charge of something where I really didn't have to report to anybody. And have funds for things. I think that's been one of the most rewarding things of being here."

Hear more podcasts from Era Living at Answers for Elders, including conversations with other residents, at Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/era-living/

Learn more about:
Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/.
Era Living at Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/era-living/
Era Living's website: https://www.eraliving.com/
Aljoya Mercer Island, located at 2430 76th Ave SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040-2807: http://www.eraliving.com/communities/mercer-island/

Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/
Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

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