At The Restoracy, these questions aren’t hypothetical. They’re answered daily in moments both elaborately planned and beautifully ordinary providing seven essential ways for seniors to thrive while receiving skilled care, rehabilitation, or memory care services.
Meals can create natural connection and comfort.
Since his admission, Tom* had withdrawn into himself, participating little, connecting less. Then came a family-style dinner on an ordinary Tuesday evening. Something about the intimacy of sharing a meal—really sharing it, not just eating in proximity to others—began to soften the walls he’d built.
On that particular evening, sparked by conversation and comfort, he shared a childhood memory. Laughter rippled around the table. Stories emerged. From that moment forward, everything changed. He began engaging in games, seeking out conversations, building the kind of relationships that make life worth living.
This transformation didn’t happen in a large facility with rigidly scheduled programming. It happened around a dinner table, in a home designed for just twelve residents, where authentic connection has room to breathe and grow.
Skilled care setting design matters.
The Restoracy’s homes are small by intention, not limitation. Twelve residents per home creates something profoundly different from traditional skilled care environments. It’s the difference between being cared for and being known. Between participating in activities and simply living life alongside people who matter to you.
“Community engagement doesn’t feel like a scheduled activity,” explains Ryan Levengood, VP of Business Development. “It feels like life.”
This distinction transforms everything. Grandchildren feel comfortable visiting. Staff members bring their own families around. Connection happens organically in the kitchen while helping prepare meals, on the front porch during afternoon conversations, or over morning coffee when the day is still fresh with possibility.
Leadership opportunities revive residents’ vitality.
John came to The Restoracy having lost his wife. But he’d lost more than that, too. He’d lost his sense of purpose, his connection to faith, his place in the world. Once deeply engaged with the United Methodist Church, he felt adrift and forgotten.
The Restoracy team recognized something crucial: seeing not just his grief, but his potential. We invited him to lead the men’s group. The nearby United Methodist Church became involved, with their outreach pastor visiting regularly. Our team introduced activities aligned with his interests, like golf putting—a simple pleasure that reconnected him to joy.
Today, his isolation has been replaced by vibrant community involvement. He’s not just receiving care; he’s contributing to the lives of others. Leadership, it turns out, doesn’t require a title. It emerges naturally when people feel truly at home.
Connecting over shared passions is always possible.
Some of the most profound connections surprise everyone involved. A retired school principal and a former construction worker discovered their shared love of puzzles and western movies. On paper, they had little in common. In reality, they formed a friendship that brought joy not only to them but to everyone who witnessed their easy interactions.
These aren’t programmed interactions or forced socialization. They’re the natural result of creating environments where people can be themselves, pursue their interests, and discover commonality in unexpected places.
Community engagement is about relationships, not service projects.
The Restoracy’s approach to community engagement extends far beyond our home boundaries. What began as simple in-house activities has evolved into deep, ongoing partnerships with the broader community. These aren’t one-time visits or charity appearances. They’re genuine relationships built over time.
The Zionsville school system regularly brings students for art, music, and storytelling exchanges. The Lebanon Leprechauns basketball team visits often, creating moments of pure fun. Local firefighters support our one-of-a-kind annual slip-and-slide event, proving that joy has no age limit.
The monthly “Elder Tales” program brings children and residents together for storytelling and creativity. During holidays, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department fills the homes with caroling and cheer and Parks & Recreation team members introduce residents to regional wildlife, bringing animals for educational visits and encouraging ongoing natural curiosity and learning.
Even the mayor of Lebanon participates in events and parades at The Restoracy, bridging civic life with senior care in ways that honor both community service and the wisdom of age.
Managing care and living to the fullest aren’t mutually exclusive.
Traditional skilled care often operates on a medical model: assess needs, provide services, maintain safety. The Restoracy operates on a human model: recognize the whole person, honor their story, and create conditions where life continues to unfold meaningfully.
This doesn’t mean abandoning structure entirely. Shared meals provide a gentle rhythm. Morning routines offer comfort and predictability. Therapeutic programming addresses specific needs. But the magic happens in the spaces between—in impromptu conversations, collaborative cooking, and the simple pleasure of watching a classic film with people who’ve become family.
“Recovery isn’t isolated,” Levengood notes. “It’s communal.”
There are definitive signs residents are thriving.
When residents feel truly at home, remarkable things happen. One woman, known throughout Northern Indiana for “GG’s chicken,” organized cooking events to share her treasured recipes. Another resident started leading daily puzzle sessions. These initiatives weren’t assigned or scheduled. They emerged because people felt valued, capable, and connected to something larger than their immediate needs.
The environment itself becomes therapeutic. When staff members feel comfortable bringing their own families around, when grandchildren want to visit, when residents take initiative in creating programming for others—these are signs of a community that’s thriving, not just surviving.
Skilled care that restores.
Choosing skilled care for someone you love will always involve difficult emotions. But it doesn’t have to mean accepting isolated institutional living, or the slow fade of personality and purpose. At The Restoracy, residents both receive care and continue living lives of connection, contribution, and genuine joy.
The small scale matters. The community partnerships matter. The organic approach to relationship-building matters. But most importantly, the recognition of each person’s inherent worth and ongoing potential matters most of all.
In homes designed for twelve, every voice is heard. Every story matters. Every resident has the space and support to continue becoming who they’re meant to be, surrounded by people who care not just about their medical needs, but about their hearts, their histories, and their hopes for tomorrow.
Ready to see the difference community makes? Schedule a visit to The Restoracy and experience firsthand how skilled care can honor both health and happiness. Because your loved one deserves care and to feel at home.
*To preserve their privacy, we’ve changed the names of residents mentioned.