John Borge and his mother Ella. Ella has been an Eventide Senior Living Communities resident since 2014.
Ella Borge moved into Eventide Senior Living Communities in 2014 at the age of 88.
Today, at 97, the mother of six, grandmother and great-grandmother many times over, Ella has called Eventide home for nine years and has continued to thrive year after year, thanks in part to our continuum of care model.
Ella’s son and primary care partner John Borge said he can’t think of a community better suited to his mother’s needs.
“When it came time to help Mom make the move, I had no doubt in my mind it would be Eventide,” John said. “We didn’t even look anywhere else. The care is fantastic.”
Wholesome care
Ella lived in the home she shared with her husband for 40 years before moving to Eventide. But a mix of overwhelm caused by house maintenance and Ella’s increasing mobility issues prompted the family to be proactive about the future.
At first, Ella moved into an apartment in the senior living community where she lived independently for a number of years. John has always been around to check in on his mother, and while many benefits stand out for them, he always comes back to the “wholesome” nature of Eventide’s continuum of care model.
“This place is nice. Really nice. In a wholesome way,” John said.
When choosing Eventide, the family wanted to be sure Ella had all the activities and independence she enjoyed while living on her own, but with the peace of mind that comes with elevated safety measures managed by professionals.
Ella spent — and still spends — a lot of her time in the wellness center working with physical and occupational therapists. It keeps her active and engaged in a way that she seems to really enjoy, according to John.
Supportive care model
A big part of Eventide’s continuum of care model is ensuring all residents live the lifestyle that is best suited to them. If a resident, for example, moves into independent living but later needs more physical assistance, it’s very easy to add services as needed.
Eventide’s continuum of care includes many different home environments, all which provide hospitality and wellness 24/7:
● Senior living apartments, offering independent and assisted living
● Transitional/rehabilitation care
● Memory care
● Skilled nursing care
● Hospice and home care
Social life and activities
The Borge family also considered Ella’s personal living preferences, knowing she’d be happiest in a place where she could have her own space, but also socialize when she felt like it. Eventide has an activities calendar busting with opportunities to socialize, exercise and be creative. Residents can choose what they want to be involved in and when they’d rather just have a cup of coffee in their rooms.
Memory care
After suffering a stroke, Ella experienced cognitive issues that meant she’d thrive even more if she moved to Eventide’s memory care apartments, which is located within the same community she’d been used to living for years now.
“Being able to transition and stay within the community and go from assisted living to memory care to nursing care was huge,” John said. “It’s so nice it’s all here. The trauma of moving is a big deal, but to be able to just do that is so good.”
During her time in memory care, Ella and John often took advantage of the outdoor patio. “Mom would walk, walk, walk, and we’d get outside every chance we could. The patio area in the memory care apartments was a great place to get some fresh air,” John said. “It’s also much easier on her brain to picture moving from one space she’s familiar with to another space she’s familiar with, rather than moving to a whole different building. That would have just been confusing for her.”
Transitional care
In her time at Eventide, Ella has experienced two strokes, which led her to times living in transitional care where she recovered and received physical and occupational therapy.
“On top of everything, when she needed transitional care, everyone has just been great. Mom never wants to be a hassle, she says, and never has a staff member ever made her feel like she’s asking for too much. They’re always cool as a cucumber,” John said.
Eventide’s transitional care community is designed to help people recover after illness or injury. People of all ages live with us temporarily while they heal from hip replacements, strokes and other life events that require higher levels of care. Rehabilitation is managed by our certified, licensed practitioners and focuses on getting people back to being the best they can be.
Skilled nursing
In March 2023, the family decided to move Ella from memory care to skilled nursing after she experienced another stroke that left her unable to walk for a time.
“Memory care was great, but I just noticed this difference. They’re always very good about checking on her in the nursing area, “John said. “But no matter where she’s lived here, the staff, the CNAs, everyone is always so good.”
Since Ella moved into skilled nursing, she’s regained some of her walking abilities, thanks to physical therapy and a can-do attitude. Moreover, as Ella’s needs continue to change, John has peace of mind that his mother is safe and happy.
“I work and travel a lot, so when I’m going to be gone for five days at a time, it’s a comfort knowing the staff is here looking in on her,” he said.
Through it all, Ella’s attitude hasn’t changed. “She’s so likable and very pleasant. She’s great. She’s a horse!” John said. “And yes, the benefits of this place is being connected in that continuum of care, but it’s also peace of mind.”
Learn more about Eventide’s communities
Each of our communities offers unique services and features, while consistently delivering Eventide’s outstanding level of personal care and service.
