Affordable assisted living moves to Goshen
Feb. 8—GOSHEN — An affordable senior living community has opened in Goshen.
Green Oaks of Goshen opened for residents in early January and celebrated its grand opening on Thursday with a ribbon cutting and open house at 282 Johnston St.
"It is a community that is primarily designed to serve low-income elderly adults," said Rick Banas, Vice President of Gardant Management Solutions, the management company overseeing the community. "It provides them with the opportunity to live in a residential style environment, in their own private apartment, a great alternative to a nursing home for individuals that need some assistance, but don't need 24/7 skilled nursing care."
Shirley Hansen and her husband Harvey were the first people to place a deposit on an apartment at the community.
Hansen explained that she and her husband placed a reservation in 2022. Construction on the project took almost two years.
"Harvey, my husband, always wanted to be first, whether it was to a club meeting or to work or to church, he never wanted to be late, so he wanted to be first," she recalled.
Harvey died unexpectedly Aug. 15, 2023, and never made it to the facility, but the room they'd chosen, on a corner of the first floor so he could see people coming and going and feel like a part of the community, is Shirley's room regardless.
"I can see out into the parking lot, and I think of him, every time I look out the window," she said. "At the house, I really felt so alone... I wanted someplace where I could be part of a community. I knew what I wanted but I wasn't sure how to get it."
Currently, there are 47 of the 120 apartments occupied. Apartments are studio or one bedroom.
"Probably one of the biggest benefits is socialization," Banas said, with a dining hall with three meals a day, as well as opportunities for recreational and social programs and events.
For individuals who don't require a skilled nursing facility, but aren't a good fit for independent living, the new community can provide necessary services at a substantially lower rate.
Green Oaks of Goshen Executive Director Brian Cook has worked in healthcare in the area for decades and said until now, there hasn't been a facility like Green Oaks in Goshen.
"If you wanted to access services that we offer here, you had to have lots of money or you had to move to someplace that offered those services," Cook said.
Because the facility is income-based, costs can vary wildly. Cook said one resident might pay $280 per month, while another is paying $5,300.
"From the standpoint of affordability, someone who is just getting supplemental social security income can afford to live here," Banas added. "It's a combination of what we get from room and board from the resident along with state reimbursement."
Cook said most people at the facility pay less than $1,000 per month.
"I'm a resident here, I love it, and family says when they come here, they're shocked," Harvey said. "When they open the door and say, 'Mom, it looks like home,' and it is."
Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.
