Change can be hard for a senior that has decided to make the transition to a senior care. At Windmill Ponds, you can be independent as you'd like all the while residing in an assisted living community. There are many ways our residents stay active, keep connections, find belonging, and are independent at Windmill Ponds.

Here are 7 ways Windmill Ponds provides opportunities to stay independent for our residents:

1. Transportation: Windmill Ponds offers accessible rides to allow residents freedom to go where they wish. Residents have the option to utilize the Rainbow Rider for an affordable, convenient to get where you're going in the local community. Windmill Ponds also has its own transportation bus that hosts excursions, outings, and shopping trips in and around Alexandria, Minnesota.

2. Large Apartments vs. Studios: Windmill Ponds has larger style apartments to allow residents much of the same experience they had before moving into Assisted Living. Residents have full-sized kitchens as well as individual rooms inside their living spaces. Also, our whole community is your home, so you now have many more living spaces than you did previously that you can invite guests to and enjoy with friends, new and old.

3. Activities Galore: Many of the activities and hobbies that residents enjoy are available at Windmill Ponds. Our programs and activities are resident-centered as we partner with residents to find out what they want to see on the calendar or how they want to stay active. Activities range from gardening, fishing, decorating cupcakes, and cards to bible studies, exercise classes or learning something new like a language or painting. Our Aspire - Life on Purpose lifestyle helps our residents find purpose, belonging, and connections in and outside of our community.

4. Community Involvement: Residents have the freedom to keep their relationships and memberships with groups that they've always been a part of such as churches/church groups, Knights of Columbus, Rotary, Lions, and AARP. These involvements allow individuals to be actively involved in their community while still getting the care they require. We'd be happy to host your group meetings or get together connections at Windmill Ponds.

5. Services and Support When Needed: At Windmill Ponds, we offer a range of services and supports that will cater to your needs and wants. Windmill Ponds offers everything from meals, housekeeping, laundry to personal emergency response systems, showers, medications, and assistance with all daily life activities. Your individualized plan will be exactly what you need and will be specific to you. You may have no physical care needs at all, and that's okay, we'll be here if and when you do with our 24/7 care.

6. Different Ranges of Independence: Every resident has different needs that Windmill Ponds can meet. Windmill Ponds has options for Independence Plus as well as Assisted Living. These two levels of care allow the resident to live a lifestyle that best suits them.

• Independence Plus: This level of care encourages residents to maintain a lifestyle that is more self-reliant and maintains their independence. This allows residents to continue doing everything they have done at home but have an environment where they can get the resources they need. They have access to care when they need it at the push of their emergency response pendant and also receive daily wellness checks for reassurance and peace of mind.
• Assisted Living: Residents who need an individualized plan of care with set times for assistance with daily life activities such as showering or dressing, benefit from Assisted Living. Resident care in this level is customized and allows each resident to get the desired level of care; Assisted Living provides more resources for individuals with more needs.

7. Home-Cooked, Healthy Meals: Residents have the freedom to choose if they want the meals provided from our talented culinary team or they can make their own meals in their full-sized. They can even get meals packaged for later if they cannot be accessed during the normal mealtime.

To speak with one of our advisors about independence at Windmill Ponds or share what's important to you, contact us via phone or email at (320) 298-4095 or windmillponds@vistaprairie.org . You can also learn more about us at by browsing our website and Facebook Page.