“When is it the right time to move?”, and “How do I know I’ve made the right decision?” are familiar questions asked when prospects or their loved ones inquire about living at Wesbury. For Sarah Schwegler it was Wesbury’s continuum of care, and reputation that made Sarah and her husband, Herb, want to move here, and they started planning early.
The Schwegler’s were no strangers to Wesbury. As members of Sugarcreek Grace Church, they’ve supported Wesbury over the last 50 years by raising funds for Santa’s Helpers and hosting monthly birthday parties, but Sarah wanted to learn more.
In the Fall of 2018, they made reservations to attend a musical event followed by a tour of the campus to understand what services Wesbury provides. During the tour they discovered they could join the waitlist, even if they were looking to move years down the road.
After some follow-up appointments, they completed the paperwork and joined the Independent Living waitlist in 2019 to have a future plan in place. They lived in their home for over 50 years, and knew one day that the home maintenance, lawn care, and basement laundry room would be too much to manage. “Plus, there is no fee or obligation to get on the waitlist and it is a great way for someone to get their foot in the door,” says Sarah.
While on the waitlist Herb and Sarah received calls for openings and declined with no penalty, as they were not ready yet. Then in 2022 their health needs changed, and they switched from the Independent Living to the Personal Care Waitlist. A two-room suite opened in the Summer of 2023, and they decided to take advantage of a trial stay.
“I’d highly recommend taking advantage of the trial stay opportunity”, stated Sarah, “We’re very thankful that the apartment was available when we needed it. We did a one-month trial stay which allowed us to try out the lifestyle and make sure we wanted to make this type of move”.
The suite was fully furnished, the only thing they needed to bring was their suitcases. Throughout the month, they attended worship services, outdoor concerts, and choir practices; and by the end, Sarah and Herb decided to make their trial suite their new home. All they had to do was swap out Wesbury’s furniture for theirs. “That was easy too”, shared Sarah. “T. Lee (Wesbury’s Director of Environmental Services) and the housekeeping staff were such a support with moving furniture. In fact, all the Wesbury Staff are exceptional. You can tell everyone is well trained. We were very impressed by the staff”.
They personalized the space and made it their own by hanging pictures, decorations, and even sheep and mountain goat mounts from Herb’s hunting trips. Paraphrasing a neighbor whom Sarah thought said it best, “We moved here because there was no other place like Wesbury in the area. This is the place to be.”
Shortly after their move, Herb became ill and transitioned to Grace Rehabilitation and Health Center. Sarah says the continuum of care that Herb received at Grace reinforced that this had been the best decision for them. She was grateful to be living at Cribbs where she was right next door and easily able to spend valuable time with him. When Herb passed away, it was a great comfort to Sarah and her family that she didn’t have to worry about managing the house or adjusting to her loss alone. She was relieved that they had been able to make important decisions, get their house sold and downsize their belongings together. She feels secure in her home at Cribbs, has built friendships and is able to be engaged in outings, activities and new opportunities. She visits her children and family often and is only a short drive away from those she stays in touch with from Sugarcreek. Most of all, she and her family have peace of mind knowing she is thriving and secure in the right place.