From First Impressions to Daily Life: Assisted Living at Southfield Village

Margaret Bolen didn’t have to look far for the right place—Southfield Village is just a short walk from her son’s home.

“My son lives just a couple of blocks from here,” she says. “His mother-in-law was in the nursing area, and they really liked it. They toured assisted living and thought, ‘This would be a great place for Mom.’”

Now living in assisted living at Southfield Village on the south side of South Bend, Margaret stays actively involved. “We have activities every morning—Jeopardy, trivia—and I participate in most everything,” she says. “The employees are very nice and friendly. They’re willing to help with anything they can. They do a good job.”

Joyce Frost noticed the welcoming atmosphere immediately. “I came here, and there was just a homey feeling,” she says. “The entrance, the chairs and tables set up for conversation—you could go and sit, talk, or read.”

Frost values the freedom to spend her days as she wishes. “Anything you want to do here, you can do when you want. You can find a corner and just read,” she explains. She adds that the staff’s warmth makes a real difference: “There isn’t anything you ask anybody here that they don’t do with a smile. It’s not glitzy. It’s homey. It reminds you of home.”

Southfield Village is a faith-based, nonprofit continuing care retirement community (CCRC) and part of the Greencroft Communities family. For over 25 years, it has served adults 55 and older with independent living, assisted living, rehabilitation, and long-term care on one campus, providing reassurance for residents and families as needs change.

Assisted living at The Arbors supports independence while making daily life easier. Residents live in private studio or one-bedroom apartments that they can furnish and decorate themselves. Services are tailored to individual needs, including meals, housekeeping, laundry, and assistance with daily routines, with staff available 24/7.

Residents enjoy a vibrant community with a fitness center, sewing room, library, gardens, and salon and barber services. Programs such as yoga, Tai Chi, and Forever Learning Institute classes enrich daily life, while neighbors gather for meals in the full-service dining room or in private rooms for family events.

Southfield Village also offers the Road to Home program, a short-term assisted living option for those recovering after a hospital stay or rehabilitation. With a furnished apartment, meals, and personalized support at a lower introductory rate, many participants enjoy the community so much they choose to stay. At Southfield Village, assisted living is about more than care—it’s about comfort, connection, and feeling truly at home.