Jay and Betty Ann Haverstick’s custom carriage house in Southern Lancaster County suits them perfectly. It was built ten years ago on 17 acres of stunning countryside in Conestoga after the couple retired. Jay and Betty Ann, both 76, are originally from Lancaster County and have been married for 55 years.
The home features a first-floor bedroom and a very large kitchen and dining room to give Betty Ann the space to indulge in some of her favorite activities: cooking and hosting large dinners. Many animal trophy mounts from Jay’s worldwide hunting trips adorn the walls of the great room and a unique silo with a spiral staircase leads up to 360-degree panoramic views of the gorgeous countryside and wildlife.
But the feature that makes the Havestick’s home even more of a delight is that their only child, daughter Wendy Esbin, lives in a home right beside them with her husband, Jeff, and their children, Colton, 22, and Katyann, 17.
“People questioned it,” said Betty Ann. “But for us, it’s a blessing. We get along wonderfully and we have every holiday together.” Jay added, “We respect each other’s space; we don’t bother them and they don’t bother us. But if anyone needs something, we are here for each other.”
But the Haversticks wanted to take it one step further. “We knew that if something were to happen, our lovely daughter, Wendy would naturally step up to become our caregiver,” said Betty Ann. “We strongly disagreed with this prospect.” Though the Haversticks were thrilled about her family living next door, they were adamant that Wendy would not become their caretaker as they aged. “We did not want to put that burden on her and her family,” agreed Jay and Betty Ann.
It was then that the Haversticks explored SmartLife VIA Willow Valley. Serving Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin, and York Counties, SmartLife is a true Life Plan at Home program enabling people to “age in place.”
Members enjoy their current lifestyle, in their own home, with the security of knowing they are covered if short- or long-term care is ever needed. If so, SmartLife’s Lifecare Coordinators—not the member’s family—take care of the many details.
SmartLife delivers care coordination, companion services, personal care, and nursing care, all while safeguarding assets. Spouses or other family members (like the Haversticks’ daughter, Wendy) don’t have to worry about having to provide these services during a health event, allowing them to care ABOUT their loved one, not care FOR them. That’s an important distinction. It was very important to the Haversticks that Wendy remain their daughter and not become their caregiver. “I wish SmartLife was around for my parents,” added Betty Ann. “It was really difficult caring for them.”
Additionally, with SmartLife’s Lifecare, families’ assets are protected for the future because monthly fees are not increased because of a Member’s need for an increased level of care. “My sister and brother-in-law, as well as a lot of our friends, are Members and it just seemed like the perfect thing for us,” explained Betty Ann.
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Jay and Betty Ann agreed that Smartlife has given them peace of mind because, to them, SmartLife is like an insurance policy. “You may not need it—or you might REALLY need it,” emphasized Betty Ann. She continued, “The reality is that as you get older, one day you are wonderful and the next day you are not. We thought a lot about it. We wanted to pre-plan and have things in place so that Wendy, our only child, wouldn’t have that burden.”
Further, she said, “The cost of skilled care is unbelievable! Jay worked very hard his whole life, and we don’t want to lose our life’s nest egg paying for care.”
Betty Ann advises others to join SmartLife because, “The unexpected can happen at any time. You're never promised anything.”
She continued, “You’ll turn around and before you know it you're in your 70s. Wow, where has the time gone? We tell Wendy this all the time. We watched Katyann go to prom and I said to Jay, it doesn’t feel that long ago that was you and I.”
Betty Ann says that you can take the stress and the anxiety of growing older out if you just have a plan in place. “And then you can have a peaceful life, enjoying the things that are important to you.”
To explore more about SmartLife Via Willow Valley visit: smartlifewv.org
