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Tag: hellenic senior living

U.S. Congressman Yakym Visits Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka

Posted on by Andrew Kaffes

MISHAWAKA, INDIANA— U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) visited AHEPA Senior Living’s Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawka, a 136-unit affordable assisted living lifestyle community, on June 2, 2023.

“We were excited to welcome Congressman Yakym to Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka,” AHEPA Senior Living (ASL) President and CEO Steve Beck said. “We applaud his commitment to Indiana’s older adults, and his interest in learning about our mission to provide seniors with safe and dignified affordable housing and the quality aging services they need to thrive. We thank him for choosing to visit our community and for spending time with our residents, board members, and our team.”

In a Facebook post, Congressman Yakym wrote, “Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka does great work to serve our senior Hoosiers and ensure they can enjoy an independent lifestyle. Thanks to the residents for welcoming me and sharing your wisdom with me today!”

Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka is located at 1540 Logan Street. It is owned and managed by AHEPA Senior Living.

Hellenic Senior Living offers low-income seniors, 62 and older, access to affordable and safe residential apartment-home living with the availability of personal assistance, medication administration, and a variety of support services, such as meals, housekeeping, laundry, socialization, and transportation. Residences are one‐bedroom or studio apartments, which include a handicap-adaptable full bathroom, individually controlled heating and cooling, an emergency call system, and a kitchenette.

In addition to HSL of Mishawaka, ASL manages three other affordable assisted living lifestyle communities under the Hellenic Senior Living brand in Indianapolis, New Albany, and Elkhart.

“On behalf of our Board of Directors, we have been delighted and honored to welcome many public officials to our communities,” ASL Chairman Ike Gulas said. “We are most pleased to welcome Congressman Yakym, with whom we just met in Washington in May. His visit marks the ongoing affirmation of the appreciation of public officials for the bold vision of our company’s mission-driven founders, and their commitment to give back to the community, by providing quality affordable housing for older adults.”

In addition to Congressman Yakym, ASL has welcomed several U.S. government officials to its communities. U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) visited AHEPA 232 Apartments in Indianapolis, U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-IN) visited AHEPA 78 VI in Merrillville, Ind., U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge accompanied by U.S. Reps. Al Green (D-TX), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), and Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) toured AHEPA 29 Apartments campus of Houston; U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) also visited AHEPA 232 in Indianapolis, and the late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) visited Hellenic Senior Living of Elkhart.

About ASL

Serving more than 5,000 older adults across the United States, AHEPA Senior Living (ASL) is a mission-driven, nationwide provider of affordable independent and assisted senior living communities. Since 1980, it has developed and managed more than 90 affordable independent senior living communities in 21 states administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program.

Through its subsidiaries, ASL owns and manages four affordable assisted living communities with 532 units in Indiana.

The mission of ASL is to provide older adults with safe, healthy, and enriching affordable residential communities and quality services that allow them to thrive and enjoy peace of mind.

ASL is based in Fishers, Ind.

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Making new friends while in Assisted Living

Posted on by Andrew Kaffes

A fear many residents experience before moving into an assisted living community is that they will be lonely, but this is simply not true! When you live in assisted living, staying connected with others is essential. All of AHEPA Senior Living’s Hellenic Senior Living affordable assisted living lifestyle communities host many group activities and opportunities to learn new things, see new places, and meet new people. In fact, after moving into an assisted living community, many residents find new friends with similar interests. If you’re thinking about moving into one of our communities, but think you won’t have any friends, this post is for you – keep reading!

Planned Events

Events are a great way to make new friends. At Hellenic Senior Living communities, we have events that residents can attend. Check out our busy Community Calendar at Hellenic Senior Living of New Albany! By attending these events, residents can make new friends and have fun! We regularly host off-site outings which can be an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded individuals in your community.

Not everyone is outgoing, and that’s okay! We also host community activities in which learning is the main objective. There are so many activities you can take part in to ease yourself into getting to know others. For example, we host bingo nights, crafting classes, book clubs, and so much more. The recent holiday season, members of the Hellenic Senior Living of Indianapolis community got together to decorate stockings, listen to Christmas music, and play Christmas Bingo—and even holiday shopped thanks to paparazzi jewelry and craft vendors!

Common Areas

It’s essential to leave your room, even if it’s just for a few minutes. You might not think it, but leaving your room can help you meet new people. By walking around and meeting people in common areas, you can easily strike up a conversation about what they’re currently doing, any hobbies you might have in common, places you’ve traveled, or anything else you can think of. You’ll find that others in your community have similar interests and just want to make friends! Frequenting the common areas will likely result in meeting other residents in a less formal setting.

