At The Village of St. Edward in Fairlawn, the caring staff helps you navigate the unknown for those exploring senior care
By Patricia Nugent
The decision for seniors to move from their homes to independent living at a senior care community can be emotional and difficult. They must face leaving what is familiar and consider what’s unknown to them.
At The Village of St. Edward in Fairlawn, the caring staff acts as trusted advisors to people who are exploring senior levels of care such as, Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care Assisted Living, Rehabilitation, and Nursing Care.
Founded in 1964, the expansive faith-based campus includes independent living, supported and assisted living, a rehabilitation and nursing center for round-the-clock care, and memory care units.
“Since the community has been around for so long, we find that many people that tour with us, actually have had previous friends or family members here,” says Sales and Admissions Director Courtnae Bailey. “One of the biggest concerns people have when thinking about the transition to independent living is the continuum of care, and whether they can stay here if they need to eventually move to assisted living or memory care.”
Moving Sooner, Not Later
“From my experience we love seeing people move into Independent Living communities sooner rather than later,” says Courtnae. “It can be so fun and beneficial, offering them support services, socialization and a maintenance-free lifestyle.”
“They enjoy weekly housekeeping and sharing healthy meals with others prepared by our culinary team,” she continues. “We see them thrive in this bustling social setting. They’ve lived a long life and deserve to be well taken care of and not worry about the upkeep of their home.”
She also mentions the safety precautions go a long way in protecting residents. Everyone wears an alert pendant and they receive automated calls each day in the morning to make sure they are all right. If they don’t answer the first one, two more are made. If they don’t answer those, security is alerted and makes a personal call. If that isn’t answered, they go to the resident’s apartment to see if everything is all right.
In terms of wellness, Courtnae says they offer an extra layer of care for those in independent living with a Wellness Clinic on Monday and Wednesday. Nurse Linda Dreese takes vitals and answers any questions about health issues or medications.
Meet Betty Berg
Betty Berg moved to independent living at the Village five years ago after her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
“We lived in a split-level house, and it had become clear we needed something more manageable,” she says. “We were acquainted with several people who lived here whom we had visited. When we began to tour places, this one was already at the top of our list.”
She reports the first thing she noticed about the campus was how bright, cheerful and inviting the dining room was, where everyone seemed to gather.
“We were also looking for a place with memory care as we knew he would eventually need that,” she says. “He was able to stay with me in independent for the first 10 months we were here, which was nice. I’ve made many friends, both with fellow residents as well as the staff, who are remarkable and caring,” says Betty, who is now 87 and still an avid bingo player.
“The staff really goes out of their way to meet your every need,” she says. “When we first moved here, I still had my car. Now I take the bus they offer for grocery shopping, and car to escort me to and from doctor’s appointments. It’s all quite convenient.”
The faith-based, not-for-profit Village of St. Edward has three locations: Fairlawn, at 3125 Smith Road, 330-668-2828; Green, 3813 Fortuna Drive, 234-294-0010; and Wadsworth, 880 Main Street, 234-217-8735. There are no long-term contracts and residents will not be asked to leave if they run out of funds. For more information, or to take a virtual visit, go to VSECommunities.org.