[Updated: October 20, 2026 | Published: October 20, 2026]
Residents and members from Friendship Village of Dublin, Friendship at Home, and The Bailey at Bridge Park share what shaped their decisions on senior living and the impact their choices have had on their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
When making a major life decision, we often seek guidance from people who have already encountered it. For those exploring our communities and membership program, residents and members offer something especially valuable: authentic, relatable stories about what they chose and why. Their experiences can help others picture the possibilities and consider their own next steps.
Throughout September, residents and members from Friendship Village of Dublin, The Bailey at Bridge Park, and Friendship at Home shared their stories at three Voices of Experience events. They described how they explored senior living options in central Ohio and why they chose the solutions that fit their lives.
Three themes regularly surfaced during their inspiring testimonies: the joy of being a part of a community, a newfound peace of mind, and the emphasis on a healthy, active lifestyle.
Three Superior Solutions. One Friendship Family.
Each life journey is unique, and Friendship Village of Dublin’s senior living options address different lifestyles, personal needs, and individual or family preferences. For some, the next step is a new home in a community. For others, it is support that allows them to remain in the home they love.
Friendship Village of Dublin: a LifeCare community offering independent living and continuing care on a scenic, 29-acre campus along the Scioto River in Dublin.
The Bailey at Bridge Park: An upscale luxury apartment community for active 55+ adults in Dublin’s exciting and growing Bridge Park district.
Friendship at Home: A Life Plan at Home membership program that allows you to age in place with care coordination that comes to you, wherever you live in central Ohio.
Each option offers a different way to meet your goals and preferences, now and in the future. Our panelists’ experiences offer a useful starting point: what mattered to them, how Friendship Village addressed their concerns, and their choice’s positive impact.
These are their stories, their experiences, and words of wisdom.
The People Are What Makes Our Communities Special
Moving into a new home and meeting new people can be overwhelming. Having concerns about making friends, fitting in, or having time alone is valid. For our panelists, those worries eased soon after they arrived. New friendships have grown into lasting relationships while opportunities for solitude and have helped them find a good social balance that suited them.
“Every day of my life is in community with people. I can choose to be as alone as I want to be, or if I get a little too much of myself, I walk down the hall. I’ve grown many, many friendships over the last 12 years. I cannot imagine being anywhere else.”
– Gene C., Resident of Friendship Village of Dublin since 2014
Jim W. and his wife, Michelle, moved from California to The Bailey to be closer to their children. For Jim, the everyday opportunities to meet people bring back memories of college life.
“We didn’t have many friends around when we arrived. When we moved into The Bailey, it was like returning to my old college dorm room because you go outside your door, wherever you go, you are going to run into somebody. To be able to talk to people all the time is just amazing.”
Jim W., Resident of The Bailey at Bridge Park since 2024
Barbara W. and her husband, Jim, also moved to The Bailey from out of state. Their family had similar concerns about finding friends. Barbara said the welcome they experienced at The Bailey quickly put that concern to rest.
“My family was concerned about how we were going to make friends at our age, but The Bailey naturally took care of that. Everyone that has moved in, from wherever they come from, has become an immediate friend.”
– Barbara W., Resident of the Bailey at Bridge Park since 2024
Beyond the residents at Friendship Village of Dublin and The Bailey at Bridge Park, our panelists shared that each community is inclusive and welcoming, in large part because of the staff, too.
“One of the nicest things is just being surrounded by friendly people, and not just your neighbors, but the staff as well. They are really nice people and they want to work here … The staff here are just so friendly, concerned, and caring. It makes a huge difference.”
– Charlie B., resident at Friendship Village of Dublin since 2025
The Greatest Gift: Peace of Mind.
When we think of what we want life to be as we age, it is natural to think about wanting excellent dining options, engaging activities to participate in, a warm and welcoming environment, and maintaining our independence. When our panelists made their decision about what senior living option best suited them, we found one of the greatest gifts they received was peace of mind.
Peace of mind took different forms depending on the person but ranged from the convenience of an all-inclusive lifestyle, achieving financial protection and predictability, or knowing around the clock support is available if or when it is needed. These are just a few of the ways our residents and members now spend less time worrying and more time living.
“From a day-to-day basis, living at The Bailey has taken away all the maintenance issues that we faced as home or condo owners. There is no long raking leaves, mulching the gardens, or worrying about what to do if the furnace goes out. Overall, The Bailey takes care of our daily living.”
– Barbara W., Resident of the Bailey at Bridge Park since 2024
The gift of peace of mind is not just for the resident or the member; it is for their loved ones, too.
Louise B. is a Friendship at Home member, and her son, Jim, could not be more thankful for the support she has received. For Jim, Friendship at Home’s support for his mother became especially meaningful after she broke her leg. As Louise was being prepared to be discharged following surgery, he expected to face the daunting task of finding a rehabilitation facility. Instead, he found that it had already been arranged by Friendship at Home.
