Couple Finds United’s Fish Creek Community a Welcoming Home
Landis and Sharyn Kraus have lived at United Active Living’s Fish Creek community for two years, and they couldn’t be happier. The community offers a unique blend of lifestyles within a single community – independent living, assisted living and memory care options are available, as well as month-to-month rental and United’s Life Lease.
Landis and Sharyn chose a suite in Fish Creek West, which focuses on an independent lifestyle.
“We have a full kitchen, but we like to go down to the dining room for dinner,” said Sharyn. “We really like the flexibility. We sit with whom we want and eat what we want. If we want a steak sandwich at three in the afternoon, we can get one!”
“We aren’t locked into certain times to eat, or if we want something other than the evening special, we can just over off the menu. It’s all very flexible,” added Landis. “They have a private dining room that we can reserve for family functions. You can even bring your own bottle of wine down if you want!” added Sharyn.
“We didn’t think we would move into an adult community when we did,” said Sharyn. “But we felt it was prudent to research what was available in Calgary before we needed something. A friend suggested we have a look at the Fish Creek community on the United website. We liked what we saw, put our condo up for sale and moved in. We just love it. It’s perfect for us.”
The Krause’s chose a ground floor one bedroom suite that opens up onto the expansive inner courtyard.
“The courtyard is one of a kind,” said Sharyn. “It’s so beautiful with fruit trees and flowers. There are always people out walking around or sitting. It’s really nice.”
“We’ll often see residents’ grandkids out playing on the bocce ball court or the putting green. It’s very family friendly,” said Landis.
“We really like living here. We have a full kitchen and in-suite laundry. At the same time, we can go to the dining room and access the theatre, gym and spa, plus there is a wealth of things to do,” she said. “The physical space drew us to the community but there are so many programs and activities, it just made sense. For instance, we were big fans of the CPO (Calgary Philharmonic) but stopped going because it was no longer convenient. But here, we started going again because United makes it so much easier to go. Plus, we have a lot of friends and family in Calgary, so we’re often out visiting.”
Like the Krauses and others who have moved to Fish Creek, the best time to research an older adult community either for yourself or a parent is when you don’t need one. Time is on your side, and the pros and cons can be weighed without the stress of a time constraint. Searching when your health takes a turn not only limits your choices, but decisions can easily be made in haste without a thorough consideration for the results.
“Another thing that was important to us,” added Sharyn, “is that we felt that moving from our home to another condo that didn’t have medical support, just to move a few years later to a place that does didn’t make any sense. The Fish Creek community has everything we need, or will need for the foreseeable future, so we may never have to move again. And with all of the personal belongings we have gathered over the years, that’s appealing!”
Photos and video by Sherana Productions.
Do you know a friend or family member who could benefit from living in a United community? Send them a link to our website or blog, or arrange a tour. We are happy to help!
To learn more about life at United’s Fish Creek community, watch this short video.
