When considering a move, people often struggle with the same question: when is the right time? For Jane Mullen, her epiphany came while walking her dog. On this day, she could tell he wanted to continue walking further but she said, “no dear, I’d be lucky if I could crawl back to the apartment.” It was at that moment that she started thinking it may be time to look into assisted living.

Jane’s interest in St. John’s started 10 years prior to her official move in August 2020. Her friend had been living at St. John’s Meadows and encouraged her to make the move. Jane knew it was best to plan ahead for when the right time came. In the meantime, she moved nearby and waited until she was the appropriate age.

Upon moving to the Hawthorne of St. John’s Meadows, Jane was pleasantly surprised by the relief of a more maintenance free lifestyle and community setting. “The people take good care of me,” says Jane. “The people living here are friendly and make an effort, and they (St. John’s) take a lot of the burden of housekeeping off of you.”

It is important to plan ahead, whether you are looking into senior independent living, assisted living, or skilled nursing care. “It is best if you can make your own decision,” says Jane. Unfortunately, waiting too long can sometimes lead to losing your ability to choose your next home.

It seems that Jane got the timing of her move just right. Since her move, she has made herself at home in the community by attending various fitness classes, book club, and more. She was especially excited to not have to, “wait in line and make 100 phone calls,” when it came to getting her COVID-19 vaccine as her friends that aren’t in senior living communities did. With the recent warm weather, Jane is excited to spend more time outdoors enjoying the sunshine.

Overall, Jane encourages friends to “not put off looking into senior living—even in a pandemic.” As more events and activities resume since vaccinations have taken place, our St. John’s communities have already begun to resemble the thriving upbeat community we so missed.