Last year, I toured Merrill Gardens and introduced you to my friend Maury, the 91-year-old pilot, which was a really fun experience. My friend Lila Houser, fellow Clothes Bank board member and wife of former Renton Municipal Court judge Paul Houser, invited me to tour The Chateau at Valley Center where she lives to see how they compare. I took her up on it. Rebecca Kavan, the Chateau’s community relations director, was my tour guide. Part of what makes the Chateau so appealing to its residents is its proximity to Valley Medical Center (just across the street) and its frequent shuttle service to doctor appointments. But, that’s just part of the appeal of the Chateau. For those interested in fitness and wellness activities, there is a heated pool and “senior splash” and a fitness center where you can get personal training and participate in activities like yoga, strength training for life and balance and stability classes. On any given day residents can get a massage, visit the hair salon and barbershop, take a trip to the Farmers Market or a Trader’s Joe, watch a movie in their own movie theatre equipped with Netflix, or use the computer room to check your e-mail!
The Chateau has spacious apartments with studios and one and two bedrooms, most featuring full kitchens, fireplaces, washers and dryers and balconies or patios. I was impressed and the prices are reasonable. It includes restaurant-style dining (twice a day for most) and weekly housekeeping. Rebecca treated me to a great lunch, which I enjoyed with residents Jackie and Rudy Cabell. Having just lost my mother-in-law, I am impressed to know that when residents do need assisted-living care, they don’t have to move to “the other side,” as my mother-in-law did, you just add the extra care to the package you currently have and stay right where you are in your apartment. The staff is trained to provide these services.
The other thing that makes the Chateau unique is their 18-bed Memory Care unit. I saw residents in that part of the community engaging in fun activities and being treated with dignity and respect. If you or a loved one are thinking about a retirement community, I encourage you to check out the Chateau.
Susan Bressler is an active member of a number of Renton organizations, including Piazza Renton. E-mail her at scbressler@comcast.net.
