The Forum At Rancho San Antonio

There are many reasons I love living at the Forum. One of the main things I love is the sense of community. I was asked by a friend, who does not live here, if I have someone to rely on if I need help with something. For example, would someone go to a drugstore and pick up a prescription if I did not feel well? I realized that almost anyone who drives would do that for me. We take care of each other. It is like having an extended family that lives nearby. When I go to the dining room alone, I know there will be people that I can join even if I don't know them well. People don't sit alone unless they want to. If I want to be cheered up, I go to the lounge. The lounge is a casual place that people come to after an exercise class or just to find people to talk with. I never know who I will have coffee with because once again anyone can join in. I just know there will be people having a good time with each other. The sense of community extends to the staff. They are a fabulous group of people who have our best interests at heart. They had extra duties during covid in addition to worrying about their families. The residents were very aware of the extra effort staff made to keep us safe. We tried to show our deep appreciation by making signs to cheer them up, and helping them whenever we were able, even if it was with just a smile and a thank you. We also had fun making Christmas treat baskets to surprise them. They are much appreciated and definitely part of the extended family. If I want to be alone, which I do at times, I know no one will bother me. But when I want to feel connected to a very giving community, all I need to do is walk out of my apartment and it will be there for me.

As the adult child of a resident at the Forum I can say unequivocally that it was the best decision my mother made for herself. After my father passed, I was worried about her increased loneliness, as well as the increased burden of managing her home. I mean, maintaining the garden, the cooking for one, the paperwork of paying bills each month, the grocery shopping, trying to drive out to see her friends or to doc appointment, etc. It started to worry me since I have a family and job to manage as well. I was pleasantly surprised to see that immediately after she moved in, the sense of community and connection was right there for her. And the conveniences and services at the Forum are incredible -- enabling my mom to focus on the things she wants to focus on without the overhead of managing your own household. It's the best of both worlds. Hopefully, I'll be able to move in there when I'm her age.

The beauty of The Forum’s campus, the spacious and well-designed apartments and villas, the inviting common areas—all these are obvious on a first visit. What’s not obvious, what has to be experienced in order to appreciate it, is the warmth, the intellectual stimulation, and the communal spirit of The Forum’s residential community. We lived in our previous home for five decades, it was perfect for us in every way, and we expected to have a certain amount of nostalgia, looking back. But no, from the very first day we felt so much at home, so welcomed, so busy with Forum activities, that we’ve never looked back. If you move here, you won’t either.