Resident Perspective

We highly recommend this community to anyone and everyone looking for more than a place to retire, but a place to truly live. With all the issues going on in the country right now, we know an important fact. We are enjoying living in a community that has demonstrated it is the safest place we could have ever considered.

While we do have a few social distancing restrictions in place, Casa has made sure we do not feel lonely or isolated. For the most part, Casa is providing all the basic necessities we need, including an extensive menu of meal choices delivered to our apartment. While we have not needed any special personal assistance, we know that if we do need help, we have friends right down the hall, as well as Casa staff support just a quick phone call away.

We've been very pleased with our time here at Casa...2 years now. But during this pandemic, the administration has been great...early intervention in phases. We're mostly still in a stay at home phase with meals being delivered to us...which have maintained a very good quality. Activities that were not at risk were left available...like the woodworking area and the pool. In addition, the activities department has been active in creating little diversions to create some fun events. We're just happy we have no cases for the residents here...a great accomplishment considering the problems in retirement communities across the country.

After living at Casa just over a year, we are really happy we decided to move here. We really appreciate the friendly, welcoming environment provided by both residents and staff; and the facilities, programs and activities available are superb. We appreciate Casa’s location with the wonderful Rancho Bernardo Park and San Dieguito River Park just across the street with miles of hiking and walking trails, and the convenience of nearby shopping, restaurants, medical and hospital facilities as well; and transportation is provided to those who want or need it to both shopping and medical appointments. During the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Casa management and staff have been taking excellent care of us. With the three restaurants closed, the dining staff has been delivering nourishing meals daily based on a good variety of menu choices. The closed-circuit TV provides regular classes when the in-person classes aren’t available, and restrictions such as increased security and requirements for wearing masks have made us feel especially safe. We also appreciate that Casa does not look its age of 32 years. It is kept in excellent condition and upgraded regularly by a dedicated staff, and it is impressive that many staff in all departments have been with Casa almost since its opening. And finally, its status as a nonprofit has meant that contributions to the Casa Foundation have supported both staff scholarships and other programs that greatly increase the value of both living and working here.

Choosing Casa de las Campanas was the best decision we could have made for our retirement years. Friendly residents and a great staff have all made us feel like we are a part of the Casa family. After living here for two years, we have never regretted our move.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been especially grateful for the amazing care our staff provides. Casa Dining Services gives us a choice of four entrees for lunch and dinner, plus breakfast delivered to our apartment. There is no need for shopping or traveling with crowds. Best of all, Casa Housekeeping delivered toilet paper when it was impossible to find! Casa’s Activities Department has worked overtime to keep us from getting bored or lonely. Lots of surprise knocks on our door with snacks, birthday and anniversary greetings, and other fun surprises. As you can tell, we feel very safe living here at Casa during this pandemic. Our children are also so appreciative that all our needs are met, and they don’t have to worry about our safety.

I have been a resident at Casa for eight years. When it was announced that this COVID-19 virus had turned into a pandemic, the administration, staff and residents went into protection/isolation mode immediately. Residents began wearing masks anytime we are out of our apartments, and all staff wearing masks all the time.

Our menus are given to us a day ahead of time, and the next day our meals are delivered to our apartments. Thanks to all the other departments that help deliver the meals! They keep us updated on the status of the pandemic as well as entertained through our in-house TV station, exercise, meetings and updates. We are encouraged to get out and take a walk and meet with friends but keep a mask on and a distance of at least 6 feet.

I think Casa should be proud that so far we are virus-free here! Thanks to the staff, residents and families for following the precautions! We look forward to getting back to normal.

Tom and I recently celebrated our 10-year anniversary of residency at Casa. We’ve often said this was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made, and this was proven to be so true with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Casa has created a safe environment by following federal- and state-mandated guidelines of physical distancing, prohibiting outside visitors and quarantine when necessary. Dining Services has prepared and delivered nourishing meals daily so residents are well fed. I am personally proud to be part of the resident volunteer team that is assisting Dining Services with that process. We've been kept busy with exercise programs on Casa TV, ice cream socials, sing-outs with the Casa Chorale, happy hour carts, and entertained by staff/employee parades and Hello Casa, an all-resident show created by residents. We recently enjoyed a great outdoor cookout for Independence Day. We are truly thankful and fortunate to be a part of this active and caring community.

