Bob Ellis quickly realized after an injury last winter that living on a senior living campus with a continuum of care was not something to take for granted.
While walking his dog, Bob fell outside his twin home at Good Samaritan Society – Estes Park Village, which hurt his elbow and paralyzed his arm.
“Bob moved into our respite apartment, and his plan was to spend a month and go back home. However, his body did not quite agree,” says Veronica “Ronni” Howell, manager of assisted living at Estes Park Village.
Bob felt fortunate that respite care and assisted living are available on campus. It’s giving him the time he needs to recover. The apartment is fully furnished, meaning less stress for his family, who moved his furniture and other belongings out of his twin home and into storage.
“The staff give really good care. All you have to do is push a little button and help comes calling,” says Bob.
“Respite care is vital for residents. We fit the bill for seniors who need more help before they can go home,” Ronni says.
Bob spent a month in respite care before switching to assisted living services. He plans to move to an independent living apartment at Estes Park Village once he recovers.
“For one person, the assisted living apartment is nice and roomy. My needs are being met very well. I get help with baths. I’m a fall risk, so they’ve helped work on that. I learned to use my walker,” Bob says.
He appreciates getting three meals a day and having lunch with friends in the dining room.
“Getting to know people here is fun because they have so many different experiences. I’ve got sort of a regular table of people I eat lunch with. We have a lot of fun teasing each other,” Bob says.
Loving mountain life
Bob and his wife moved to Estes Park Village 10 years ago when they found a twin home with a view of Rocky Mountain National Park.
“We wanted to stay in the mountains and we found Good Sam on the web, came up and visited and decided to move in,” says Bob.
The couple had lived about 25 miles from Estes Park in Nederland, Colorado, for 17 years, but realized they needed to be closer to medical care.
“My wife was having heart issues, so we looked around. We knew the places down in Boulder, but she didn’t really like tall apartment buildings.”
At Estes Park Village, the couple enjoyed being active – hiking, skiing and spending time with their dog.
“From the twin home, we did a little bit of skiing up in the National Park up to where it was closed and then skiing the Trail Ridge Road,” Bob says.
They also liked spending time cooking and enjoying the scenery outside their home.
“The twin homes are well designed and the views of the park are magnificent. From our dining room, we could see pretty much the whole park. It was a great view. Our twin home overlooked the wetland. We had not only elk, but other kinds of animals walk by all the time,” says Bob.
Things changed for Bob when his wife died in September 2024. Three months later, he fell and hurt his arm.
Patiently recovering
But Bob is staying positive while doing the hard work of rehab therapy. The van at Estes Park Village takes him to regular physical and occupational therapy appointments. He also spends time outdoors and uses an exercise machine in the wellness center to gain strength.
“I’ve been getting into the Rocky Mountains about once every other week, which is fun. It’s very refreshing. I sit and watch wildlife while my daughter and granddaughter hike farther and then come back and pick me up,” Bob says.
Although Bob’s recovery has been slower than he’d like, he’s not giving up.
“Bob has the heart of a lion and has taken so many things in stride. He has hit numerous roadblocks, but continues to stay positive,” says Ronni.
