Both retired physicians themselves, Drs. William (Bill) and Judith (Judy) Parker understand the importance of quality care during recovery. So when a stroke left Bill hospitalized for an extended period of time, the couple knew his best chance at rehabilitation was to find long-term care where he would receive the medical attention he needed. Not only did they find that at St. Catherine’s Village, they found so much more…a Life Plan Community with a full continuum of care.

Initially Bill moved into Siena Center, the skilled nursing building on the 160-acre St. Catherine’s Village campus in Madison, Mississippi. Judy moved into an independent living apartment just steps away.

“When I first arrived at Siena Center, no one expected me to get well,” said Bill. “But the doctors evaluated me, adjusted my medications and before we knew it, I was progressing.”

With the assistance of on-site physical and occupational therapy, Bill was soon able to get around with a walker and moved to assisted living at Marian Hall. Now, Bill walks several miles a day and has improved so much that he has joined his wife in independent living.

“I’m excited to have my chef back,” Judy joked, noting that the couple likes to prepare their own meals in their residence. However, they can relax and let the staff at St. Catherine’s Village do the cooking, as well. Meal plans are offered with nutritious and delicious menu items for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Bill and Judy look at life at St. Catherine’s Village as another adventure they can experience together. The couple met in medical school and were married their junior year. They both went on to enjoy long careers—Bill as a general practitioner and Judy as a pediatrician. Then when they retired at age 55, they started travelling the world backpacking through 54 countries. Most recently, they had been spending a great deal of time in California visiting their daughter and grandchildren. That’s when Bill had his stroke.

“After we moved to St. Catherine’s Village, our grandson came to see us and said, ‘this isn’t a nursing home, it’s a resort,’ and our granddaughter wants to stay with us,” Judy said.

The Parkers’ son lives only about 30 minutes south of Madison so he is nearby…which is a good thing because Bill and Judy truly consider the community home.

“I’ve practiced in hospitals for 30 years,” Bill explained. “St. Catherine’s Village is run extremely well and the people are so caring. I won’t ever leave here.”

Judy agreed, “The staff is amazing and I’m impressed with how they treat everyone like family.”

Being embraced by others in the same stage of life—and who have gone through similar experiences—also bolsters the Parkers’ attitudes. Having neighbors who offer sage advice, who are thriving in a senior living environment, and who genuinely want to enhance the lives of those around them contributes to the special nature of St. Catherine’s Village.

“Our children have said that moving here is the best thing we could have done for them because they know we’re in a wonderful place where we’re getting the best care,” said Judy. “They don’t have to worry about us.”

With a caring staff, on-site resident-centered care and a mission-focused environment, St. Catherine’s Village truly lives up to its reputation. It was the first CCRC in Mississippi to earn accreditation by CARF. This “commitment to excellence” seal signifies that the campus exceeds the standards established by the only international accrediting body for Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC).

Within the Life Plan Community are independent living in apartments and garden homes, assisted living in Marian Hall, memory care in Campbell Cove, and skilled nursing in Hughes Center, Siena Center and Tuscany.

To learn more about senior living options at St. Catherine’s Village, log onto www.StCatherinesVillage.com or call (601) 856-0123 to schedule a tour.

Like many people in the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, the signs were there for Carolyn Hall: forgetfulness, struggling to find the right words, not paying a few bills on time. But Mrs. Hall was only in her late 50s, so she and her husband Jerry looked to their doctor for other explanations. After extensive research, Mr. Hall’s fears were confirmed…his wife did have dementia. And that’s when his journey to memory care at St. Catherine’s Village began.

At first, Mr. Hall cared for Mrs. Hall at their home in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Things were going OK until COVID-19 hit and accelerated Mrs. Hall’s cognitive decline. Even after bringing in in-home caregivers and nurses, caring for her became too much for him to handle. A work associate had retired to St. Catherine’s Village and Mr. Hall knew a board member at the all-inclusive Life Plan Community, so he checked the property out. After visiting, he knew this was the place where his wife would have the best quality of life.

Mr. Hall’s hope was to have Mrs. Hall admitted into Campbell Cove memory care on the St. Catherine’s Village campus. Unfortunately, it was determined she needed more support, and she was accepted into skilled nursing in Hughes Center. Directly connected to Campbell Cove, Hughes Center offers person-centered care with sensory-stimulating and enriching activities to help preserve each resident’s cognitive health. Another advantage of skilled nursing was that a physician visited Mrs. Hall in Hughes Center so she would not have to leave her familiar surroundings, which often caused agitation.

Soon after moving in, Mrs. Hall’s condition improved…so much so that the staff at St. Catherine’s Village recommended she move into Campbell Cove. While it’s common for residents to move from memory care to skilled nursing, it’s rare that someone moves from skilled nursing to memory care.

Being able to receive the right level of care at the right time on the same campus is one of the main benefits of living in an all-inclusive Life Plan Community like St. Catherine’s Village. Residents can transition from one service level to another while remaining in a familiar environment. Becoming a member of the St. Catherine’s Village Life Plan Community did require an up-front investment from the Halls. However, Mr. Hall—a retired banker—realized the long-term financial stability was worth it.

Now 74, Mrs. Hall is doing well in Campbell Cove…interacting with others, and dancing, doing a little soft shoe. She feels comfortable, which is a great comfort for Mr. Hall. He sings the praises of everyone at St. Catherine’s Village and believes Mrs. Hall is getting the best care possible—care that he could not duplicate on his own at home.

He also appreciates that St. Catherine’s Village is a Christian organization and calls the community is a blessing. The couple’s daughter and her family live nearby in Madison and she visits her mom weekly. Although their son is in Memphis, he agrees that St. Catherine’s Village is the right place for Mrs. Hall.

Located on 160 picturesque acres in Madison, St. Catherine’s Village is a private, gated community boasting a caring staff, on-site resident-centered care, and a mission-focused environment. It was the first CCRC in Mississippi to earn accreditation by CARF-CCAC. This “commitment to excellence” seal signifies that the campus exceeds the standards established by the only international accrediting body for Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC).

On campus are independent living in apartments and garden homes, assisted living in Marian Hall, memory care in Campbell Cove, and skilled nursing in Hughes Center, Siena Center and Tuscany.

To learn more about senior living options at St. Catherine’s Village Life Plan Community, log onto www.StCatherinesVillage.com or call (601) 856-0123 to schedule a tour.