Make The Echelon your choice: It’s your here, your now and your tomorrow
By Adam Cook
The Echelon of Medina is out front in focusing on the needs of its members through compassionate, person-centered care, offering services and amenities that make it a first choice among discerning seniors.
By bridging the best of the health and hospitality fields, the independent living community’s members know the joys of a well-balanced life—a place where wellness meets living well.
“We were looking around for an independent living place to stay, and every place we looked seemed friendly. But when we walked in here, the warmth was just overwhelming,” says Jan, who resides at The Echelon with her husband, Al. “We knew this was the place we were going to choose to be.”
For Jan and Al, the timing couldn’t have been better. At a moment when the world seemed to shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus, life at The Echelon opened up through concierge service, chef-prepared meals, and luxury amenities.
“When the disease was first announced, they put us on quarantine right away. We stayed there for three or four months and we haven’t had a single case of anything. Everybody’s been healthy, and everybody’s been very happy here,” says Al.
The Echelon has been out ahead since opening its doors in 2019. Last year, in mid-March, The Echelon rapidly responded to the emerging public health crisis, monitoring information from the CDC and Ohio Department of Health (ODH), strictly following the most current guidelines.
This month, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine lifted coronavirus health orders. Northeast Ohio residents are putting the pandemic behind them, and Al, for one, isn’t looking back—except, maybe, in his rearview mirror.
“Jan and I like to travel, and we normally call a limousine service to take us to the airport. Here, they took us over to the airport and back in a Rolls-Royce, which was kinda nice,” he says, laughing at the understatement.
“The Echelon rivals a five-star hotel,” says Jeff Risner, who operates The Echelon with his wife, Jill.
The 90-suite independent living community caters to its members. The kitchen is always open, and the reviews are in.
“Fattening and delicious,” wryly raves Jan. “We are both now watching how much we eat because the food is so good.”
The Echelon believes in eating well—in every sense. A registered dietician works with members one-on-one to assess their personal dietary needs. The chef plans meals to support the unique nutritional needs of seniors.
“Food is medicine,” says Jill. “We do things differently, and eating is one. Food binds us together, across the table and out in the community—from farm to table. That’s why, whenever possible, we use locally sourced ingredients. When you start with the highest quality natural ingredients, that’s when you feel you’re sitting down with family.”
The Echelon indeed provides members with an unparalleled level of attention.
“We want our members to have a sense of belonging,” says Jeff. “When members move here, they’ll feel independent with assistance—even though some may not be independent physically, they remain independent emotionally.”
There is a separate building designed for assisted living/secure memory care. Compared to a typical staffing ratio of one to 20 found elsewhere, the staffing ratio at The Echelon is one to eight. Nurses are present around the clock, and once a week, nurse practitioners and physicians make the rounds.
Too often, residents at other independent living facilities must move from the surroundings, staff, and social circles they’ve come to know as their needs progress. At The Echelon, members can always feel at home.
Every day, The Echelon reinforces the sense of belonging. Each month, a new activities calendar brings live entertainment, social gatherings and seminars that set the stage for topics such as how to avoid scammers and the upsides of downsizing. Time is set aside for spiritual groups and relaxing yoga sessions. There are afternoons filled with clacks of mahjong and domino tiles and nights that ring with shouts of “bingo!”
Jaunts into historic downtown Medina are always on the itinerary. Members often make a day of shopping at Medina Square. They’re familiar faces around town, hitting happy hour at Johnny J’s and stopping into Sully’s for appetizers.
At The Echelon, aging is something to aspire to. One-bedroom suites start at $1,940/month. The independent living community has floor plans ranging from 510 square feet to 1,140 square feet, and the assisted living and memory care community has floor plans ranging from 447 square feet to 798 square feet.
“We have a social life, friends, and anything we need,” says Jan. “We made out very well.”
Take a virtual tour of The Echelon of Medina at EchelonSeniorCare.com or call 330-591-2777 to find how you can position yourself or a loved one for a future at 629 N. Huntington St. in Medina.