Urmila Date has lived at Embrace Living Communities’ Immanuel Residences community for six years, and during that time has taken full advantage of the community’s health and wellness programs and spaces to live her healthiest life.
When she first visited Immanuel Residences, Urmila was surprised by the cleanliness of the community compared to other ones she had explored as options for herself. That, and she was impressed by the security of the building and parking lot. She knew she needed to live in a community where she felt safe, and Immanuel Residences fit the bill.
When she first became a resident, Urmila was going to the local YMCA to exercise as Immanuel Residences didn’t have much of an exercise offering in terms of equipment and space. But after the renovations the community underwent last year, it now has a designated exercise room with additional equipment, including table tennis, a hobby that Urmila has embraced playing with her neighbors.
She also regularly participates in exercise programming facilitated by the community’s Social Service Coordinator, whom Urmila says has put in a lot of effort to make sure residents are connected with activities that promote their health while still being accessible for seniors. Urmila likes to participate in cardio as well as chair yoga.
Though Urmila likes to keep to herself, she feels like she’s found a real home at Immanuel Residences. Because she tends to be more introverted, her neighbors respect that while still encouraging her to do activities with them in the main area, whether it be puzzles or simple chatting. She likes having the option of not being alone, and knowing that she has that option keeps her from feeling lonely, especially in the winter months when it’s more difficult to leave the building. That being said, Urmila says that difficulty isn’t a big deal for her and her neighbors as everything they could need is under their roof.
“It’s better that we’re all here together, for safety, for entertainment, for everything,” says Urmila. “If something happens, we help each other. If somebody is sick, we take care of them. Everybody is very friendly, and it very much feels like a family here.”
