Aljoya Apartments Provide Luxury Living for Seniors

Dick and Betsy Russell were the first people to move into the in September of  2008. "We did a lot of research into various retirement home locations, and we discovered that of our top two places, Issaquah and Mercer Island, Issaquah has 105 inches of rainfall per year, compared to 30-35 inches (on Mercer Island)," said Dick Russell. "That was just one more detail that decided us on Aljoya--who wants to move in the rain?"

 The Aljoya Retirement Community is a huge building with 114 luxurious 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments (82 occupied) that are anywhere from 808 to 2,053 square feet and are appointed with premium kitchen appliances, hardwood floors, verandas or doors to the huge courtyard, and access to a gym, salt water swimming pool and hot tub, day spa, health center, theater, game room, business center and a gourmet restaurant called Lilly's.

There are even beautifully-appointed one and two bedroom guest quarters for guests that go for $125 a night, which includes 2 meals per guest at the restaurant.

"Most retirement communities have separate sections for independent living and assisted living for those who need help due to an infirmity," said Wendy Smith, Administrative Services Director of Aljoya. "Here, we have both, because if you become ill, we bring whatever kind of help you need right to your apartment, so you don't have to stress about a move to a different facility." Smith also notes that Lilly's is open to the public, as are two conference rooms and the theater for the regular events that take place at Aljoya. "There is something going on every single day and night here," said Smith. "We even provide transportation to anywhere our residents want to go, so if they need to go off-Island, they don't have to have a car." Aljoya staff is available 24/7, including a nurse and several certified nursing assistants on staff to help residents with health concerns.

There is one drawback to living at Aljoya:  it isn't cheap. Rents range from $2,125 per month to $5,475 per month, (depending on square footage), and that's after residents pony up an entrance fee of $268,000 to a million dollars, which is 100 percent refundable if they move out or pass away. That price does include all utilities, including telephone and cable, plus 25 meals a month, housekeeping (laundry and cleaning rooms) and transportation. If residents require assisted living, they get all three meals a day included in their rent.

Yet Dick Russell, a retired Boeing engineer and Betsy, a retired personal secretary to a wealthy Seattle celebrity, say they wouldn't live anywhere else. "The quality of workmanship in every detail of the building and apartments is extremely high; I crossed my fingers that we'd be able to move in here," said Betsy Russell. "Once you live here you find out how well it's managed and maintained," adds Dick Russell. "The Aljoya people are so well trained to take care of us and look out for our needs, it makes the difference of night and day—they bend over backward to make ours a good existence."