Holiday by Atria Rolling Hills Ranch

Independent Senior Living 

By Deborah Daley

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Thankfully, many seniors are aging better and living longer. In fact, the 65-plus age group is one of the fastest growing groups in the county, rising 38 percent since 2010. This population will reach 80.8 million in 2040. Many of us (I am 69 myself) are making decisions about where we would like to live out our golden years. If independent senior living is the option you desire, consider Holiday by Atria Rolling Hills Ranch. This facility in northwest Omaha offers an independent but family-like community, complete with living accommodations, food, activities, and socialization. 

Tabitha Hathaway is the General Manager of Rolling Hills Ranch. She is responsible for building operations, personnel, activities, financial administration, marketing, and more. There are 22 staff members employed at Rolling Hills Ranch. If a resident needs assistance, they’ll find someone available to help 365 days a year. “I believe we make life better for our residents,” Tabitha shares. “They enjoy apartment-style living at its best, but we are so much more. There is a sense of family here.”

Holiday by Atria has more than 150 facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The company’s extensive experience was a huge selling point for Tabitha, who grew up in Topeka, Kansas, and studied nursing at Missouri Southern University. 

The opportunity to put her nursing background to good use by working for Holiday by Atria is what drew Tabitha to Omaha. “I wanted to take care of people, especially seniors,” Tabitha says. She has now been with the corporation for 10 years and is proud to spend her time making sure that members of the senior population are seen and heard. “I want to be their voice and advocate for them.”

Residents have different reasons for choosing independent senior living, Tabitha continues. “For some, a spouse has passed, and they want a different environment. For others, it might be that they are lonely and want more socialization. It is important to figure out those reasons and determine the best option for senior living.”

Rolling Hills Ranch is open to individuals 55 and older who live independently. If residents need additional health maintenance, they can arrange for third-party health providers to provide services or can have family members come in to help. A third-party health provider is also available on site, at an additional cost. Services can include things like medication support or bathing assistance. They also offer housekeeping and individual-life alerts. Studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments are available at Rolling Hills Ranch, with pricing based on square footage. Currently, about 110 people live in the community. 

What Tabitha loves most about Rolling Hills Ranch is how independence can still feel like family. “Our residents decorate their own apartments, have guests, and can come and go as they please, with no curfew. We introduce them to every staff member with a meet-and-greet reception. Everyone knows everyone here!”

Dottie, a current community member, feels very comfortable with the arrangement. “I like the people who work here and the people who live here,” she says. “People are happy here, and you feel that. This was the first place I looked at, and I visited five others. I came back here because I felt comfortable here.”

Tabitha is quick to note that moving out of the family home is no small task. For many people, it is challenging to make the leap, both emotionally and in terms of the physical move itself. “Many of our residents lived in their family home for decades, and it’s a big step to move,” she says. “We work very hard to relieve their anxiety and make them feel comfortable and happy. Quality of life is very important to us.”

In addition to providing meals, Rolling Hills Ranch offers an exercise room and classes, seminars, and entertainment at least once a week, as well as other activities, games, parties, and more. The community offers many opportunities to be involved! 

Welcoming pets is another important part of making the facility feel like home. Some seniors stay in a less-than-optimal living situation because they don’t want to leave their furry family members behind. At Rolling Hills Ranch, pets are welcome and become part of the family. One of the recent activities was a cooking class in which residents made pet-friendly treats. 

If you are a senior who wants to live independently but in an active, social, family-like environment, Holiday by Atria Rolling Hills Ranch is definitely worth a look. Visit holidayseniorliving.com and enter your zip code to find more details about Rolling Hills Ranch, located at 4324 North 132nd Street, in Omaha. The office is reachable by phone at 402-391-1055 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily. 

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