When Jim Sterling was present for the groundbreaking of St. George Village back in 2003, he and his wife, Alice, were interested in the community… but not yet ready to leave their home in a nearby subdivision. They visited again in 2005 when the life care community opened for residency… and Jim still wasn’t ready to leave home. But two years later, the Sterlings knew it was finally the right time to make St. George Village their permanent home.
“Even though we were both still active and able to drive at the time, the signs were there. Little things started happening,” recalls Alice. “We were eventually going to need some help.”
The Sterlings first moved into a two-bedroom apartment, and later downsized to a one-bedroom apartment when they realized they needed even less space. Then, when they both needed the help that Alice had foreseen, the couple moved into The Springs, the assisted living community within St. George Village.
The Sterlings are still able to enjoy all of the amenities that were available to them in independent living, but they now receive welcome assistance with day-to-day tasks.
“We enjoy three meals a day in the dining room, and all of the cleaning and any shopping we need is done for us now,” says Alice, who has experienced issues with her shoulder. “Our laundry is also done for us — three times a week! I have assistance with showering and we have help for any other health needs we might experience.”
Although Alice and Jim no longer drive, they don’t worry about transportation. They simply take advantage of SGV’s bus service, which ferries them to doctors’ appointments, the bank, grocery store, pharmacy and local department stores. Alice plays bridge a couple of times a week and reads voraciously. And Jim, although he doesn’t get out on the golf course as he did in the past, is still a sport — he loves watching baseball and football. They both enjoy the beautiful grounds outdoors at SGV.
“We originally came to St. George Village for all the amenities you can enjoy while still living independently. But we knew when we needed help, the facilities and staff would be there for us,” says Alice. “We really don’t lack for anything, now that we’ve moved into assisted living. I’m glad we’re here!