January is a time when we think of new beginnings. We reflect on the past and look forward to a brand-new year. In the Quad Cities, we think of frigid cold weather conditions and long for the warmth of spring that is yet months away.

As you plan your 2025, perhaps you are giving thought to making some life changes. If you are contemplating a move to senior housing, you may want to consider Ridgecrest Village. So why Ridgecrest? For many years, when counseling older adults and their families on how to choose a place that is right for them, I’d advise them to consider several things. One, geography. What’s close to where you want to be and close to your family? Once that’s established the next step would be to choose a couple of places that offer the level of care you are seeking and schedule tours. Sure, it’s great to do research, but this is also a critical step in which you can tap into the feeling of the place by watching how residents interact with each other, how staff interacts with residents, and how staff interact with each other. How does it look? Do people who live there look happy and engaged? It’s not rocket science, but it’s a quick way to get the feeling of the place you are considering for a new home.

So I go back to the question, why Ridgecrest?

Ridgecrest is a prominent, well-established senior housing community in northwest Davenport. As a first-time visitor to the Ridgecrest campus, you will be awestruck by the rich beauty of the traditional brick architecture and sheer magnitude of the parklike campus. A butterfly garden is nestled on the corner of the Ridgecrest neighborhood. Thirty-one enchanting private cottages, manicured lawns, mature trees, and a gazebo grace the path as you make your way to the administration building, which is located at the heart of the campus, flanked by the health center, assisted living, and three independent living complexes.

Because Ridgecrest is a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), not only are independent living options (apartment and cottages) available, but assisted living, memory care, full-scale nursing, and a rehabilitation center are available as well. You can move to Ridgecrest and go directly into the level of care you need at the time. You don’t even need to be a Ridgecrest resident to move to the assisted living or the health center, something that is often misunderstood. Ridgecrest accepts Medicaid and other insurances to cover the cost of care in the health center.

Ridgecrest has something for everyone. It’s safe. It’s affordable and it’s friendly. People are simply nice. Ridgecrest has an on-site chapel and full-time chaplain; delicious chef-prepared meals; and an enrichment department loaded with fun, educational, and diverse activities.

Ridgecrest is one of the few true lifecare communities still in existence in this region, meaning you can pay a one-time entrance fee when you move in and monthly independent living rental fee after that; paying the independent living market rate for your lifetime regardless of if you are in independent living, assisted living or nursing home. This can be a wonderful way to hedge your long-term care cost for the future, especially for couples. For folks who don’t want to commit to paying a lifecare entrance fee, Ridgecrest offers monthly rentals as well.

Planning for the future can be stressful, but it also can be an exciting time. The first step is to make the call for a tour to look around and get that feeling of what could be the next step on your journey in 2025! Happy New Year!

Julie Arndt is a licensed social worker and Director of Marketing at Ridgecrest Village with over 30 years’ experience working in the field of geriatrics and senior advocacy.