By Sarah Richard

Seniors transition into senior living for various reasons. Some need to downsize, while others want the reassurance of good quality health care available to them whenever they need it. Others find themselves in senior living communities after health issues arise, requiring more attentive care.

For Eleanor Reeves, a Massachusetts native who relocated to Fort Myers after retirement, recurring health concerns led her to The Preserve, an assisted living, memory support, skilled nursing and rehabilitation community in Fort Myers.

During a visit, Reeves’ daughter, Lisa-Marie Halloran, became increasingly concerned about her mom’s health. After multiple hospital stays and several rounds of rehabilitation, Halloran decided it was time to make some decisions.

Halloran, who lives out of state, wanted to make sure that there was somebody to look out for her mom in Fort Myers. It’s common for adult children to navigate senior living options with their parents as they age. After navigating the recurring health challenges, Halloran began researching communities immediately. In the end, her mom liked The Preserve. Another benefit was that several of Reeves’ friends had moved to The Preserve, so she already had a community there.

“I said, ‘Mom, do you want to stay at The Preserve? You have friends there,’ and she said yes,” said Halloran. “That’s when I started talking to The Preserve and asking what was available.”

Halloran says that her mom has always been the glue that kept everything together. For her entire life, her mom planned fun events and encouraged collaboration among individuals. When Halloran was a child, her family relocated to New Jersey, home of the Monmouth County Hunt, which consists of people riding horses, going over steeple chases and riding through the countryside “chasing” a fox. Every year, Reeves would rally the community and her neighbors together and encourage everyone to participate in the hunt.

Now the roles are reversed, and Halloran organized her mom’s move to The Preserve, is transporting her most cherished belongings to her new home when she visits and is making sure that her mom is living the fruitful life she desires.

Since making the official move to The Preserve, Reeves’ fun-loving spirit has carried on. She’s made countless friends and finds herself flocking to any kind of “sugary event,” like our ice cream socials. As a former art student, Reeves also loves arts and crafts events held at The Preserve. She hopes to have her embroidery machine brought to her apartment soon.

“For me, what stands out the most is that she’s safe, she’s being looked after and she’s enjoying herself,” said Halloran. “She really has a community at The Preserve, and she’s really happy that she chose it.”

About the author

Sarah Richard is the executive director of The Preserve, a senior living community in Fort Myers.