Margaret Coe and Her Family Agree--Wind Crest is a Great Choice

Soon after moving to Wind Crest, the Erickson Senior Living community in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Margaret Coe realized something had changed--instead of waking up each morning at the crack of dawn, she was able to sleep in.

As she explained it to her daughter, Debra, "It's because I feel safe here."

Margaret told Debra that, despite having a nice house in Grand Junction, Colo., she hadn't felt completely comfortable living alone since her husband had passed away nine years prior. The neighbors were great, but none of her children--David, Patrick, and Debra--were closer than a four-and-a-half-hour drive.

"There was no way for any of us to quickly get to Mom if there were any kind of an emergency," Debra says.

Today, in her spacious two-bedroom, two-bath Wind Crest apartment home, Margaret says, "I feel so secure here. I know that when I go to bed at night, I have people watching out for me."

Choosing Wind Crest

While living in Grand Junction, Margaret knew she wanted to move to a continuing care retirement community. A neighbor had given her information about Wind Crest, and since it was closer to where David lived, she decided to check it out.

At the end of her first visit, Margaret was impressed. "I fell in love with the place!" she recalls.

She joined the Priority List, ensuring that she would be first in line for the apartment home of her choice when she was ready to make the move. 

Between that time and when she moved in four years later, David, Patrick, and Debra made a number of visits to the community. 

"All of us were looking at different aspects of the lifestyle. We were Team Margaret," Debra says, with a laugh.

Head and shoulders above

For David, there was no comparison between Wind Crest and the other continuing care retirement communities they looked at.

"It wasn't even close," he notes. "The levels of care, the amazing quality of the food, the amenities, and everything else. Wind Crest was just head and shoulders above anything else that's in the area."

David and his siblings also appreciated the convenient access to quality health care. Now, Margaret sees a primary care doctor right on campus for routine wellness visits. 

And if she ever has any kind of urgent health issue, members of the security staff--who are also trained as emergency responders--would arrive in a matter of minutes. 

The nine unique on-site restaurants are another perk. Instead of cooking meals for one, Margaret is enjoying a variety of made-to-order dishes, especially at The Fly'n B and the Fireside. Debra and David often join her, saying, "The menus are absolutely wonderful!"

'It took anxiety away'

The Coe family is also impressed with how much help they received before, during, and after Margaret's move.

Beth Brandenburg, a planning and moving consultant at Wind Crest, introduced Margaret and Debra to the benefits of Erickson Realty and Moving Services--an exclusive program for Priority List members of the community. 

Debra appreciated the personal attention, recalling how they sat at Margaret's kitchen table in Grand Junction, reviewing her new apartment home's dimensions and helping Margaret decide what furniture she wanted to bring with her. 

"The moving service was great. Wind Crest arranged all of it," says David. "They made it so seamless. It took a lot of the anxiety away from us." 

Connecting with neighbors

After moving in, Margaret wasted no time joining clubs and making new friends with her hundreds of neighbors. "I'm no longer living alone. I'm surrounded by so many kind residents!" she says. 

Margaret attends a Catholic mass on campus each week, participates in a weekly Rosary group, and belongs to a crafting group.

"She likes the opportunities to connect," says Debra. In fact, a party Margaret hosted last fall welcomed more than 30 guests.

Besides entertaining, Margaret loves to bake. When someone new moves in, you can bet they'll get a coffee cake or other delicious treat, and staff members receive fresh brownies, cookies, or lemon bars on their birthdays. 

Family ties

Being closer to her children is also a welcome change--for the entire family. "In the first two weeks she was at Wind Crest, we saw her more than we did in the previous two years. My wife and I take her out to dinner or shopping. It's great," David says.

Debra adds, "When friends ask about my mom, I use the word 'thrive' because she's absolutely thriving at Wind Crest!"

To learn more about senior living at Wind Crest, request your free brochure to get the scoop on amenities, floor plans, and so much more.