A Smooth Transition into a Vibrant Lifestyle After Back Surgery
As a longtime financial advisor and broker, Barb Engelmann has always enjoyed the hustle and bustle of being “in the center of it all,” always on the go, and meeting new, fascinating people. However, as she developed issues with her back, she started rethinking her urban life. “I loved my condo in the Galleria in Minneapolis, but having to drive to and from physical therapy appointments was getting more and more challenging, especially in the winter,” she explains. “I wanted a new home where I could still be surrounded by interesting people, have plenty to do, and also have access to onsite health services.”
Luckily, one of Engelmann’s daughters (who followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a financial advisor), was visiting a client who lives at Trillium Woods, a premiere lifeplan community in Plymouth, MN. “After her meeting, she called me, saying, ‘Mom, I found a perfect place when the time is right for you. You’ve got to take a look at it because it’s absolutely everything that you want.’ And she was right!”
The “right time” for the move turned out to be before major back surgery. “But I was lucky in that I could do my post-surgical rehab right here at the Birches, Trillium Woods’ Health Center,” Engelmann says. “It was wonderful to be able to plan ahead for my surgery, rehab, and new home all at once. They took great care of me at the Birches, and I was even able to start my physical therapy and occupational therapy right in my room there. Of course, I got bored quickly by myself and I was glad when I felt well enough to join in communal meals there. That’s when I started to feel part of Trillium — everyone was very kind and supportive.”
As part of Trillium Woods’ full continuum of care, the Birches provides memory care and skilled nursing for residents should they ever need it, in addition to post-surgical and post-illness rehab.
With the help of the experts at the Birches, Engelmann soon was ready to move back into her new home in Trillium Woods’ independent living neighborhood and get into the swing of the community’s vibrant, active lifestyle.
“We pair interested new residents up with more-established ‘ambassadors’ who act as informal guides that can make friendly introductions,” explains Trillium Woods’ Director of Sales and Marketing, Linda Stanton. “Because she’s an avid reader, I set up Barb with Jane, the woman who runs our library. We try very hard to match people up with common interests — but that’s just a jumping-off point. Barb has been busy making new friends ever since.”
“The library here is to die for,” Engelmann adds. “Jane always has the latest books and keeps an incredible collection for us all to enjoy. But I also discovered that the pub here is a great place to meet people. If there’s no place to sit, you just ask to join someone, and I’ve met many incredible and welcoming people that way. Plus, the food is delicious.”
Engelmann also enjoys the endless activities at Trillium Woods. “There’s always something interesting on the calendar, and if you can’t find something to do, then something’s wrong with you,” she jokes. “It’s almost too much — I have to pick and choose what sounds best to me, but that’s a good dilemma to have.”
Just as she had hoped, living at Trillium Woods has also made getting her health needs met much easier. “I have onsite physical and occupational therapy and can have my medications delivered. I don’t have to leave the premises or even brave the weather.”
And though she loves being out and about on Trillium Woods’ spacious campus as she moves from social engagements to fun activities, Engelmann also loves spending quiet time in her new home.
“It’s a two-bedroom apartment with built-in bookshelves and a fireplace, so it’s right up my alley,” she says. “I have a goal of reading all the Pulitzer Prize-winning novels — there’s about 90 of them — and I’m halfway through. I sit by the fireplace in my apartment and read. It’s very comfy and cozy, and I absolutely love it here. It was the right choice.”
To learn more about post-surgical rehabilitation at the Birches, visit https://www.trilliumwoodslcs.com/health-center/rehabilitation/.
To learn more about the vibrant, wellness-focused lifestyle at Trillium Woods, visit https://www.trilliumwoodslcs.com. To schedule a tour, visit https://www.trilliumwoodslcs.com/#/further/55.
