Weathering the Winter

Two short months into their three-month trial, John and Enzina Davis's decision was made. The couple was participating in Friendship Village's Weather the Winter program which offers a three-month no-obligation trial stay. "We liked the staff, everyone was very friendly. They seemed to try to accommodate anything you want, and we liked the food. We liked the services and the atmosphere so we decided that we were going to stay," said John.

The couple had been living in Columbia, Illinois, where John was the assistant director of admissions and records at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and Enzina was a second-grade teacher. "Our son lives in Arlington Heights and we didn't have any family where we were," said John. "Our health was fine, but we wanted to be near family so they could help us if we needed it."

Enzina and John looked at several retirement communities before learning about Friendship Village's Weather the Winter program. "'We thought that rather than making a full commitment, it would be better to come on a temporary basis and then make a more informed decision," said John. "It's a beautiful place. It didn't take us long to decide."

"There's a lot to do here; there are lots of programs and activities," John said. "We know there's a lot available. We're not big joiners; we're kind of private but it's nice that we have a choice. If you want to be active, there's plenty to do. If you want to stay to yourself, that's your choice. They're no pressure. They want you to be happy."

What's important to the couple, is the fact that Friendship Village offers all levels of care under one roof. "We have good care available to us if we need it," said Enzina. "We visited some places where they had apartments in one location and long term care somewhere else. It wasn't all together like it is here," said John.

"This is a really nice environment. They keep it to a high standard," said John. "We're happy to be here. We feel confident that we made the right choice."

Friendship Village

Friendship Village is a leading Chicago-area retirement community offering a complete continuum of care including independent living garden homes and apartment homes, as well as assisted living, memory support, skilled care, and short- and long-term rehabilitation services. For more than 40 years, Friendship Village has been providing Chicago area seniors with exceptional retirement living options. For additional information visit www.FriendshipVillage.org