Family Tree - Kettering gives seniors a home-like place with comfortable ranch-style houses and large open spaces, and these houses have easy access for wheelchairs and walkers, which helps folks settle in more smoothly whether they're moving from their longtime home or another care setting, and the homes are all one floor, so you don't have to worry about stairs. People can live there in senior apartments, and the community offers assisted living, board and care, skilled nursing care, and memory care with staff who know how to help with forgetfulness or memory loss, and they also have high acuity care, diabetic care, help for incontinence, and non-ambulatory care, so if you need more medical help, they're set up for that. Along with basic living help like meals, bathing, medication management, and personal care, there's also home caregiving, hospice, rehabilitation, short-term respite stays, and adult day care. Caregivers are around a lot, keeping the ratio at five residents to one staff member or less, so folks get more personal help.
Meals are home-cooked and you can pick kosher, vegetarian, organic, gluten-free, vegan, or even no salt or sugar-plus if you want meals in your room, they're happy to bring them, and sometimes people eat all together in restaurant-style dining or anytime dining setups. Pets are allowed, with cats and dogs under 40 pounds, and there are animal-friendly programs, so folks who love animals don't have to leave their companions behind. The houses come with private rooms that have air conditioning, private baths, Wi-Fi, and cable or satellite TV, and there are both indoor and outdoor common areas-patios, central fireplaces, a piano or organ, and game rooms, which give people space to spread out and spend time with visitors, if they like.
Recreational activities are part of every week, including gardening, trivia, Wii bowling, physical programs like stretching, Tai Chi, chair yoga, and Forever Fit, plus karaoke, art and cooking classes, lifelong learning, day trips, wine tasting, and performances like music and theater. Folks can join clubs or have outings, and there's always some sort of event, like BBQs, birthday parties, or intergenerational programs where people of all ages get together. The community brings in speakers and holds discussions or learning sessions on all sorts of topics. There's also a mix of devotional and spiritual services, both on site and off, with visits from chaplains, priests, rabbis, and people of different faiths.
Family Tree - Kettering cares for folks for as long as needed, instead of moving them if their care needs change, and costs are based on the room you choose, not the type of care, so it helps with financial planning. Transportation is available, whether you want to drive yourself, use a free ride, or pay for a ride when you need it, and the homes are close to public transport for those who prefer that. Housekeeping, laundry, dry cleaning, grocery shopping, and errands are all taken care of by staff, so you're not left alone to get these things done, and there's always a structured way to get help, with a dedicated contact person to answer questions. The executive director, Alan Halberg, looks after leasing and living arrangements, and people can reach out online if they want to learn more about moving in. This is part of the Family Tree Home group from Dayton, Ohio, which also includes Alex Bell House and Bigger Road House-each with their own special touches, but all aiming to help seniors feel they're truly at home while getting the care they need. Family Tree - Kettering is rated high in the Dayton area, ranked #19 of 111 communities locally, and people say it stands out because it feels less like a facility and more like a place you'd want to stay awhile.