“Our personal health navigator called me up and told me it’s already been taken care of, and she’ll be going to Friendship Village for her rehab. That’s when the hospital’s nurse gave me a paper with every possible rehab center in central Ohio listed. If not for Friendship at Home, I would have had to call all of them to find the right place and make the arrangements. It wasn’t until that night that I realized what I had dodged.”
– Jim B., financial advisor and son of a Friendship at Home member
After helping her parents navigate the challenges of their later years, Bonnie O. knew firsthand the stress that can fall on an adult child providing care. When she learned about Friendship at Home, she was thrilled to find an option that could provide support if she needed it in the future.
“It’s the security and peace of mind that I have knowing that if anything happens, it’s okay. There is a whole group of people, and an entire organization, that will make sure I am safe and everything is going to be taken care of. Recently, I’ve had family move out of state. If I didn’t have Friendship at Home, I think I’d be pretty nervous, because it’s tough being all by yourself. But I’m neither nervous nor by myself with Friendship at Home.”
– Bonnie O., member of Friendship at Home since 2018
A Life You Can’t Wait to Start Living
From balanced meals provided by award-winning chefs to exercise classes for all ability levels, plus an endless schedule of indoor and outdoor activities available, our panelists prove that the way you live is just as important as where you live.
“Since coming to Friendship Village, I am getting much more consistent exercise because there are so many classes offered here and I don’t have to put on a coat to get to them. I am eating so much better, not just the quality of the food but having balanced meals. I never have to wonder how I will fill my day.”
Charlie B., resident at Friendship Village of Dublin since 2025
“What makes Friendship Village different from the rest if the liveliness, the activity, amenities, and the people – both staff and residents. It’s a cruise ship to nowhere!”
– Gene C., Resident of Friendship Village of Dublin since 2014
We’re often reminded that Dublin and the Bridge Park community offer excellent options for dining, leisure, shopping, and fun. It’s not lost on the residents at The Bailey that there are plenty of opportunities just steps away from their front door.
“We lined up everything, and it came down to location and then the vibrant lifestyle that was able to offer something radically different. We wanted to stay in an area with more active things going on, not a replacement of what we had before, but something different.”
– Lisa W., resident at The Bailey since 2024
“It’s a great location. It’s just too easy. You don’t even have to drive. I can leave the car in the garage and walk downtown or across the bridge [to Old Dublin]. That makes the difference.”
– Jim W., Resident of The Bailey at Bridge Park since 2024
Lasting Words for Choosing Your Best Senior Lifestyle Option
For those who attended the three Voices of Experience events, we hope the panelists’ stories offered helpful guidance. We were moved by what we heard, too, including: an immediate sense of belonging, a conversation that made the choice clear, and support that felt unlike anything else.
If you missed our Voices of Experience series, you can watch our September 23 presentation featuring a full panel of residents and members from all three communities. Click here, or watch the video below.
Here are a few of our favorite, impactful “light bulb moments” expressed throughout our Voices of Experience series.
“Once I learned that The Bailey was here, I came over and instantly fell in love. This is a community where people do things together. You see everybody. It’s really one big family.”
– Marc M., resident at The Bailey since 2025
“We chose Friendship Village because my husband and I were walking around on a tour and he kept saying, ‘Why would you go anywhere else? This place is fabulous.’ I thought about how much it cost, but then he said to me, ‘Well, why did we save all that money if not for you to enjoy it after I’m gone?’ After that, we didn’t go to any other communities. I was really glad he insisted on it because I’m not sure I would have treated myself this well.”
– Charlie B., resident at Friendship Village of Dublin since 2025
“I have the opportunity to sell long-term care insurance to my clients, and there is nobody on the other end of that insurance policy who calls you up and says, ‘I already have your mother’s rehab arranged.’ It just doesn’t happen. There is no level of concierge service that exists like with Friendship at Home … I never tried to do a comparison between the two. I think it’s pointless because it is not apples to apples.”
Jim B., financial advisor and son of a Friendship at Home member
The Next Step in Selecting Your Perfect Solution
With three different senior living solutions designed to help you thrive, we are committed to meeting you where you are and helping build a plan alongside you to live your best years exactly how you dream.
Call or visit us online to set up your visit or learn more about Friendship Village of Dublin, Friendship at Home, or The Bailey at Bridge Park. We can’t wait to help you discover the senior living lifestyle that is right for you!
Friendship Village of Dublin
380-270-2413
www.FVDublin.org
Friendship at Home
380-205-8688
www.FriendshipAtHome.org
The Bailey at Bridge Park
614-957-2408
www.TheBaileyAtBridgePark.com
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