Santa Marta

Santa Marta - Independent Living & Villas sits over in Olathe, Kansas as a nonprofit retirement community, and it's sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, so there's a Catholic tradition, but everyone is welcome, and you can see there's a real focus on offering support through a full range of care needs, starting with independent living homes and free-standing villas if folks are looking for secure, low-maintenance living, and then moving on up to 45 assisted living apartments, 23 memory care suites for people with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia, and 46 skilled nursing suites for those with more complex health issues, so the place covers a health care continuum pretty well and has a newly-expanded health services center, too. There's staff available all day and night for emergencies and to help with getting around, whether it's moving from beds to wheelchairs or handling diabetes monitoring, and the community provides 24-hour medical supervision if it's needed, plus emergency response services and routine health and wellness checks. Folks can get meals prepared by chefs, which helps make sure you're getting good nutrition, and there are transportation, housekeeping, linen, and both indoor and outdoor maintenance services, so even little things like moving coordination and laundry are covered, and people can just relax and not worry about chores too much. Santa Marta's got a cafe, library, chapel, heated underground parking, arts and crafts studio, card and game rooms, fitness and business centers, plus private dining and multipurpose rooms, so there's a lot of space for gatherings, hobbies, or quiet time, and the indoor common areas are set up to encourage meeting people and socializing. You'll see a schedule full of activities, clubs, and programs that promote an active lifestyle and offer choices between social, educational, cultural, and recreational events, even offering things like wellness programs and fitness classes, and the staff help set up opportunities for volunteering, spiritual growth, and community engagement, if that's what you're after. Santa Marta also serves those who need a shorter stay with respite care, home health care certified by Medicare, adult day services, and in-home (non-medical) care, so flexibility is built in whether someone's recovering with rehabilitation therapies after a surgery or just needs a break from home for a while. With nearly 30 assisted living apartments, about 45 skilled nursing and memory care units, more than 25 villas, and well over 135 independent living homes, there's some sizing to choose from, and people talk about it being comfortable and safe, with a 5-Star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. You'll notice the Tuscan-inspired architecture gives it a certain look and feel folks seem to enjoy, and for those who want to see before visiting, there's a photo and video gallery as well as virtual tours. The waitlist program is worth mentioning, since openings can come and go, and the nonprofit structure means there's documentation like Form 990s and financials if people want to see where funds go. Santa Marta is there to provide care and community, whether somebody's looking for independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, or just a little extra help for a time.