One-on-One Activities

Everyone is nervous about asking someone to do something one-on-one. What if the other person says, no? Well, it doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Start small – ask if the other person would like to join a community activity with you. Maybe you know they love a dish you’ve got a great recipe for – ask if they would let you make it for them.

If you still want to ease into it, invite friends outside of the assisted living community over for dinner parties or other gatherings so that they can meet new people who live in your new community! Other ideas can include attending a movie together, going out for food, or even hosting small group gatherings at your home.

Keep an Open Mind

Be friendly and keep an open mind when meeting new people. If you’re new to an assisted living community, it’s easy to feel like you don’t know anyone there – you might not, but neither did anyone else when they first got there. But if you try your best to make friends with others in your community, your circle will eventually grow and expand beyond just the people directly adjacent to your room!

You’ve heard the phrase, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” This holds especially true because you don’t know what others are going through. It is crucial to keep an open mind when trying to connect with others. Once you get to know the individual, you may find that your initial thoughts were off, and they were just having a bad day.

Stay Connected!

It’s important for seniors living in assisted living communities to stay connected with others. By staying open to making new friends and following the above advice, residents will scoff at the idea that its lonely in the community. At our Hellenic Senior Living communities there’s always something new to try and someone new to meet!

Debunking Myths about Assisted Living

Posted on by Andrew Kaffes

Introduction

AHEPA Senior Living’s Hellenic Senior Living affordable assisted living lifestyle communities are attractive options for income-qualified older adults, 62 and older, who are seeking assistance with daily activities yet desiring to maintain their independence. Our communities provide the support and assistance necessary for residents to age with dignity among their friends and peers.

Unfortunately, there are misperceptions out there about assisted living. Often, someone’s negative experience is retold and embellished, over and over. And while it’s important to do your due diligence when researching living options for you or your loved one, it’s also important to be able to distinguish between truth and myths.

Over the years, we’ve heard several persistent myths circulating about the living conditions inside an assisted living community. Today, we’re here to debunk some of the more popular ones. Just have a look at a series of activities conducted by Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka that easily dispel them.

 

Myth: Residents aren’t allowed to leave

Fact: Residents are allowed to leave the facility whenever they want, and many choose to participate in community-sponsored events!

Residents of our communities are free to come and go as they please. Our community members frequently go to church functions or other social events with family and friends in the area, visit a museum or a movie, or enjoy group outing to a local eatery. For example, HSL of Mishawaka residents toured the National Studebaker Museum in South Bend. We even provide transportation services to local area events a few times a month on average.

 

Myth: Residents have no autonomy

Fact: Residents are free to be themselves and pursue their passions

In addition to residents being able to be active and out and about in the community, an assisted living setting allows a resident to be one’s own self and pursue passions or interests, including charitable or philanthropic. Twelve HSL of Mishawaka residents attended a luncheon fundraiser in support of the Alzheimer’s Association at the Local Hacienda.  REAL Services and AseraCare Hospice Care were the two main contributing hosts organizations for the event. Both companies actively are involved with the Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka community, providing various services.

“We went in support and the residents enjoyed a wonderful lunch,” HSL of Mishawaka Executive Director Leslie Dezarn.

Separately, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a resident showcased her memorabilia in celebration of Dr. King and his legacy.

 

Myth: Residents are lonely and bored

Fact: Residents typically find a sense of community

Senior isolation and loneliness are serious concerns, even gaining the attention of the U.S. Senate’s Special Committee on Aging. 33% of older adults suffer from loneliness.

Assisted living communities are designed to help individuals get the assistance they need without inhibiting the sense of exploration and learning that all of us enjoy. They provide a safe environment so residents can go out on day trips or join activities with their friends and families.

Further, many community activities are hosted, from arts and crafts, classes to learn new things such as cooking or another language, and games with other residents.

You’ll find even the simplest of things will make a difference — for example a Valentine’s Tree at Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka that showcases “Community Love.”

 

Myth: The food is horrible

Fact: Assisted living communities offer a broad range of dining options!

Variety is the key to a healthy diet, and our dining room helps provide a wide range of options. At Hellenic Senior Living, we offer a “light lunch affair” alternative to a heavy meal at noon, and it’s turned into a resident favorite! Additionally, there are plenty of opportunities to get off-site and enjoy a meal!

We have an open invite for interested individuals to schedule a lunch and tour anytime.

 

Don’t believe everything you hear about assisted living.

AHEPA Senior Living’s Hellenic Senior Living assisted living lifestyle communities are designed to be a place where older adults seeking assistance with daily activities can live affordably and maintain their independence!

 

Conclusion

The most common misconceptions about assisted living communities are that residents are stuck in their rooms all day and unable to leave. However, this isn’t true for everyone—and if it is for you, you should talk with your loved one about options such as a shared living space or even an apartment of their own. And don’t forget that there are plenty of ways to make friends at your new home!