If I could no longer stay in my own home, what would be my wishes?
- Stay in my hometown (because this is where all my friends and family are).
- Find a cozy but spacious place (not too big and not too small – think Goldilocks).
- Have access to beautiful indoor and outdoor areas where I can entertain family and friends.
- Be able to enjoy gardening without worrying about upkeep.
- Have opportunities to make new friends.
- Be in a place where I don’t have to give up who I am. That is and will be my biggest concern until my last breath.
This is my personal list – yours might include other things. While I concede that it may be time to let others cook for me, help me
clean and even wash my clothes, I don’t want to give up who I am. I want to wake up every morning to the smell of coffee and the sound of birds singing, go to breakfast with my friends and chat about the day’s agenda. I want my biggest concern to be whether I attend book club or art class today. I want to be as busy as I choose to be, and I want to eat well.
While this sounds more like a bed and breakfast than an assisted-living or personal-care home, I’m talking about DayBreak Village Senior Living in Kennesaw. It really is the bed and breakfast of senior living: cozy, yet spacious, friendly, inclusive, active and beautifully situated in the woods off Cherokee Street.
Ben and Stephanie Harbour bought DayBreak in 2005 and, since then, have been involved intimately in the day-to-day operations, from the menus to choosing the color of the mulch outside. Because of their hands-on approach, Ben and Stephanie are available to address concerns or requests and to make decisions immediately. No red tape. No corporate hassles. That’s boutique-catered living at its finest.
DayBreak offers everything needed as aging progresses: medication management, secure memory care, and in-house care from nurse practitioners, dentists and podiatrists, along with home health and hospice care. Residents have access to multicultural church services, a hair salon and activities ranging from art classes to various clubs to exercise. Care is a priority, with around-the-clock access to fully trained caregivers. Chef-inspired meals and day trips spoil the residents.
But what you can’t put on a list, yet everyone wants, is the feeling of being at home when you walk through the door. DayBreak is big enough for hosting and entertaining family and friends, but cozy and intimate enough to make you feel like you belong and are special. That’s when you know you are a “Villager.”
It’s truly home, just like a bed and breakfast where you wake up smelling the coffee and hearing the birds singing. But don’t take my word for it. Go for a visit, eat a meal there, talk to the people who live there so you experience the difference. See for yourself if you don’t just happen to feel the kismet as you walk through the door!
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