The White Bear community welcomed another senior living center in April, bringing new amenities and a variety of care standards for seniors looking to make a transition.
White Bear Heights Senior Living boasts 112 units on newly developed land surrounded by wetlands and lakes. These units include independent living and assisted living options, all of which are intermixed throughout the property. Executive director Jacquelin Juan says this aspect is part of what makes this community different from the others.
“If someone moves into independent living and then five or 10 years down the road they need to add on services, they don’t need to move apartments,” she says. “Other communities separate them out; here, they can age in place.”
White Bear Heights offers a variety of floor plans, as well as community spaces, including a café and club lounge area, salon and spa, fitness center, multipurpose room, indoor and outdoor porches, and a community room for parties and programs.
Juan says having as many services available on-site is also a key factor in the White Bear Heights community. A rounding physician, therapy services in collaboration with Fairview (physical, occupational and speech), as well as podiatry, vision and hearing services, are available on-site.
“For the people who aren’t necessarily able to go out for appointments, especially with our Minnesota weather, bringing in as many resources to the community as we can is something we really push for,” Juan says.
Managed by Ebenezer management services, costs can range from $2,050 to $5,150 per month, depending on the level of care and options included.
“It’s a warmer and more home-like setting,” Juan says. “It looks upscale, but we’re not a huge community. People are going to know each other.”
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Julie Erickson of Edina Realty is an SRES Realtor—a seniors real estate specialist. These agents have completed additional training in real estate transactions for older adults, working with a team of professionals like elder-law attorneys, lenders, financial planners and accountants to help aid these adults in their transition to senior living.
Erickson says her job is to make her clients aware of the available types of housing to meet their physical and cognitive needs. In the White Bear community, there are more than 40 senior housing facilities.
When it’s time to move out of their homes, Erickson says seniors nowadays are looking for a few main things: proximity to family, health care and transportation, as well as social activities and amenities available on the property.
“Senior living is exploding,” she says. “The youngest of the baby boomers are now over 50; this adds up to a growing need for senior housing options, and more are being built to accommodate this.”
Having worked in health care for 20 years, Erickson says she has loved specializing in senior realty.
“I always enjoyed working with older adults,” she says. “They are interesting and fun, and many are surprisingly active. Health care and changing living situations are both about improving people’s circumstances; it feels like a natural transition for me.”
