Nestled upon 78 stunning acres in the beautiful town of Wyckoff you will find The Vista. The Vista is a premiere retirement community featuring stunning grounds, impeccable amenities and services, and a warm staff that goes above and beyond for their beloved residents.
Community is the key at Christian Health’s The Vista, generating life-long friendships. Three gentlemen who call The Vista home —Carl Anderson, Bill Douma and David Gee—were more than happy to share about their experience as current residents.
Carl Anderson
Carl Anderson and his wife have lived in Bergen County for over 33 years, after a relocation from Cincinnati. This area is “home”. Carl has been blind since he was fairly young, and made his living in what he lovingly calls “the blind biz” for many years. For the last 8 years, he has been happily retired. He says that choosing The Vista as their home was not only the perfect gift for him and his wife, but also a wonderful gift for his two adult children.
Carl lives a very rich and full life. He believes that he has all of the resources that he and his wife could ever need in The Vista community—for their active life now, and in the future. Christian Health offers assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and more, if ever needed. For now, he is actively involved in the community, and loving every moment in his new home.
“I’m not a great cook,” Carl shares, “but I can just go downstairs to eat. I don’t have to cook very much. The food is incredible!”
He adds, “There is a wonderful support system here. The residents are so welcoming. We like to join them for dinner, and we have our friends and family join us here for dinner, also.” Carl takes comfort in his community, and cherishes it.
Several activities keep him busy at The Vista, like movies, trivia night, and various lectures. His wife enjoys a book club, the games Bridge and Mahjong, and more. He also enjoys exercising every day.
When moving to The Vista, Carl wanted to make sure that the gym, and the entire facility, would be accessible to him, as a blind person. The wonderful staff kindly gave him an orientation to the facility to make sure that he would be comfortable and accustomed to everything around him—like getting to the gym, mailbox, common areas, dining room, etc. This ensured his independence.
These comforts are priceless to Carl. At The Vista, Carl found the perfect balance for his independent spirit, and his unique situation was handled with love and care.
Bill Douma
Bill Douma has a life-long tie to the local area. He proudly shared that he attended Ramapo High School followed by studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University at night for 11 years to get his degrees, paid for by the corporations he worked for on his climb up the corporate ladder (Singer Company and BAE Systems—a $17 billion company). He retired in 2008 from his impressive career.
Bill and his loving wife of 60 years decided it was time to move on from their home of 50 years, which led them on a search for their next chapter: a new community. The Vista was the perfect fit.
“This seems to be a really nice place, I thought! A lot of our friends are here from the Midland Park Christian Reformed Church,” Bill cheerfully explains, “The life care plan was what finally convinced us. We absolutely love it here. Capital L-O-V-E it! We love the food, too.”
Bill shared that he and his wife have a daughter who has had cancer for 12 years, whom they adore. The community camaraderie at The Vista, “his extended family”, has been such a huge support system for their family while facing this challenging time. He is so grateful for their support.
Bill is quite social, and as you can imagine, he is an early riser. He enjoys going to the lobby for pastries, fruit, coffee, and “great conversation”. Another favorite is the on-site Performing Arts Center, which he thoroughly enjoys.
David Gee
Born and raised in New York City, David Gee has enjoyed 50 years of living in various local towns. Now retired, he and his wife were looking to simply just “enjoy life”. The Vista was the perfect spot to call home. “It checked all the boxes,” David explains, “It had everything that we were looking for.”
“The food is terrific,” David states, “and they have a gym and a pool. There are a lot of activities here, which keeps us busy in our retirement. The biggest thing for my wife and I was the life care here. It’s peace of mind.”
David continues, “We go to the gym here four or five days a week. My wife just came back from playing Mahjong. They have an auditorium here and they have a lot of concerts, musicians and guest speakers, and that’s very interesting.”
David and his wife have a two bedroom—a master bedroom and a den. He likes that they have plenty of room for keep-sakes and a couch that pulls out for when their children visit. David also enjoys the beautiful Vista grounds and the trees. His favorite thing is the community.
“It worked out great for us! We’re just happy here,” David states, “It’s well beyond what we could have imagined.”
A special place
“The facility itself is beautiful. It’s new and very attractive,” shares the executive director, Ellen Debel, “The grounds are immaculate. Right now there are 3,000 daffodil bulbs blooming in our front circle! The grand arcade has tall ceilings —lots of light—with modern but comfortable furnishings. But, what’s really important at the Vista is the sense of community.”
“The people who live here and the people who work here, have made this a very special place to live,” Ellen continues, “The Vista is an independent living community, but there are certain supports in place so that you can remain independent as long as possible.”
Variety each day
There are over 200 programs offered each month for the 197 residents, which include entertainment, education, fitness and more.
“It’s a very robust program with something for everyone,” Ellen explains.
Residents love the music programs, golf simulator, ping-pong, games, arts and crafts, and charitable opportunities for showing care to residents and others. Their knitting group recently made hats, gloves, and scarves for people in the Ukraine. There is a sense of purpose, with committees in the community that create many programs.
The men on site enjoy a variety of classes, like “brushes and beer”—a painting class specifically geared to men—or “baseball, beer, and fellowship”, for example. Golf is an independent activity that residents really enjoy, which helps them prepare for different golf courses.
They also enjoy local events. Recently, residents participated in the Wyckoff PBA cornhole tournament, with regular practice sessions, etc. They also took part in a local Veterans tribute in town.
Inspired living
Carl, Bill, and David are truly inspiring men who each care deeply for their families and community. Each is living their life fully, making sure that their future is secure. Each agrees that the quality of care and sense of community at The Vista gives them, and so many others, peace of mind. Be sure to schedule a visit to The Vista to explore the gorgeous grounds and facilities.
thevista.org