March 17, 2020, was a turning point in our way of living when Casa de las Campanas asked residents to stay in their apartments; however, immediately the staff had a plan to keep residents healthy, safe, well nourished, informed, and even more important ... nurtured. Housekeeping was everywhere setting the standards for keeping our environment as sanitary as possible.

Months later, we are busy assisting where needed, participating in fun mind-stretching activities in addition to our former activities. The days are often just too short!

We often hear, “Aren't you glad you live here?” The answer is always, “YES.”

We have been very impressed with Casa’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Management and staff responded quickly and effectively to put in place actions to protect residents and staff from COVID-19 and keep residents informed on an ongoing basis. Rapid changes were made for limiting access to the facility, screening anyone entering, changing food service and cleaning procedures. After four months, residents are still COVID-19-free, which is a huge accomplishment.

Also during that time, activities were put in place to help residents keep busy and healthy. They increased the number of Casa TV fitness classes, movies and entertainment. They also held shoutouts to keep spirits up, balcony fitness classes, weekly snack and happy hours, ice cream social walk-throughs, and a couple of holiday parades. We residents are so thankful for the excellent way this crisis has been handled and the positive attitudes the staff have shown. We miss seeing them and hope they know how grateful we are to all of them.

Casa has done a remarkable job of coping with the unprecedented crisis of COVID-19 in its not fully understood frightening assault upon our world. Casa took immediate actions to assess the developing threat and to protect our residents, families, staff and neighbors. Some of the actions taken were not fully appreciated, but they have proven to be thoughtful and effective. The actions required participation by our management and staff to take responsibilities far above and beyond job descriptions, and they have all stepped up to the need. We residents thank all of you for keeping us safe, well fed, involved, entertained, informed, and leading almost normal lives in a very non-normal time. We will overcome.

We are thankful to all Casa staff and residents for helping to keep us safe and informed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents and staff alike have jumped in to keep us connected, entertained and safe. Staff and residents made and distributed hundreds of masks, and while our many exercise classes had to be cancelled, they were replaced with alternative classes on Casa close-circuit TV and outside on our balconies. A variety of entertainment was developed by both staff and residents, performed live outdoors (with social distancing), and on TV and TouchTown. We have also been blessed with meal deliveries, snacks and surprise ice cream pop-ups. We are fortunate to live in such a caring and vibrant community.

“Instead of cooking, cleaning, making the bed, etc., I swim, do chair yoga, walk, sing, play games, read, socialize, attend plays, musical performances and other events, volunteer, and participate in committees. I actually have to make time to sleep!”

“I didn’t want the kids to worry about me. And they don’t! It’s safe and secure here, and I don’t have the worries of taking care of the house. Casa is carefree living - and I feel spoiled. There’s always something to do here, too, which keeps you moving and happy. It was definitely the right thing for me to do.”

“I was reluctant to make a change, at first. I thought my life was pretty good. My daughter thought it would be a good idea for me to consider a senior living community, in case I got to a place in life where I needed care. She found Casa. I was hesitant, but I have to say that this is the probably the best decision I ever made. I paint. I go on art appreciation trips to museums – there’s even a college professor who comes here to teach. I love the friendliness of the people, too.”

“We had a condo in Mission Valley and were very happy there. My wife, Kay, brought up the idea of a retirement community so that we could be independent, go our own way, but have the care we needed. So, we made a list of pros and cons of all the places we visited, and it was obvious that Casa would be the place. We liked knowing that services would be here if we needed them. And we did – I had leg surgery and I didn’t have to stay in a hospital. The nursing staff here was great. I’m glad we made the decision to come here.”

“We tell the kids, ‘We’re taken care of. You live your lives.’ They don’t have to worry if I get a bad cold. Wellness is checking on me, bringing me food. They go the extra steps to take care of us. They say they take care of everything here – and they do! I tell my friend that if she lived at Casa, she would feel so safe. Here, you know they’re trustworthy. You’ll be safe, comfortable, happy. It’s wonderful to live here!”

“Everything that’s part of your ‘outside’ life is part of your life here. People tutor for kids at the local school. There’s gardening, dancing, live bands, a citrus garden, poker, bridge, Bible studies, exercise classes. The people who use the woodshop make toys for kids – last year they made and donated 750 toys to Toys for Tots.”