Catholic Care Center Offers Expert Advice & Vibrant Senior Living in Wichita, KS

“Aging with Grace” Articles Offer Tips on Healthy Aging, Senior Housing, Independent Living, Managing Relationships & Senior Health Challenges

This “Aging with Grace” article was written by Jennifer Sanders and published in the Catholic Advance, The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Wichita.

Often times on social media posts or memes, you’ll see the acronym “IFKYK,” meaning “if you know, you know.” Usually, it’s in context to some silly pop culture joke, and if you don’t know, then you really aren’t missing out on much.

Other times if you don’t know, it can be really difficult to make decisions or understand opportunities as they become available, and all too often this is the case with aging issues and senior care topics. Nearly 17 years ago when I was blessed with the opportunity to start my career at the Catholic Care Center, I had almost no knowledge or understanding of the complexities of the aging journey and the wide array of opportunities the senior resource market has. So many of the families I’ve encountered in the nearly two decades of service at Catholic Care Center are in the same position. Often times you don’t know, until you need to know, and then you are working to make time-sensitive decisions about highly complex and emotionally charged issues.

That is why we have partnered with the Catholic Advance to bring you a new feature titled “Aging with Grace,” where we will cover important senior topics from healthy aging, housing and care options, managing relationships, and the health challenges that some seniors face. Catholic Care Center, a fully owned ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, has an outstanding team of highly knowledgeable senior living professionals and relationships throughout the community with experts in many fields that serve seniors. We want to be a resource and arm you and your family with the information you need to make informed and beneficial decisions when the time comes.

It is a privilege to age, one that not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy. Often times in retirement years, people find they have time to do things that their working years didn’t allow, such as attending daily Mass, pursuing hobbies, and traveling. Sometimes these years also bring challenges such as emotional or physical changes, cognitive decline, hospitalization, and other obstacles.

When you decide to buy a car or take a trip, you likely do research before you make any decisions. Maybe you take a test drive, talk to people who traveled to your intended destination, and find out from other people’s experiences what might be a good option for you. Surprisingly, many people do not take these types of steps when exploring senior resources. Maybe it’s because they don’t really know what to ask? Maybe it’s because there are stigmas around the aging journey? Whatever the reason, we all need to take the time to really get to know the vast array of options available to us and our loved ones as we age. Let’s face it, if you are breathing, you are aging. So we will all likely need to be informed at some point in our lives.

Our hope is that by sharing in this column what we’ve learned in the 35 years of Catholic Care Center’s service to the community, and in the many other resources and connections we share, we can help start you on the road to a healthy, faith-centered aging journey! And for those who are already on this journey, remember: everyone’s journey is different. If you hit a bump in the road, change course and keep going. If you need help, ask! This time in your life is what you make it, and it can be a wonderful adventure!

Catholic Care Center is not a nursing home. We’re much more than that. We’re a vibrant retirement community that offers compassionate care for seniors. Whether you’re searching for independent living in Wichita or have a loved one in need of senior behavioral health care, memory care, dementia care, assisted living, or short-term skilled nursing – our team of experts is ready to serve. Have a question about our services or a senior care topic you’d like covered in an “Aging with Grace” article? Email Jennifer at jennifer.sanders@catholiccarecenter.org with your suggestion.