What To Expect

Making The Decision

The process of choosing a place to live can be quite a stressful one. We truly feel privileged to have helped many families select the environment that works best for them, and we strive to be a reliable community resource.

A Positive Start To New Community

We believe that Community life has a lot to offer, and taking the plunge into a new style of senior living can be the start of a new, fulfilling life. At Columbia Cottage, we welcome the chance to help you discover renewed purpose, new friendships, and individual expression. It all starts with our extensive “Get to Know You” process, which asks the questions necessary to give you the best start at Columbia Cottage, or help direct you to a senior living option that better fits your style.

Get To Know You

Before we talk services and amenities, we want to get to know you and your family. To aid in this process, we have developed a list of general questions and prompts such as “Tell me about yourself,” “What struggles are you having?” and “What can we do to ease your burden?” We want to know about your current schedule, your personal tastes, and what you currently find challenging. We want to make sure Columbia Cottage is the best fit for your medical requirements, emotional needs, and lifestyle expectations.

As part of the Get To Know You process, if you feel Columbia Cottage might be a potential fit for your needs, we would encourage you and your family to take a tour of one of our Cottages in Collegeville, Hanover, Hershey, Linglestown, and Wyomissing. We invite you to speak with some of our current residents and hear first-hand how they enjoy life at Columbia Cottage. We want you to see for yourself how our homelike atmosphere and compassionate staff make a difference in every resident’s life.

When you decide that Columbia Cottage is the best fit, you or your family member will need to complete an application and select an available apartment. We will schedule a time to complete a preliminary level of care assessment and prepare the residency agreement and supporting documents. Once all that is completed, we will review the contract and schedule a move-in date.

Preparing Your Rooms

We want you to feel as comfortable as possible in your new apartment and encourage you to bring some of your own belongings to customize your room as much as you’d like. We’ll help you arrange furniture, hang photos or artwork, situate memorabilia, or place that special item on your bedside table. If you’d rather come into a beautifully pre-furnished room, we have options for you.

“I try to make the rooms look like brand new. I get asked, ‘how do you do this year after year, room after room?’ I just think like I’m making this room for my mother, and how I would want someone to do it for her.”

– Rick Wanner, Regional Maintenance Director

A Place To Belong

Before you arrive, our team is busy preparing your apartment and familiarizing themselves with the information discovered in the “Get to Know You” booklet.

Once you’re here and settled, we will offer you a tour of the building as a new resident, showing you key social areas such as the dining room and where we post various notices and activity schedules. At that time, you will also be introduced to your personal Caregiver “buddy.” Your buddy will accompany you to each meal and scheduled activity as well as support you in meeting other residents of the Cottage. In addition, your buddy will find other residents in the community that might have overlapping interests or common experiences so that you can begin to develop new friendships.

It isn’t long before everyone feels at home at Columbia Cottage. Between our intentional introductions, warm care, and regular social activities, it is easy to feel part of the family.

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