Celia Ruff

Our story…

Art and I moved to the Concordia Life Plan Community in May of 2017, from Rockwall, Texas. He had been diagnosed in 2011 with Alzheimer’s and I had a stroke in December of 2016 that affected my right leg and arm. They were very weak. The weakness affected my leg and caused me to limp, my arm and hand were weak and this caused me to lose the ability to write, type, and play the piano. I have regained most of my abilities but I am learning all the time. I will never use them as I once did but I have adjusted to it.

My daughter and [her] husband live in Oklahoma City. Art and I knew making a move would benefit us, as we walked through this next phase of life.

I knew we were going to have to move Art someday to a place that cared for Alzheimer’s patients and I dreaded it. Nobody could love him and care for him like I did. The other independent living, assisted living or general retirement [communities] didn’t have Memory Care or skilled nursing and would require another move or mean living apart. Concordia was the answer. With the Memory Care services only two hallways from my apartment, visiting daily was easy.

Art was treated well and he adjusted after a month or so. I will have to tell you that his adjustment was hard on both of us. But it would have been worse had he been in another facility for Alzheimer’s.

Art passed away, 10 months later, in November. I will always be thankful for the love and care he got.

I’m still in my apartment and enjoy nearly everything Concordia offers. I have a great circle of friends and many of them met Art and were part of our story. The exercise classes, programs and outings keep me busy so it would be safe to say – I’m not bored at all!