16 Jan Remona’s Story: Downsizing, Moving and the Luck of the Draw(s)

Before settling into Westerwood, Remona C. explored a dozen different senior living communities, each possessing a distinct charm. But when the time came to choose, she recalls the undeniable something that made Westerwood the clear winner. Discover how downsizing her belongings—and only keeping the essentials—ensured a seamless and less stressful transition.

Choosing Westerwood

For Remona, maintenance-free living along with peace of mind became top priorities.

“I had a three-bedroom, split-level home in Westerville that I had just renovated to exactly the way I wanted it when I discovered that I couldn’t take care of it by myself,” she says. “So I started looking around because I knew I didn’t want to move again.”

Then someone at her church recommended visiting Westerwood, and, as Remona says, the rest is history.

“After walking into that first event at Westerwood, I found everyone to be so friendly,” she continues. “I was pleased that I made the effort and visited because it was probably the first time I experienced anything like that.”

In addition to the friendly environment, Remona remembers the appeal and peace of mind a Life Care Community offered.

“I had to retire early to help take care of my son who suffered a stroke,” Remona notes. “My retirement was not as much as it should have been, and I was always concerned about how I might run out of money if I live very long. With Life Care, Westerwood assured me that I didn’t have to worry about that because I would be taken care of for the rest of my life. That’s what impressed me the most.”

Eleven years later, Remona reflects on her time at Westerwood and how it compares to living in her renovated home.

“I’ve always been independent, but I also dreaded having to carry the trash out to the curb every week. Now all I need to do is stick the bag outside of my door three times a week,” she says with relief. “I have my apartment cleaned twice a month, and I don’t have to decide on a meal every night. Instead, you walk to the dining room, eat with friends and laugh, then you get up and leave and do not have to do dishes!”

Making the Move

According to Remona, it didn’t take long for her to settle into her studio apartment. Literally.

“Since I attended multiple events here—at one of the events, they had a drawing for a personal organizer,” she says. “I won! By that point, I had already chosen an apartment, so she came to my home, and we measured and decided on the furniture that I was going to bring with me to Westerwood.”

The personal organizer, Stephanie, also played a crucial role prior to the move because she helped Remona downsize and select the items she just couldn’t live without. And for Remona, her sister’s rockers remain an essential.

“I couldn’t take everything with me, that was obvious, but I wanted to bring those two rockers, so I made sure they fit into the apartment,” she says. “If I could offer any advice to anyone in the middle of downsizing, it’s that. Determine what you can’t live without, and the rest will follow. Let it go. You won’t miss it. I don’t.”

Remona mentions that having her children be part of the downsizing process added an extra layer of convenience and comfort.

“My children came through the house and took what they wanted to take, but they also couldn’t take everything,” she says. “It’s nice to know some of the items they chose will live on elsewhere.”

And the big move? As luck would have it, Remona struck gold a second time—at another Westerwood event—this time for services from a local mover!

“Pretty great, right?” Remona says with a shy smile. “With the help of the personal organizer, I was able to create a map of where I wanted items to go, so all the moving company had to do was follow the map. From there, I pretty much settled into my home almost immediately.”

Lyn Mirocha, Westerwood’s moving coordinator/marketing associate, adds that Westerwood recommends local movers as well as other companies for new residents.

A Supportive Environment

Now a fixture in the Westerwood community, Remona says it remains as supportive as ever.

“New residents aren’t left on their own,” she says. “People like Lyn and other staff members check in on you, so you don’t feel alone or feel like you’re starting over. I remember the second time I visited, staff members called me by my first name at that point—and I wasn’t a resident yet!”

While Remona jokes she might be biased, she advises anyone looking to move into a Life Care Community like Westerwood to visit other communities for a fair comparison.

“That way, when they come here, they’ll see how Westerwood really stands out,” she says.

Want to experience the “undeniable something” Remona talks about? Schedule a tour of our beautiful and amenity-packed campus by calling (614) 568-0503 today!