For the adult children of older parents, helping your loved one maintain their independence and active lifestyle throughout their retired years can be quite a journey. For Alyse and her father who currently lives at The Hearth at Drexel, making the decision together to move her father to this beautiful community has been a choice that continues to bring peace of mind, fulfillment and joy to both of their lives. Kylie Hood, Director of Sales and Marketing at The Hearth, sits down with Alyse as she shares what motivated her and her father to choose this close-knit community and how it has benefited their lives.

Why choose The Hearth at Drexel? The benefits of compassionate care, a close-knit community, and personalized service

Alyse says she has been helping older adults in her family for many years. “I cared for my two aunts, my grandmother, and my mom before my dad,” she reflects. “My father always wanted to remain autonomous and live in his apartment or with me,” Alyse adds. As Alyse’s father approached his later years, he was diagnosed with a condition that attacks the muscles in his heart. “We didn’t know what it was for a while. It was difficult to see this very mentally sharp, and really together man struggle,” she says.

After Alyse’s mother passed away many years ago, her father would come to her house for dinner several nights each week. “Due to his condition, his leg started to swell up and he was exhausted often and he had trouble getting into my house,” Alyse explains. Struggling to visit his daughter as well as attend his local senior centers that he had been a part of for years, Alyse and her father knew it was time to look for a retirement community that could provide fulfillment, activity, and independence.

Touring several communities, The Hearth’s dedication to compassionate care and personalized service stood out to Alyse and her father and ultimately motivated them to make this very important decision. “We wanted a community that felt small, intimate, and personal. And one where there were plenty of activities beyond the usual older adult activities,” Alyse explains.

As her father desired an active lifestyle, discovering The Hearth’s engaging community life programs was certainly a plus. “My dad really liked that the Lower Merion Historical Society would come to The Hearth and that they would take residents to the Philadelphia Flower Show or the Archaeology and Anthropology Museum at the University of Pennsylvania, and all of these activities for people that didn’t seem so defined by age,” she affirms.

Discover the joy of an active, fulfilling retirement for you and your loved one!

Safety amidst COVID-19 brings peace of mind to residents and families

While Alyse indicates that these kinds of outings and activities occurred before the COVID-19 pandemic, she says that engagement, security, and care for her father at The Hearth remain consistent.

How have you and your family benefitted from moving to The Hearth at Drexel?

“My father and I have benefitted enormously since he moved to The Hearth. The peace of mind I’ve had during this crazy crisis of COVID-19 is comforting.”

I am constantly amazed by The Hearth’s staff. Any time I need to talk to someone, they’re available. The Executive Director, Dana O’Donnell, is a Registered Nurse and I think that is a huge plus. She knows the health care side of things and she knows the families. Dana helps my dad a lot, and I wouldn’t expect that from an Executive Director. That personal attention is extraordinary. And it makes me feel really good that my dad is happy.

As Alyse experiences great peace of mind knowing her father is living a safe, fulfilling, and happy life, she is thrilled with The Hearth’s dedication to compassionate care. When asked what she would advise to other adult children looking to give their parents a fulfilled and joyful retirement, her genuine response speaks for itself. “I would say if you are able to move to The Hearth, your loved one will feel very, very lucky and that you will sleep very well at night knowing they’re taken care of,” she affirms.